Guest Post for The Confident Mom – Letting Go!
This month for my guest blog post for the Confident Mom, I list out a few different questions to get you through the sorting process. These are to guide you along the process especially for those items you really just don’t know what to do about.
An additional tip to add for those “Maybe” items, is to place them into a box for 6 months. If you do not return to the box within the 6 months or even think about the box, give yourself the freedom to let the box go! Put this on your calendar to remind yourself, otherwise it can easily be forgotten. 
In addition to all of the great services, Susan Heid provides with the Confident Mom, don’t forget the Summer Survival Calendar! Yes, we are closing in on summer, but these activities are good all year around! For only $7.00, you have access to different websites with great activities, recipes and just great fun! Enjoy these last days of summer without worrying about getting bored and what to do next!
Happy Organizing!
When in Doubt – Throw it out!
Here is a very standard Organizing Rule you may see from time to time! 
When in doubt – throw it out….
It sounds so easy, right? But I know for many of you it is not! When you are getting organized, you have to make decisions. You must decide if something is worth staying in your home. It is hard to make these decisions and becomes even harder when you don’t know what an item is! If you don’t know what the item is or what it goes too, it makes it even harder to decide where its permanent home should be. The items I am talking about are the little bits and pieces that end up a the bottom of boxes and drawers etc. You know the ones!
Here’s a strategy to try… If you can not figure out what something is within 60 seconds, make the decision to throw it out and never look back. Most likely, you will never think about this item again. It seems a little harsh, I know, but following this rule gives you the freedom to decide without feeling guilty or regretful. (Throwing it out can mean in the trash if it’s garbage or recycle if it’s recyclable.)
Now I know some of you will not be able to do this. And here is another solution- if you really have a hard to letting go, place these items into their own box or bin. This box is probably going to be made up of little plastic pieces and many random things. You will not need to keep this box for a long period of time, but it will at least allow the security you need to get through the process. At the end of the sorting process, re-evaluate the box and start making decisions if these items are really worth staying.
Happy Organizing!
Do You Trust Your Organizing System?
Do you trust your organizing system? 
How you answer this question, will most likely determine how organized you really are! If the answer is Yes… Well kudos to you my friend! My guess is for most people the answer is yes, sort of, maybe, sometimes, or no, not at all.
David Allen in Getting Things Done, talks about having clear edges between your reference files and action files. What does this mean? Having clear edges between your files means only reference paper goes into the reference file, and only action papers go into the action file. Clear edges means there is no grey area, it should be very clear what is in the file.
You are making a promise to yourself and making a commitment to maintain your system the way you set it up. You trust that when you are looking for a reference file, it will be in the reference file.
The files and therefore the system must be clear and well defined! You can not be sort of be organized or organized half of the time. When doing so, we are breaking the promise you made…. You are breaking the trust in the system.
What happens when we don’t trust our systems? We become numb to them! We say, they no longer work for us. We get frustrated and we can easily go back to our old habits and before we know it, the paper pile is back! We have to trust our systems in order to make them work! We have to keep the promise we made.
Here is an example of a trusted system, which is not about paper, but everyday items you would find in a home:
I was working with a client the other day and we were talking about underneath their bathroom sinks. Both sinks had a variety of different medicines, first aid, extra supplies etc, basically to the point where it was overflowing. They were buying duplicates of items because they thought they were out. So we created a new system… one they could trust! We decided to clear out the sinks and go through the organizing process by placing like items with like items. After deciding what was needed to stay under the sinks, we labeled a clear bin for the excess supplies. We placed the clear bin in their closet where there was plenty of room and easy access. So going forward, if they were out of something from under the sink, they would go to the extra bin, if it was not in the bin, then they knew they could trust it was no where else in the home and they could add it to their errand list. They now have a trusted system in place.
Do you trust your organizing system?
If the answer is no, what actions can you do to fix it?
In order to stay organized, in order to live an organized lifestyle, you must trust your systems!
Happy Organizing!
Taking a New Routine and Making it a Habit!
As I am reading the book, Getting Things Done, by David Allen, I realize as with any organizational system it takes time and commitment to be successful. If you follow his system or create one just for you, you must change some of your old habits and replace them with new ones.
There is no getting around it, there is no easy way out of this… To create change, you have to change! We recently had a podcast show dedicated to just building new habits. This got me to also think about routines. What is different about a routine and a habit? Essentially it is the same thing. However, a habit is usually done unconsciously, most likely we are not even aware we are doing the action. Like biting our nails when we are nervous or using our hands when we speak.
A routine can certainly be habit, it’s usually a list of tasks we do to prepare for something. Many parents use nightly routines for their kids, sort of like a checklist of things to do before we go to bed. Some of us have morning routines, where we check our email and voicemail first thing in the morning, etc.
So if we are trying a new organizing system, we need to build a new routine for our day. We need to change our thinking and the way we do things. But when it’s new, its too easy to forget! Which is the reason many systems fall apart on us.
So how do we stop forgetting, and just do? 
When you are first getting started with a new routine, may it be a new filing system, or a new way to schedule your daily to do’s, whatever the tasks may be, create a checklist! Write down all of the action steps that need to be completed and check them off as you go.
Practice, over and over again, until the routine becomes a habit! You no longer have to think about what happens next. You no longer have to worry about your system breaking down, because you are doing the work…
You are getting things done!
Happy Organizing!
Ep 11: Taking Control on Getting Things Done
David Allen’s practical take on getting organized has become a way of life for process-happy organizers around the world since publication in 2001. The book, and the methodology that grows from it, is every bit as powerful today as it was then, even as new organizing tools and technologies continue to evolve around us. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright discuss the GTD approach to getting organized at length, sharing the process, tools, and thinking that can help you take what works from GTD and make it your own to take control in your own life.
Make the Commitment – Take Action!
All week we have been talking about our habits and questioning ourselves about the level of commitment we need to have to succeed. Habits, commitment, and motivation, these are very powerful words.
What does it mean to be committed? 
I suppose for everyone it looks different because there are different levels of commitment. Depending on what we are committing ourselves too. We commit to our spouses, our children, our family and friends. But those are different commitments than if we are committed to exercise in order to lose weight. Right? The magnitude is obviously not as big, but what’s the common ground?
I think one of the biggest factors in being committed, whether it’s to a person, a job, an ideal, a goal, is the action you put towards your commitment. Let me say this again, the action you put towards the commitment!
Have you ever heard that actions speak louder than words? You show you are committed when you act over and over. Just saying it isn’t enough. Love is a verb right? It’s what you do to show the other person you love them. Commitment is a verb. It’s more than just saying you have this goal to organize, it’s about doing the work and getting organized! It’s about setting up the right systems and staying committed in making them work.
If your actions are not speaking louder than your words, than are you fully committed? As we saw in the last blog post, the number one reason people fail on their diets, is lack of commitment.
You have to think, plan, and then you have to do….
Happy Organizing!
How Committed Are You?
Last week, I was watching a segment on the Today show about the top 4 reasons why diets fail for people trying to lose weight. The number one reason - They are Not Fully Committed. This got to me to thinking not about losing weight but about organizing of course.
I have told my clients in the past that getting organized is like losing weight… There is no quick fix or magic pill that will automatically get you to your goal weight. You have to do the work by exercising and eating right, all of the time, well at least most of the time.. You are making choices, deciding to live a different lifestyle than in the past.
So what happens if you are not fully committed to this new lifestyle? You start to go back to old habits, habits that are not very healthy for you. You may make poor choices that go against what you are trying to achieve.
The same thing goes for getting organized. If you are not fully committed to the process, you will not succeed. If you don’t see getting your life organized as a lifestyle change, you most likely will not succeed in the long run. You have to want to make these changes for you and only you. If you are only doing it to please someone else, it won’t work. You must be committed to yourself first!
The tips on the Today Show to be fully committed included; to have daily and weekly goals set. Do not expect miracles and realize when you are getting impatient. This stuff takes time and again there is no quick fix! Lastly, forgive yourself for any slip ups. We all have them, whether we ignore the ” Touch it Once” Rule in organizing or decide to the eat donut. Move on and don’t dwell on the mishaps.
We always have a chance to make better choices next time. Remember all of the time and energy you have already put into this journey. Revisit why this is important to you and keep going.
Stay committed and succeed!
Happy Organizing!
Ep 10: The Habits that Affect your Organization at Home
We all come to the table with a full basket of habits — some good, some bad — and getting control of the habits that affect your ability to get organized is a major step in getting off on the right foot. This week on the show, Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright talk about the habits that make for good organization, and those that get in your way time and again.
Making Your Time Count!
We live in a busy world! There are days in my week where every hour is accounted for, and trying to get anything extra done, is almost impossible! We all wish we had more than 24 hours in the day. I wish I could function on less than 8 hours of sleep, I would get more done, but I can’t! And I can’t make the day have more hours, I am stuck with 24!
Often times when I am working with clients, they say the reason they have not gotten organized in the past, is because they just do not have the time. I can understand this statement, however I go on to tell them, once they put the time in to get organized and set up the right systems, in the long run, they will actually save time! Let’s be honest, no matter what it is, if it’s a priority to you, you will make the time to get it done.
So how we can make better use of our time?
If getting organized is a priority and you are ready to make some progress, then follow these steps to making your time count!
- Schedule and plan your organizing sessions. Take this a step further than just writing the appointment, actually put on a piece of paper everything you need to accomplish during the session. Don’t make your list so elaborate you get disappointed. Be realistic, pick your top 3 realistic tasks and write it down. Check off as you go!
- Work when you feel your very best. If you are a morning person, then be sure to schedule your appointments in the morning. You will get more done, when you feel good and most alert.
- What has distracted you in the past? If it’s the phone, turn off the ringer, if it’s the computer, shut it off, if it’s your kids, hire a babysitter for the afternoon. Be aware of your distractions and then take care of them.
- Make the easy decisions first. If you have a limited amount of time, don’t waste it on deciding what to do, leave the hard decisions for later.
- Delegate – Find out what decisions you have to make and delegate the others. If you live with other people, delegate and work together. You shouldn’t have to carry all of the load on your shoulders.
- Set a timer - If you have decided to work for one hour, set the timer. As you see the time ticking, speed up the process. Make a game out of it, see how much you can get done in the last 5 minutes. You may actually surprise yourself!
- Write down the results – Don’t waste time in your next organizing session trying to remember what you accomplished before, write down what you accomplished and what your next goals and priorities are for the next session.
Happy Organizing!
“I Just Need to Get Organized!” – Is this statement holding you back?
My life could be so much better if I was just more organized!
What’s wrong with this statement?
Have you ever made “Getting Organized” a new years resolution before and not succeeded? Maybe not just at New Years but have you have ever felt getting more organized would somehow make a difference in your life?
Getting organized is a great goal. If you do it right, it can and will make your life better.
Even with this said, what is still wrong with the statement above? It’s too broad!
This statement by itself is much bigger than anyone can or should take on! It often results in overwhelming feelings of frustration and stress. To just say you are going to get organized, can really be confusing.
Where to start, how to start, and what to do? It becomes too much, so what happens? It gets put on next years list, because for right now, you just don’t have the time or energy!
Here are a few tips to encourage you towards your goal of ”getting organized” rather than you running away from it!
- Write down and define the specific areas where you need better organization. This could include specific areas in your home as well as time management. Where ever you see a better system could benefit you.
- Prioritize your list. What is the most frustrating for you right now?
- Once you have decided what you are going to do, break that space down even further. If your first choice is your kitchen, decide to work on the cabinets then the counters.
- Finish one task before moving on to the next. This will help you stay focus and see progress much faster than trying to do too much all at once.
BONUS TIP: When deciding what areas in your life you would like to get organized, think about the why? Why does one area in your home get filled up with the clutter? Why does the mail stay unopened? In order for you to really make a difference and change, you need to understand what is holding you back in the first place!
So before you start to “Get Organized” , take time to see what needs to get organized, and then ask those questions of why it needs to be fixed! Once you understand the problem it will be much easier to fix and not so overwhelming!
Happy Organizing!
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