Where Should I Start?

Organizing clients often say to me that they are so overwhelmed by clutter they just don't know where to start . . . and so, they don't do anything at all. I always ask them what is bothering them the most right now? Is it the kitchen desk? The papers in the home office? The playroom piled to the ceiling with toys? The bathroom countertop cluttered with q-tips, makeup and shampoo? Whatever it is, that's where they need to start.

And that's where you need to start, too. Make a dent in the area that bothers you the most, and you'll immediately feel better. You'll be energized to try another spot tomorrow. Don't get overwhelmed. Remember, just 10 to 15 minutes makes a huge difference.

Hoarding

I've had one hoarder among my organizing clients. He was actually referred to me by his psychiatrist. The problem with this extremely nice man was that he didn't want to change. His wife wanted him to change, but he didn't. It was emotionally painful for him to throw something out. We finally stopped meeting.

If you live with a hoarder, it's difficult. Some people have a lot of clutter, but if they want to change this habit, they're fairly easy to work with. A hoarder, on the other hand, is not. There are all sorts of reasons why people hoard, ranging from a deprived childhood to obsessive-compulsive disorder to lack of self-esteem. I'm not a behavioral health expert, so I won't try to tell you how to cope with these people. But I will say that if you find living with a hoarder impossible or if you hoard yourself, get some professional help.

Just 15 Minutes Each Day

In my organizing business, I have had several clients with adult AD/HD. Clutter has taken over their lives. They actually want to be organized, but because of the AD/HD, they procrastinate or they have no task persistence and can't stay focused.

I've found the best way to deal with these people is to get them to only spend 10 to 15 minutes each day organizing. They can pick an area or a box or a closet, go at it for about 15 minutes and then stop. I encourage them to use a kitchen timer. If they do this every day for a week, they give themselves a reward. The reward can be a multitude of things, such as a nice dinner out or a movie. The reward absolutely does not need to be another piece of clutter to bring in the house.

I also encourage them to take the bag of give-away items that is a result of the 15 minute session to the thrift store right away. If the bag sits by the door, they are tempted to go through it and take stuff out to keep.

Everybody can spare 10 or 15 minutes each day. It may not seem like much, but over a month or so, those minutes add up, and before you know it, you're organized!

Organized At Last!

Organized at last! Now, doesn't that sound good? Although I am a professional writer, I also have a small business as a professional organizer. I've seen it all! Hoarders, procrastinators, people who seem to be clutter magnets. They all WANT to be organized; they just can't seem to do it. They're discouraged and overwhelmed, and you may feel the same way

Relax. You absolutely can get organized. You can have an incredible number of projects on your plate, and still feel in control. You can possess thousands of pieces of paper, and still find what you need when you need it. And when you're in control of your stuff (rather then the stuff controlling you), it will be amazing how productive and creative you can be.

I want to share with you stories of some of the people I've worked with and the tricks that have worked for them. I also want to chart my own progress along the organizational path. Although I feel fairly organized, my life is evolving, and I'm always learning a better way to do something. And I know without a doubt, I need to improve my time management skills.

So, welcome. I hope you'll share your problems and solutions. Let's get Organized At Last!