Suddenly, if you are among the many who are staying at home now, the excuse of “I haven’t the time to get it done” just went away. Or at least the ability to call me [or your favorite organizer] and schedule to get it done is now gone. If you’ve had the time and / or a compelling reason to get organized in your home space, why aren’t you organized yet?
Among my tribe, getting started is the very hardest part. Simply starting. For many reasons – emotional issues, ADD or other clutter- challenging disorders, limited skills or simply an aversion to organizing – getting started is a big brutal block. It’s a kin to someone who needs to get started on that diet or on not smoking. It’s as difficult as not drinking or not gambling. If getting organizing is your nemesis, clutter can stop you cold.
Of course, we all know, the first thing to be do is to simply begin. Put the drink down. Throw the cigarettes out. And with clutter, start deciding. To find the strength, find the courage, consider what you’ve already achieved in your life as proof that you can do this work. Have you become a parent, survived disease, bought a home, acquired a degree, overcome a deep loss, healed from injury, earned a living, buried a loved one? You have endured. You can do this too. You don’t want to, but you can.
Like a Nike Ninja, just do it. Here are some quick hacks to help you begin:
- Start small at first. Pick a space – one small space. The corner of the desk. A pile of magazines. The floor of the utility closet. The top shelf in the office.
- Set a timer. 15 minutes is enough. Go for 20 the next time. 30 minutes is going for it. Anything more is you, amazing you, making it happen.
- Have a bin or bag for trash, recycle, donations and if it’s paper, a shred bag or shredder.
- Remember – Be brutal about the stuff to be kind to yourself.
- Ask “does this serve me”. You are too important to have a space crowded with anything that doesn’t.
- Be grateful when you let go. Say or think “thank you” to the extra special goodbyes.
- Engage a partner and schedule the time. We all have an organized friend or family love, yes? They can be there, virtually even, just to help you talk through it as you make the decisions. One decision at a time.
- Build in a reward. Watch a movie with the family. Make cupcakes. Take a ride to the park. And schedule the organizing right before the reward.
In any case, start. Stop when it hurts too much. Breathe. Call me if you need to.
You can. Of course you can.
💛💫👊🏼