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| | Post New Topic | | Organizing tip | Views: 679 | | May 10, 2005 9:32 pm | | Organizing tip | # |
KerryF | | Hi everyone...
I just got done with a HUGE organizing job with a client who drove me absolutely NUTS. I decided I'd post here and let everyone in on the ONE biggest organizing problem we were facing. Maybe it will help you too.
~~~Don't Pack Rat!!!~~~
This woman had just about every single item from her entire life in this little apartment. As we went through everything she wouldn't put anything in the "give away" pile I wanted her to create. I kept explaining to her that we were never going to be able to organize her life if she wasn't going to let go of things she didn't need.
This job should have taken us maybe 4 sessions, but she wouldn't cooperate, so it actually took us 9 sessions.
I actually gave up on her at session 7. I told her that there was nothing else I could do for her. She LOVED her clutter and so I had to let her live with it.
She called me up a month ago in tears BEGGING me to come back. I told her that the only way was if she was willing to part with all this needless stuff. She agreed.
We weeded and purged like there was no tomorrow for 2 more sessions. Now she is a converted packrat. Her apartment is wonderful, clutter-free, organized!!!
She just emailed me a thank you, telling me again how wonderful she feels to be rid of all that old stuff. She loves being "liberated", as she put it, and organized.
So, I thought I'd pass it on to you all. What are you pack ratting away in your home that is keeping you from being truly organized?? Do you even look at it? or is it all packed in a box taking up space??
Maybe you should consider converting over to the organized side too....
Kerry
Private Reply to KerryF | | May 11, 2005 9:08 am | | re: Organizing tip | # | 
Clare Evans | | Hi Kerry and all,
I'm just come back on to this group having been off for a long while.
A relevant post for me as I'm a definite hoarder but love the fresh, clean feeling when I do have a clearout. My big sticking point is that I hate to throw anything useful away - I can't bear the thought of it ending up in landfill. I am getting better at clearing out old clothes that I haven't worn in ages and recycling to the local charity shops. Piles of old magazines now get taken down to the local doctor's surgery, old people's home or schools. Books are my downfall - I love reading but do clear those out every so often. Paperwork is somewhere else that although I'm organised, have files, folders to sort paperwork, I still hang on to stuff for longer than I probably need to - just in case.
What's your top tip for letting go of 'stuff'?
Clare
Private Reply to Clare Evans | | May 11, 2005 12:05 pm | | re: re: Organizing tip | # | 
Luv2organize | | Our organizing philosophy is determining what must be kept, when we organize a medical office for example there are absolute necessary papers that legally must be kept for seven years and therein lies our organizing problem.
Our solutions were to scan the papers onto a CD and store, for those who did not want to do that they had to be stored in locked file cabinets because of privacy laws now, called HIPAA.
So next time you have a organizing, storage problem just imagine how serious it can be and be grateful you dont have that problem as well. :)
I think that organizing is not only elimination but storage
as well. Where and how do you store all the items left after the purge. Thats where the pretty part comes in.
When we help to organize a nursery or childs room for example, of course its best to start with a fresh room and
add the storage units right away and get used to using a system to avoid the accumalation afterwards. Organizing is also decorating in a sense. But the many storage units that are available now that are either functional, decorative or both makes it easier.
As to the psychological trauma of getting rid of things, just ask yourself, will I need this in the next few months, year, how will this item enrich my life or that of family and friends. For example when my Mom passed I did get rid of some things that now how I wish I had kept.
So getting rid of things is never easy but the rewards are great. Once accomplished its a fantastic feeing.
Good Luck!
Terri Weston
Private Reply to Luv2organize | | May 11, 2005 4:53 pm | | re: re: Organizing tip | # |
KerryF | | My tip for letting go of the "stuff"?? Well, this is never easy. What I do is this...
I go through every cupboard and drawer and closet in my house spuradicaly, here and there, over the year. When I am working on an certain area I look at each item. If I haven't used this item in over a year (and of course it isn't a seasonal item that will be used eventually) then I get rid of it. I rarely throw anything in the trash, opting for Good Will or such.
Yes, I have thrown away things I wish later on that I hadn't. However, with that said, I can honestly admit that the times this has happened were very few compared to the things I got rid of and never needed again.
Also, there are very few things that you get rid of that you can not replace later on. And yes, I have gone out and purchased an item that I discarded that I later wanted again. But, again, it happens very seldomly.
I am a sentimental person, and wish I could keep everything I ever used my entire life, but this doesn't make sense. You pay "housing/storage" for these things. Rent/Mortgage is high enough these days for you and the living people in your house as it is, you shouldn't be paying for "stuff" to live too.
I also like the idea of helping out people who really do "need" the item I no longer really need. I could keep the item in a box, stored in my attic because I can't let go of it, or I can donate it to someone who really will use it and be thankful they have it. That makes me feel way better than "hoarding" it for myself, for no real reason.
So, basically, my tip to get rid of the stuff...Just Do It. There's no real easy way. It's simply the right thing to do.
Kerry
Private Reply to KerryF | | May 17, 2005 4:15 pm | | re: re: Organizing tip | # |
- Hilary Baumann - Fascination Design | | One thing that's really helpful if you haven't already heard of it is Freecycle.org It's great for items you want to get rid of but could be put to good use by someone else (goodwill and salvation army are also good if no one wants it through Freecycle.)
I know that this doesn't help people decide WHAT to get rid of but when you do get rid of it you can usually find someone who wants it.
One tip I do have on getting rid of things: sometimes it's easier to organize first and then purge. It can help you see just how much stuff you have or how much of what you actually have. For example, there were stacks and stacks of papers in the front bedroom here (which is my grandmother's stuff that my mother doesn't want to let go of) and most of them could be organized into three categories (some still need subcategories but I haven't gone back through them.)
I had:
1) photos
2) keepsake (newspapers, dance recital programs, letters, things of this nature)
3) accounting (this is the one that needs to be organized more still - I threw all of the medical bills in with it so...)
When I came across, for example, 5 of the same dance recital program I picked the one in the best condition and threw out the rest (checking to make sure also that there weren't any notes or friend's signatures in any of the versions.)
Sometimes the problem for people is that each item brings back a particular memory. If you can realize that you didn't miss it until you saw it or if you can ask yourself "would I share this or the story about this with someone else?" it might help. Some items though it may still be better to just take a picture of to save space even if you would share it or the story about it with someone else.
Obviously the accounting paperwork thing isn't really about emotions and I'm not qualified to tell you what to keep or toss in that but I think the general rule of thumb is 7 years. What should you keep for 7 years accounting wise? I'm not 100% sure. Sadly I probably have 13 very well organized years worth of my accounting (but until about 5 years ago I didn't have that much of it.)
Anywho - just catching up on the messages here. Hope it helps somehow. :)
Hilary Baumann
Owner, FascinationDesign.com
Private Reply to - Hilary Baumann - Fascination Design | | May 19, 2005 11:54 am | | re: Organizing tip | # |
Clare Evans | | Hi Kerry,
Yes, I'm more comfortable with the 'recycle' to someone who will use what you no longer need. I'm making this a regularly part of my clearing out routine and lucky enough to have several charities that collect on a regular basis so I just put things in a pile ready for the next one.
Thanks for the ideas,
Clare
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