Are the reality shows scaring you out of getting organized?

There’s More Than One Way to Get the Job Done

Are you watching reality shows about organizing trends and hoarders?

Do you live in fear of having to build a towering pile of all your clothes or books before you can pare down your possessions to a comfortable level?

Choosing joy is always important (unless it’s about keeping tax records).

Many people, desperate to get organized can feel defeated before they even get started.

Some folks feel ashamed and overwhelmed, and some believe that a specific method is the best or only way to succeed. A lot of people feel both.

You’ll be happy to know that like most things in life, successful decluttering and organizing can be done in several different ways.

It’s not a one size fits all process.

As a professional organizer,

I promise you that you don’t need to run all over your house and pile everything together. People commonly have books in several different places, as well as clothing, tools, mementos, etc. It’s very common. There is no need to pile everything together before you get started.

A few simple tips that most professional organizers use with clients:

• Be realistic in how much you expect to accomplish in a given amount of time. It takes a few years to accumulate these items. It takes more than a couple hours to sort, decide, and re-organize them!
• Take small bites. Tackle one closet, or one type of item in each session. Maybe sort handbags one time, then coats and jackets in another session. Empty dresser drawers one at a time. Take out the items you don’t wear, for any reason, and put the rest back neatly.
• If you think some of your stuff is sellable, a quick look on E-Bay will show what other people are selling similar items for. Be sure to check the ‘sold’ price for what has sold, not just the asking price.
• Don’t be disappointed if your kids don’t want to inherit great grandma’s dining table set from you. And don’t hang on to things out of guilt! A gift is not meant to be a burden.

Let someone else enjoy it.

Get Organized!

The reality is that you are not on a reality tv show. The 30 or 60 minutes you watch takes place over several days, maybe even a couple weeks.

Sometimes even longer. AND it takes a big team. It took you years to collect all your treasures. It’s unreasonable to expect you can clear it out and organize everything in one fell swoop.

Please don’t feel like you have to stay buried under clutter, or deal with it alone. Ask a trusted friend or family member to help you, or contact a professional organizer.

It’s important to work with someone that you feel comfortable with. Letting go of stuff can be a very intimate process. Sometimes it can be difficult, as well.

You will feel so much better once you take that first step!

Contacting Donna is the best way to learn how to get organized!