Who’s Afraid of Their Storage Unit?

Have you seen A&E’s Storage Wars? This cable TV show features abandoned storage units being auctioned off to the highest bidder. The bidders are essentially gambling on whether or not the contents will be worth more than they paid. Usually they’re full of crap. Sometimes there is a treasure inside. Either way, I figure the owner has lost track of the contents. Why pay to store crap? Why not retrieve your treasures before abandoning the unit? In some cases, I suppose, the unit owner has died and failed to leave behind evidence of buried storage unit treasure.

My goal for my clients is that they will know what they have, keep only what they use and/or love, and be able to enjoy it and find it when they need it. If some of their stuff needs to be kept in a rental storage unit, so be it. However, what I see most often is the aftermath of folks who are stressed out during a move, or other life change, who throw everything into storage and leave it there because they “don’t have time to deal with it.” It is not only a waste of money, but can be a cause of stress for years to come.

How Much is Your Clutter Costing You?

Have you ever wondered who, exactly, hires a professional organizer? Are my clients all rich? A few, yes, but mostly no. What do they all have in common? They are ready for a change; they are willing to invest in themselves (and/or their home, work, and relationships); and they recognize that the value of organizing far exceeds the cost of organizing. 

Clutter has its own costs. Sometimes in the form of actual money loss, or lack of money gain; sometimes the costs are less tangible, but still very real. Here are some examples:

Email Inbox Zero — Really?

Inbox Zero – WHAT?  Have you heard of “Inbox Zero”, whereby one processes the items in one’s email inbox down to zero on a regular basis? Is this possible? Yes. Is it necessary? Yes. It is for me, at least. Confession: I have only recently achieved (or even tried to achieve) Inbox Zero. Previously I was happy as long as I could see all my inbox emails without scrolling down (about 30). Whatever your comfort level is, the following tips will help.

Spring Cleaning…Outdoors!

Spring planter

I was pondering why I don’t write spring cleaning tips. And came up with 3 reasons: 1) I’m an organizer, not a housecleaner. 2) I kinda don’t believe in Spring Cleaning, per se. (Gasp!) With only a couple of exceptions, like drapes and ceiling fans, there is nothing in my house that I would want to go a whole year without cleaning. I prefer doing a little bit at a time, all year long, to avoid any one cleaning project becoming a big job. (So, there’s your cleaning time tip.) Or… if you hate cleaning, and can afford to, hire it done. 3) When spring comes, my attention shifts to OUTDOORS!

Now, Spring Cleaning Outdoors is something I can get excited about!

It’s About Time

I tell each of my organizing clients the same thing: “This project, as all projects do, will come down to a Time Management issue. We can make it functional, and make it look pretty, but you will have to devote a bit of time on a regular basis to maintain it. If you feel you don’t have time, we can schedule a Time Management consultation. I also offer a multi-week coaching program.” I also give them homework (when it seems necessary, and when it seems like they might have the wherewithal to do it). Meaning, I am usually the one to make the list of action items. They say “OK”…and sometimes they actually do it! Other times, not so much… 

HOWEVER, what I plan to START saying, effective immediately, is this:

Busting the Top 10 Organizing Myths

Don’t believe everything you think!  Here are the top 10 organizing myths, along with the truth and some helpful links to related blog posts, flow charts, and services. 

Organizing Myths #1 & 2:  Neat equals organized.  &  Messy equals disorganized.

Truth:  Not necessarily! 

Don’t Procrastinate – Read This Now!

Trust me, I can procrastinate with the best of you! Lately I’ve been tackling some tasks that I’ve put off for so long that, in the midst of doing them, I’ve actually exclaimed to myself, “I’m doing it! I’m really doing it!” It feels SO GOOD to have something DONE, doesn’t it? And it’s rarely as painful as we think it’s going to be.

So, how can we make it easier to “Just do it”?

What I Know For Sure: Oprah Gets It!

I am grateful to Oprah Winfrey for introducing Julie Morgenstern and Peter Walsh to the world at large. She increased awareness of the benefits of getting organized, paving the way for organizers like me to make a living doing what they love. Just now, reading O Magazine’s annual De-Clutter Your Life issue, I am reminded of what she and I both wrote last year:

Getting Organized Prevents Memory Loss

An elephant never forgets!

Many of my clients, even the younger ones, are worried because they forget stuff. Well…join the club, we all do! But some actually fear they are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. You might, of course, have the dreaded disease, but you probably don’t…or, at least not yet.

Being Organized Isn’t Easy

Is it?

Yes, you heard me right.  Being organized isn’t easy, not if “easy” means “requiring no effort”.  When did I ever say it was easy?!

Being organized means living your life by design, not by default.  It does takes some time and effort.