With the heavy snowfall came a real organizing buzz– the snow just keeps coming and people just keep finding order!

I am so surprised how many people have commented to me that they were getting organized while they were stuck at home. I thought it might be interesting to explore some reasons why that might be happening. Here are a few I came up with, and PLEASE feel free to comment on a few more!

• It creates time available to organize. Our regular agenda shifts and our normal routine moves to the back burner
• It provides chunks of time that are required for bigger projects
• There is time to clear the decks of the little things
• Nothing is competing with organizing
• Organizing gives us a sense of accomplishment and it’s a way to not feel stuck

Here are some tips for organizing when you are stuck at home:

• Organize your tax information and be ready now so you can enjoy that spring weather in April!
• Pull out those photographs and spread them out on the dining room table and start sorting!
• Delete all those emails that are clogging your inbox and get rid of files you will never use.
• Clean out that recipe box, you may find the perfect cozy treat.
• Update your calendar with birthdays and anniversaries.
• Update your address list and card lists so you are ahead of the game next holiday season.
• Go through your medicine cabinet to clear out expired medications.
• Clean out and update your music on itunes.

The new A&E Show HOARDERS is really creating a buzz in our industry and I am trying to decide how I feel about it. First, let me say that I know the Professional Organizers featured on this show personally and I have a great deal of respect for their work. My comments relate to the show and how it is produced more than the actually work they are doing.

Although the show “spotlights” organizing and bring attention to a segment of the population we serve, I am not sure it portrays the process well. I have concerns anytime a show has to document a long process over a very short time and accentuates the drama more than the growth. This can make actual hoarding clients shy away from getting help. A typical hoarder client is trying to change the way they think about their stuff and figure out why they are holding and collecting so much stuff. The process is SLOW as they relearn and reframe. Trust is a huge factor. Time is spent making small changes to the “rules” and often that means organizers are working at the hoarder’s pace and making small changes at first. This leads to real learning and an increased chance of results that last. In my experience working at a rapid pace stresses out a hoarding client and they are unable to continue. The work is painstaking at first but learning occurs and the work gets easier as these clients build their decision making muscles.

The show features people who are usually facing eviction and have literally run out of options. At least they are making some movement, and it obviously takes that kind of situation to make a move, but it is like a crash diet the results don’t hold. One thing the show does do is to provide $4,500.00 of after-care to help these people recover from this event and work on their issues. The concern of trauma and maintenance are much higher when the process is forced and accelerated. The danger here is that people who watch this may think that they can just start dumping out their loved ones things over a weekend to address the problem and that is so much more than that. My inbox has been flooded with people who have watched this show and have decided that “they can do this” — and with training, they can. The lead organizers on the show have been specially trained in this specialty.

I guess the exposure is good, but they should be careful to educate the audience to make sure that hoarders who need our help understand that the real process is slower, less dramatic and they have much more control. They also need to know that there are organizers specifically trained for this and compassionate help is out there.

Getting stuck is all about perspective.  Often by the time clients call for our help they really have had several failures and their veiw of their problem is blown out of proportion.  They are seeing everything from an extreme point of view.  They are CATASROPHIZING!

• They have decided that I am PERFECT and will think they are terrible.
• They have decided that their space is the worst space I have ever seen.
• Sometimes they see it as impossible or hopeless
• They think that they or the people in their lives will be traumatized by letting go of certain items.

But often what is trally happening is that i have seen spaces that are in worse shape and all I am really looking at is the person, not the stuff.  I am trying to understand how they want to live in the space and what might be getting in their way.  Often letting go brings energy and a sense of empowerment and control to everyone involved.

Be careful if you tend to think in worse case scenarios.  This highly emotive thinking can get in the way of clear decision making and making decisions is the key to processing the things that are in your life.  Building your decision making muscles and confidence will help you keep a healthy perspective as you face challenges.

Why do we spring clean? Is it the way the sunshine streams in and seams to spotlight things that seem to be hidden during the dreariness of winter? Does it go back to some primal nesting or post-hibernating instinct? It is the URGE TO PURGE! Often it sneaks up on us. It is an unanticipated need for order that has a certain energy that we can tap into to get organized. If you pay attention to these little urges, organization becomes more like a life rhythm rather than an event. Notice cues that each season brings and take action. Here are some tips that will help you make the most of your URGE TO PURGE this spring.
Clothes Switch
Don’t under estimate the importance switching out seasonal clothes. It gives you the chance to evaluate what you are actually wearing and to make good decisions about what you actually need from season to season. If you need a visual cues to help you see what you actually wear, try turning the clothes that are on hanger in the opposite direction and as you use your clothes replace the hangers the usual way. After a few months you can really see which clothes you use.

Kids can Help
Take time to go through your children’s toys and schoolwork. Have them be involved in the process as much as possible so that they practice making decisions too. It is important to keep it positive and fun. Encourage kids to give things to others that they no longer use. Foster the idea of generosity instead of loss.

Photos
Take time to go over your photos and organize them. Don’t be paralyzed about finding the perfect system just sort and put away current photos to make sure you are keeping up with them as they come in.

Schedule Service
Do something nice for yourself and let someone help! Pick one spring chore that you always put off or just don’t want to face, schedule someone to help. A great example would be having someone to do the windows!

In many situations clients are holding on to items because they are trying to respect the person that gave it to them. Often an item is passed down and has lost its usefulness and functionality in this world. It is so difficult to get rid of items like this. You have to ask yourself some tough questions. Assuming that you cup is already full, where is this item going to live in your world? What item do you already own that you would trade for it? Are you able to respect the item by storing it correctly in your space? Will it make you happy if you are not caring for it properly? Does it make you happy in general? Remember, you deserve to walk through this life—living with your BEST things.

As I work with clients I often see that decision making is very hard for some people. I think there is a correlation between some major life event and a lack of decision making ability. For example, when a person has lived through a trauma of sorts, they actually have seen severe consequences occur for whatever reason and it makes them have a hard time making a decision. I have also noticed that when someone has been forced to take action when circumstances were out of there control, they sometime lose their decision making abilities in a long term way. Many hoarders simply don not make a decision about the “stuff” in their life…so it piles up. It is often helpful to make decisions in the presence of someone. It just “sures-up” your judgement and your confidence. Remember, Piles are just unmade decisions.

We help busy people simplify and organize to save time and enjoy life more. I am beginning a dialog about getting and staying organized in Pittsburgh. I want to share resources and ideas with people that want to simplify their lives!