Serving Eastern Pennsylvania, Central and Southern New Jersey, and Delaware
Serving Eastern Pennsylvania, Central and Southern New Jersey, and Delaware
Professional organizers help you bridge your old lifestyle with your new lifestyle — working with you to change habits and forge successful ones. Sometimes you need just a gentle nudge to shift from the same old ways of doing things (or not doing them at all!) to new ways. This includes seeing through refreshed eyes — seeing your space, seeing yourself, and seeing the way you use your time.
Do you feel mired? As if you can’t quite get any traction? Organizers help break the patterns and free you to start moving again. We help you handle papers differently, approach your closet from a new perspective , and work through your projects — to completion!
Professional organizers’ eyes are judgment free. We don’t look at spaces and draw down a curtain of shame; we look to help clients understand: how did things get piled on the floor? Or why are there duplicates taking up prime real estate in your home or office? Our goal is to teach new ways of handling your stuff to clear your spaces, work surfaces, and floors from clutter. And ultimately, this will help free your mind to be even more productive.
ORGANIZERS HELP CLIENTS CREATE:
• a new vision of themselves (you really can become an on-time person)
• a different script for their future life (you will finish this project)
• new habits to maintain order and calm (the pile on the kitchen counter isn’t a permanent fixture)
Break the hold old patterns have on your life by hiring an organizer. Organizers help you update your old operating system. We listen to what’s getting in your way and help you problem-solve HOW to do things — step by step — so you don’t get overwhelmed. We are cheerleaders for your successes no matter how incremental. We are confidants to your pitfalls as you learn to surmount them.
Clutter is more than a physical burden; it has an emotional claim. If you can admit that you are overwhelmed and you are open to receiving help, you have taken the first step to inviting an organizer into your life. Any space that overwhelms you probably has an organizer suited to improving the function of that area.
October twelfth marks Christopher Columbus’ birthday. He set out to discover new Trade Routes to Asia, but ended up in the Caribbean. Roadblocks and mistakes diverted his initial path and his journey took longer than expected. He kept going – always moving forward – closer to his target (even when his target changed). This concept of forward momentum is very important in life – so is setting goals. Goals provide motivation. Motivation keeps us taking steps.
If we use Columbus’ journey as our Goal Setting Road Map we learn to:
Take organizational goals: Sometimes your goal is to reclaim space in a spare bedroom. You think the only way to achieve that is to empty the whole room and start from scratch. But, as you work, you realize it’s actually the corner where the bills get paid that mucks up the process. You notice that entering the room facing the ironing board is depressing; small shifts in orienting stuff can make a huge difference. Or let’s say you are overwhelmed with family photos and you want to ‘organize them.’ Your first goal might be to store them in photo safe boxes. Along the way you decide to scan a portion and preserve them electronically as a screen-saver montage. While sorting sentimental batches you get caught up reconnecting with family. That’s okay if you stick with the goal of getting the photos organized and continue to weed out the unnecessary shots. As long as you do something with the photos you want to save, you are still moving forward.
In setting goals, you will have to plan a route to achieve success.
You will want to find like-minded travelers along the road.
When you get stuck, don’t get discouraged… stay focused and keep your eyes on the horizon.
Amaze yourself with what you discover!
You don’t have to be a sports fan to learn a new move or two from the NCAA basketball tournament. This single-elimination collegiate competition held every spring is informally known as March Madness. Various rounds of the tournament have distinctive names: Sweet 16, Elite 8 and Final 4.
Accept this March Madness Challenge: mimic the tournament’s elimination process to decide what deserves a place in your life. Think, as you cull your collection, “What’s worthy of living on my trophy shelf?” Over the course of the next three weeks, cut any bench warmers – objects that hog space, collect dust and detract from the rest of the team.
Just as athletes work toward goals and milestones like personal bests, make your decluttering goals concrete. For example, trim 16 items of clothing so that your clothes don’t spill over into a second closet. Or, contain your collection of figurines to 8 that fit neatly in a cabinet. And maybe, find the 4 essential cookbooks for your kitchen shelf.
The hardest lesson March Madness teaches is “one and done.” The Final 4 teams play two games over three days to determine the one national champion. Culling collections down to a single winner is unrealistic, but selecting winners based on proven criteria is a good play. Choose from a laundry list of categories: books, clothes, vases, kids’ artwork, pantry items, electronics, just to name a few, and let these Elite 8 questions be the driving force behind refining your best team.
1. Do you use it?
2. Do you love it?
A yes to either, “Do you use it?” or “Do you love it?” garners objects a guaranteed spot on the team!
3. Has it expired?
Yes to this and it’s a definite cut from the team: food, medicine, fashion or electronics.
4. Does it fit?
5. Is it flattering?
The questions, “Does it fit?” and “Is it flattering?” though suited to clothing, are not exclusive to wardrobes. These questions ask if things fit your lifestyle. Sometimes entire collections represent an old hobby that is irrelevant to our current interests. Consider how much of what you own is an honest reflection of you and the life you want to live. If something doesn’t fit for any reason… let it go.
6. Could you easily replace it?
7. Is it still valuable to you?
8. Is it easy to maintain?
Surplus supplies can rob us of space, energy and disposable income.
Don’t stockpile if you are maxing out on space.
Sentimental items are not easily replaced and are harder to part with. When paring down nostalgic items ask yourself which piece best represents that time in your life, or best reflects that personal accomplishment.
Don’t forget to simplify. Fewer working parts, lower maintenance costs, and a smaller footprint can be a savings on several levels.
Take your time. Give yourself an entire month to accomplish your goal. Each week, make your ‘team cuts.’ Try out the feeling of having less on your shelf, less in your collection and less on your mind.
In the end YOU will be the winner. The March Madness basketball tournament ends on Monday April 2. Plan ahead for your personal victory and set a date for the end of your March Madness Challenge. Don’t throw in the towel if the tournament ends while you’re still deciding what to keep. Decisions take time, but if you don’t declutter on a regular basis, your organizing muscles won’t be at peak performance. Practice will perfect your skills.
