Why is organizing so much easier when you start with someone else’s belongings?
Clients often call looking for help with several projects within their home. As I ask questions to determine their priorities and a starting point, occasionally the client will volunteer a child’s room or their husband’s “man cave.” I agree that we can start wherever she prefers; however, my experience tells me these choices are, um, typically the least productive.
Here’s why:
1) It’s natural to choose another person’s area because the client (the person who called to hire me) has fewer emotional attachments to the other family member’s belongings. Deciding to let someone else’s things go is so much quicker and easier. Isn’t it? Trust me when I tell you this surprise won’t be received well.
2) Next, other members of the family may not have called in the Organizer and may not yet buy into the idea of purging and organizing. If the client starts with his or her own belongings and shows tangible results (a beautiful, organized room or two), trust is established, and volunteers start to line up.
I’ve been welcomed into many homes and, sometimes, I can actually feel the trepidation of the innocent by-standers (husbands, life partners, and children.) These are the people who nodded “yes” to the theory of getting organized, and a few days later, find themselves, slack-jawed, being introduced to a genuine Professional Organizer standing in their living room armed with bags for “lettings things go,” “donations,” and a box for things to “to sell.”
The by-standers may openly admit to a fear that their possessions will be the first to go (good instincts). Some ask if I’ll put their belongings on the front lawn “like they do on TV.” Once they learn that public humiliation isn’t part of my process, the handwringing often stops, but they still follow me around keeping a watchful eye. And, that’s okay. In all honesty, if the tables were turned, I would need some assurances, too.
In every home, belongings get co-mingled. Therefore, as we move through a room, methodically organizing each area, anything that doesn’t belong to the client, and seems out of place, we put in an “ask” pile. Later, the owner of the “ask” pile decides to keep, donate, or toss those items. All “keepers” need to be assigned home. The best way to select a home for each item is to store it where you use it.
You might be thinking, “Building trust is great, but where should I start?” Excellent question! Here’s the short answer.
The way to decide where to start is to choose the area that gives you the most “pain.” Let’s say the person making the call is a woman. Her “pain” might refer to the discomfort of getting dressed and going out in the morning. Is her closet full of things that don’t fit anymore? Is the floor littered with stray shoes? Does the space feel claustrophobic? Are there more pieces of clothing that don’t fit than do fit? That’s enough to make anyone feel depressed before reaching the breakfast table in the morning. If so, this is the place to start.
If everyone is late getting off to school and work because the kitchen isn’t efficient or meal planning doesn’t work, planning is needed in this area.
If you’re disorganization costs you time and money in the office, this is where organization will change your life from day one.
If you choose the space that causes you the most “pain,” organization will provide the most relief. Once you learn some tricks of the trade, you’ll be inspired to make every facet of your life work like a well-oiled machine.
About the Author
