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Dec 08
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The Micro-Organizer: Seeing Your Progress

By Blog, Quick Organizing Tips, Time Management No Comments

đŸ€ Dear Micro-Organizers,

 

Micro-organizing can be more of an art than a science, wouldn’t you agree?

 

Finding just the perfect spots for all of your everyday items
 arranging them in a beautiful manner
 waking up every day to a fresh, organized home


 

Sound too good to be true?

 

For a Micro-Organizer, this is a daily habit! These daily “resets” are just in our nature.

 

đŸ€”Â Why am I prone to Clutter?

 

Because Micro-Organizers are not often found in cluttered homes, one might think that they don’t even have problems with clutter.

 

But this is quite the opposite.

 

Many of us struggle with a strong love-it-or-toss-it mentality. Which sounds like a good thing! But this mentality can be ruthless.

A Micro-Organizer can be caught either hiding out of sight or throwing away others’ items just because they don’t fit with their envisioned “look” of the space, drawer, or shelf.

 

Another struggle is that you may be prone to organizing your clutter. A great thing to keep in mind is that no matter how organized your clutter may be
 at the end of the day, it is still clutter.

 

Neatly arranging 100 of the same pens in a drawer does not mean it’s organized. Considering we can only use so many pens in a lifetime, does it logically make sense that anyone would really need 100?

 

These are the little questions you must ask yourself.

 

Don’t know where to start decluttering?

 

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đŸ„ŠÂ Confronting the Clutter

 

The key to succeeding with organizing for this style is by doing it in small bits at a time. Try to avoid taking on big projects all at once.

 

Oftentimes the Micro-Organizer can get overwhelmed by a huge project and fall back into their comfort zone of burying themselves in one drawer for hours.

 

And that one drawer might end up looking like the most picturesque, #IGWorthy drawer you’ve ever laid eyes on!

 

…But it did suck away 3 hours for what could have been half of a room completed.

 

Try to hone in your micro-organizing skills by setting an intention to make visible progress with one thing at a time.

 

This will create a big difference for you (visually and emotionally) as you will see more progress instead of jumping around from project to project!

 

We’ve already established that you’re very talented with keeping up on routinely decluttering and daily resets. So once you’ve got the bigger picture into play, these steps will come naturally to you.

The hardest part of organizing is the initial sweep-through.

 

Once you’ve got all your systems set up, the rest is just maintaining – which is a breeze!

 

You’ll also find that you’re able to get even more done in a shorter amount of time with these strategies!

✹ Living clutter-free: Is it for me?

 

“When we focus so hard on the tiny details, we leave ourselves open to miss the bigger picture. Details matter and so does an eagle’s point of view.”

– Rosangel Perez

 

For a Micro-Organizer, beginning a new project can seem like a big commitment.

 

This is because you see the million little steps in-between.

 

To make it seem more approachable, keep your eye on the bigger picture. You could even create a vision board for how you want your space to look using magazine cut outs and printed photos.

 

Start with one project at a time and focus on fully completing it before moving on to the next one.

 

A great way to stay motivated is to set a timer (20 or 50 minutes, with 10 minutes following as a break) and challenge yourself to finish what you can within the allotted time.

 

This forces you to get through things faster so you can get more done overall. Perfecting can always be done after.

 

Containers with smaller sections are also helpful when organizing, as it allows you to sort items into smaller categories (something Micro-Organizers need to stay sane 😉).

 

Labeling these will make it quicker for you to find an item right when it is needed.

 

With enough focus, patience, and dedication, it is possible to achieve a stress-free, organized life!

 

đŸ“€Â How to start Clearing the Clutter

 

One of the best ways to get started with organizing your space is to set a timer, and get to work.

 

Setting limits on yourself helps to keep distractions at bay so you can focus on the real task at hand.

 

When it comes to the organizing process, it’s important for a Micro-Organizer to adopt a “good enough” mindset. Instead of trying to achieve perfection, break your project down into manageable tasks and focus on just completing them.

 

Worry about perfecting them later.

 

When it comes to items that you need to organize, make sure to use containers with multiple sections.

Labeling each section will help you to remember where items belong when you do your daily or weekly resets.

 

Plus, the rest of your household can easier maintain your systems when they understand how they work and where things should go!

 

Keeping everything in its place will help your space look neater for longer.

 

With this method, you can create a visible result by focusing on the bigger projects first and making your way down to smaller ones.

 

Though at time it may feel frustrating and long to finish a task
 remember to choose joy in the process of decluttering and organizing!

 

Let’s begin with rating your level of commitment to getting your spaces organized:

 

On a scale of 1 to 10, how committed are you to edit, declutter, and organize the space? (level 1 is not committed at all, and level 10 is 100%, fully committed)

 

Download these free organizing assessments to track your progress in all areas!

 

 

Ask yourself these questions when deciding what you will keep, donate, or no longer need:

 

 

  • Do I honestly love it?
  • Do I use it weekly, monthly, or yearly?
  • When was the last time I thought about this item or used it?
  • Do I realistically need this item in my life going forward?
  • Did I even remember I owned this?
  • How many duplicates of the same item do I have?
  • What would be the worst possible scenario if I donated or passed it on?
  • In what situation would I realistically need or want this?
  • What would I like to have more space for?
  • Have my job or hobbies changed and it’s time to let some things go?
  • What keeps me awake at night or gives me stress and anxiety?
  • Am I committed to scheduling time, effort, and/or money to fix or repair this item?

 

🏆 Invest time into YOU

 

Micro-Organizer, I know it’s not easy to speed yourself up while making everything exactly how you’d like it to look.

 

But I believe in you!

 

I know you can do this. It’s not easy to start, but once you do one shelf or one drawer, you gain momentum.

 

Keep a post-it note nearby if you must, but focusing on completing the bigger picture will take you to completion faster.

 

So let me know, does this feel attainable for you?

 

You will feel so much better after clearing just a couple piles! Remember to start with the biggest piles or the ones that bother you the most in order to create a dramatic, visible result right off the bat.

 

Comment below and tell me about your next organizing goal as a commitment to yourself!

 

Set a reminder in your phone to follow up in a week and let me know which strategies worked for you! Or maybe you’ll have a new tip for me?

 

Excitedly waiting to hear all about your progress!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need more help with decluttering?

 

I created the How to Organize Your Household Papers course to help walk you through the decluttering process. It includes sections on foundational organizing skills, setting up filing systems, creating household systems, and more bonus videos to make sure you’ve reached your goals.

 

For further details on the course and to purchase, go here:

 

https://sherry.mykajabi.com/store/PSNymLQL

Nov 25
Love0

The Procrastinator: Later is Now

By Blog, Quick Organizing Tips, Time Management No Comments

đŸ€ Dear Procrastinators,

 

Many may misunderstand you, but not me!

 

Ever since procrastination became a trendy word, it’s been so misused. So let’s make one thing clear for those non-Procrastinators reading


 

Procrastination đŸ‘đŸŒ Does đŸ‘đŸŒ Not đŸ‘đŸŒ Equal đŸ‘đŸŒ Laziness!

 

And honestly, we all have some tendencies to delay what could be done in the moment. Nobody is perfect!

 

đŸ€” Why am I prone to Clutter?

 

One of the main reasons clutter accumulates in your home is because you’re constantly seeking that next opportunity.

 

Why fold this laundry now, when I could:

 

  • Start making dinner earlier
  • Tidy another room while no one occupies it
  • Scroll social media (we’re all suckers for little dopamine hits now!)
  • Finally relax after a long day
  • Meet up with a friend for lunch
  • Feel more motivated tomorrow

 

And the list of excuses goes on and on
 doesn’t it?

For those who are always on the go and already headed to the next big thing, it’s easy to keep avoiding a task.

 

Especially when the task is perceived to be difficult or boring!

 

But as with anything in life, it’s very important to be able to focus and be productive.

 

Instead of viewing tasks as “difficult” or “boring,” just try to think of them as tasks. Plain and simple. This will help you to see the joy (not dread) in the process of decluttering and organizing.

 

You must accept that avoiding things is not doing you any favor. It is only contributing to your mile-long To-Do list and clutter that’s crowding every possible space – including your mind.

 

đŸ„Š Confronting the Clutter

 

“The greatest amount of wasted time is the time not getting started.”

– Dawson Trotman

 

To Procrastinators, the rest of the population seems to run on some sort of magical motivation.

 

You’re constantly questioning and comparing yourself to people on social media, in real life, and on TV.

 

“Why can’t I just wake up one day and find the motivation has stuck?”

 

This “magical motivation” that everyone but you seems to have is – listen carefully – a facade!

 

We are all pushing ourselves every day to do the things we don’t want to do.

 

But as with most habits, it is possible to overcome procrastination.

 

The first step is being able to identify when you’re procrastinating. Despite procrastination being an active choice, we’re usually on auto-pilot and don’t even notice when it happens.

 

This may look like filling your day with low-priority tasks, re-reading important emails but not making any decisions, starting a primary project and immediately leaving to make a coffee, etc.

 

After you’ve familiarized yourself with identifying your negative habits when they arise, choose to DO something about it.

 

It’s too easy to dwell in self-pity and I do not want you to get stuck there!

 

The reason you’re procrastinating is probably because you’re not organizing your day.

 

Each night before bed, try to draft a to-do list for the next day. This way you’re not completely winging it when the day arrives. There is also no excusing your lack of productivity based on a lack of planning.

 

Need some more incentive? Promise yourself a reward for completing ALL of the tasks, and follow through!

 

And if a to-do list is not really your jam, check out some scheduling and time-management apps.

 

Another tip is to figure out when your most productive times are during the day. For example, do you work better in the morning? Or the afternoon?

 

Remember: if you can get through a bigger, daunting task right away then you’ll have the rest of the day for more enjoyable tasks.

✹ Living clutter-free: Is it for me?

 

Many Procrastinators have turned a new leaf!

 

It just takes some dedicated, focused, good-old-fashioned work.

 

Procrastination is nothing new to our generation. In fact, it’s been around forever!

 

The Greek poet Hesiod, writing around 800 B.C., actually cautioned not to “put your work off till tomorrow and the day after.”

 

So as much as this might seem deeply ingrained in us
 that also means we’ve been studying how to battle it for a verrry long time!

 

To begin understanding your own personal struggles, you need to really be honest with yourself when asking these questions:

 

  • When I start tidying up but stop halfway, what emotion is telling me to stop?

 

  • Is it frustration? Am I confused about the direction I’m going in? Is it sadness, anxiety, or fear?

 

  • Am I unsure of how to organize certain items, or which way would be best?

 

Procrastinator, I see you reading this doubting if you could ever change. Maybe you feel like you’ve tried all these tactics and nothing sticks.

 

Nothing may be sticking, because you haven’t forgiven yourself.

 

A very heavy weight carried on the shoulders of Procrastinators is self-guilt. It’s always easier to beat yourself up about “failing” something than it is to have compassion for yourself.

 

All the times you’ve felt you’ve let yourself or others down due to your delaying tendencies, forgive.

 

Your work tasks that have come long overdue because you’re scared to start, forgive.

 

The organizing projects you’ve started and abandoned when they get too overwhelming, forgive.

 

And from forgiveness we can rise to acceptance. Once you’ve truly accepted that procrastination is a very real problem, then we can begin real change.

 

đŸ“€ How to start Clearing the Clutter

 

Speaking of abandoned organizing projects, here’s a few ways you can get through them!

 

Starting with one section at a time, break it down into little parts. You can then focus on one part at a time.

 

If you still procrastinate on the task after breaking it down, then break it down even further. Soon, your task will be so simple that you’ll find yourself thinking it’s too easy to not begin now!

 

Here are a few more ways you can start today:

 

  • Tackle a large project with a very small first step
  • Plan your day the night before and set reminders for everything
  • Minimize all distractions
  • Implement a routine for putting things away
  • Research professional support

 

Keep in mind that procrastination means the delaying of decisions.

 

So when you catch yourself about to delay, 🛑 and tell yourself NO! You can do it!

 

I believe in you and I know you can do this. It’s not easy to start, but once you do one shelf or one drawer, you’ll gain momentum!

 

Let’s begin with rating your level of commitment to getting your spaces organized:

 

On a scale of 1 to 10, how committed are you to edit, declutter, and organize the space? (level 1 is not committed at all, and level 10 is 100%, fully committed)

 

 

Download these free organizing assessments to track your progress in all areas!

 

Ask yourself these questions when deciding what you will keep, donate, or no longer need:

 

  • Do I honestly love it?
  • Do I use it weekly, monthly, or yearly?
  • When was the last time I thought about this item or used it?
  • Do I realistically need this item in my life going forward?
  • Did I even remember I owned this?
  • How many duplicates of the same item do I have?
  • What would be the worst possible scenario if I donated or passed it on?
  • In what situation would I realistically need or want this?
  • What would I like to have more space for?
  • Have my job or hobbies changed and it’s time to let some things go?
  • What keeps me awake at night or gives me stress and anxiety?
  • Am I committed to scheduling time, effort, and/or money to fix or repair this item?

 

🏆 Invest time into YOU

 

Procrastinator, I want to tell you how proud I am you’ve read all the way through these strategies to the bottom!

 

By not saving it for later or skipping it entirely (when you know that reading it will do you some good!) just proves you’re not a Procrastinator at the core! đŸ‘đŸŒđŸ‘đŸŒ

 

So let me know, does this feel attainable for you?

 

You will feel so much better after clearing just a couple piles! Remember to start with the biggest piles or the ones that bother you the most in order to create a dramatic, visible result right off the bat.

 

Comment below and tell me about your next organizing goal as a commitment to yourself!

 

Set a reminder in your phone to follow up in a week and let me know which strategies worked for you! Or maybe you’ll have a new tip for me?

 

Excitedly waiting to hear all about your progress!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need more help with decluttering?

 

I created the How to Organize Your Household Papers course to help walk you through the decluttering process. It includes sections on foundational organizing skills, setting up filing systems, creating household systems, and more bonus videos to make sure you’ve reached your goals.

 

For further details on the course and to purchase, go here:

 

https://sherry.mykajabi.com/store/PSNymLQL

Nov 17
Love0

The Sentimentalist: Emotional Attachment to Clutter

By Blog, Free Articles, Raving Fans No Comments

đŸ€ Dear Sentimentalists,

 

I have long admired your big, all-encompassing hearts! đŸ€

 

I feel you know a level of care and nurture that goes deeper than most. You have been through so much in this lifetime which has only added tremendous empathic traits to your already very endearing personalities.

 

You deeply cherish those close to you and like to show off just how much you appreciate them. You probably love giving away baked goodies or spontaneous, “You like it? Take it!” gifts!

📚 Why am I prone to Clutter?

 

Sentimentalists love to be of service to the ones around them, no matter their relation. You have a big heart and are likely to be found lending a helping hand to those most in need.

 

Since you value the ones you love so much, of course you’d want to display your kids’ artwork, family vacation photos, souvenirs, and memorabilia. Who wouldn’t be proud of all these special memories! And us houseguests love getting to see more about you and your lifestyle.

 

There’s nothing wrong with having a little extra love to give!

One thing I know from my experience as a professional organizer, is that you might try holding on to too many things at once. And I know how much you love all your things, but all of these “what if” or “deal with it later” items are blocking you from serving at your fullest potential.

 

You need to be extra careful about forming emotional attachments to sentimental clutter.

 

đŸ„Š Confronting the Clutter

 

“Pick 3 of the best, get rid of the rest.”

– Sherry Borsheim, Founder of Simply Productive

 

By holding on to so many sentimental items and Eventually-These-Will-Be-Useful things, you are getting in your own way of cherishing the new. When we hold onto too many things, we aren’t leaving room – both physical and emotional – for new experiences.

 

If every space in your home for displaying photos is full of frames already, where will you put up your next set of family photos?  

 

You must question yourself about why you’ve been hanging onto broken items that need repair when you don’t seem to be able to “get around” to doing anything with it. Also question yourself about furniture, clothes, and household items that you’re sentimentally attached to that you’ve paid to have stored for many years.

 

How much money has this cost you? How much time do you spend thinking about doing something but never take action? What is your sentimental clutter costing you in time, money, and emotional well-being?

 

All of this emotional and mental clutter takes a toll and weighs on you immensely.

 

Imagine now when you walk through your home. Do you feel a sense of breezy calm? Or is the vibe more stagnant, dusty, and anxious?

 

Cluttering up your home and office wall-to-wall with stuff takes a lot of time, effort, and money to maintain, dust, and clean on a regular basis. And constantly making room for new things in a cluttered space requires a lot of extra energy to move things around a room

Photos & Styling @TraceyAyton
Organizer Simply Productive

We spend a lot of time at home… so much so that our home environment has a huge affect on our physical and mental wellbeing! Have you been feeling off, anxious, or depressed for seemingly no reason? If so, you might want to take a look around your spaces!

 

Can you recall the feeling of staying at a nice hotel? The duvet is white and fluffy, the tables are cleared aside from a recent magazine and alarm clock, the closets have ample room for your belongings, the kitchenette has just enough kitchen utensils for your number of guests… no more, no less


 

But as a sentimentalist, I know you like to surround yourself with things that make you happy and bring you joy! I also know that living life as a minimalist is likely not something you want to do.

So I’d like to challenge you in finding a happy medium between displaying less, and filling every available shelf, wall, and floor space. Find three images online of a space that inspires you and let that be your goal for decluttering and organizing your space.

 

Even if you pack some items temporarily away in boxes, in just a couple weeks you’ll see how easy it becomes to clean and dust the space!

 

And use this motto to create the space of your dreams!

Does this space give you serenity, calm, and peace?

 

Don’t worry my friend, by no means am I suggesting to rid of all of your memorable and useful pieces. But instead, I am suggesting you spend some time focusing on organizing them in an efficient manner. This way you will gain much more mental and emotional freedom. And never again feel that heavy weight of clutter on your shoulders!

 

✹ Living clutter-free: Is it for me?

 

This is 100% possible for you – and before you start to think I’m drifting off into fairytale land, check out these Sentimentalist transformations for yourself:

And coming soon
 you!

 

You may feel overwhelmed initially, but I promise once you get a little momentum going, a drawer cleared out here, a shelf decluttered there
 that the motivation will just keep rolling.

 

So stick with me to create better emotional habits around your sentimental things!

 

đŸȘ„ How to start Clearing the Clutter

 

“If you can’t tidy a whole house, tidy a corner. If you can’t tidy a corner, put away 3 things. It’s not possible to do all things every single day – it is possible to take just one step today.”

– Sherry Borsheim, Founder of Simply Productive

 

I’d like to pass on a few tips for you, Sentimentalists!

 

I want you to be able to live a beautiful life free of clutter and emotional baggage, and to choose joy in the process of decluttering and organizing.

 

It does not to be a dreadful, boring task!

 

There is an easier way out of this painful cycle, and I am here to remind you: YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY.

Here are a few ways you can start today:

 

  • Create a vision (draw it if you need to!) for what you want your space to look and feel like (this helps you determine how much stuff you’ll have in each room; leave some empty space reserved for the future)
  • Set aside 30 minutes each week to work on reorganizing one area
  • Review your stashes and junk drawers to gain clarity on why you are keeping certain things
  • Have a realistic plan for what to do with too many sentimental items (keep them in labeled storage containers, take a photo to keep the memory and donate/discard the actual thing, use organizational products to categorize and put things away from view, etc.)
  • Use computerized planning and scheduling tools (to hold you accountable to these changes)

 

And while you’re sorting, try to maintain as much focus and self-discipline as you can. It can be very mentally draining to part with things that you feel emotional attachment to. Just know this will only benefit you in the long run.

Let’s begin by rating your level of commitment to getting your spaces organized:

 

  • On a scale of 1 to 10, how committed are you to edit, declutter, and organize the space? (level 1 is not committed at all, and level 10 is 100%, fully committed)

 

 

Download these free organizing assessments to track your progress in all areas!

 

 

Sometimes while getting organized, you don’t see the visible result right away and this can get discouraging. With this assessment, you will rate where you are today and re-access your level of satisfaction in a month. Oftentimes you’ll be pleasantly surprised about how several areas on the assessment wheel have automatically gone up without you having to even think about it!

 

It’s very motivating and inspiring to see this kind of progress!

Ask yourself these questions to decide what you will keep, donate, or no longer need:

 

  • Do I honestly love it?
  • Do I use it weekly, monthly, or yearly?
  • When was the last time I thought about this item or used it?
  • Do I realistically need this item in my life going forward?
  • Did I even remember I owned this?
  • How many duplicates of the same item do I have?
  • What would be the worst possible scenario if I donated or passed it on?
  • In what situation would I realistically need or want this?
  • What would I like to have more space for?
  • Have my job or hobbies changed and it’s time to let some things go?
  • What keeps me awake at night or gives me stress and anxiety?
  • Am I committed to scheduling time, effort, and/or money to fix or repair this item?

 

Â đŸ€ Invest time into YOU

 

Does this feel attainable for you?

 

You will feel so much better after clearing just a couple piles! Remember to start with the biggest piles or the ones that bother you the most in order to create a dramatic, visible result right off the bat.

 

Comment below and tell me about your next organizing goal as a commitment to yourself!

 

Set a reminder in your phone to follow up in a week and let me know which strategies worked for you! Or maybe you’ll have a new tip for me?

 

Excitedly waiting to hear all about your progress!

 

 

 

 

Need more help with decluttering?

I created the How to Organize Your Household Papers course to help walk you through the decluttering process. It includes sections on foundational organizing skills, setting up filing systems, creating household systems, and more bonus videos to make sure you’ve reached your goals.

For further details on the course and to purchase, go here:

https://sherry.mykajabi.com/store/PSNymLQL