Palais Professional Organizer

Posts Tagged ‘decisions’

Sort now, buy stuff from Container Store later

Image by rharkness via Flickr

As I was working with a client this week she said she used to read Real Simple magazine until she realized that they just wanted her to buy a ton of stuff in order to get organized (I’m sorry Real Simple!). She said, that isn’t “simple or organized – that is expensive!”

I was laughing because I stopped getting that magazine years ago and I don’t get any other magazines for organization right now either. 1) I think there are a lot of really great ideas online and 2) buying a ton of stuff is a cover up for getting organized.

The first thing you have to do is sort through what you have. Like with like. Then get rid of what you are willing to get rid of today. You can always get rid of more later – there is no pressure. Also, getting organized isn’t about getting rid of things.

Then you have to get down to organizing what is there. That can take awhile because it takes making decisions which is really the hardest part. It is ok – let it take as long as it takes.

Once you have worked through organizing items in your home or office as much as possible – placing each item in a home within your home then you’ll know if you need to go out and purchase anything. The longer you can wait to purchase these items the less you will spend and the better you will feel about your systems once they are in place.

Two teddy bears rescued from the trash (by an adult). Photo by Nina Toessinger

I was working with a new client today who has twins. I wonder why she needs an organizer? Ha! Her girls are 7 and when we started in on their room they were excited to help. The thing that I found remarkable was that it was so easy for them to decide what to keep and what to get rid of.  Actually, this is not unusual. (Though my client assured me it is not always that easy!)  My clients who have kids find that their kids have no problem letting go when it is time. They immediately knew which teddy bear they loved, which pair of pajamas, which dress…and which ones they were over. There was very little deliberation.  Sure there are those few tattered stuffed animals they cling to and that is ok. I’m not at war with sentimentality. But they are very clear about those things that are dear to them, there are few – and the clutter at large that can go.

When do we lose the ability to make decisions in the moment? Even when it came to the idea of gifts: “Uncle Dave gave that ballerina bunny to us – but I hate it – it goes.” They understood that their room was theirs and if they didn’t like something then they didn’t have to keep it. I would love to hear your feedback on this. Do you know when you started having trouble making decisions about what stays and what goes? When the clutter started to pile up in your life? What makes it hard to make those decision?

Getting and being organized is all about making decisions. If you meditate on this you’ll find that most of your clutter and disorganization is the result of putting off decisions. Storage units are essentially stores and piles of unmade decisions.

This kind of thinking is what gets us into trouble:

“Oh, I’ll figure out what to do with that stuff later…I’ll decide what to do what that table Aunt Sally gave me….uh..hmhehrph…soon.”

“And… I can’t stop to think about what to do with that piece of paper right now – I’ll figure it out later.”

I  think that the bane of our existence is all the decisions we have to make. Every blessing comes with a curse. The more options the more to decide. Career or kids? Or both with a nanny? Cereal or smoothie? Or eggs? Or egg whites? Um. Is it too early in the day to start drinking?

If you can narrow down those decisions you have to make all the better. Make them and make them quickly and you will know where you stand. Others will too. The fence is expensive, frustrating and the decisions will get made for you. That is no way to live. Take the consequences for the decisions you make and be at peace with them. You will find there are more rewards than downsides for a straight and narrow path. Rather than trying to have everything and gaining nothing at all – you will gain the things you want the most and let the unimportant fall by the wayside.  That is the kind of organization I hope for you.