Tag Archives: Clutter

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Spring brings Freshness & New Birth!

spring4Our weather here in the DMV (DC, MD, VA) has been a mixed bag since our season has changed from Winter to Spring. We went from Winter (very Cold!) to Summer (very Hot!) or as it seems.  No really from 40 degrees to 90, almost overnight!  But normally when you think of Spring, it’s a period of refreshing.  The trees are blossoming, the birds are singing and there is a slight breezy chill in the air.  So what does Spring has to do with Order and Organizing?

Many of us think of Spring Cleaning during this time of year.  The house has been closed up, families have spent most of their time indoors and it is now time to open up the house and let the air in. Cleaning can be considered phase one of organizing, but cleaning and organizing are technically two different things.  In my opinion, cleaning is to remove dust and dirt, but organizing is to remove clutter and disorder.

As you begin to freshen up the house, consider phase two of the process.  Once you have cleaned all the windows, washed the window sills and scrubbed the baseboards, then it’s time to sort through the winter clothes, purge and put them away.  Move through the Spring and Summer wear, sort, give away and get ready for the New Birth! Shed off the old, and put on the new.

We are in the 4th month of the year already.  Assess your progress as it pertains to your objectives & goals for 2013.  Do an attitude check… what is your temperature?  Are you still in the coldness of the Chaos of your past or have you given Birth to the warmth of your future? Peace and Order are so critical to our well-being.  Take a moment to see where you are, so that your Steps may be Ordered to the next level…

Your Season of Refreshing & New Birth has Sprung!!

10wallpaper.com

10wallpaper.com

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I don’t have time!!!!

Have you ever been in the position, where you see  something SO clearly, but very few, if anyone see things the same way you do??

As a professional organizer, I see that people really need my help.  I know in my heart that clutter creates chaos and chaos disturbs the divine order that life should have.  I believe that people understand this, but they CAN’T see it…. THEY JUST DON’T HAVE THE TIME!

I know, I sound like a broken record.  BUT I see it SOOOOOOO clearly!!!  Many of us are in a vicious cycle of Chaos, a state of utter confusion!  Get Up (still ragged out from the day before), Eat (if you have time), Get dressed (if you can find the mate to that shoe or find the pair of socks that match)!

Get the kids ready, Get the kids to school, Go to work, pick up the kids, get dinner, get ready for bed, etc. etc. etc.

Maybe the person that I just described is the exception, NOT the rule. But the folks who realize that they could use some help and call me, they still just don’t have time!!  They are not enough hours in the day…  Can anyone relate?  So where will the time come from???

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TO BE CONTINUED…..

Got any ideas?  I would love to hear your comments.

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The Answer Is….

So what is the answer to the question, What does an organized life look like?  

Based on the comments I received, there are two major components:

1. Stuff, clutter, items, boxes, etc.

2. Thoughts & emotions.

Life is not meant to be too organized, we don’t want to live in a rut, however, we would like to have a degree of routine & predictability.

“Life is like an ocean, always moving, changing, developing and we need to be like a well-seasoned captain of our vessel.”  CSRoth

perfectwallpaper.org

We want change but we are kinda used to doing things the same way. It is interested that major changes in our life causes MUCH stress!   A new house, new job, new baby, etc.  All of which causes us to assess our life as it is and consider making major adjustments.

  • We want life to be flexible, spontaneous, but to be prepared for the unexpected drama
  • We want life to be simple and not too stressful
  • We want some control, not utter chaos
  • We want to have fun and enjoy life at its fullest, every day!

All of these things require some degree of organization.  So how do we get there?  Well, I can only speak for myself.

In the  past twenty years, I have had some really good times (they seem so few and far between now), but the majority of my life has been filled with lots of drama… unfortunately, those are the times that we remember the most.  Why is that?

If you’ve read some of my earlier posts, we get just a small taste of what I mean.  I believe that the turning point for me was finding out that in order to minimize the chaos, the one thing that had to change was ME!  I was not going to be able to change the people around me. Yesterday, one of our missionaries said “it is not how the situation looks, it is how we look at the situation”.

I had to take a real serious look at what I wanted and needed in life. As a born organizer, I had to have some control and I had to have a plan.  The last 3-4 years have been the best and getting better.  Now life is not perfect, nor should we expect it to be, but there should be some semblance of peace and order.

Suggestions:

  • Take a few moments to invest in our future.  Jot down some notes on our life as we know it today…. we might be amazed at how our life looks on paper!
  • Take a look at those things that we would like to see changed, Big and small.
  • Does clutter of any kind, have an impact on those changes?  For example, we need a bigger house.  Again, we might be amazed how much more room we might have when we de-clutter.  I need a new job, because I can’t ever seem to get anything done around here.  Etc. etc. etc.

It is very difficult to change something, without understanding our current state and our desired outcome.

hypnosishealth.com

So, I guess that there is no one answer…

I read other blog posts last week, that gives us other perspectives.

http://bradstanton.com/2012/07/14/the-key-to-success/

http://thebettermanprojects.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/day-241-seeing-you/

http://sarahhamze.com/2012/07/15/exercising-our-faith-muscle/

http://nissiknows.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/why-clutter-your-mind-with-information-overload/

http://tommyandella.com/2012/07/16/monday-inspiration-10/

http://lessstuffmorespace.com/what-is-your-clutter/

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What to do with the “Secret” Closet?

Or Not??…. Your secret closet may not be so secret!  :-)

This month, we are going to “Declare Our Independence” from Clutter!!

So, Where to we start??

Sort & Purge

Organize!

ehow.com

Please Stay Tuned for the next episode of “My Son has Reappeared”…  

I believe that I have had ANOTHER Revelation?????

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Is the Junk in your car Junk?

I read a very interesting article and I attempted to send it to all of my blog followers.  But since I am still somewhat technically-challenged, I am not sure what happened to it (so please let me know if you got it and I apologize if this is a duplicate).

The junk inside your car isn’t exactly ‘junk’……It actually says a lot about you!

What’s in your car? Do you have purple fuzzy dice hanging from your rearview mirror? Or is it cluttered with empty water bottles? Well, according to experts, the junk inside your car isn’t exactly ‘junk’……It actually says a lot about you! So here’s what certain types of car clutter say about your personality……Courtesy of Woman’s World Magazine: • First: What if you have a decoration hanging from your rearview mirror? Psychologist Dr. Maximillian Wachtel says hanging something from your rear-view mirror – like fuzzy dice or a stuffed baseball – is a sign that you’re confident. Why? Because the fact that you’re okay telling the world what appeals to you says you’re comfortable with who you are. • Next: What if your car is cluttered with empty water bottles? Psychologist Dr. Tina Tessina says drinking water in the car shows that you’re efficient. Why? Because even though you’re always on the go, you still stay on top of important things – like keeping yourself hydrated. • Also: What if you keep a first aid kit in your car? Obviously, this means you’re safety conscious. But a first aid kit also indicates you like being in control. Dr. Tessina says your first aid kit makes you feel like no matter what happens, you’ll be able to handle it. • And finally: What if you have an angel in your car or an angel bumper sticker? This is a sign of a positive thinker. Dr. Tessina says people who surround themselves with angels, or other symbols of hope and optimism, expect good things to happen, which makes them more positive and more satisfied with their lives. So what if you have fuzzy dice, water bottles, a first aid kit, and an angel in your car? It means you’re a confident person who’s always on top of things, and is ready to handle any situation with positive thinking. It also means you need to clean out your car!
Photo Credit:  www.thetruthaboutcars.com
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“Junk in the Trunk” (of your car!)

First, I must let you know, as I also told my Facebook fans, I made the mistake of Googling “Junk in the Trunk”.  There are obviously different meaning for that term.  By the way, I really need to know how the filter out the sexually explicit images from Google Search.  Parents, if you haven’t already, I would strongly suggest you check into it.  I don’t have any young children now, so I am sure that I am WAY late on this one…. Moving right along!

The trunk of car or your car as a whole is no different than a room in your home or office, when it comes to organizing.  You need to know what is in your trunk and be able to put your hand on what you need quickly.  The process of sort, purge and organize still applies.

Clutter is clutter, no matter what part of your life it occupies.  

BEFORE

Let’s take a look at a few trunk organizing tools…

ford2011taurus.com

infinitipartspeople.com

WHAT DO YOU THINK? 

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Congratulations on 3 Whole Months!!

co2partners.com

While I was running my “Name the Phase” contest, My blog and I celebrated Our 3rd Anniversary!!!  A LOT has happened over the past three (3) months.  It really doesn’t seem like it has been 3 months.

So let’s go back a little further and recap what has happened….

  • I wrote down my dream for Order Your Steps in August, 2010.
  • I made it official when I registered the name of my new business / ministry in Sept., 2011
  • I applied for early retirement from Xerox in Nov., 2011 (based on a buy-out that was offered that I became eligible for on Sept. 20th of the same year!)
  • I officially retired on December 30, 2011, after 32 years with Xerox.
  • I wrote my first blog post on January 10, 2012

Believe it or not, I was not a social networker (is that the correct term?), I didn’t even have a Facebook account until last year.  But I now have a Facebook page (with the help of my daughter).  Please stop by and take a look and I hope you “LIKE” it.  I have Facebook fans from all over the US.   I have a new website  and a blog, which is my favorite.  I had always said that at some point I would write a book about my life (kinda jokingly) and I am sure that this is the closest that I will get at the moment.  But I was reminded after I read another blog, that my life is now open for the entire world to see.  People from many different countries have read about me.  Places like UK, New Zealand, Australia, etc.  I have exceeded 1700 hits, which is a LOT for me.  My daughters have a blog,  The Junoesque and they have about 6 times as many hits for the same timeframe, but I don’t care…LOL!!  After the first few weeks, I must admit that I wasn’t sure if I had an audience, but for true, it really didn’t matter.  This was for me and I am truly, truly enjoying writing my posts.  I have almost 90 blog followers and I have over 100 Likes…. AWESOME!

I started my blog by sharing just a few tidbits of my Order & Chaos in Corporate America.  Now, three (3) months later, the favorite post was “Life Lesson”.  Xerox has been such a HUGE part of my life.  Then I transitioned into Life after Xerox and “Order Your Steps”, the order out of chaos, into the world of organization.  Your favorite “Organizing” post was “Thought from a Cluttered Mind”.  For some, I am still trying to get everyone (men & women) to grasp the concept that disorder, clutter, being unorganized, etc…. does create stress, added fatigue and frustration to our lives every day.  But I am going to keep working at it!

rentittoday.com

By any chance, do you know this person? ….. Where did all this junk come from? 

I need a change quick!  Will organizing my closet really change my life? 

I am so stressed!

I am Living My Dream, doing something that comes natural to me … organizing is my gift and my passion.  I have an opportunity each and every day to help people to actually change their lives.

This has been quite a journey so far and it has only just begun!

wednesdaynightservice.com

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“Blog Chill Day 3!”

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Happy Friday!

I am a little behind on my posts,

but I will try to make it up to you next week…

Are you thinking of a name for Phase 1 of Organizing?

“Taking the Plunge!”

“One Step at a Time!”

“Jump & Shout!”

“Toss & Turn!”

Be Creative & Let’s have Fun with it!

What do you think?

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Journey from Clutter….

Today, I would like to switch gears slightly.  We have been talking about creating an organizing system and managing our paper.  But today I want to discuss the “journey from clutter”, the path we take that helps us to get to the point where we want to organize. 

If you are a fan of “Order Your Steps” on Facebook, you know that my husband asked me for organizing tips for his closet.  Do you believe it??????  I had also mentioned in previous post that he was a “clutter bug”.  Actually, he is still a work in progress, but there are times when we just have to “Call those things that be not, as thou they were”.  We must have faith and believe that there is nothing impossible for God!  :-)  Then, on the other hand, we should understand that Life is a process.  It is a day by day journey and with every step you take, things change. 

We must travel from clutter and chaos a little at a time.  It may start with the “Leave it where it lies and let it accumulate” syndrome.    Day by day, stuff just piles up and before we know it, we are surrounded by clutter and with Clutter comes Chaos.  Then before we know it, it is simply out of control.   So we decide, we really need to do something about ALL this stuff and then it appears to be an overwhelming task. 

Thus, the journey begins!

For the most part, the living area (where other people can see) is in fairly decent order.  But there are other areas (where we can simple close the door) that are forbidden for others to see.  Interestingly enough, at some point, we don’t want to look at those “forbidden” areas either.  You now have the “desire” to Organize.   But take baby steps, start to put things away as we go along.  Don’t just allow things to just lie around.  Find a place for them, but it must be a place where we can find them later. 

Get rid of stuff a little at a time.  It may simply mean that when you buy a dress, give one a way.  If you buy 12 pair of new socks, throw away 12 pairs that have holes in them.  I can’t emphasize enough (I purposely didn’t say “stress”) that the process of organization is not complicated.   It is just one element of life designed to bring order and peace to your surroundings.

One day, you might be walking the aisles of Walmart and decide to buy a plastic foot locker for storage, because you want to organize your closet…. You never know!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Yes, it is Target, but you get the idea!

 

Have you ever Google’d “people walking in Walmart”…  OMG!

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Music to Organize By

Do you know what “quiet” sounds like?  Do you ever take a moment to just sit and listen to the silence?  Now by contrast, have you ever been at a stop light and you can hear / FEEL The BASS from the vehicle behind you?  It makes my heart hurt, literally! … YES, RIDICULOUS!   (If your sound system is like that I do apologize, but your hearing is supposed to last a lifetime.)

Now think of the CHAOS of the day as that BASS beating on your brain.  Clutter operates under the same premise.  Many times, anxiety is caused by clutter….. You are on your way out the door and you can’t find the car keys.  It is not simple forgetfulness.  I don’t have to tell you how frustrating that is.  You are already late and trying to make that last mad dash for the door.  There should be a designated place for your keys when you walk in the house. …  Now, don’t hide the keys under the huge pile of mail (but that is another post).

Your clutter could be the stack of paper that seems to be on your desk every day and this includes the 1500 pieces of email in your inbox.  It could be the messy bedroom or the family room where there isn’t even a place to sit.  Believe it or not, this wears on your Spirit (rather you want to admit it or not!)   :-(   

During the de-cluttering & organizing process, some suggest that you play some music.   You know music to work by, music that promotes energy, yet soothing.  Organizing should not be a traumatic experience.  It should be a time of purging, again not only of stuff, but a spiritual cleansing.  Now I don’t want you to think that I am getting too DEEP!  I am not trying to pyscho-analyze you, but this concept is the basis of my passion for Organization and my desire to put more Order in our lives.  De-cluttering should be a time of de-stressing, not to be stressful! 

However you perceive it, start small.  It can be 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 2 hours or 2 days.  When you are done and you see the fruit of your labor, it should be “A Refreshing”.  Then take some quiet time … listen to the silence, smell the coffee or have a cup of herbal tea (even if you have to wait for the children to go to bed).  You need some “ME” time, dont’ watch TV, maybe read instead and relax with the spouse or significant other.  

This is how  YOU should FEEL AFTER ORGANIZING!

http://youtu.be/aeYTBvanFmE   **Please Listen**

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