For the Do-It-Yourself type of person who needs a little motivation to get started, we have some simple tips. 

Many people become overwhelmed by their clutter.  They take one look at the overstuffed closet, the piles of papers in the home office, or the unopened boxes in the basement from their move four years ago, and they freeze.  The project looks so time consuming, they don’t even want to begin unless they can carve out an entire day (or more) to tackle it.  Here’s a tip that we tell our clients all the time during our needs assessment.

Break down your organizing project into smaller, more manageable chunks.

·        If there are several piles of papers on your desk, isolate one pile (or maybe only a portion of the pile, depending on how large it is) and work on that pile only.  Start with the most recent pile first, as this is where you will find the most time-sensitive action items.  Identify where each piece of paper needs to go (the shredder, garbage can, files, etc.), get them to their final destination, then start the next pile.

·        If there are several boxes in the basement, identify one box to tackle at a time.  Get through the contents of the entire box, get those items to their final destination (garage, elsewhere in the basement, garbage, etc.) before opening up the next one. 

·        If your closet is overstuffed with clothes, pick one section to start in and make your way across.  Remove a few items of clothing at a time.  Identify what is staying, what is being donated, and what can be tossed.  Put those items where they belong and then move on to the next few items, etc.

Resist the urge to start by dumping all of the clothes in your closet on the bed, or opening up several basement boxes at a time.  You don’t want to run out of time or run out of steam halfway through the project and then have an even bigger mess on your hands.

Ways to stay focused on that project:

·        Move the items you are working on to another area of the home.  For instance, you can take a pile of papers out of the office and work on it in another location.  This will minimize the visual distraction the other piles add.

·        Throw a sheet over the other boxes in the basement or push them up against the wall behind where you are working.  Again, you don’t need the visual reminder of how many boxes are left to be gone through.

·        Set a timer.  If you only have 30 minutes to work on organizing your closet, then work with a few items at a time until your 30 minutes is up.

The object is to reframe your way of thinking about the project at hand.  Instead of viewing it as one big project, view it as several smaller projects that can be done over time.  It is better to make progress in small increments than to not make any progress at all.

Here is an article I wrote two years ago for one of my newsletter.  It appears my insight on this topic is timeless as it applies so well to our recent economic times.  Enjoy…

Most recently, my attention has been turned toward the concept of prosperity.  You might even think that tax season had something to do with it… and you’d be right!  I’ve been a little preoccupied with the estimated amount of money scheduled to be removed from my bank account and forwarded on to the IRS.  My thought process has been focused solely on the negative aspect of paying taxes.  Putting aside any belief as to whether or not the government deserves my money or my income tax rate is too high, could there be a positive side to this?  What about the consideration that I must be doing something right with my business that I’m making enough money to support myself, pay a mortgage, belong to a gym, go out to dinner with my friends, and throw in a vacation or two throughout the year?  I’m making enough money to owe taxes at the end of the calendar year.  I actually might have to consider that a success more than a problem. 

Some of you might say I’m fooling myself and that’s ok.  But I’d like you to consider that there is always another side to each situation.  A resource that I’ve turned to on occasion is www.choosingprosperity.com which is where I read an interesting excerpt on shifting the way you think and feel about paying your bills.  Essentially life is a balance between the money coming in and the money going out.  But the inflow and outflow of money aren’t opposing actions because they both contribute to prosperity.  If you consider the satisfaction you received from a product or service, it’s generally easier to feel good about spending the money.  Feel free to check out the web site for more information on that.

One of the steps mentioned in this article coincides nicely with being organized: making the time to pay bills and remembering to pay them.  Most people generally don’t like to pay bills because it might be labor-intensive with the number of checks they need to write, or they simply don’t like seeing their money go out the door.  In addition to shifting the way you think and feel about this task, why not also shift your environment. 

a) Make an appointment on your calendar:  If you use a calendar already, then schedule this like any other appointment. (If you’re not currently using a calendar, we need to talk!)

b) Create a mood: As I tell many of the people in my workshops, before you begin organizing, do something to make your environment more pleasing.  Maybe you’d enjoy lighting some candles, listening to some great music, setting up a nice bouquet of flowers to brighten up the space; or maybe it’s all about being comfortably dressed and you need to change into sweatpants and a t-shirt.  Whatever it is that makes your room, office, space more pleasing, do that for yourself.

c) Consider switching to online banking as this can be a real time saver… and it’s less expensive as you’ll cut down on your postage expense!

d) Create a lovely reward for yourself that you can look forward to when you are complete:  it’s always nice to have something to look forward to in addition to the satisfaction of being able to cross this task off your list. 

Whether you’re trying to motivate yourself to pay your bills or do another bit of organizing in your home or office space, finding ways to shift your environment and create a setting that’s pleasing for you mentally and physically will help you to adopt a better mindset while working towards achieving your goals.

Here’s a portion of an article Betsy wrote in 2006.  Given our current economic state and the desire for people to postpone putting their homes on the market, many are opting to renovate or even redecorate instead.  Here are some ways an Organizer can help you fall in love with your home again.

Every time Norwalk entrepreneur Jane Pollak noticed the closets bulging with unused clothing and stored memorabilia in an unused bedroom, she knew that something had to be done. With her grown children no longer living at home, their bedrooms were typically used as storage areas.   “Along with being a waste of space, those rooms no longer functioned with the rest of the home,” admits Pollak, an accomplished business coach and author.

That’s when Betsy Krobot, owner of the Black Rock-based Betsy K Home Choreography, LLC www.BetsyK.com stepped in and made a few strategic but important changes.  Pollak was amazed to find not just the de-cluttered bedrooms, but the entire home transformed.  “I’ve fallen in love with my house again,” said Pollak.

Pollak was enjoying the results of a new business venture – Betsy K Home Choreography, LLC – recently launched by Krobot, a 30-year veteran of the corporate business world.  “Home Choreography”, explains Krobot, is a unique combination of strategic organizing, ruthless de-cluttering, and gracious decorating to completely transform a home at minimal cost. 

Krobot named her business Betsy K Home Choreography, LLC to reflect the sense of graceful movement that occurs when a homeowner’s furnishings and possessions are redistributed to create an entirely new environment.”  Krobot describes her work as “a dance.” 

With the same precision and grace that dancers bring to the stage, Krobot strongly believes that all elements in a room should work together. When this occurs, harmony is created in the home, she says. “I have found that there is a ripple effect from even the smallest changes. When you start changing one area, it changes the rest of the house,” she said. 

Since Betsy K Home Choreography usually involves discovering new uses and placements for a homeowner’s own beloved possessions, rather than purchasing new ones, this transformation takes place at minimal cost to the homeowner.  “I take what people already own and love and make it work more effectively in an appropriate environment,” she said. “When all elements are working with each other, rather than against each other, a sense of harmony and order is established.” 

For example, by emptying Pollak’s stuffed closets and adding “a soft, feminine look,” what was once her daughter’s bedroom became a personal dressing and meditation room for Pollak.  This freed up more closet space in the master bedroom as well

“Betsy made our bedroom a place for peace, quiet and rest, which is what it’s supposed to be. It still takes my breath away when I walk in there. And I feel a sense of calm and joy when I enter my dressing room every day,” Pollak said.  Krobot says that by making only a few changes in select areas, homeowners can once again love the home they once cherished.  “When a house no longer suits their family’s needs, people often feel that they have to move,” says Krobot.  Then they spend exorbitant amounts of money and energy sprucing the house up so that it will sell faster, she says.  “What about fixing it up because you love it?” she said. “Sometimes by making only a few minor changes to freshen up a room, my clients will notice a new energy and vitality present throughout their homes. Many of them fall back in love with their homes all over again.” 

As she deftly executes Home Choreography, Krobot gently encourages clients to “let go of the old and let your new life come in.”  “It’s spectacular when you watch the people go through the process,” she said. “When you feel in control and in harmony with your world, you are automatically more confident, creative and productive.”