Many people have said to me in December, "lets start organizing after the New Year".  There is nothing wrong with that, but when you really want to do something you can always take small steps today that will start the ball rolling.  The hardest part of organizing or starting any large project is STARTING.

Starting does not have to be when you dive into the project.  You can start a project simply by sitting down and writing what your thoughts are about it.  That is getting energy moving in the direction of the project already.

Benjamin Franklin said “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”

You may not be able to clear out a room today, but you can write down what is important to you about cleaning out the room. 
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Find a place to start on the thing you feel you can’t do.  If you called me to help you, that is a start... 

                           Photo by NEOSiAM 2021 from Pexels

The change of seasons is here.  The leaves are turning beautiful colors and the air is getting cooler.
Our actions and activity changes with the seasons as well.  We may start spending more time inside than we did in the summer and even thinking differently about what we want to do.
When a home is well setup, it supports you in doing what you want easily without feeling like your home is an obstacle to getting there.  
One area that can feel like an obstacle is when you have too many clothes to keep up with or when you can’t see what you have, to make choices in what you would like to wear.

In Colorado a lot of people like to keep their whole wardrobe out all year long because of the weather.  It could be 40 degrees one day and 70 degrees the next. Even so, there are always things we won’t reach for because we are thinking differently in the winter months.   

Putting away even part of your wardrobe in bins from the season that is passing and storing them, can have a big effect on your day-to-day experience of finding what to wear. 

Having access to everything you own all at once can be overwhelming and it plays out when it is time to get dressed, or do laundry.

When the seasons change it gives you a chance to take another look at clothes you haven't seen in a while and decide if the clothing still feels like you or if you have moved on.  Clothes also wear out for the purpose you are using them for and can find a new purpose in someone else’s wardrobe. 
Going through your clothes and making decisions on what will stay and what will go will make life easier for you as well as others.  

If you have questions about your clothes and how to organize them to make life easier, call me.  I am happy to help.

What is the routine like for everyone in the house? Does everyone find it easy to get out of bed, take a shower, and get ready in the morning?  Is it easy to find the toiletries, clothing and items needed for the day? 
If the first part of the day is frustrating, it can carry into the rest of the day; affecting you without you realizing it.  If the setup of the morning flow works well for some but not for others, this can also have an impact on family dynamics.
Some people seem to be unaffected by a chaotic environment and can focus easily on a video game, computer work, or a project.  But when it comes time to transition to a new activity the chaos around them becomes frustrating.   
Organization helps everyone.  The important thing is that the organization makes sense to each person.  Everyone has their own idea of how they would like their space to be… and that matters.    
Sometimes a little help is needed to get things set up so life can run smoothly for everyone.  An unattached objective point of view can make all the difference in helping someone get there. 
Organization is a gift you give to yourself and everyone in the whole house.

There are so many little things we keep track of in a day just walking through our home.  "That light bulb needs to be replaced, I need to check my account to make sure I can pay this bill, I need to schedule a doctor visit, Oh the kids need new clothes for school, the bird feeder needs more seed, and on and on.  We hold all of these ideas, things we see and are trying to remember in our minds. All of those things take up space just like clutter takes up space in our homes.  When you think of the same things over and over again without doing anything about them they begin to weigh on you like clutter can and can affect your self esteem.  

If you feel like you are bogged down with all the things you need to do, carve out a day to just take care of the little things.  Start early in the morning so you can get a jump on the day. Write out a list of those things ahead of time so you are ready.
​When you start getting the little things done, you may have a sense of accomplishment, and more energy to take advantage of new opportunities coming your way.  ​

When you feel overwhelmed, usually you are looking at the whole project with an expectation and possibly judgement as to how it should be, rather than how it is. The expectation that we should be able to handle something all in one go, that has built up over time is unrealistic.   

If starting is the hardest part of a big project, think of one simple thing you feel you can do.  

I recently experienced this myself with my yard.  The tree in front needed to be trimmed.  Branches were hanging down so low that they would brush my car when I pulled in the driveway.  The belt on my lawnmower had just broken and it would take 2.5 weeks until it could be fixed. A slat in the fence needed to be repaired.  The thistle weeds were getting higher and higher and my front lawn was taking over.  I was feeling completely overwhelmed. 

I realized that I was looking at the whole yard and everything that needed to be done at once. 
I asked myself "What is one thing I could do right now that would start me moving in a different direction"?  It was to start pulling weeds. I didn't need a tool for that and it was something I could start on right now.  When I finished pulling the weeds, I got an idea about another tool I had that I could use to trim the tree myself.  I trimmed the tree and found I had energy to bundle the branches.  The next thing I knew my neighbor came over with his lawn mower and mowed my front yard.  It was the momentum that was created by just starting somewhere that began things moving. I was blown away when I came home the next day to find my neighbor had mowed my back yard as well as a surprise act of kindness. What a wonderful gift that was for my neighbor to mow my yard and buy me time to get my lawnmower fixed.  The initial gift that was given was the gift I gave myself by starting.

Your starting point may be to reach out to a professional organizer.  Anything you do that starts things moving in a different direction is where you start.  ​

Sorting through things and making decisions can truly give you a boost.  It gives you back the energy that has been stuck in a daunting stack of paper, hidden in the back of a closet or under a bed.  The things you have not looked at in a while are still a part of your life.  Until you make the decision to use it or pass it along for someone else's use, these items will continue to drain your energy. 

When you feel affected in your day to day living by not having enough space for the things you use and love, that is when it is time for a boost. 

If you see things in your home that are not quite the way you would like, change them or give me a call.  I can help you effectively recycle or contribute things that are no longer serving you and create a space that supports you to enjoy your life.