Stop Beating Yourself Up For Not Being Organized

As featured on The Suburban and Huffington Post

While organizing a space isn't rocket science, it’s not always intuitive either.  I was with a client the other week who is whip smart, highly educated and has designed a beautiful home for herself, yet she continually beats herself up for  her lack of organizational skills.  

I had her sifting through some of her paperwork and she kept getting up to put them into the recycling bin, so the other organizer I had with me asked if she would like the bin next to her instead.  A simple step, like moving a recycling bin closer seemed so obvious to us, yet would never have occurred to my client, and she said just that.  And then felt dumb for not having thought of it herself.  But she wasn’t dumb.  Organizing just isn’t her forte.  

In the same way that I would never have thought to mix colors and patterns the way she does to create the beautiful home that she has, she wouldn't look at the eight junk drawers in her kitchen and envision a neatly organized command center.  We all have our strengths.  We all have areas we excel at.  Why beat yourself up for the the areas you don’t?

It seems that every listicle, Buzzfeed article, and Instagram post out there has a million “simple hacks” and “super-easy DIYs” to get you and your family organized.  Like if you read that article some magic spell will wash over you and *poof* you're organized.  And if you try these techniques and STILL can't get your s*&t together that you are some kind of failure.  You’re not.

What many of these articles tend to leave out is how personal an experience this can be.  And how the only way to truly make changes is to find what works for you and not try to mold your behavior so that you can finally make use of that DIY picture frame turned meal-planner-dry-erase-board that still doesn’t look quite like the “after picture”.

I get that this may be a bit of a strange article coming from a Professional Organizer and a blogger who frequently writes how-to articles on organization.  But I’m really tired of friends, clients and sometimes even strangers telling me how embarrassed they are of their kitchen drawers, linen closets or basement.  There is nothing to be embarrassed about.  But, if it’s not working for you then don’t be afraid to ask for help and change it.

It’s funny what society deems is acceptable to delegate or outsource to others.  You’re not embarrassed to having a weekly cleaning person come and wash your floors.  Or a company to come and mow your lawn.  It doesn’t mean that you’re a failure or that you are incapable of doing these things.  You just recognize that your time would be better spent focusing on the things that you are good at.

There are so many things beyond our control that can contribute to a lack of organization.  Both major and minor life events can cause our plans to shift and our routines to go out of whack.  School ending, a change in jobs, the birth of a new baby, adding a family pet, the death of a loved one.  It’s not always easy to adapt to these changes without feeling overwhelmed.  So it’s okay to ask for help.  It’s okay to outsource the tasks you can’t or don’t want to do.   It’s also okay to not feel guilty about it.  We’re all in the same boat, we all have busy lives with different obligations pulling us in different directions.

If what you’re doing is working for you then don’t worry about what other people say or think.  But if it’s not then commit to change.  Reach out to a friend, or family member or even to a Professional Organizer.  Just stop beating yourself up about it.

5 Tricks For A Highly Organized, Super Relaxing Summer

As featured on Huffington Post

Maybe its that I have it hardwired into my brain from having the summer off of school as a child but my mind definitely forms a direct line between summer and relaxation.  Unfortunately, my brain has yet to catch up with my reality.  With soccer for the kids four nights a week (at 6:15pm!!!), daily multi-location drop-offs and pick-ups, clients wanting their spaces organized, oh, and a 4 month old baby, there has not been a lot of downtime this summer.

I’m definitely one of those people that is way more relaxed when my space is clean and organized.  In fact, it’s the only way I can actually keep my sanity when things get super busy.  Here are some of my favorite summer organizing tips that will help keep you feeling like you can conquer this summer too.

Stop Cooking

Okay, I obviously don’t mean stop cooking entirely thereby letting yourself/partner/kids fend for themselves and consequently die of starvation. But I do mean to take a break from the same type of cooking you would do during the rest of the year.  The key to this one is really to plan your meals and try to re-use what you have.  If you’re marinating chicken for the BBQ double up the recipe and throw the rest in the freezer for an easy meal next week.  Opt for no-cook meals that can be thrown together in minutes.  Our family fave is “make-your-own-burritos”.  I even joked that because of the whole soccer all week during dinnertime thing that I was instituting a “sandwich only” summer long policy for dinner.  Then we actually had sandwiches only for a whole week.  It was unpleasant. But sandwiches once a week are ok.  Either way try to scale down the cooking and keep it simple.  If you need more inspiration check out Pinterest.  I always find great dinner ideas there.

Plan For The Morning Chaos

Summer = Sunscreen.  Every morning. On every child.  So make it easier on yourself and set up a sunscreen station for yourself wherever it makes sense for your routine.  For us we have two open baskets in our entryway.  One has hats and the other has sunglasses, sunscreen and bug spray.  The kids can grab what they need and we can help with the sunscreen application on our way out the door.  Once it becomes routine it becomes easier.

The other scramble in the morning is planning for special day camp/daycare activities.  Whether it’s remembering a bathing suit, craft project or running shoes.  A good way to avoid this is putting the schedule or special note on the back of the door.  If you are forced to look at it before you leave the house you are more likely to remember what you need.

Summer Car Kit

SO MUCH TIME IN THE CAR. Ugh. Best to be as prepared as possible.  Folding chairs for soccer, picnic blanket, paper towels, emergency snacks, wipes, sports gear, bug spray, bubbles (for bored toddlers);  whatever your summertime essentials are, try to do a bit of pre-planning prep work and keep them in the car.  There is no sense in taking them in and out all of the time if you don’t have to.  Be Prepared.

Drop Zone

I don’t know what it is about kids and dropping all their stuff the second they come in the door but they do.  Backpacks, lunch bags, towels, rocks (why do they even need to come in at all???), toys.  Everything gets thrown on the floor in the front.  At least in my house it does.  Even though we have hooks and a bench, the gravitational pull once they walk through the door is just too strong and it all hits the floor.  To combat this phenomenon try putting a large bucket in the front ( or some type of bin, heck, even a laundry basket would work). The goal is to have one place to put all the crap that you can then grab and put away in one trip.

Go Bag

Whether you are heading out to the pool, park, or just to a friend’s house, have a “go bag” ready.  It’s like the older kid version of a diaper bag.  Change of clothes, spare bathing suit, extra hats, suntan lotion, water, snacks,  all of the essentials.  Nothing is worse than having the kids all ready to leave while still running around prepping the gear.  If you miss that very small window when their sandals are on and they’re not trying to kill each other you may never get it back.  If you let one kid go back for “one more toy”, your whole schedule goes out the window.  Go Bag. Trust me.

Wishing You All A Happy And Organized Summer!

5 Fab Alternatives To Boring Labels

As featured on Huffington Post

My garage is a perfect example of the benefits of labeling.  I organized the shelving units so that it would fit all our excess pantry items, paper towels, toilet paper, soaps, you get the idea. But I didn’t label any of it.  And now it’s a disaster.  And worse yet, it’s my fault.  You see, I know where everything goes, but I seem to be alone in that knowledge.  It’s not a very long list but every well meaning person, my husband, my mother, etc  that helps to put away groceries just guesses where to put stuff.

I often liken a lack of labels with asking someone to drive you somewhere and then not giving them directions and taking away all the street signs.  You can’t really blame them for getting lost, right?  

I see it with my clients as well.  The ones that are able to maintain their organization are the ones that have a clearly defined space for everything.  Either that or they live alone so they don’t really have to deal with anyone else messing up their system.

Even if you live alone chances are you will have people come to visit or stay in your home and throwing together a few labels is more enjoyable that gritting your teeth as your guest opens the pantry to be helpful and put the cookies away where (gasp!) the crackers go!  I saw this in action just recently when my extended family was “helping” to put away food after I had them for dinner  and they opened my fridge (which I had just finished organizing into labelled food zones) and they knew exactly where everything should go.  Success!

When people think of labels their minds go to those boring black on white labels that print out out of a label maker.  Fine for an office; boring and plain for your home.  Your organizing system should flow with your personality and your home decor.  Here are some fabulous alternatives to boring labels:

Chalkboard Labels

They’re cute, have a vintage feel and are completely reusable.  What is not to love?  Up your label game by using a chalk marker instead of regular chalk and you eliminate the dusty mess.  I especially like these labels for transitional spaces, like off-season clothes or shoes.  Pro-tip: while the dollarstore labels may seem like a good deal I have recently discovered that my original writing got permanently absorbed into them, rendering them not reusable.  Try to go for good quality labels instead.

Customized Printed Labels

I buy full sheet clear decals and then write out my labels in MS Word and print them.  You can easily customize the size and font.  I noticed that they can be a bit incompatible with water ( a definite issue as I wipe down everything all the time), but this can be easily overcome by sealing it with some clear Con-Tact shelf liner.

Gift Tags

I have come across some extremely cute gift tags, especially around Christmas time.  These colorful pieces of paper can make fabulous labels.  Just write on them with a black permanent marker, or you can print out labels on a label maker using the clear tape.

Washi Tape

This is another item that comes in a slew of awesome colors.  You can easily convert them into labels with a Sharpie or labelmaker label, again printed on clear tape.  I love using washi tape anywhere you would use a traditional label.  The fun colors can really brighten up the space.

Picture Labels

I organize a lot of playrooms.  I also organize our playroom a lot.  For all the non-readers out there these are my go-to label.  Just find the right image online (Lego, superheroes, Mr Potatohead, etc) and print them out.  Depending on the type of storage container they're going on I will either use full sheet sticker paper or I’ll use regular paper and laminate them for extra durability.

Key Tags

Not just for keys anymore! These smaller labels can be great for jars or other smaller items.  Just attach the ring to an elastic or some twine and you’re done.  They are generally pretty inexpensive and easy to find as well.  Check out your local office supply store and you’re sure to get your hands on them.

The bottom line is that there are plenty of alternatives to the standard label and you really need to choose what works best for your lifestyle.  Whichever type you decide on just remember to label things the way you identify them.  Because you don’t really have time to waste looking for your things!

Happy Organizing and Labeling!