3 Key Habits That Will Help You Stay Organized

As featured in Huffington Post and The Suburban

One of my bigger struggles as a Professional Organizer is how to translate my routines and processes into sharable tips and advice. So much of how I live my life in terms of my daily routines have become so automated that it can be hard for me to realize its efficiency until I step back and look at it.

Lately I have been trying to look at my day more critically in order to put together some kind of formula that I can share with others.  But what I have discovered is that I don’t actually have a formula. As counter-intuitive as it may seem I am constantly readjusting and reprioritizing in order to get the most out of my day. So I think I have narrowed it down to the three biggest things that I do on a daily basis that make my life easier and more organized.

Everything Has A Home

Clients and friends ask me all the time “how I do it” (even though I'm not totally sure what “it” is) and remark how organized and clean and perfect my house must be.  First of all it’s not clean and perfect and organized all the time.  I just don’t feel like that is a realistic or attainable goal.  I have three kids (one of which is under one year old) and they like to play and craft and create.  So the house is sometimes a bit of a disaster.  But that’s ok, because I do have systems in place that when we are ready to tidy up, everything has a home.  That way there is no wondering where to put things. Cleaning up becomes a one step process, you know where things go and you just put it back.  Now, this isn’t something that just happens overnight, a lot of work went into having a home for all of our belongings.  It requires me to be very critical of what comes into my home and to constantly curate our belongings and adapt to my family’s changing needs.  But having everything in place does mean that there is a sense of peace in my everyday life, because I can spend time working on what actually matters instead of stressing about my cluttered home.

Prioritize, Reprioritize And Then Re-reprioritize!

I read lots of blogs and follow tons of people who are experts in productivity and organization.  Most of them seem to have quite a strict routine that they follow (or at least they seem to on social media!).  But for me I find that the opposite is true.  

Yes I keep a running ‘to-do’ list and yes I set goals for myself each day, but these goals and to-dos can sometimes change throughout the day.  Sometimes items get put off until the next day and then sometimes they are scrapped altogether.  And I don’t look at this as a failure to complete my list, I look at as a reprioritization of what I need and what my family needs at a given moment.

There are obviously some non-negotiables on my list. Mostly these consist of deadlines imposed on me by other people: a form for my son’s school needs to be filled out by a certain day, or I have to make 45 valentines cards for each of my kids classmates, or I told a client I would send a follow-up email.  For me those items become “must-dos” for my day, my ‘no matter what happens, these things just must get done.’  And I usually do them first. Because let's be honest, you never know what is going to happen.  But any other item that found it’s way onto my list gets categorized as a “that would be nice” item.  It would be nice if I could get the photos updated on my website today, but if there end up being other things that need to take precedence the world will keep turning if it only gets done next week.  The key to this is to not beat yourself up if all the things on your list don’t get checked off.  I find myself often saying that I simply had to prioritize my objectives and this just didn’t make the cut.  And then I just move on.  

Streamline

Another big one for me is streamlining a lot of our daily tasks, routines and spaces. I built my business around the whole idea that you don’t have time to waste looking for your things, and the same theory applies here.  We don’t have the time to spend running around for no reason, so let’s streamline the tasks we do repeatedly.

For instance, I try to keep a wastebasket in nearly every room in our home.  There is less likelihood that people (and by people I mean my husband and children) will leave garbage on the floor if they are within arms reach of properly disposing of it.   

I also tend to store items where I use them; like having our coffee machine on the counter while the cupboard directly above it contains coffee, filters and mugs.  Because the last thing you need is to stumble around for your caffeine fix at 5:30 in the morning. Amirite?

If you follow me with any regularity you probably are already aware of my eternal love for stair-baskets but they deserve another shout-out here.  They go on the stairs, collect the items that need to go to another floor and prevent multiple wasted trips up and down.  They are my organizing all-star.

I also keep a “dirty” bucket under the sink in the kitchen.  We wipe the kids’ hands and faces multiple times per day and change out our sponges and dishtowels regularly, I can’t be running to the laundry room every time.  Enter the dirty bucket.  It’s like a mini hamper within arms reach that can be brought to be washed in one trip.

This post was originally titled ‘‘The Number One Way That I Stay Organized’.  Then I realized that title was b.s.  I don’t have just one thing that I do, I have several that work together to help me stay on top of my game, both for my business and my family.

And I think that’s what I really want you to take away from this.  There are multiple paths to your goal or leading a more organized life, and it’s really okay for those paths to twist and turn and even loop back around again, just try to keep moving forward and adapt to the many roadblocks that will be thrown in your way.

Good Luck & Happy Organizing!

Get Organized In Time For Spring

Spring is almost upon us.  To help you get a jump-start with your Spring Organization check out some of my fave tips that I had the opportunity to share with Global Montreal's  Laura Casella.  Click here to watch the video or click on the image below.

What It's Really Like To Be Married To A Professional Organizer

It’s been a little hectic around here lately.  Since our return from our yearly family vacation in Mexico my brain has not wanted to switch back into writing mode.  To give myself a little jumpstart (and tbh to outsource an item on my very full plate!) I asked my husband to do a guest post on what an absolute joy it must be to live with me! So read on as Ben makes his writing debut on my blog and gives a little insight into how a marriage between organization and disorganization works (and I swear I only edited it for grammar and spelling!)

Allison and I met during my second year at University of Toronto. I was 19 and at the absolute height of man-cave, could-not-care-less-about-my-appearance (or-my-surroundings) pre-adulthood. Her new roommate was a friend of mine, so she came over to meet me and my other (equally-grimy) roommates. I had not shaved in a week and we literally had Maxim pictures taped to the wall as decoration. The kitchen was piled high with dirty dishes and I used an unzipped sleeping bag as a comforter. What I’m trying to say is that I was an obvious catch.  

Jokes aside if you have followed my wife’s writing at all you would know this does not sound like the beginning of a life-long love story. Yet something drew us to each other and ever since we’ve had a push and pull between her organized ways and my well-meaning but less than stellar abilities in that area. Twelve years and three kids later I continue to do my best to think like she does, but it can be a struggle.

This is why I think the job of a Professional Organizer is so important. She has been able to implement processes in our house that I can actually follow and that have improved both the organization of our household and our ability to interact as a couple.

That said, in this post I wanted to talk a little bit about how the DISorganized mind can benefit from this mindset and how her suggestions help clarify things for me even when I don’t get it 100 percent right.

One of the reasons Allison started her business stemmed from a common argument we were having a few years ago. I don't remember the specific issue but it is not really relevant. I suspect it was because I had taken something (like the salad spinner) out and didn’t put it back in the right place. For my disorganized mind, I just didn’t remember where I had taken it from and found some spot where it seemed to fit. Her organized mind couldn’t understand how I had forgotten where something went that I had just used a few minutes earlier (fair!). In the course of the dispute I said something to the effect of “You have to understand not everyone’s mind works this way.” This is true. I don’t walk into a room and see the things that are out of place. If it is actively MESSY I will notice this but if a pan is not with the other pans it won’t bother me. The thing is, I’ve learned that my life is easier when everything IS in place (wink,wink).

This is where my wife’s strategies have been incredibly effective. To use just one example of many; for years our tupperware drawer was a disaster. Mostly because I’m the one who usually cleans up after supper and I wouldn’t take care to “put like with like”. Allison took some time to set up the lids in a dish rack and put round, square and rectangular containers together. This made sense to me and was easy to follow. Now when I clean up from supper I don’t waste ten minutes trying to find the right lid for the container I need.

Slowly but surely I was able to see things that could be organized better. Even if I don’t know the best strategy I can make a suggestion and set her loose (one of the side-benefits of being married to a Professional Organizer is free organization. I pay her back by folding laundry and taking the kids to daycare).

I would by no means be able to move into the industry myself. My mind still doesn 't (and probably will never) fully work this way. But the benefits are real even for those who didn’t think it is important or thought they would never be able to maintain it. Allison has labelled so many bins and shelves in our house and I find it a relief, because I would genuinely stress if I didn’t know where something went. Now I know if I screw it up, it is clearly on me.

I bring other things to the table in our relationship and as with all things my conversion to organization is a work-in-progress. However the strategies she has written about and implemented in our household have had a real tangible benefit in our relationship and life in general.

6 Life-Changing Organizing Habits To Embrace Now

As featured in Huffington Post

January is GO Month, as in “Get Organized”.  Every year the goal of getting organized makes it’s way onto the top of resolution lists, so it makes sense that GO Month is the first month of the year.  But as the novelty and enthusiasm of everyone’s New Year's resolutions slowly begin to fade I wanted to share some simple habits that you can introduce now, that will help you to stay organized all year long.

Live With Less

Minimalism isn’t for everyone. It isn’t even for me.  But I do like to dip my toe into the minimalist pool. Try not to buy and accumulate items that aren’t necessary.  That new gadget for the kitchen that takes up counter space, the extra set of bath towels you just bought because they were on sale, that hot new book you want to read even though you already have a stack of unread ones next to your bed.  All unnecessary.  Less stuff  = less mess = more freedom.  All of that translates to more time available for the things that you really love like: friends, family and life experiences.  For household items (shampoo, dish-soap, dryer sheets, etc.) try using the 50% rule, when something is half full, it goes on your list.  This gives you enough time to buy it without stockpiling it in your already full space.

Keep Your Counters Clear

This one goes hand-in-hand with the reasoning behind making your bed everyday. Clutter attracts clutter. Simple as that. So if there is already crap on your countertops there is a 100% chance that more crap will join it (don’t you love how scientific I am???). Seriously though, in the same way a nice neat bed sets the tone for your bedroom, so do the counters in your kitchen.  This also applies to the other surfaces in your home: sideboards, dressers, display units.  Minimize what is on them and only display the items that truly speak to you.  You will be less likely to throw other stuff there if you make it beautiful.

Stop Thinking Big Picture

Try focusing on the smaller projects that you can accomplish in a relatively short amount of time.  My clients often tell me that they get overwhelmed when they look at everything that needs to get done.  I totally get that.  If I made a list of all the things that I wanted to do, I would never actually do them because the process of making that list would take way too long and would be completely overwhelming.  Focus on something small.  One junk drawer.  One box.  One shelf.  Sometimes you just need a win.  So get up, crush that little project and use that as motivation to propel you to the next one.

Just Do It

I know this is easier said than done, but putting off all of the little things adds up to a big mess very fast.  Of course it’s quicker to throw your clothes on the floor instead of putting them in the laundry bin. But after a few days you’ve got a real mess on your hands.  Try following the One-minute rule: If you have a task that can be done in less than one minute, do it without delay.  Go ahead and file that paper, pick up that toy, reply to that email and put that bowl in the dishwasher.  It’s not like you’re going to come back at the end of the day and regret that your counters are clear of dishes.  Don’t procrastinate.  Just do it.

Small Shifts

Rather than overhauling your routine, try making small shifts. Don’t constantly fight your instincts. If your entryway is always cluttered with junk mail, put a recycling basket there so it has somewhere to go. If everyone is leaving their bags and purses on the floor, put up a few hooks at on the wall to make it easier to keep neat.

I used to constantly run up and down the stairs to put wayward items away.  Then I got a stair basket.  Life changing people.  Seriously.  I love having a basket that fits right on the stairs. Anything I need to bring upstairs is in one place.  You can check out my favorite stair baskets here.  The trick is to make sure you eventually empty it and put everything away!

Outsource

This is a big one.  It’s a big one because it makes people feel guilty, inadequate and dumb.  I hear it over and over ‘I should be able to do this myself’ or ‘I can’t believe I have to hire someone to organize my closet’.  Sometimes your time can be better spent doing the things that you love and excel at.  It’s not that you are incapable of organizing your pantry, it’s just that your time may be better allocated somewhere else.  My standard line to my clients is always this: “I am perfectly capable of cleaning my house, yet I have no problem hiring someone else to do it because I know that my time is better spent growing my business and hanging out with my family”.

I realize that outsourcing feels a bit self-serving but having a professional come in with fresh eyes can be really beneficial, especially if you have gone clutterblind to your surroundings. We have the resources, training and connections to set up a system that works for your lifestyle. While it may not be in everyone’s budget to have a Professional Organizer come in for several hours, a lot of us will do remote consultations and coaching at a lower cost than in-home organizing sessions.  You can set up a Skype call, give the organizer a tour of your space, discuss your needs and goals, and we can come up with solutions that work for you.  As long as you are prepared and motivated to do the work, we will come up with the plan.  To find a Professional Organizer that suits your needs have a look at the Professional Organizers in Canada (POC)

Happy GO Month and Happy Organizing!