Not only do people need to have a home, but so does their stuff.  

Interestingly enough, I was working with a client of mine the other day and we were discussing her cluttered closets in her home. She has clothes everywhere.  Her dresser drawers are stuffed and she has clothes that she no longer likes or wears.  

She asked me about helping her to create a laundry schedule because she feels she can not get a handle on it.  Of course, I could help her with that. I have done it many times for many of my clients over the years.  

She mentioned that she hates doing laundry.  I asked "Why?", that the washer and dryer do all of the work.  She said she agreed with that except for one thing.  When it comes time to put the clothes away, she does not have a place to put them.  Basically, her clothes are "homeless".  There lies the problem.  It's not the task that she dislikes, it's the frustration afterwards to try to put her clothes away; to give them a home.

It got me thinking.  I have counseled clients over the years on how important it is to find a home for their things.  It is beneficial in so many ways.  Not only can you easily put things away, but you can easily find them when you want them.  It is a tremendous stress reducer and applies to all aspects of your home.  It eliminates procrastination in many instances.

Think about it.  It is important to have a home for all of your paperwork in your home office, groceries in the fridge, cabinets and/or pantry, linens in the linen closet, clothes in closets and drawers, tools in the garage...the list goes on and on.

I have seen it time and again.  When I work with my clients and we find homes for their possessions, they get an immediate sense of relief and reduction of stress.  Their lives are made so much easier, just by being able to put things away where they belong.

So, I ask you.  What items in your home are "homeless"?  Are you able to find a solution?  If not, contact me.  I can help.  My passion is to find homes for your possessions and reduce your stress so you can enjoy doing the things you like to do and have the time to be with the people you want to spend time with.   You deserve A Better Space. 

Let's knock out homelessness together!  

How many times have you said to yourself "I want to get organized, but..."?  We have lots of reasons as to why we put off what we know we should (and hopefully, want to) get done.  Do you tend to procrastinate?  Do you dislike doing certain things?  (We all do!).  Whether it is at home or at work, there are tasks we dislike and, therefore, procrastinate doing.  The result can be clutter and disorganization.

It is possible that changing just one thing associated with those tasks could improve how you think about completing the task. Here are some suggestions: 

1.  It's Time For A Change - Sometimes changing when you do an activity can make all the difference in the world.  It can improve how you think about the task.  For example, if you normally attempt to tackle an unpleasant task right before you leave work for the day, try moving it to either first thing in the morning, or perhaps right after lunch instead.  If you don't like to go food shopping on weekends, make a change and try food shopping one evening during the week instead.  

2.  Looks Mean Everything - This might sound superficial, but if you don't like the appearance of something, you might not enjoy using it.  If your home office is cluttered, not well lit and does not have some things in it that bring you joy, you might avoid spending time in that room.  You are not utilizing the space for which it was intended.  Get some brightly colored file folders, a nice pen to write with and create a system for staying up to date with your paper management.  Paint the walls, hang some pictures and make the room more pleasant to spend time in.  (A Better Space can help you create a room you enjoy spending time in.)

3.  Game Time - Challenge yourself.  If you have some menial tasks you need to get done but keep putting off, set a timer or put on some music and challenge yourself to get them done within a certain period of time.  Clean up your desk surface, take out the trash or wash some dishes.  It just might help you to get those tasks completed.    

4.  Connect The Dots - As in all types of organization, it is best to put like things together.  The same is true with your tasks.  Find a task that needs to be done and see if you can link it to another activity that is more enjoyable.  Plan a business meeting near a favorite restaurant that you can go to afterwards.  Carpool to a distant location with a friend or colleague to make the long drive more tolerable. Play some of your favorite music while cleaning the house.  Some tasks are just not enjoyable but if you link them to an activity that you enjoy, you will improve the overall experience.

5.  Break It Down Into Manageable Pieces - Some tasks, like getting organized, can be so overwhelming that we do nothing to get the job done.  By doing a task or project in small, manageable pieces, you will find that you are more productive.  If you don't like to file, set a timer once a day for 15 minutes.  You don't have to do it all at one time.  Small, consistent chunks of time can sometimes be much more productive.  (A Better Space can show you how to eliminate the clutter, get organized and put systems into place that are not time consuming, but productive.)   

Try one or all of these suggestions and see if you feel a difference when it comes to getting organized and your tasks completed.  Feel free to comment below and share your experience with others.

In the meantime, if you want to get organized, but...you are overwhelmed with your clutter and don't know where to begin, let A Better Space help.