Riding Boots RIP

Even professional organizers have to let go sometimes and yes, even professional organizers are known to have a few emotional items in their closets.  We like to think of these hiccups in our otherwise perfectly organized (NOT) lives as assurance that we are human and reminders of the struggles of our clients.  Right - human we are.  Straight face I have not.

So I was not surprised, if perhaps a bit amused, that my colleague, cyber-guru, professional organizer Jacki Brown, owner of J-organize, sent me an e-vite on Facebook to attend the funeral for her riding boots.  A little research revealed that the boots had served Jacki well for 25 years of equestrian pursuits, had now "blown up" and were no longer serviceable and that a significant recent purchase to replace the boots hastened their impending trip to the rubbish bin.  But not before they have been properly honoured for their years and years of memories, faithful service and, I well imagine, great comfort afoot.

Sometimes professional organizers encourage clients to take pictures of stuff ladened with memories that have to move to a life outside the front door.  Sometimes we suggest clients take off a piece of the object, (usually fabric) and stick it in with a picture.  Here's another option for you: have a funeral.  Honour the memories, herald the good times and move on to those new leather boots in the box.

Rumour has it one of the invitees to this particular funeral can't attend but is sending his work boots as his representative. I may have a conflict and think I'll send my pointe shoes.  Maybe I could attend on a horse.

Books - Buried in Treasures

For this week, I am focussing on organizing resources and for now, sticking with books.

I recommend Buried in Treasures by David Tolin, Randy Frost and Gail Steketee, for packrats and their friends or family. In the past month alone, I have received three phone calls from family members who are distressed by the hoarding or packrat behaviour of siblings. This is the book for you. The authors explain underlying issues associated with packrat behaviour, along with assessment tools and strategies to understand their degree of severity. In addition, they provide concrete strategies for changing behaviour.

This book is very readible and information rich. Hoarding and packrat behaviour in yourself or a loved one can be a stressful and heartbreaking situation. This book may let a little ray of hope shine through.

Energy for Packrats

If you are considered a pack rat, by yourself or anyone else, your home may be suffering from very stagnant energy. You, as a result, may also suffer from very low energy.

While I do not profess to be a specialist in feng shui, there is no doubt that a hall full of clutter does not allow the free movement of energy through the house.

Try clearing just one small space, no matter how small, and see what that does for your energy level. The table in a hallway is a great place to start since this is a classic spot for clutter to accumulate.

To help, try covering the space around the area you are clearing with a big sheet while you are clearing it. The sheet will cover up the items around and help you focus on the area you are trying to clear.

Packrat Behaviour

Managing the behaviour and characteristics of a packrat is a common reason that professional organizers are called by clients. Packrat behaviour is seen equally often at the office as it is in the home. The only difference is that at the office, there may be someone in a position of authority reminding you to keep your workspace in a professional state. The following behaviours and characteristics, modified from a list developed by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau in ADD-Friendly ways to Organize your Life, may be familiar to you because of your own life or perhaps the life of someone around you:

1. You hang on to things that you, or anyone else, hardly ever uses;
2. You eagerly collect items regardless of whether you need them;
3. You refuse to part with items because you think you will use them someday (but can't remember the last time you used it);
4. You consider yourself a packrat;
5. Your workspace or home is so cluttered it is hardly functional;
6. You have difficulty making decisions about objects.

Sound familiar? The following strategies may help you get started on a healthier path.

1. Try the "two for one" policy when bringing new things into your environment. If you bring a new book into your home, commit to removing two books already there that you can't remember the last time you touched.
2. Ask someone you trust, a clutter companion, to commit to a day of clearing out. It will probably take more than one session but you will find even starting will be very rewarding.
3. Clear a sorting table so that you have a clear space at waist height in which to sort. You will find this easy on your back and the sorting will feel easier.
4. Choose items of better quality and let the quantity of objects diminish. If you find 4 staplers, keep the best one.
5. Play the Friends, Acquaintances, Strangers game. Objects that feel like friends can stay. Acquaintances may or may not stay depending on their timeliness and utility. The strangers leave your space.
6. Establish and maintain a commitment to yourself to live in a healthier lifespace. You deserve it.