Stress-Free Holidays? Maybe you're not paying attention!

     Everywhere I look I see articles, blogs and posts about how to have a stress-free holidays, and I have to say that the pressure is starting to get to me.

     I think it's pretty good advice, and I know everyone is doing their best to be helpful, but having people constantly tell me not to be stressed is a little unnerving.  It makes me wonder if I'm missing something. There's probably something I should be doing that I have not done, and I'm going to realize it at the last minute and completely RUIN everyone's holiday.  Or I'm not going to realize it at all, and everyone will talk about it for years to come.  So, it's a little....you know.....(stressful)

      Some of us know this about ourselves:  if we're not under pressure, we lie down. We play Christmas music on the radio and dance around the house right past the pilgrims and pumpkins that have not yet been put away.  We may watch Lifetime TV Christmas movies while the store bought cookie dough expires in the refrigerator. Stress may be the only thing between us and total inaction.

     And besides, what will we talk to people about if we aren't talking about how much we have to do and how stressed we are about it all?

     So, I am going to say that if it helps you feel better and get a few things done, go ahead and stress. Like everything else, it will eventually pass! Happy Holidays!  Or, if you are one of those people who stresses about the greetings you get at this time of year:  Merry Christmas!

To find solutions for your organizing challenges, 

schedule a free consultation, 

or have a conversation about your organizing needs:

Call Linda Palmer

at Create Order

Home Organizing and De-materializing Service In the Milwaukee, WI and surrounding areas

                                                                      

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Practice Makes...Good Enough

      So...since it's between lawn work season and snow shoveling season, I thought it would be a good idea to establish some kind of a regular exercise routine.

     Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to exert myself physically.  I just don't like getting up off of the couch to do it.  It's  easier when the lawn needs to be mowed, or the hedge needs trimming, or it's a beautiful day for a hike, but these days, when it gets dark at 4:30 and it's cold, my body only wants to eat carbs and hibernate.

     I thought about what I suggest to people for creating an "orderliness habit", especially when they find themselves resisting or rebelling against the process and aren't doing anything at all:  Don't make it your goal to be done.  That goal is doomed to failure!

     A more realistic goal is to create a daily practice.  So, to begin, it's a good idea to do much LESS than you want to, like 10 minutes a day of sorting paper, or filling a box with items give or throw away.  Play some of your favorite music--you get to choose: energizing or relaxing.  Light a candle and maybe even some incense.  Heck, pour a glass of wine.  Whatever works!

      I emphasize this next part: do not do any more than your allotted time, even if you're on a roll and feeling like you could go on all night.  It's important to stop when you're  enjoying yourself and wanting to do more. That way your brain will make positive associations with the activity.  If you're having trouble doing even that small amount of time, make it less.

      I know people who decided to start by sitting in  an area for five minutes and regarding it silently.  The real fight here is not the amount you accomplish, but that you show up for yourself every time.  At  first you might try to weasel out of it and make excuses:  "I'm tired" , "Work was bad today, I deserve a break", "My show is on t.v. so I won't have time."  Don't listen to that!

      That "showing up" muscle gets weak from inactivity, but each time you use it you get stronger and it's easier to resist the temptation.

     You can decide at the outset to give yourself a day off, say on Sundays, but do NOT allow yourself to skip days. If you do, NO making it up by doubling time the next day...just continue. Here's where an "accountability partner" comes in handy--someone to whom you can report when you're done that will tell you you're awesome. (Many professional organizers offer this service).

     It usually takes about ten days of practice for a habit to begin to take hold, so aim for ten days in a row before you start to increase the time. This might take a long time, but that's OK.  This habit could last for a lifetime!  When you do increase the time, increase it in small increments... like 5 or 10 minutes a week.

     This principle can be applied to just about any kind of a habit you want to establish; eating habits, a regular schedule for meditation, housework or exercise.

     Yep, that's my advice, and today, for the third day in a row I've done 15 minutes on the treadmill at no more than 3.0 mph while listening to some favorite old and new dance tunes.  It's not much--yet--but it does burn more calories than watching "Dancing with the Stars" and eating corn chips, and I will add time, speed and weights gradually.  Better yet, I am not dreading my next "workout" session!

To find solutions for your organizing challenges, 
schedule a free consultation, 
or have a conversation about your organizing needs:
Call Linda Palmer
at Create Order
Home Organizing and De-materializing Service

                                           Photo source

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It is What You Think it Is

A number of years ago, Oprah featured a "gratitude journal" on  her show.  It seemed like a great thing.  Every day you're supposed to write, in a journal, three or more things for which you are grateful.  This gets you noticing the good things in your life and being grateful for them, which in turn attracts more of what you are grateful for.  Oprah said it changed her life.

I know I have trillions of things in my life for which I am very grateful.  All I had to do was write them down. Then trillions more would come rushing in!

Only, it didn't work that way for me.  I thought I had to get in all of the really important things:  I am warm, I have a roof over my head, I have food to eat -- to name just a few.  I couldn't possibly get them all in, and if I leave some off the list, does that mean that I'm not grateful?  Which could possibly mean that they'd be snatched right out of my hands.  Somehow I found a way to feel anxious about a gratitude journal. Not exactly the intended outcome.

However, I did think of a way to change it that took the pressure off. Instead of trying to decide which three things to include on my gratitude list,  I wrote about three or more good things that happened to me each day.  Not life-changing events, just little things. Usually, I try to think of random events, not caused by me or my own actions, but sometimes I  include something I've accomplished, or a time when I know I've done something well, or made someone feel better. I even allow myself to be shallow and include compliments I've received.

Once, when I walked into the grocery store, a baby sitting in a cart looked up at me and gave me huge grin, as if  I was exactly what she had been waiting for.  Another time, I came around a corner of my hiking trail and stopped short, actually gasping to see a row of fiery autumn trees blazing  in a pink sunset, with a full harvest moon hung overhead. I have to confess that the Green Bay Packers made it in there a time or two. And, yes, there was that day I wrote: 1) "The really great thing about today is that I made it to the end of the day without seriously hurting anyone. 2) I am in my nice bed now.  3) I have a good book to read."

As soon as I started recording these events, one of two things happened: either 1) the number of good things that happened to me increased dramatically, or 2) they had been there all along, and  I was now noticing them.

I don't much care which it is. I go through my days looking for something good to happen, fully expecting that it will--and that's a great way to spend a day!  At the end of the day, I'm thinking about blessings, instead of worrying about tomorrow.

By paying attention to, and appreciating what we have, we are less inclined to chase happiness by accumulating possessions. And that's a good thing!

To find solutions for your organizing challenges, to schedule a free consultation, or have a conversation about your organizing needs:

Linda Palmer

Create Order

Home Organizing and De-materializing Service

262-784-3957

createorder.org

email:  createorder1@gmail.com

on facebook:  Linda Palmer/ Create Order Organizing Service

Serving Milwaukee, WI and surrounding areas

"The Simple Life is a Manly Life"...and Other True Things about Living an Orderly Existence

By Linda Palmer

  There are so many great ideas and thoughts out there about bringing order and simplicity into our lives.  Here are a few favorites I've collected from different sources. I hope you find them helpful.   Let me know of your own favorites! 

For the Upwardly Mobile:

"We tend to think we need more belongings than we really do, to live comfortably. TV shows, commercials and even our friends are constantly showing us new things we can’t live without. Taking the time to sort through the items you've accumulated can be a real wake up call. Once you start to give up a few unnecessary things, you’ll realize how little importance they had to begin with. The change in mindset that comes with this realization can ease the pressure we put on our finances by wanting more."

(From: Ten Financial Reasons you should Declutter your House  By Dana O. Crandall

For the Neat-Freaks
"Everyone knows that getting organized is about creating "order" in your life -- but what the heck does that mean? Going back to my good pal Merriam-Webster, putting something in order is defined as "arranging" or "classifying" or "systematizing." You'll notice there's no mention anywhere of things being "tidy" or "clean" -- that's because it's not about neatness, it's about being able to find what you need, when you need it, so you can function effectively in the world!"

From:   O Is For Order by Ramona Creel:  The A to Z of Getting Organized

For the 99%:

"I recently read the book Great With Money by Melissa Burke and Ellen Rogin. With the goal of the book being to help readers create a prosperous mindset and a confident approach to money, you might expect it to focus on how to earn more and spend less. Well, it may surprise you to know that “clear your clutter” is the first step to prosperity described by the authors. Yup, clearing the clutter in your life is the first step towards prosperity."

From: Clear the Clutter and Find Prosperity, by Sue Becker From Piles To Smiles Organizing Service blog

For the Science Geeks:

"Researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute published the results of a study they conducted in the January issue of The Journal of Neuroscience that relates directly to uncluttered and organized living. From their report “Interactions of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Mechanisms in Human Visual Cortex”:

"Multiple stimuli present in the visual field at the same time compete for neural representation by mutually suppressing their evoked activity throughout visual cortex, providing a neural correlate for the limited processing capacity of the visual system.

"Or, to paraphrase in non-neuroscience jargon: When your environment is cluttered, the chaos restricts your ability to focus. The clutter also limits your brain’s ability to process information. Clutter makes you distracted and unable to process information as well as you do in an uncluttered, organized, and serene environment."  

From:  Unclutterer.com posted by Erin.

And...for the Guys 

    "The simple life is a manly life. Some of history’s manliest men lived lives of true simplicity, free from unneeded clutter. The Spartans basically had one piece of clothing they wore all year, a spear, a shield, and some farm tools. Because of their simple lifestyle, they were able to focus on learning how to be fighting machines.

    
  "Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson were evangelists of simplicity. When Thoreau went to Walden Pond he brought with him just a few things. Because he didn’t have crap distracting him, he was able to focus his energies into writing some awesomely deep thoughts.

    "The simple life is a manly life because a man defines himself not by his possessions but by his character, virtues, relationships, and experiences. These are the things that he invests his time, energy, and emotions in, because these are the things that no natural disaster, no bomb, no prison can ever take away from him. The less stuff we accumulate, the less energy we have to devote to the maintenance of it, and the more energy we can put into becoming better men."

From:30 Days to a Better Man Day 13: Declutter Your Life by Brett & Kate McKay

To find solutions for your organizing challenges, to schedule a free consultation, or have a conversation about your organizing needs:

Linda Palmer

Create Order

Home Organizing and De-materializing Service

262-784-3957

createorder.org

email:  createorder1@gmail.com

on facebook:  Linda Palmer/ Create Order Organizing Service

Serving Milwaukee, WI and surrounding areas

Learning to Let Go of The Beatles
(among other things)

     I remember the day that changed my attitude about my stuff.

     I returned from a weekend away to find that a freak "100 year storm" (the first of four in five years, as it turned out) had backed water up into my basement, lifted the boxes from a recent move, and scattered them throughout the basement as it drained away, leaving everything soaked through.

     I know.  It's not a good idea to keep irreplaceable stuff in the basement in Wisconsin.  I don't do it any more. But, I want to say that I considered myself lucky.  Many people had rain come up into their living area that summer; many of them were still trying to pump it out days later. Some people lost their entire house.  My basement was mostly unfinished, so there was no carpeting or furniture to deal with.
     But...my stuff!  The next day, I stood, bewildered, on the driveway, where I was attempting to dry some things.  In the 98 degree 99% humidity typical post-storm Wisconsin day, it wasn't going well.  Some of it could be saved, and some would be easy to replace.  But also scattered in front of me were photo albums from my time in Australia, funny notes that my friends and I had written to each other in high school (really!), Beatle photos, posters and trading cards personally autographed by me in a forged version of each Beatle's handwriting, scrap books, diaries, journals --I began journaling when I was 7 years old--, ticket stubs (including one to the Beatles concert in Milwaukee priced at $4.50) and mementos...you get the idea.  I had painstakingly saved all of this stuff over the years and through numerous moves, including to Australia and back.
     If anyone had tried to persuade me to let go of all that before the storm, there's no way I would have done so.  ALL of it fell into the category of "I need it AND I love it".  I guess I thought I needed it to remember all of the fun times and good friends that I've had over the years, because if I don't have the stuff, I might not remember, and if I don't remember, maybe it didn't really happen.
     Of course, I had no choice.  It all had to go.  I was pretty upset for about five minutes.  Then I realized NOTHING WOULD CHANGE without the stuff.  Maybe I wouldn't be able to open the box and wander down memory lane about once every five or ten years, but for the most part, I wouldn't notice its absence.  And there would be extra space where the boxes had been.
      I really believe all experiences are sent to bring us lessons (although I have learned people don't appreciate hearing this when they are in the midst of a particularly difficult lesson).  When my basement flooded, I learned the value of letting go, being unattached to possessions and, by extension, to outcome.    It's made my life happier, easier and simpler.  As it turns out, those great memories were not in the boxes after all--they were in my heart, and still are.  At least I think they are.  If they're not, I don't miss them!
   

Create Order

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Serving the Milwaukee, Wisconsin greater metro area.

Call to or email to schedule an appointment or have a conversation about your organizing needs

262-784-3957

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One Simple Thing
(that can make you feel and look as if you've got it all under control.)

         As a teacher, like most, I struggled mightily with the organizational aspects of classroom teaching.  So many things to keep track of and so little time to do it all!  During 32 years as a classroom teacher I invented system after system to deal with records, materials, supplies, data,  and equipment, not to mention as many as 35 kids in a room at one time. 

         But a few years ago, one of my colleagues told me that she'd read in a book that there is one thing you can to do trick yourself (and others) into thinking you're organized.   I tried it and it worked!  I used it every single day after that.  The trick is simple--if not always easy--and here it is:

         Clear your desk off completely every night.  

COMPLETELY.  

EVERY night.

     I was thinking the same thing you are right now. That's crazy! Where in the heck are all these piles of papers, office supplies, manila folders, to-do lists and sticky notes supposed to go?

     Short answer:  Not on the desk. 

     I had a counter with shelves next to the desk.  A table in front of the desk.  A big ugly gray cabinet with shelves behind the desk, and a student desk next to the desk.  Every single one of those pieces was crammed, piled  and stuffed with any number of books, papers, in baskets, out baskets, duplicated papers, papers to be duplicated, student work, student portfolios, and reams of professional development material.

     You get the picture.  Sometimes there was even stuff under the desk! At night, a lot of the stuff would come home with me. The rest of it was reproducing while I was gone, I think.

     But when I walked into the room in the morning, the desk itself was a clear, uncluttered expanse of work space. What a great way to start the day!  I took one look at that desk and knew the person who worked there must be  competent, capable, and in complete control of their entire life. Sometimes I even sat down and waited for that person to show up!

     Even better, when someone else came into my room, the desk would be the first thing they'd see.  Their eyes would widen in disbelief. "How do you do that?" they'd ask. They didn't even notice the ever-growing piles all around the desk, because their eyes were riveted to the rare sight of a clean desk top.   In the interests of collaboration, I would always tell them my trick.  When principal or parent or visitor came into the room, I liked to imagine I saw a little glimmer of respect or admiration for my nice clear desktop ( I have a good imagination).

     Of course, as the day went on, the desk top became more cluttered and by noon was mostly covered up. That's OK, because at the end of the day I knew I would take a little time (usually no more than 5-10 minutes) to take everything off and put it on another pile somewhere--anywhere else. Including: coffee cup, stapler, paper clips--EVERYTHING.  In later years, I allowed the computer to stay.

      The next day, my nice clear desk would be sitting there serenely inviting me to begin my day in a calm and orderly way.

     This doesn't only work in the workplace.  You could do this anywhere at home too.  That kitchen counter that draws every single thing someone is taking into or out of the house.  The table where you drop keys, mail, burnt out light bulbs and old newspapers.  Pick just one spot and clear if off once a day.  You'll be amazed at the lift it can give you to see even one clear surface!
  

          WARNING: This behavior may be highly addictive.  After awhile you can get hooked and want to clear off other spaces.  Go for it! If you need help, your friendly professional organizer is always at the ready.

To Schedule a FREE consultation,

or have a conversation about your organizing needs,

 call or email:

262-784-3957

createorder1@gmail.com
On the web:  createorder.org

Linda Palmer

Create Order
Home organizing and de-materializing service
Serving the Milwaukee, Wisconsin greater metro and surrounding areas.

The Myth of Being Well Organized

     When I tell people that I am a professional organizer, the universal reaction is, "Oh boy, I could really use some help with that!"

      Almost all of us believe we need to be more organized--except for exactly ONE of my friends who thinks she's OK in that department (she is right).  The rest of us walk around with this vague sense that we're kind of inadequate in some way because if a magazine photographer were to pop into our home unannounced, we might resort to physical force rather than let him take a photo. 

     Where did we get the idea that  if our homes aren't perfect, we can't think of ourselves as capable and competent people?  It's not hard to figure out--we got that idea from the same place we got the idea that we're not OK unless we are a size two (women) or have muscles popping out everywhere (men and women)  Those darn magazines!  And the movies!  And--well, just about every place we look. 

     Go to the grocery store and check out the magazines.  Aside from all the celebrity cheating and cellulite, you can see three or four banners that order you to "GET ORGANIZED NOW!"  (the rest tell you to "LOSE WEIGHT NOW!")   Google "organizational tips" -- go ahead, I dare you!  Last time I looked there were over 12 million and I'm sure that number is growing.

     The truth is, most people have some extra "stuff" and most of us have places that are kind of messy.  If you have kids, or a job, or anything else at all going on in your life, you probably have better things to do than sort through your sock drawer or build a coffee table from reclaimed wood to display your collection of birds' nests (a real article!) 

      There's no gold standard of organization.  Some of the most creative and interesting people I know--think: writers, artists, musicians--seem to need a certain amount of visual stimulation  around them as they work.   My friend's home is packed full of beautiful mementos and souvenirs of her many travels, and the effect is that of being embraced and comforted by these beloved treasures.  On the other hand, there are those of us who truly love to sort out the sock drawer! 

     It's about what works best for you.  The people with the neatest sock drawer get no extra points.  Having everything in orderly little rows doesn't make you a better or happier person, (although it can give you a nice feeling of accomplishment).  There should be no guilt or shame involved.   If you can find things you need most of the time, and are OK with the way things look in general, you're doing great -- Martha Stewart and all the glossy mags notwithstanding.

      When your stuff is driving you nuts and seriously interfering with your life, that's the time to take action.  If  just the thought of getting started makes you want to crawl in bed and pull the covers over your head, you can call in reinforcements in the form of friends, family, or your friendly home organizer.

      Now, untie that photographer and let him go back to his magazine!

Call or email to schedule a FREE consultation

or to have a conversation about your organizing needs

262-784-3957

createorder1@gmail.com

Linda Palmer

Create Order

Home organizing and de-materializing service.

Serving the Milwaukee, Wisconsin greater metro and surrounding area

Top 10 Excuses to Keep "Stuff" ( that is getting in your way)

Reasons why we hang on to things we don't need--and reasons to reconsider:

1.  I might need it some day.  Know and trust in your--or God's--or the Universe's --ability to meet your needs.  Be reminded that most of us use only 20% of our things 80% of the time.

2.  I'm going to fit into it again after I lose some weight.  When you get back into that size, you will deserve cool new clothes, not that old thing!

3.  It might be worth a lot of money or I paid a lot of money for it.  Consider that you paid for the use of the object.  If you are no longer using it, you can let it go.  It is not worth anything in a box in the basement.

4.  Someone gave it to me, and I don't want to offend them.  That person probably wants you to be happy, and would not want you to keep the gift if you're not using or loving it.

5.  My kids might want it when they grow up.  The memories your kids will have are firmly rooted in their hearts, and almost always involve time spent together rather than objects.  Letting go of extra "stuff" may give you more time to create new memories.

6.  There are meaningful memories attached to the object.  Keep a few important things that remind you of a person or place you have loved.  As for the rest, keep the memories in your heart so you can keep order in your space!

7.  I used to love it.  Trust that many more things you love will come into your life.  Let the old go to make room for the new.

8.  I don't have very much money, so I need to keep everything I have.  Prosperity "experts" say:  Clutter repels prosperity.  Clear the way for things of real value to come into your space and into your life.

9.  It can be fixed.  Consider the reasons you haven't had it fixed by now.  Have any of those circumstances changed?  If not, give yourself permission to let it go.

10.  I don't want to fill up the landfills with my junk.   Donate and recycle everything you possibly can.  Resolve not to buy things you don't need in the future.  Waste companies can recycle or repurpose much of your trash.  But the rest of it takes no more space on the planet whether it is in your basement or in the dump.  

11.  I might need it for a costume party.  In this case, you should DEFINITELY KEEP the item!

To Schedule a FREE consultation,

or have a conversation about your organizing needs,
 call or email:

262-784-3957

createorder1@gmail.com
on the web:  createorder.org
Linda Palmer

Create Order
Home organizing and de-materializing service

Serving the Milwaukee, Wisconsin greater metro
and surrounding areas.