Saturday, January 10, 2015
New Updated Blog
To all of my followers and to all who stumble upon this lovely blog, I am happy to inform you we have moved to a new updated blog at http://theorganizerlady.blogspot.com/ . Join me at our newest location for loads of practical help. Thanks
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
One Man's Treasure Is Another Man's Junk
For years I held on to a Cherry wood set of 3 nested tables. They were in the French Provincial style and the largest one, the one on top, was inlaid with leather. It was true that they had their share of scars. One leg had been broken off of one of the smaller tables. It had been amateurishly re-glued but I had visions that an expert craftsman could do the job well. There were green stains on the leather from some unknown source and some kind of medicine salve had marred the Cherry wood finish In my mind, however, these were Cherry wood tables and the flaws only temporarily obscured their beauty.
It was with confidence that I took my treasures to the antique store. "We buy old things", the sign outside said. I walked proudly in carrying my valuable nest of tables. What a find they were about to have! Ten minutes later I walked out carrying what had been a potentially valuable nest of tables. They were now a valueless, broken down, has-been. The dealer had tried to find some value in them but in the end he said their condition was just too bad. For years I had kept them for sentimental reasons because they were among the first of my household acquisitions. Still later I kept them, convinced they were valuable and would be wanted by someone. In the end, the Salvation Army was kind enough to take them off my hands for nothing. I harbor no illusions that the Salvation Army saw their beauty and refinished them. Those highly esteemed tables which had lived in my home in various states of disrepair for so long were undoubtedly disposed of unceremoniously in some warehouse dumpster.
On several occasions I have found that much of what I think is of value isn't. I cleaned out a book shelf and had many text books and other obviously important tomes which I took to the used book store. Rejected. I had bicentennial dishes which I took to the used china shop. Rejected. They didn't even want them for free.
I have benefited in two ways from these experiences. In the first place, I don't have junky tables, china, and books sitting around because their rosy-eyed owner thinks they are worth something. That's a relief. I also don't have the illusion that junk is of value. That's a relief too.
Now I will be able to throw away potential treasures with a lot clearer head. My opinion is that those of us who are Messies think that the items we collect are a lot more valuable and in demand then they really are. Do you have something siting around because "who knows how much it might be worth." Take my word for it. One man's treasure is probably another man's junk. In this case, the truth will make you free -- free to throw it out without looking back with guilt. That's the biggest relief of all.
It was with confidence that I took my treasures to the antique store. "We buy old things", the sign outside said. I walked proudly in carrying my valuable nest of tables. What a find they were about to have! Ten minutes later I walked out carrying what had been a potentially valuable nest of tables. They were now a valueless, broken down, has-been. The dealer had tried to find some value in them but in the end he said their condition was just too bad. For years I had kept them for sentimental reasons because they were among the first of my household acquisitions. Still later I kept them, convinced they were valuable and would be wanted by someone. In the end, the Salvation Army was kind enough to take them off my hands for nothing. I harbor no illusions that the Salvation Army saw their beauty and refinished them. Those highly esteemed tables which had lived in my home in various states of disrepair for so long were undoubtedly disposed of unceremoniously in some warehouse dumpster.
On several occasions I have found that much of what I think is of value isn't. I cleaned out a book shelf and had many text books and other obviously important tomes which I took to the used book store. Rejected. I had bicentennial dishes which I took to the used china shop. Rejected. They didn't even want them for free.
I have benefited in two ways from these experiences. In the first place, I don't have junky tables, china, and books sitting around because their rosy-eyed owner thinks they are worth something. That's a relief. I also don't have the illusion that junk is of value. That's a relief too.
Now I will be able to throw away potential treasures with a lot clearer head. My opinion is that those of us who are Messies think that the items we collect are a lot more valuable and in demand then they really are. Do you have something siting around because "who knows how much it might be worth." Take my word for it. One man's treasure is probably another man's junk. In this case, the truth will make you free -- free to throw it out without looking back with guilt. That's the biggest relief of all.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
 |
| My newest book |
Thursday, June 27, 2013
The Key to Keys - The real problem
There is one more very real problem with keys besides locking them in the car - losing them.
If you lose your keys, you really have two problems.
The first, of course will be that you don't have the keys to open the doors you need to open. This was easily solved by having the important ones duplicated in your coin purse.
We usually would like to get that set of keys back. We are tempted to attach our name and address on the keys so that anyone finding them can return them.
The second problem is that someone else may have possession of your keys. If your keys fall into the hands of a dishonest person, you could easily suffer loss at their hands because you have provided your address to them. With your address they have access to your car and most likely, also to your home. Don't even put just your name and phone number on the keys. It is too easy for anyone to look up your address.
Keys can be a problem if you are forgetful as I am. Let's make duplicates and keep our identification separate from the keys. Life gets much easier that way. The bag boys won't even know you've locked your keys in the car when you reach into your purse and open the door.
If you lose your keys, you really have two problems.
The first, of course will be that you don't have the keys to open the doors you need to open. This was easily solved by having the important ones duplicated in your coin purse.
We usually would like to get that set of keys back. We are tempted to attach our name and address on the keys so that anyone finding them can return them.
The second problem is that someone else may have possession of your keys. If your keys fall into the hands of a dishonest person, you could easily suffer loss at their hands because you have provided your address to them. With your address they have access to your car and most likely, also to your home. Don't even put just your name and phone number on the keys. It is too easy for anyone to look up your address.
Keys can be a problem if you are forgetful as I am. Let's make duplicates and keep our identification separate from the keys. Life gets much easier that way. The bag boys won't even know you've locked your keys in the car when you reach into your purse and open the door.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
|
| My newest book |
Friday, March 29, 2013
The Key to Keys
As I looked across the parking lot in front of the grocery store, I saw several bag boys gathered around a car. Several encouraged the two who had straightened coat hangars. They were trying to force the make-shift "snake" to catch the lock of the unyielding door. A frustrated mother with a baby on her hip and groceries melting in her cart stood by hoping for success.
When I came out, the car was gone. Were the bag boys successful or was it the work of a highly paid locksmith? Or was a long suffering husband called off his job to deliver another key?
I thought about my days of frustration over being locked out of my car. I remember the melting groceries and the bothered neighbor who delivered the other key.
Messies, myself certainly included, are frequently distracted. Habits are hard for Messies to establish and mine may falter at any time.
Let me tell you what I have done. I have had extra keys made which I carry in my coin purse. I have locked the keys in the car more than once recently, but I have not been locked out! When I see the keys hanging there in the ignition, I just smile and reach for my coin purse. The problem is solved!
If you find that you lock yourself out of the car or house, don't keep saying, "I'll try harder to remember. Next time I'll check before I lock the door." Trying to remember takes extra energy and frequently is futile. Forget trying to remember. Instead, make duplicate keys and keep them in your purse.
There is one more problem with keys - losing them. I'll share my ideas on how to keep our keys safe when they are lost, next time!
When I came out, the car was gone. Were the bag boys successful or was it the work of a highly paid locksmith? Or was a long suffering husband called off his job to deliver another key?
I thought about my days of frustration over being locked out of my car. I remember the melting groceries and the bothered neighbor who delivered the other key.
Messies, myself certainly included, are frequently distracted. Habits are hard for Messies to establish and mine may falter at any time.
Let me tell you what I have done. I have had extra keys made which I carry in my coin purse. I have locked the keys in the car more than once recently, but I have not been locked out! When I see the keys hanging there in the ignition, I just smile and reach for my coin purse. The problem is solved!
If you find that you lock yourself out of the car or house, don't keep saying, "I'll try harder to remember. Next time I'll check before I lock the door." Trying to remember takes extra energy and frequently is futile. Forget trying to remember. Instead, make duplicate keys and keep them in your purse.
There is one more problem with keys - losing them. I'll share my ideas on how to keep our keys safe when they are lost, next time!
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Friday, March 8, 2013
A Secret Weapon for Dejunking the House
Memories don't take up any room. They don't clutter the table or closet. They can all be stored for easy review in the shelves and corners of our minds. It might seem that Messies could substitute their mental memories for all of the things they gather around them for sentimental reasons.
The truth that Messies cannot satisfactorily substitute mental memories for sentimental clutter because their ability to remember is frequently very poor. We save "remembrances" in order to try to conserve the memories of important events in our life which we might otherwise forget either completely or partly. By keeping the souvenir from our vacation or the sea shell from a day at the beach, we are trying to keep the brilliance of our memory fresh. If our past fades, an important part of our self fades.
In the past, I have written about substituting pictures (in moderation) for the souvenirs and the keepsakes that become just so much junk after a while.
Now I want to share another method of preserving our past. In a way, it is even better than pictures. This method is the keeping of a journal.
I use a spiral bound 6" x 9" plain, ordinary student-type notebook. This size is convenient for me, but, of course, any size you like will do. The notebook is not so big that if I should lose it, I would lose a large party of my writing. In my journal I write of the day's happenings and my feelings and thoughts about them. Sometimes my writing is daily. Sometimes I skip days. I find that keeping a journal does several things for me.
It satisfies the desire I have to ensure that my memories will not be lost, blotting out bits of my life which I am reluctant to release.
Another reason the journal is good is because it clarifies my thinking. As I take time to write events and thoughts, priorities and plans begin to form.
The third reason journal keeping is beneficial is because it forces me to take the time I need to focus on my life and its place in the world. It is a way of treating myself with dignity and it reinforces that dignity.
Why don't you think about a journal for yourself. Perhaps you will find that a journal will satisfy your memory keeping so well that you won't feel the pressure to keep trinkets. After a while, you may want to get rid of some of the trinkets you already have. The day they are ushered out of the house, you may want to note their going in your journal. You may want to reflect on the person or event they reminded you of.
This method works well for those who have been left the personal effects of loved ones. We may feel that we must keep their belongings even though we don't have need or room for them. I believe that if you give these items to other people or agencies who can use them and if you write about the items and your loved ones in your journal, you will have a certain sense of "rightness" in the fact that you have taken the step of getting rid of the offending clutter.
The truth that Messies cannot satisfactorily substitute mental memories for sentimental clutter because their ability to remember is frequently very poor. We save "remembrances" in order to try to conserve the memories of important events in our life which we might otherwise forget either completely or partly. By keeping the souvenir from our vacation or the sea shell from a day at the beach, we are trying to keep the brilliance of our memory fresh. If our past fades, an important part of our self fades.
In the past, I have written about substituting pictures (in moderation) for the souvenirs and the keepsakes that become just so much junk after a while.
Now I want to share another method of preserving our past. In a way, it is even better than pictures. This method is the keeping of a journal.
I use a spiral bound 6" x 9" plain, ordinary student-type notebook. This size is convenient for me, but, of course, any size you like will do. The notebook is not so big that if I should lose it, I would lose a large party of my writing. In my journal I write of the day's happenings and my feelings and thoughts about them. Sometimes my writing is daily. Sometimes I skip days. I find that keeping a journal does several things for me.
It satisfies the desire I have to ensure that my memories will not be lost, blotting out bits of my life which I am reluctant to release.
Another reason the journal is good is because it clarifies my thinking. As I take time to write events and thoughts, priorities and plans begin to form.
The third reason journal keeping is beneficial is because it forces me to take the time I need to focus on my life and its place in the world. It is a way of treating myself with dignity and it reinforces that dignity.
Why don't you think about a journal for yourself. Perhaps you will find that a journal will satisfy your memory keeping so well that you won't feel the pressure to keep trinkets. After a while, you may want to get rid of some of the trinkets you already have. The day they are ushered out of the house, you may want to note their going in your journal. You may want to reflect on the person or event they reminded you of.
This method works well for those who have been left the personal effects of loved ones. We may feel that we must keep their belongings even though we don't have need or room for them. I believe that if you give these items to other people or agencies who can use them and if you write about the items and your loved ones in your journal, you will have a certain sense of "rightness" in the fact that you have taken the step of getting rid of the offending clutter.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
TIME and The Messie Mind
A Marine biologist once complained to me at one of my seminars that she felt she did not have much of a concept of time. Some things took longer than she thought they would and others took less time. Consequently, her planning was always off target.
That very week, a lady from Nebraska wrote the same thing. The reason this was so interesting to me was because it has long been a feeling of mine that my internal timekeeper did not work like most other people's. Actually, I usually pay little attention to time. When I have blocks of time to do certain jobs, I pay little attention to the clock. It is only because my husband does watch the clock and he keeps me moving along in my schedule that I don't get behind in more things.
One reason we seem to procrastinate many times is not because we have put it off so long; it's that we did not realize it had been "so long." I've found that bills can become overdue because the time passes so fast that the "due date" overtakes us. What seemed to be a date in the far away future, suddenly arrives! So, for us, time is erratic and hard to relate to on a consistent basis.
How can we overcome our disconnect with time? One way is to begin timing your usual activities. How long does it take to make the bed, unload the dishwasher, etc.? Maybe you are planning to do a bigger job or project that will take significant time. Plan only to do that job for a limited amount of time and then, set a timer for yourself. I have a handy little timer that gives me a 5 minute warning before the time is up! Don't forget to include the time to clean up and put back any tools and materials that you are using. Try it, you may be surprised.
So, if you find that there is still something not working out quite right in your organizational reform, it is at least partly because of TIME and The Messies Mind.
That very week, a lady from Nebraska wrote the same thing. The reason this was so interesting to me was because it has long been a feeling of mine that my internal timekeeper did not work like most other people's. Actually, I usually pay little attention to time. When I have blocks of time to do certain jobs, I pay little attention to the clock. It is only because my husband does watch the clock and he keeps me moving along in my schedule that I don't get behind in more things.
One reason we seem to procrastinate many times is not because we have put it off so long; it's that we did not realize it had been "so long." I've found that bills can become overdue because the time passes so fast that the "due date" overtakes us. What seemed to be a date in the far away future, suddenly arrives! So, for us, time is erratic and hard to relate to on a consistent basis.
How can we overcome our disconnect with time? One way is to begin timing your usual activities. How long does it take to make the bed, unload the dishwasher, etc.? Maybe you are planning to do a bigger job or project that will take significant time. Plan only to do that job for a limited amount of time and then, set a timer for yourself. I have a handy little timer that gives me a 5 minute warning before the time is up! Don't forget to include the time to clean up and put back any tools and materials that you are using. Try it, you may be surprised.
So, if you find that there is still something not working out quite right in your organizational reform, it is at least partly because of TIME and The Messies Mind.
 |
| My Newest Book! |
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Learning how to "SEE"
As you know, Messies just don't notice how the house looks - not on a regular basis, that is. Now and again we'll look around and say "Egad! What is this!?", when we notice how out of hand things have gotten.
I find it hard to keep the mess in focus once I've "seen" it. I'll start to clean up the place but as I start cleaning, my vision seems to slip away.
So, I've developed several techniques to help me see what needs doing in the house. I will share one of those with you today. It involves deliberately getting a different perspective on what I see.
When I was a raving Messie, I used to marvel at how nice houses looked as I walked around the block in the evening, glancing in the windows as I went. The scene in each room was framed by the window casing. How nice the houses looked! How they seeming to sparkle in the light of the lamps. How could they look so pretty for no reason at all? How could they be so neat and pretty? I saw flowers and decorations, pictures and lamps chosen with care as though the owners knew they had a neat home which would showcase their treasures. (There's not much point in buying something beautiful and putting it in a pile in a cluttered house.)
Well, anyway, I use the showcase technique at night to help me see my house. First, I turn on the lamps, open my curtains and then I actually go outside and walk down the sidewalk looking in the windows. Now I see my house as a stranger would. Does it look neat? Does it look beautiful? Does it sparkle? I begin to see, really see, how my house looks and what it needs.
Perhaps some night you will see a lady walking down her sidewalk with the drapes of her home pulled open and lights blazing, don't be surprised. Perhaps it will be you. Perhaps it will be me.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Friday, December 7, 2012
New Year's Resolutions?
I'm getting ready to set my New Year's goals. I don't call them resolutions because to resolve is something which emphasizes me, and the strength of my commitment. They tend to break down. A goal, however, exists by itself once it is set. When my drive gets weaker, the goal remains the same until I get back to it with stronger drive.
So I set my goals. Each year I have done this. My kids have done it, too. After we set our goals, we try to make them permanent and prominent. Once we wrote them on material, colored them in with fabric paint and made them into throw pillows for the bed. I remember one of my daughter's was, "Get a horse." This one made me nervous because we could not afford the horse, the rent of the stall or the food a horse eats. But that was her goal. She did not understand the problems. It is amazing how we reach our goals if we really make them seriously. That year she did not get a horse, but she kept her goal. The next year she was reading the classified ads under "Horses" and saw an ad for free miniature horses. All you had to do was pay for the ad. The farm was in our area. So we zoomed over there, paid for the ad, and got our horse, Wild Thing. Since she is a miniature, we can keep her in our backyard and she doesn't eat a whole lot. Goal Accomplished! But my daughter never would have gotten the horse if she had not had "Get a horse" as a serious goal which she consistently pursued even when it seemed impossible.
So set your goal. Visualize your goal. If it is to have a beautiful house, dream about the house in detail. See the pieces of furniture and the play of shadows on the gleaming surfaces. See the colors you love and the way you will bring the colors into your house.
Set your goal. Make it definite. Write it down. Put it in a prominent place. Dream about it. And this time next year you will be surprised!
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Sunday, November 25, 2012
A Lesson from the Magic Kingdom
My husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at Disney World. For those of you who have not been, Disney World is not just for kids. We had a marvelous time and I recommend it to anyone as a second honeymoon. But that is not the point of this post.
Disney World is a super clean place. Each year there are 17 million visitors through the gates of the Magic Kingdom and it always looks fresh, new and clean. How do they do it? I was a witness to one such event. They never let even a little mess start. If a mess starts, it doesn't stay long.
Perhaps the worst time for mess is just after the parade. Thousands of people line Main Street with popcorn, ice cream cones, hot dogs in wrappers, etc. When the parade is over the street is jumbled with clutter - for a minute. Immediately after the parade, young men appear with noisy street vacuums, vacuuming the gutter. In 10 minutes time the street is pristine clean again.
I first thought that the roar of the vacuum was an intrusion on the fun of the Magic Kingdom. And indeed, it was. but so was the trash. So Disney World had a choice, 10 minutes of noise or the rest of the day of clutter. They chose to vacuum.
I find I am often faced with those kinds of choices. Shall I vacuum and disturb the children's TV or studies? Shall I clear the coffee table of cups and plates and disturb for a minute the visit with a friend? I think I have learned the answer to that at Disney World. The answer is to take a few minutes to restore order.
This is the way with housekeeping. If the house has an aura of neatness, hopefully no one wants to be the first to break the mood. If a little clutter comes, more clutter is soon to follow because the aura is already broken.
This is why it is so important not to let messes get started.
Disney World is a super clean place. Each year there are 17 million visitors through the gates of the Magic Kingdom and it always looks fresh, new and clean. How do they do it? I was a witness to one such event. They never let even a little mess start. If a mess starts, it doesn't stay long.
Perhaps the worst time for mess is just after the parade. Thousands of people line Main Street with popcorn, ice cream cones, hot dogs in wrappers, etc. When the parade is over the street is jumbled with clutter - for a minute. Immediately after the parade, young men appear with noisy street vacuums, vacuuming the gutter. In 10 minutes time the street is pristine clean again.
I first thought that the roar of the vacuum was an intrusion on the fun of the Magic Kingdom. And indeed, it was. but so was the trash. So Disney World had a choice, 10 minutes of noise or the rest of the day of clutter. They chose to vacuum.
I find I am often faced with those kinds of choices. Shall I vacuum and disturb the children's TV or studies? Shall I clear the coffee table of cups and plates and disturb for a minute the visit with a friend? I think I have learned the answer to that at Disney World. The answer is to take a few minutes to restore order.
This is the way with housekeeping. If the house has an aura of neatness, hopefully no one wants to be the first to break the mood. If a little clutter comes, more clutter is soon to follow because the aura is already broken.
This is why it is so important not to let messes get started.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Monday, November 19, 2012
Garden Principle of Time Use
I am not a gardener. I really don't understand why you can't have weeds among the veggies. Are weeds really that bad? I guess so. I'll take the word of those who know that they are.
What I really don't understand about gardening is the principle of thinning out crowded plants. Frankly, as a Messie, I tend to feel that more is better. So what if the plants are a little crowded! I can hardly bring myself to pull up those healthy plants just because there are too many. If five plants are nice, fifty are better. Right? WRONG!
The truth is that if there are too many plants crowded together, all the plants will suffer and keeping more plants will actually reduce the production of good plants at harvest.
This is the way it is with life too. When we crowd too much into our lives, have too many activities back to back, the activities become sickly. The quality of each activity becomes poorer. How can we raise the quality of our activities? One way is by cutting out many of them, thinning them out, so to speak. Then the activities we have left will be healthier and more satisfying to us. Remember, we also need time for quietness and reflection between our activities just as plants need space between each one in order to grow.
So don't crowd the garden of your life. You may have to weed out some of those perfectly healthy activities for the sake of the quality of your life. One of the activities which will improve in quality as a result, of course, is the housekeeping. It won't be squeezed to death by all those other activities. So, if you are the treasurer of the garden club, have pottery and exercise classes, help out an elderly friend who needs to be taken places, plant a garden, and make all of your own Christmas presents - STOP! Stand back and look at your schedule. No wonder your house doesn't get done and you feel like you're on a treadmill.
Start thinning out some of those healthy, good activities which are crowding each other so much that life itself is less, not more, satisfying. Remember, crowding doesn't work for your garden and it won't work for your life either.
What I really don't understand about gardening is the principle of thinning out crowded plants. Frankly, as a Messie, I tend to feel that more is better. So what if the plants are a little crowded! I can hardly bring myself to pull up those healthy plants just because there are too many. If five plants are nice, fifty are better. Right? WRONG!
The truth is that if there are too many plants crowded together, all the plants will suffer and keeping more plants will actually reduce the production of good plants at harvest.
This is the way it is with life too. When we crowd too much into our lives, have too many activities back to back, the activities become sickly. The quality of each activity becomes poorer. How can we raise the quality of our activities? One way is by cutting out many of them, thinning them out, so to speak. Then the activities we have left will be healthier and more satisfying to us. Remember, we also need time for quietness and reflection between our activities just as plants need space between each one in order to grow.
So don't crowd the garden of your life. You may have to weed out some of those perfectly healthy activities for the sake of the quality of your life. One of the activities which will improve in quality as a result, of course, is the housekeeping. It won't be squeezed to death by all those other activities. So, if you are the treasurer of the garden club, have pottery and exercise classes, help out an elderly friend who needs to be taken places, plant a garden, and make all of your own Christmas presents - STOP! Stand back and look at your schedule. No wonder your house doesn't get done and you feel like you're on a treadmill.
Start thinning out some of those healthy, good activities which are crowding each other so much that life itself is less, not more, satisfying. Remember, crowding doesn't work for your garden and it won't work for your life either.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Thursday, November 8, 2012
YES, DO DREAM!
"If we are no longer dreaming, we are no longer planning"
It is important that we keep on dreaming about how good it will be when our house is the way we want it.
Dream about how beautiful the house will be when you come back to it from a time away. Dream about how it will be so orderly that you will know where everything is. Dream how it will be neat so that visitors can drop in any time without your being embarrassed. Dream about all of the work being caught up so that you can do all of those creative things without guilt about leaving housework undone.
Studies have shown that those who achieve goals are frequently daydreamers. They do not use daydreaming as a substitute for work but as a help to setting goals and inspiring themselves to accomplish their goals.
Don't let the dreams you have for your house fade and don't be satisfied until the dreams become reality.
It is important that we keep on dreaming about how good it will be when our house is the way we want it.
Dream about how beautiful the house will be when you come back to it from a time away. Dream about how it will be so orderly that you will know where everything is. Dream how it will be neat so that visitors can drop in any time without your being embarrassed. Dream about all of the work being caught up so that you can do all of those creative things without guilt about leaving housework undone.
Studies have shown that those who achieve goals are frequently daydreamers. They do not use daydreaming as a substitute for work but as a help to setting goals and inspiring themselves to accomplish their goals.
Don't let the dreams you have for your house fade and don't be satisfied until the dreams become reality.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Monday, October 22, 2012
You Are Allowed to Miss the Corners
As I write this I am sitting in a hospital lobby. Don't worry nobody is sick; I am just waiting for the restaurant to open for breakfast.
To my right a woman is cleaning the glass doors, spraying glass cleaner and wiping them clean. She is conscientiously looking for spots on both sides going back and forth to check where she might have missed some oily fingerprint. Sitting where I am sitting I can see what she can't...which, if you look carefully have been generally neglected.
Does it matter? I don't think so. The over all picture in this hospital lobby is one of beauty and cleanliness. When you walk in the doors you are impressed with the gleam and shine of the Italian tile floor. The place in every area says, "This is one clean hospital!"
But what about the foggy corner of the glass doors. Nobody but a woman waiting for breakfast and doing a critical survey would notice.
The point I am making is this. Pay attention to the overall impression. Later maybe, you can get to the details but it is the overall impression that is important.
To my right a woman is cleaning the glass doors, spraying glass cleaner and wiping them clean. She is conscientiously looking for spots on both sides going back and forth to check where she might have missed some oily fingerprint. Sitting where I am sitting I can see what she can't...which, if you look carefully have been generally neglected.
Does it matter? I don't think so. The over all picture in this hospital lobby is one of beauty and cleanliness. When you walk in the doors you are impressed with the gleam and shine of the Italian tile floor. The place in every area says, "This is one clean hospital!"
But what about the foggy corner of the glass doors. Nobody but a woman waiting for breakfast and doing a critical survey would notice.
The point I am making is this. Pay attention to the overall impression. Later maybe, you can get to the details but it is the overall impression that is important.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
THE URGE!
In a past seminar where were laying out our plans for each day of household maintenance by filling in the Flipper planning chart, a sweet lady said, "But suppose I don't have the urge to clean on that day?"
What we do is wait for a whim. Some day we wake up and there is that "right" combination of energy, time, and opportunity to clean. So we say, "Today is the day," and begin to plan because we realize we have "THE URGE." It has come!
Needless to say, this is not the way the house can be maintained the way we want it. Who knows how often the urge or whim might hit. And what else do we wait on a whim for -- going to work? going to school? fixing the meals? Hopefully not!
The point is proper household maintenance can only be done when we have a plan that is easily within our capability and we do it faithfully. We don't wait for urges. And the freedom from having to wait for an urge makes a person so happy. It is encouraging to think that I can keep things under control even if I don't get the urge! It's a wonderful idea. Try it.
What we do is wait for a whim. Some day we wake up and there is that "right" combination of energy, time, and opportunity to clean. So we say, "Today is the day," and begin to plan because we realize we have "THE URGE." It has come!
Needless to say, this is not the way the house can be maintained the way we want it. Who knows how often the urge or whim might hit. And what else do we wait on a whim for -- going to work? going to school? fixing the meals? Hopefully not!
The point is proper household maintenance can only be done when we have a plan that is easily within our capability and we do it faithfully. We don't wait for urges. And the freedom from having to wait for an urge makes a person so happy. It is encouraging to think that I can keep things under control even if I don't get the urge! It's a wonderful idea. Try it.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Visit our website www.messies.com
You can find more information about our unique Super Flipper on the "Tools" page of the Messies website.
You can find more information about our unique Super Flipper on the "Tools" page of the Messies website.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Saying Good-Bye
Are you considering yet again that you need to get rid of more stuff? Maybe you have gotten rid of a lot of things. You think that you have reached your limit for letting go. And yet, the house is still too cluttered. There is still too much lying around. So you start again facing the hard job of saying good-bye to things that have woven their roots into your heart. It hurts to pull them out. But it must be done. The quality of your everyday life is more important than this accumulation. As you face the task, keep the following thoughts in mind.
What you are about to do is an honorable and good thing. This is the right time to say good-bye to some of the things that have been an important part of your life for a long time.
You are a sensitive person. You view things in a way that other people do not. Belongings are more important to you than to other people. Now use that same sensitivity and understanding to confirm to yourself the overriding importance of living a clutter-free and stress-free life. Keeping that priority in mind will make it easier to say those final good-byes.
Warmly,
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
THE ORGANIZER LADY®, Sandra Felton
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Monday, August 6, 2012
Procrastination Makes You Sick
Do you often replace high-priority tasks (important jobs) with those of low-priority time wasters (like TV, computer games, email, texting, reading and the like), causing yourself stress and lack of productivity? If you do this regularly and your life being harmed by it, you are among the 20% of people who describe themselves as chronic procrastinators.
Those of us who struggle with organization know this problem very well. Clutter is the result of neglecting organizing basics such as putting things up immediately or failing to set up or follow organizing systems and schedules. Some procrastinators appear relaxed and unworried about keeping on top of their responsibilities. Others feel overwhelmed and pressured as procrastination has a debilitating effect on their personal and business lives. Both reap negative results because of their neglectful habits.
Studies show that procrastinators develop physical problems resulting from the stress caused by problems caused by this destructive lifestyle. If you have this problem, you will benefit from beginning to face its causes and cures.
WHY, WHY, WHY?
You may procrastinate for one or more of a variety of reasons.
• Perfectionism - Fear of not doing the job well enough.
• Depression - Lack of mental energy caused by a variety of mental issues.
• Forgetfulness - Lose track of what needs to be done and when.
• Low grade physical impairment - Undiagnosed illnesses such as low thyroid, anemia, or several other “small” overlooked physical causes can drain the energy it takes to negotiate a well-ordered life.
• Lack of childhood training on how to set and accomplish goals.
• Perfectionism - Fear of not doing the job well enough.
• Depression - Lack of mental energy caused by a variety of mental issues.
• Forgetfulness - Lose track of what needs to be done and when.
• Low grade physical impairment - Undiagnosed illnesses such as low thyroid, anemia, or several other “small” overlooked physical causes can drain the energy it takes to negotiate a well-ordered life.
• Lack of childhood training on how to set and accomplish goals.
JUST GET STARTED!
Whatever the reason, it takes energy to address and begin to overcome the problem. Do yourself a favor. Take a step, even if it is a small one, to begin to address and overcome the problem.
Whatever the reason, it takes energy to address and begin to overcome the problem. Do yourself a favor. Take a step, even if it is a small one, to begin to address and overcome the problem.
Read books such as Organizing for Life, a time management book such as Organizing Your Day, or a book on procrastination that has a practical application. Both of the named books are by Sandra Felton and found on the web site http://www.messies.com/ Find a pattern for living and follow it. Join a support group like one of those found on the Messies Anonymous site http://www.messies.com/
“Procrastination is, hands down, our favorite form of self-sabotage.”
Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby
Warmly,
Sandra Felton
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Author: NEW! Organizing Your Day
Sandra Felton
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Author: NEW! Organizing Your Day
Friday, March 30, 2012
Let's Play Fetch
Jake, rest his soul (if doggies have souls and I hope they do)
loved to play fetch. He would chase the ball we threw, bringing it back for
another throw until his little tongue fell out, so to speak.
Jake’s replacement, Scotty, surprised us all. He understood the concept of going to get the ball. But once he got it, the game was over for him. He just ran around with it in his mouth or dropped it. He never seemed to realize that if he didn’t bring it back to us, we couldn’t throw it out again. No more fun for Scotty.
Organized people take things back as Jake did. Those of us who struggle with clutter are like Scotty. For us, it is exciting to get something out but not to put it back. We gather the wrapping paper, scissors, and tape to wrap a gift but when it is wrapped, for us the game is over. The same goes for many other items -- books we remove from the shelf to read, toothbrush and toothpaste from the cabinet, cups from the kitchen in the living room, and ... well, just look around.
The meaning of the word “fetch” is “to go get AND to take back.” Let’s play fetch, like Jake. Make it a point to return what we get out so that when we need it next time it will be there for us to do the exciting part again.
Trust me, the game of life will be much more fun if you do.
Warmly,
Sandra Felton
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Founder, Messies Anonymous, www.messies.com
Author: NEW! Smart Office Organizing
Jake’s replacement, Scotty, surprised us all. He understood the concept of going to get the ball. But once he got it, the game was over for him. He just ran around with it in his mouth or dropped it. He never seemed to realize that if he didn’t bring it back to us, we couldn’t throw it out again. No more fun for Scotty.
Organized people take things back as Jake did. Those of us who struggle with clutter are like Scotty. For us, it is exciting to get something out but not to put it back. We gather the wrapping paper, scissors, and tape to wrap a gift but when it is wrapped, for us the game is over. The same goes for many other items -- books we remove from the shelf to read, toothbrush and toothpaste from the cabinet, cups from the kitchen in the living room, and ... well, just look around.
The meaning of the word “fetch” is “to go get AND to take back.” Let’s play fetch, like Jake. Make it a point to return what we get out so that when we need it next time it will be there for us to do the exciting part again.
Trust me, the game of life will be much more fun if you do.
Warmly,
Sandra Felton
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Founder, Messies Anonymous, www.messies.com
Author: NEW! Smart Office Organizing
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Up the Down Escalator
Have you ever tried walking upstairs on an escalator that is moving down? If
you have, you know how much effort you it takes. For a little while you may be
able to make some progress upward. After a while you are lucky if you can just
stay in place. And finally, the inevitable -- you are swept backward by the
unrelenting force of the downward flow and plop! you are back at the bottom
where you started.
Many of us feel the same way about trying to keep the house in order. The flow of clutter has us puffing to keep the house picked up properly. By working really hard we can do it for a while but fatigue inevitably wears out our resolve and the house drifts downhill again.
Get off the down staircase of disorder. Quit trying to overcome clutter by
putting forth more effort. Change your ingrained habits, reorder the setup of
your house, and abandon your old ideas of how to do things. The best place to
figure out how to do this is by reading the book, Organizing for Life,
that illuminates the factors that keep pushing us back.
Abandon what isn’t working. Open the elevator door to new ways of thinking and acting and you will be surprised at how high it will take you.
Warmly,
Sandra Felton
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Author: NEW! Smart Office Organizing
Thursday, February 2, 2012
You Can Do It
There is a strange and virtually ignored something
about how the body performs. Perhaps coaches whose job it is to evaluate
movement of athletes could shed some light on the subject of the mind-body
connection regarding moving.
It makes sense that like everything else there is a
bell shaped curve for ease of movement. A few rate 9s or 10s
because their bodies and minds run smoothly together. Most people are in the mid
range of 4-6. And then there are a few of us in the lower numbers. Our mind-body
connection does not work with the same ease as others. It does not fall
into the smooth category.
There is nothing very serious about this any more than
it is a problem if you can’t carry a tune while someone else has perfect pitch.
Or can’t draw a stickman well while portraits flow easily from another person’s
pencil. We are all a conglomeration of a variety of skills and it may just be
that some of us are a little shy in the ease of movement area.
All of this is to say that a task such as opening a
tightly taped shipping carton that may seem simple, if slightly annoying to
some, is a challenge to others. Neither one recognizes the difference in the
other. But the one to whom activities come hard is likely to want to
avoid tackling that challenge of opening the box, or at least put it off for a while.
Because of this subliminal reluctance, mundane things
that need to be done, like taking out the trash and putting in a new bag or
unloading the dishwasher may be neglected or postponed. Either of these will
cause a backup and resulting clutter.
Recognize we all are different. We need to put forth a little
extra effort when we notice that we hesitate to move.
Sandra Felton
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Author: NEW! Smart Office Organizing
Visit our newly designed website!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
OH, GO AHEAD
This is what I find myself repeating to myself when I am tempted to stop just short of finishing a task completely. Like putting the jewelry in the jewelry box instead of just on the dresser top.
A voice inside says with a mix of encouragement and annoyance,
“Oh, just go ahead!”
“Oh, just go ahead!”
And I do. And I am glad.
Warmly,
Sandra Felton
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Author, New Book! Smart Office Organizing
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Care-less Equals Clutter, Care-full Equals Clear
If you are reading this, it shows you are one of the many who are concerned about clutter. You struggle with it but you are not winning the battle. Somehow the mess continues to develop -- on tables, counters, beds, and maybe even the floor. You are frustrated. You wish it were different. But somehow, although you really do care, it never gets much better.
On the other hand, your friend, Mary (or you fill in the name, you know who this is) seems to live clutter free. The puzzling part is that she does not seem to struggle like you do to keep her house neat. It just seems to stay that way.
The difference often is how much each of you cares. Often, the messy person could do better -- but they don’t put forth the required effort because they lack the pervasive intensity it takes to overcome the hindrances they face in the organizational arena.
They know what to do, they know how to do it. But they just don’t seem to be able to exert the effort necessary to overcome their particular hindrances.
Mary does. Somewhere like an underground river through her psyche, there flows an unstoppable determination to do what it takes to keep a neat house. She is consistently care-full. In other words, she cares enough to do what it takes to keep the house uncluttered.
If you face a chronically cluttered house, care enough to set goals wonderful enough to inspire you, read books that meet your need, attend classes (in person or on line), ask for or hire help. Do whatever it takes to change what you are doing to make the house cluttered or not doing to make it neat. Caring alone is not enough, but without it nothing is enough.
Care intently, care passionately, care more. In short, raise your determination to a level that makes a difference.
Easy? Definitely not! Worthwhile? Absolutely!
Warmly,
Sandra Felton
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Author, New Book! Smart Office Organizing
On the other hand, your friend, Mary (or you fill in the name, you know who this is) seems to live clutter free. The puzzling part is that she does not seem to struggle like you do to keep her house neat. It just seems to stay that way.
The difference often is how much each of you cares. Often, the messy person could do better -- but they don’t put forth the required effort because they lack the pervasive intensity it takes to overcome the hindrances they face in the organizational arena.
They know what to do, they know how to do it. But they just don’t seem to be able to exert the effort necessary to overcome their particular hindrances.
Mary does. Somewhere like an underground river through her psyche, there flows an unstoppable determination to do what it takes to keep a neat house. She is consistently care-full. In other words, she cares enough to do what it takes to keep the house uncluttered.
If you face a chronically cluttered house, care enough to set goals wonderful enough to inspire you, read books that meet your need, attend classes (in person or on line), ask for or hire help. Do whatever it takes to change what you are doing to make the house cluttered or not doing to make it neat. Caring alone is not enough, but without it nothing is enough.
Care intently, care passionately, care more. In short, raise your determination to a level that makes a difference.
Easy? Definitely not! Worthwhile? Absolutely!
Warmly,
Sandra Felton
THE ORGANIZER LADY®
Founder, Messies Anonymous
Author, New Book! Smart Office Organizing
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)