and a follow-up for you, Mom
for memory's sake.
I bet you could write your own book!
One of the perks of offering organizing services is that I have an excuse to read--and own--lots of organizing books, each with its own unique perspective and strengths. Today, I thought I'd share with you one nugget of wisdom from each of five organizing books. (I plan to share additional books in the future, so stay tuned!) These nuggets aren't intended to summarize the books or even offer the author's main message; they're just helpful tidbits. Hyperlinks will take you to listings for the items on Half.com, where some books are priced as low as 75 cents!
Ms. Kohlberg shares a fascinating concept that she calls "kinetic sympathy". The idea is this: if you touch something, you are less likely to get rid of it than if someone else holds the item when you are deciding what to purge. Take home message: enlist the help of a buddy when it's time to declutter!
Ms. Hemphill explains the distinction between action files and reference files. Action files hold papers that require a specific action on your part (a phone call to make, a bill to pay, a letter to write), while reference files contain papers that don't require further action now but may be useful in the future (your medical records, bank statements, etc.) Filing actionable papers keeps them from piling up!
I already referenced "S.P.A.C.E." in my last post. Another helpful concept is what Ms. Morgensterncalls "the kindergarten model of organization" in which you create "zones" or "stations" for different activities. For example, rather than storing your flour and sugar in your pantry with the pasta and canned beans, you can create a baking "station" in your kitchen where you store mixing bowls, measuring cups, measuring spoons, a rolling pin, flour, sugar, baking soda, etc.
The fastest way to improve the appearance of a room is to work from the largest item in the room to the smallest when tidying. This means that you make the bed in the bedroom, clear the table in the kitchen and dining room, and straighten cushions on the sofa in the living room and family room. This is a simple concept, but one that might not come naturally for everyone.
Rather than starting with the "stuff" and determining what to keep and how to organize it, start by imagining the life that you want to live, and work backwards from there. A refreshing approach when you're really stuck!
via {red chair}
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