organization — Organization — t.His

How Organized is Organized Enough? Two Questions To Ask Yourself

I’ve got a confession to make.

No, it’s not that I think Kid Rock is hot. Or that I love El Caminos. Or even that I once snorted Pixie Stick. Intentionally. (I’ll tell you THAT story some other time. It was in the name of science.)

I mean, yeah, all of those things are true but this?

This is BIG.

This could change the way you think about me. Forever.

Ready?

My name is Brenna, and I’m a professional organizer, and my closet isn’t color coordinated.
WHAT?!

My name is Brenna, and I’m a professional organizer, and my spices aren’t alphabetized.
GASP!

My name is Brenna, and I’m a professional organizer and, more often than not, my underwear drawer is messy.

WOW!

You have no idea how good it feels to get that off my chest.

WHEW!

I feel like a new woman!!

Now, you wanna know something else?

My name is Brenna, and I’m a professional organizer, and my home is perfectly organized for my family and me.

Back to School: Must Do Daily Habits

Back to School.

Regardless of whether that phrase sends shivers of delight or terror down your spine, it’s here.

ALREADY.

Whatever happened to going back to school after Labor Day? You know, spending your last day of freedom lamenting that summer was over and that the Jerry Lewis Telethon was taking the place of all of your favorite regularly scheduled programs? The ones you wouldn’t see again until December.

And that means your routine IS going to change. For some people, the laid back easiness of summer is all coming to an end. In its place will be tight schedules, missed buses, forgotten lunches. For others, the chaos of the summer will finally be reined in. Structure will replace the frenetic free-for-all brought about by the warmer months.

5 Things to Remember When Getting Organized Makes You Feel Like a Failure

I wanna tell you something right now.

Something that, for the past few weeks, I’ve found myself repeating to multiple clients. Something that you probably already know, at least logically.

This whole process of getting organized?

It can make you feel like the biggest loser on the planet.

Like a complete and utter failure.

Worthless.

Defeated.

Pathetic.

It can make you think the absolute worst of yourself and beat yourself up for all the things you haven’t done or should’ve done or could’ve been doing all along for the past decade, so you didn’t end up in the mess you’re currently buried in.

It’s like you’ve got this evil troll who masquerades as the person you wish you were whispering in your ear. Whispering why you won’t ever be able to change. Whispering how you’re the only one who lives this way. Whispering so loudly about your undeniable failure that it blocks out all the other sounds in your life.

So when you find yourself in this situation, what’s a girl (or guy) supposed to do? Just surrender to it? Lie down and willingly drown in the mess?

Heck. No.

Staying Organized: The Power of Creating New Habits

I want you to close your eyes for a second.

Close your eyes and think about the messiest room in your home. The room that gives you the stress sweats like no other. The room that you’d rather roll around with fire ants than to admit exists in your home.

Now I want you to imagine that it’s organized.

Absolutely, 100% organized.

At Zero. (If you’re not sure what Zero is, check out this link!)

Zero chaos. Zero resentment. Zero anxiety. Zero panic.

Oh, glorious Zero! You’ve finally arrived! Please! PLEASE! I’m down on my knees beseeching you! Never leave me again!

And that right there, ladies and gentlemen, is the third and absolute biggest burning question I get asked on a regular basis.

How in the world, once you’ve GOTTEN organized, do you STAY organized?

Two Organizing Tools That Will Change Your Life

Okay, I’ve been SO excited to have this conversation with you.

Seriously, you have NO idea.

It’s all about timing, though, and I couldn’t go gettin’ you all excited about something that you weren’t ready for.

But now? Now you’re ready?

Step five in the whole Six Steps To Establishing Zero extravaganza wasall about evaluating the items you’d decided to keep and figuring out how best to store them in a way so staying organized was as easy as possible.

I’m about to introduce to you my two ABSOLUTE favorite organizing tools that will do exactly that- Store your items in a way that makes staying organized easier.

I use these tools in pretty much EVERY home in which I work so I’ve got quantifiable data to prove that they work. (I use them in my own home as well!) And besides, I’d never steer ya’ wrong!

Drumroll, please.

Cast Your Cares- AKA The Brain Dump

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed. Stressed out. Beaten. Devoured by life and its responsibilities.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever dreamed of running away. Of starting over. Of leaving with nothing but the clothes on your back and hightailing it. The destination doesn’t matter all that much, does it? You just want out.

I’d like to introduce you to a very special person in my life. A confidant of mine. Someone who’s never let me down or betrayed my trust. Someone who answers whenever I call and has never judged me, no matter how pathetic or overwhelmed I may be.

The Brain Dump.

A good friend and mentor of mine prefers to call it the Brain Blossom. She thinks it lends a more positive, less gross connotation to this handy little strategy but personally? My brain doesn’t blossom. It doesn’t open up and flourish. Something beautiful and delicate isn’t unfurled.

The Secret to Organizing When You Don't Know Where to Start

Picture this.

Your eyes flutter open.

Still nestled in your cozy bed, you realize today isn’t just an ordinary day. You realize today is…special. You almost feel… Huh. You’re not sure. It’s been years since you’ve felt this way. Is it? Could it be? Are you motivated? Your heart starts to pound. Yes! YES! You’re motivated. REALLY motivated. So motivated that you wonder for a split second if you’ve been body snatched. As you briefly ponder what body snatching even means, you pinch yourself to make sure this isn’t some cruel dream.

All at once, the craziest idea flits through your brain. THIS is the day you’ve been waiting for. Been praying for. This is the day you’re finally gonna tackle your--cue dramatic music--OFFICE.

Well, no one in your family actually calls it an office anymore. It’s actually known as “The Room You Throw Yourself in Front of If Company Shows Up Before You Can Slam the Door.”

Today is the day. THE. DAY! It’s organizing day, baby!

You leap out of bed, shoving children and pets out of your way. You’re ready! You’re finally ready! Sprinting through the house, you smell victory in the air. You’re gonna show your office who’s boss today. No longer will it mock you. No longer will it hold 250 square feet of your home hostage. Those craft and office supplies, piles of paperwork, broken toys, outdated phones, and discarded purses? Well, by the end of the day they’ll be begging you for mercy along with all the other crap you’ve tossed in there for the past six months.

Before your family can distract you, you’ve barricaded yourself inside. A chair is shoved under the door knob because your youngest has an uncanny ability to pick locks. You pause to catch your breath.

You’ve got everything you need. Motivation. Heart. Determination. Your right hand reaches out for the light switch. You take one more deep breath and smile broadly in the shadowed room. THIS. IS. IT.