Harmony Matters

3 ways to breeze through your remodel

2009-03-05T20:56:00.000-08:00

In these tight economic times, more people are trying to make better use of the space they have, rather than moving into or building a new home. Remodeling is great! It allows you to make the most of the space you have, and to add efficiency and beauty to your home. While it's still a big investment, remodeling is usually less expensive than a brand new construction.

If you're considering a remodel this year, you may want to also consider hiring a professional organizer to assist you with the whole process. If the thought of having dinner guests is stressful to you, then the idea of inviting a work crew into your home who will move furniture, rip up flooring, knock out walls, or make your kitchen unusable for a week (or longer) is really scary!

Let's face it: a remodeling project, whether large or small, invades your life. However, it's also a great chance to declutter and get organized while everything's topsy-turvy. If you're removing everything from a room you may as well sort through it all and only put back what you really want to have in your beautiful new space.

How can a professional organizer help you get through a remodel and make the best of it?

1. Planning.

We can help you plan out the whole project, including any organizational features you may want to have installed (like closet systems, shelving, or work stations).

2. Preparation.

You'll want to be able to continue living in your home while the project is going on. Even a day or two without your kitchen can be a big hassle. We can help you prepare by moving everything out of the space, identifying important items you'll need to keep accessible, and safely storing everything else. If your remodel will take a long time, we can help you set up systems that will allow your household to function well during the whole process.

3. Putting it all away.

While the guys are installing those new hardwood floors or cabinets, it's the perfect time to sort through everything you removed from the room. We can help you stage a sorting area in the garage or basement. We'll work alongside you to help you choose what to keep, donate, or throw away. Then we'll come up with a plan to put it all away, and we'll help you do that when the remodel is done!

Remodeling is stressful, but don't let that stop you! Organizers can help relieve the stress, and make the whole project turn out more beautifully than you ever imagined.

This weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, March 6-8, 2009), Harmony Matters will be at the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show in Lynden, WA. If you're in the Bellingham area, come to the show and stop by our booth! We'd love to hear about what projects you have planned for your home this year.

Thoughts about being a storage bin

2009-02-28T15:17:00.000-08:00

Do you store things for others? Family members, friends, organizations you belong to?

Once again, I can raise my hand. I do, I do!! I spent a good portion of today driving to various locations around town to pick up items that need to be at the Alternative Humane Society's annual meeting tomorrow (I'm on the Board). There is also a stack of boxes of promotional items for my business's upcoming trade show booth taking up space in my living room right now. My garage is full of things I'm keeping "to use later" or "to pass on to my kids... someday".

I'm an organizer... I should know better, right? Well, I'm also human.

We humans are sentimental creatures, for the most part. We like to hang onto things that have value, whether they're only valuable to us, or could be considered valuable on the general market. And we like to help out a friend or charitable cause when we can. That's all good and fine, until the storing of things starts to keep you from living the life you want to live.

If guests have to sleep on the couch because the guest room is crammed full of uncompleted projects and "stuff to look at", it might be time to actually take a look at all that stuff. Ask yourself if it's contributing to the life you want to live, or detracting from it.

If you have the space to store things for friends, great! But be realistic about the space that you have, and remember that it's ok to say no. Things have energy, and that affects your life. Moving, repackaging, sorting, and just keeping track of it all takes up your time and energy.

If you've accumulated valuable things over the years that you don't want to just throw away, check out Freecycle. You can find a Freecycle group in your own community. (Here in Bellingham, you can also participate in the Whatcom Potlatch gifting community.) Members post needs, or offer items they have. You may be surprised to find a perfect match for that obscure useful item that's been in your garage for 15 years.

By all means, continue to be generous with the time and space that you have. But don't feel bad about setting limits!

Lurking, invisible clutter

2009-02-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered how big an impact clutter really has on your life? Do you stop to notice how you feel when you walk into your home, or office, or when you sit down at your desk?

Lately, I've been noticing some interesting things about my own home office: the amount of clutter that's actually there, and how I've tried to make it "invisible".

When you spend hours in a space every day, it's easier to stop noticing the way it is, and how it makes you feel. But whether you're consciously aware of it or not, the clutter is still there "like a splinter in your mind" (sorry, Matrix fan here).

Time for some honesty: the photo above is what I see, right now, when I swivel my desk chair around. Ok, so maybe it's not that bad. At least it's (mostly) in bins, right? The problem is, it's been there for weeks (ok, ok, more like months), and though I've shuffled things around, I haven't solved the problem.

I also find it really interesting that this clutter is positioned behind me in the room - right where I can't see it while I'm working at my desk. This tells me that subconsciously, I'm trying to get away from it, but the reality is, I can't. It's still there, and it's not going to go away all by itself, it's multiplying, and it's dragging me down with it!

Remember that commercial where people were dragging bathroom scales around with them, illustrating the idea of being "chained to the number on the scale"? That's how I feel... my clutter is clanging around behind me all day, getting in my way and hitting me in the ankles occasionally. That image is closer to the truth than we may like to imagine, because things really do have energy, and they really do affect our motivation, focus, and peace of mind.

I'm a very task oriented person. I get satisfaction out of crossing something off my list. So when I feel overwhelmed with lots of big irons in the fire, what do I tend to do? I create more projects! Smaller projects that can be done in a couple hours, or mindless tasks that don't really get me any closer to accomplishing my goals, but do provide a "quick fix" feeling of productivity.

My goal today is to clear out that "invisible" clutter lurking behind me in my office. I know it will make a big difference in how I feel, and in how much energy I have for tackling the projects that are really important to me.

How does clutter multiply in your life? Have you suddenly noticed "lurking invisible clutter" in your space? Share you experiences!

Is this making my life better?

2009-01-28T22:45:00.000-08:00

I've failed in my resolution to blog regularly. "Bad organizer! Bad!"

We're all human. Which perhaps should be the topic of this blog. There's something that's been on my mind recently though. It's a simple question that I think organized people ask (and answer) more often.

Is this [item, goal, habit] making my life easier, or harder? Better, or worse?

I often wish for more than 24 hours in the day. But for some reason, that wish doesn't come true. If I could magically create more hours in my day, I would have time to enjoy and benefit from all the magazines I'm saving to read, let alone the books, blogs, and recipes.

But I can't create more hours in the day, and neither can you. What we can do is ask ourselves if we're getting what we want to get from the items that we're hanging on to. If something is cluttering your space, what are you getting out of that exchange? Is it bringing you joy? Fulfillment? Or guilt?

If you've had uncompleted projects for more than a year, it may be time to re-evaluate whether you're getting anything good out of hanging onto that item, or whether you'd feel better by letting it go.

Remember, you can find almost anything on the Internet these days! The world might not end if you recycle those Bon Appetit magazines without clipping and filing all the appealing recipes.

So consider this blog a personal "coupon" for a free exemption. You get to pick one thing in your life that you've been hanging onto, and let it go, guilt free!! Comment and let me know what you decided to let go of. :)

My best organizing tip for 2009

2009-01-03T19:41:00.000-08:00

I've been contemplating what to post about for the New Year. What can I say about organizing that hasn't already been said? What piece of inspirational organizing brilliance can I come up with? After a while I realized I didn't have anything terribly new or brilliant to say, and that's all right.

What I do have to share is an organizing principle that I'm finding very powerful and relevant in my own life. This is my best tip for getting organized, and more importantly, staying organized, in 2009. Ready? Here goes!

Limits and boundaries. Yup, that's it. Set limits and boundaries, and hold yourself to them. If you find that difficult (as we all do), then create systems that help you stick to the limits and boundaries. There you have it, folks. That is what organizers do, in a nutshell.

Whether it's an inbox on your desk that limits the number of papers you can have piled up before you must sort them, or a closet that limits the number of clothes you can cram in it, that's what organizing systems do: they put boundaries around our stuff.

It doesn't really matter where you set the boundary, just that you set it. And that you don't ignore it! The point of the boundary is to remind you to do something about the stuff. If I say I only want to have one basket of magazines to read, then when the basket is full, I have to do something. I either have to read some magazines, get rid of some magazines (or both), change the boundary (get another basket), or choose to live with the overflowing basket.

Every season, I sort through my closet and get rid of clothes I haven't worn in the last year. I could just set a date to do this, every three months. Maybe I'd do it. But what really motivates me to action is the fact that my closet is getting uncomfortably full. The boundary is being encroached upon. If I don't do something, my closet will overflow!

We often think of boundaries and limits as... well, limiting. But I think they can also be empowering, if we use them as reminders that motivate us to action.

So, what limits and boundaries are you going to set for yourself in 2009? Maybe it's a physical limit, like switching to a smaller handbag so you aren't constantly digging around in your huge purse. Or perhaps you need some mental boundaries, like setting a timer when you log into Facebook or Twitter, so that you don't unwittingly while away 3 hours (*nervous cough* I've never done that!).

Remember that limits are gentle reminders to switch tracks, engage in an action, or change a habit. If you can set limits and boundaries, and respect them, you'll be well on your way to becoming more organized in 2009!

Today I lost my keys

2008-12-29T21:28:00.000-08:00

Yup, I admit it. I'm a professional organizer and I lost my keys.

Now that you've picked yourself up off the floor, read on! What's that? You're not shocked? Either you know me (haha) or you realize that we all slip up from time to time, even the supposedly chronically organized.

Losing my keys caused quite a panic for about 20 minutes as I searched the house, pockets, bags, and boxes, and contemplated canceling my appointments for the rest of the day if I truly couldn't leave the house. I finally found them in the passenger footwell of my car, under a CD case. They wound up there because we got back from Christmas vacation yesterday, and they evidently didn't make it back to their customary spot in the flurry of unpacking.

Here's the lesson I learned: when you come back from vacation and you're unpacking and putting everything away, double check the items you'll need at hand when you get back to your regular routine. What will you need when you walk out the door for your first day back at work? What will the kids need when they're getting ready for the first day back at school? Is everything in the place you would normally have it, ready to go?

If you don't have a place for your keys and purse, make a place right now! Then promise yourself that you'll always put your keys and purse/bag there as a part of your coming home routine, whether you're coming home from a trip to the grocery store, or a two week vacation.

Another lesson I learned today is that even though I'm a professional organizer, I'm not always organized. I've chosen organizing as a career because I like organizing. But I make the same mistakes we all do - putting off that stack of filing to-do, keeping way too many clothes in my closet, and... misplacing my keys.

Take a few moments to think about small yet important things (like your keys) that cause you great stress if they're lost, and decide right now to give yourself the gift of NOT losing your keys or wallet or cell phone in the New Year!

3 ways to shop locally and reduce stress

2008-12-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

What were you doing this "Black Friday"? I was at home, warm and dry, not being pushed, shoved, or trampled, and avoiding any form of crowds other than the small crowd in my small kitchen as we prepared a yummy Thanksgiving meal! (My husband was on call Thursday, so we opted to eat on Friday instead.)

I understand that some people love the thrill of the hunt and relish the annual Black Friday shopping ritual, but personally, I just don't get it! I enjoy the thrill of a discovering fabulous gifts locally. The more locally sourced and produced, the better.

When you shop locally, you give your local economy a boost, ease the burden on the environment this holiday season, and reduce clutter and stress in your life.

Local products are less likely to come wrapped in layers of packaging which causes frustration and then clutters up your home before heading to the landfill.
Local handmade products are often sturdier (as opposed to inexpensive plastic toys or electronics). Plus, if something goes wrong, you're more likely to get timely and satisfactory customer service from a local business.
Local products usually won't be found amid the crowds and noise of the malls and big box stores. Shopping locally is a calmer and quieter experience, which is a gift in itself!

In Bellingham, we have many wonderful local retailers and artists. Here are some of my favorite ways to connect with them:

Local Merchants

Sustainable Connections - search for local businesses, including food and farms
Fairhaven.com - businesses in the Fairhaven historic district
Downtown Bellingham

Holiday Craft Fairs

Shop online

Etsy.com - "eBay for local handmade stuff"
BidLocalFirst Auction - Sustainable Connection's first online holiday auction

What are some of your favorite ways to shop locally and reduce holiday gift-related stress? Comment or send me your ideas!

Do you use your wall space?

2008-11-23T22:51:00.000-08:00

Do you make this common organizing mistake? I sure do. Whenever I'm having difficulty with organization in a room or area of my home, I've usually failed to... use my available wall space effectively!

Here are a few ways to use wall space:

1. Shelving! Deep, narrow, all shapes and sizes - there's a shelf to fit your needs (or you can make one!)
2. Hooks and racks. Handy for hanging anything from keys to coats to tools.
3. Cork board or dry erase surface (most are now also magnetic). Can be used for keeping lists, hanging up important papers, or just posting something fun.
4. Filing containers designed to hold papers or clipboards - they come in all shapes and sizes.
5. Lighting. Don't forget adequate lighting! It can completely change the feel and function of a space.
6. Artwork. Make your space beautiful!

Of course, it's important to keep function in mind. If you put up a dry erase board, will you be able to write on it comfortably in that location? If not, you probably won't use it.

Utilizing wall space offers you more ways to keep things at eye level and within easy reach. You're more likely to remember to sign that important school paper if it's on your "to do" cork board than if it's buried in a stack of papers on the kitchen counter.

Take a quick tour of your home or office and think about how you might use any wall space that's currently empty. If you need help or ideas, give me a call or email!

3 things to do with old t-shirts

2008-11-18T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have a t-shirt collection; do you? I have to admit, I have a couple bins full in my garage. They tell the stories of places I've vacationed, musicians I liked, schools, teams, camps, events, and so on. I don't want to wear them anymore, but they hold sentimental value for me.

Most of us have clothing we're hanging onto for sentimental reasons. Here are three ways you can do something meaningful with your old clothing items, save space, enjoy the memories, and maybe even get some more use out of them!

1. Make a quilt.

T-shirt quilts are very popular these days. Your local craft store may have a kit, or you can Google "t-shirt quilt" for ideas, patterns, and instructions. You can add other fabrics like denim, corduroy, blankets, or even fabric from old stuffed animals, pillows, hats, scarves... get creative and make an interesting patchwork.

If you don't sew, you can even send off your fabric and have someone else sew it for you! (Search: "t-shirt quilt" or "custom made t-shirt quilt" for ideas.)

2. Make a scrapbook.

Take a photo of each t-shirt or clothing item, then make a scrapbook from the photos and journal about the memories attached to each item. Or, you can upload your photos to a website like Snapfish or Shutterfly and have a custom book made.

Then you can donate the clothing to charity. And if you're looking for a really meaningful way to donate, check out the next tip:

3. Donate to a group that gives your clothing a second life.

This is my favorite find of the day. Reteez.com creates products out of used t-shirts. Their product line includes totes, handbags, belts, bibs, even dish scrubbers and dog toys. This is really cool, folks! Even better, $1-$3 per t-shirt you donate will be used to build schools in Mozambique. Go to the donation page for more info.

Organizing with your pets in mind

2008-11-17T15:01:00.000-08:00

I saw the cutest thing while I was driving home today. A big Golden Retriever was sprawled out on the front lawn of a quaint farmhouse, watching the world go by, and snuggled up next to him was a black and white cat. Who says dogs and cats can't be friends? I wished I could have taken a picture, but that would have been awkward, and I probably would have upset the happy pair in my attempt to photograph them.

But it warmed my heart, and reminded me of the special place that companion animals have in our lives. According to 2007 AVMA statistics, 37% of U.S. households are guardians of dogs, and 32% are guardians of cats. When you work on organizing projects, don't forget to factor in your companion animals' needs too. Chaotic environments and lack of a consistent routine are stressful for dog or cats, just like they are for us. Disorganization can also lead to your pet getting into something dangerous, like chocolate, that has been left within their reach.

A well organized household is a safer and happier place for all its inhabitants. Jesse and I are both big fans of animals, and we love to make spaces work well for both human and animal family members. Email me and ask about getting a free copy of our handout, "Organizing with Pets in Mind". In addition to general pet-related organizing tips, it also has ideas for how to keep your pets safe during the holidays.

Now, go give your cat or dog a hug!

"Honor and respect those things that make your heart sing."

2008-11-14T22:01:00.001-08:00

My title for tonight's blog is a quote from Peter Walsh. Peter is an L.A. based professional organizer who has been featured several times by Oprah. His most recent Oprah show was last Wednesday. Because I apparently live under a rock, I didn't watch OR record this show. Oh well. I just read through the synopsis, and as always, I was inspired by what Peter had to say.

What does it mean, "honor and respect those things that make your heart sing"? If you struggle with clutter, you may feel that you love everything you have and you just can't bear to part with any of it. Or maybe someone's told you to just "give it all to Goodwill", but you don't want to do that because you know, or suspect, that somewhere in the "pile" are things that truly are precious to you.

Peter's point is that if you truly love something, it deserves a place of honor and respect in your home. Yet so often, we don't actually treat our valued possessions that way. We leave shoes scattered around and the dog discovers a great new chew toy... we store precious family photos in bins or boxes, and they get bent and faded... or (I'm guilty of doing this) we pack up "precious" belongings, stow them in the garage, and never actually use or enjoy them.

As organizers, it's our job to be your coaches and helping hands so you can clear away the clutter and create space to honor and respect the things you love. One of the most rewarding parts of working with clients is when we hear these words: "oh, there's [fill in the blank]!" We love helping you discover buried treasures! You can reclaim your space, and we want to help. Take the first step today! Visit Harmony Matters on the web, take a look around, and then call to schedule your consultation!

Monday Madness

2008-11-10T18:49:00.001-08:00

Do you ever suffer from "Monday Madness"? You know, that feeling that your to-do list has magically grown over the weekend, leaving you with a list so long you know you'll never get to it all in one day? I can relate.

Even though I'm a professional organizer, I have plenty of moments where I'm anything but organized and "put together"! I try really hard to take time for myself and my family, especially on the weekends. Unfortunately, the emails keep coming and the phone keeps ringing, which means that on Monday morning, if I've ignored it all weekend, there's more catch-up work to do than usual.

I often find that my Monday sets the tone for my whole week, so I make an effort to be as organized and productive as possible. This morning, I tried something I haven't done for a while, and I was reminded of the simple power of this technique. It's a two-pronged approach.

First, the brain dump. Get a clean sheet of paper (I recommend grid-lined paper and a trusty clipboard) and start writing! Write down all the things that are on your mind that you need or want to do today. Little things, big things, even tasks you know you can't complete in one day. Don't categorize or go into great detail, just jot as quickly as you can.

The second step is to "time it". Assign a time value to each item on your list. How long do you think each task will take? 2 minutes? Five? Ten? A half hour? 10 hours? Write the time (in minutes) beside each item, then add them all up, and divide by 60. This is how many hours you expect it will take to do everything on your list.

This morning, my one page list of mostly small tasks came out to 6.75 hours, and that was not including several tasks that I had listed as needing an hour or more! So in other words, all the "little stuff" I knew I needed to do was going to take nearly 7 hours - much more than I would have estimated if I had just glanced through the list.

My first reaction was, "Wow, no wonder I feel so behind, there's no way I can do all this today. What's wrong with me? I'll never catch up!" Then I had a revelation. Yes, all these phone calls and emails and errands are time consuming, but nevertheless, they are important. These things take time. Everything takes time! If I'm expecting to keep up with the information flowing in and out of my life in a mere hour or so a day, I'm placing an unrealistic expectation on myself. When I fall short of my expectation, I beat myself up. Doing this doesn't create any more time in my day or increase my productivity.

If the reality is that I have six hours of phone calls, errands, and emails to do today, and these tasks are important to me, then I shouldn't feel bad for doing them. And I especially shouldn't feel inadequate because I can't do it all faster. If I don't get through my whole list, I'll know that it's ok, because I really did have a lot to do!

Yes, sometimes we do have to put the little things aside in order to fit the big things in, lest they get forever pushed aside by the "tyranny of the urgent". But when you do spend a day playing catch-up, give yourself a pat on the back! You are amazing! You accomplish great things, every day. You connect with people, you care for your family, you nourish yourself.

So next time you're feeling overwhelmed with "Monday Madness" (or any-other-day-of-the-week madness), try the brain dump/time it, and take a moment to reflect on the expectations you set for yourself and how these expectations (whether you meet them or not) make you feel. And give yourself credit for all the things you accomplish, even on your maddest of Mondays.