Organizing Within Limits

If we all agree that being organized is a desirable thing, why are we all not organized?
All it takes is some time, some skills, some creativity, some energy, a little motivation and a little money. Aha! The answer might be that at some times in our lives we lack one or more of those elements.

We believe, of all those requirements, the most important one is motivation. Getting organized has to rise to the top of the priority list because the in-laws are coming, or you are ready to claim your time and space, or the clutter has taken over your life and you have to do something to survive. Once you are motivated to accomplish the task you can access the other resources.

Before you acquire the needed resources, take a look at the limits you have, not only financially, but in regards to ability and skills.

There really are skills involved in creating an organized environment. Some folks are fortunate to have had a parent, teacher or mentor who taught them to prioritize sequence and design usable systems. For the rest of us who have not been so fortunate, there are resources on bookshelves and on the internet that provide information and guidance in these areas. A professional organizer can also provide a supportive and instructive combination of hands-on experience and coaching that will help you get the job done.

Whatever method you chose to acquire the skills, an important consideration is your limitations.

Consider budget: What can I spend on this project? Should I contract outside help? What kind of organizing tools and systems can I create or purchase?

Consider physical ability: Do I have the physical ability to accomplish the manual labor and the construction require? What system fits my energy level? As I design systems, what personal limitations do I need to accommodate?

Consider creative ability: Can I create a plan and/or systems from scratch or do I need to seek professional guidance? Can I invent systems from what I currently have or do I need to purchase ready-made tools?

Recognizing the limits and planning within their boundaries will help you establish systems you can work with and maintain.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organizing Projects

For many local students, school starts this week. The rest get to wait until the day after Labor Day to return to the halls of formal education. It will not be long until they are assigned their first project. Whether the subject is reading, or science or social studies, the student is required to plan, organize and meet a deadline. These are important skills that they will use many times when they run their own homes and follow their grown-up careers, but they are seldom taught in school. Some students find ways to get the job done on their own, but most students need to be instructed and guided.

Some professional organizers (like Key Transitions) offer support for project organization and use a wide variety of tools and techniques to allow the individual to be successful in reaching the goal. There are, however, basic steps that can be reiterated every time a student has a project. Repetition of the process will help develop skills needed to accomplish time-sensitive tasks.

1. Establish the begin date and end date of the project.
   
2. State the goal of the project. This sounds easy but can be complicated. Is the goal to read the book or to be able to express in writing the plot and message of the author. The goal is the latter. Reading the book is one of the steps for achieving the goal.
   
3. Create an action list by naming the steps that need to be taken to accomplish the goal and assign target dates to each of the steps.
   
4. Decide what materials are needed to accomplish each step and incorporate acquisition of the objects in the action list.
   
5. Assign responsibility for each action step. Does an adult have to buy materials? Does the student have to obtain soil samples from different locations that require transport by someone else? Is there group cooperation involved or assigned research to be done?
   
6. Review the target dates to make sure the assigned times are realistic and allow the project to be accomplished on time.
   
7. Work the project using the action list as a guide.
   
8. Ask for help when you need it. The list lets you know when you are running into trouble and have to modify your plan.

This process will become second nature after the students have used it several times and found how successful it helps them to become.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

THE LOCKER DILEMMA

I read recently that there is a growing trend in schools to eliminate lockers. One article attributed the trend to the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy, where locker searches revealed much contraband including drugs, weapons and pornography. This development is being protested by some health care groups who maintain that lugging all those heavy books will destroy the posture and bone health of developing bodies. While the powers argue and reform, students are finding ways to keep themselves on track during the school year by loading books in back packs with wheels and custom designing locker space to fit their personalities.

Most of the upper-level schools in this area still provide lockers for students, but many require that a locker be shared. Organizing the space available to fit the student’s needs becomes a challenge. There are many products on the market that help maximize the utility of locker space.

Adjustable shelves allow separation and stacking of books and supplies. Standing books upright and using a color coordinated notebook for the class helps keep them within easy reach for quick retrieval.

Magnetized pencil cups, utility boxes and cosmetic cubbies with mirrors hold the little things that get lost in the bottom if not contained.

A magnetic dry erase board is handy for notes and messages between locker mates and picture frames allow personalization.

You may also want to throw in an odor eliminator to minimize unpleasant smell that may accumulate.

These products can be found at:
http://www.stacksandstacks.com/

http://www.organize.com/
http://www.lockerdudes.com/



Beverly and Kristen

http://www.keytransitions.net/

GET READY, GET SET, GET SCHOOLED

As August hurries to a close, thoughts turn to the beginning of the school year and all the organizational tasks that have to be completed before the bell rings marking the beginning of the first class. These tasks include lining up clothes and uniforms that fit and buying the required supplies that appear on the endless lists provided by the various schools. It also means modifying schedules to accommodate bus pick-ups or parent drop-offs, or student drive times. It includes taking time to calm some children’s fears and curb other’s enthusiasm and unrealistic expectations. It means finding the time to accomplish all that needs to be done. Before the doors even open, you may find that you have lost control of your time and your budget and are rapidly losing your patience and what is left of your mental health.

It is just this kind of environment that promotes disorganization that leads to permanent clutter and chaos. Here are a few hints to help you stay in control until the little (or big) angels start to school and the family adapts to the new routine.

Take a deep breath and assess what needs to be done. It helps to make a list with due dates beside each item.

Solicit help from the family to accomplish tasks. You might even make a game of it by posting the list in a prominent place and see which family member can complete his/her assignments first. This also teaches younger children to plan and meet deadlines, a skill they will appreciate during the school year.

Keep track of what you spend. If you have not prepared for this year's expenses, you will have a basis for estimating next year’s expenses. You can also minimize initial expense by buying only a one month supply of each item. Once your child is in school, you will have a better idea of what is needed and what is “cool”. I still have a supply of No. 2 pencils which, for some reason, were not “right”

Keep behind the clutter. Throw away packaging. Find a space for the supplies as you buy them. Give away the clothes that don’t fit rather than letting them pile up in a corner. Make sure the children get their rooms “study ready”. At least clear a space to get homework and put down the books.

Let some things go. Do you really need to dust this week? Can you skip a meeting? Can you wash the car next week? There are only so many hours in the day and managing your time requires making choices and setting priorities. School is not going to wait, so what will wait?

Take care of yourself. You and your family come first, so make sure you have adequate rest, nutrition and recreation. After all, summer is ending and school is right around the corner. Health and happiness are always top priorities.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

What is “Organized” Anyway?

What does it mean to be organized? Our favorite definition from Webster’s Unabridged English Dictionary is “to arrange advantageously for oneself.” It does not say that organized is everything in a certain place in a pristine orderly fashion. It implies that there are different ways to achieve organization and the main principle involves the well-being of the person getting organized. It also takes into consideration that the system used must meet the requirement of the system user.

Those principles are at the heart of every consultation we do for our clients. They should also be the guiding principles for do-it-yourself organization projects. Ask yourself these questions when you begin to organize a closet, a bookshelf, your calendar or any other aspect of your life.

1. What am I trying to achieve with this project?
   Example: I want to find my clothes within five minutes each morning
   I want my expenses and receipts to be ready when I do my taxes
   I want to answer my e-mail within 24 hours
   
2. What will the finished project look like?
   If you cannot envision the finished project list as many attributes as you can think of.
   
3. What steps do I need to take to make that happen?
   Break the project down into small outcomes and identify the tasks to achieve the outcome. They can be as simple as establishing a system for hanging clothes or scheduling time on a calendar to craft responses.
   
4. What will it take for me to maintain the system I envision and will I be able to maintain it?
   This very important question is often overlooked in the excitement of getting organized. A beautiful shoe rack may seem just the think when you are planning, but, if you know that you are not going to carefully replace you shoes everyday, an alternative may be easier to maintain.
   
5. Does this really do what I expected it to do?
   This question comes after your project is complete and you have tested it for a few weeks. If it has problems, change the system until it works for you.

Good luck getting organized and remember it is supposed to “arrange advantageously” for YOU!

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.com