Help Students Organize by Prioritizing

Clients and friends have approached me this week about their concerns for children leaving for college. They are understandably proud of their children’s achievements but worry that they won’t be able to handle the demands of college life.

“How do you tell them what they need to do, when they won’t listen?” one father asked.

I think the answer is you don’t tell them. You show them, and you give them the tools to handle stuff as it comes up. The basics of deciding what is most important and managing time are two of the most useful skills for college students-as a matter of fact, for anyone at anytime of life. Skill building can start as early as two-years-old, with parents offering choices and praising good decisions. The longer you have to practice the skill, the easier and more intuitive it becomes

Older folks can exercise some discipline and implement a few tricks to keep them on track. One of my favorites to impart to students (and clients) can be remembered by saying, “Let problems arise; I’m ready.” The first letter of each word reminds the student of the steps to take when trying to balance a lot of priorities or even when needing to complete a project.

The letter “L” stands for list. List everything you need to do.

The letter “P” stands for prioritize. Priorities are a very personal thing and reflect what is most important to the individual. They change with circumstances. New college students want to get settled in their living space, learn their way around campus, meet new friends, line up classes, get books and learning tools, before settling down to getting good grades and finding where they fit in. One of the most challenging things is finding the time to get things done while meeting schedules and deadlines. This step requires some deep thinking, so each person can set up a system that really reflects what he/she wants to accomplish. Most priority setting involves striking a balance between what I have to do and what I want to do.

The letter “A” stands for assign a priority number. Give each item on the list a number for importance. If dealing with a timeline, 1 might be “needs to get done this week.” 2 might be “needs to be done this month”, and 3 might be “needs to get done when I have time.” Priorities do not have to be time related, but this is one of the biggest challenges for students.

The letter “I” stands for integrate new tasks. It would be nice if nothing else came up from the time we set priorities until the time we accomplished them, but that is not the way it happens in the real world. New tasks get assigned, invitations are extended and neat opportunities arise. They should be added to the list and given a priority status.

The letter “R” stands for re-evaluate. This should be done at least weekly to make sure you are getting things done as you need to, and to see if your priorities have changed and need to be re-aligned.

Initial implementation of this system may take a couple of hours, but using it routinely takes only a few minutes a day. It fits nicely in a portable electronic device and it really does keep you on track. I haven’t been a student for a long time, but this worked for me through eighteen years of education and I still use it today to balance personal and business demands.

Maybe the entering college student could give the system a try as they get ready to leave home for the campus. That preparation is a great test for getting things done in a specific timeframe- and family is right there to help and support.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

A MOVING MESSAGE

Recently we have been working with some clients who are getting ready to move to new residences. We have been organizing files, sorting items to keep and discard, suggesting storage alternatives and reviewing packing lists. We have been staging homes for sale and organizing selection of methods for storage and packing.

One client has given herself three weeks to move from a shared apartment to a new home several hundred miles away. Another client is planning to place their home for sale in the spring and hopefully sell by summer. They have to implement the improvements they want to make prior to sale and then find a buyer before they move thousands of miles to a another state.

Both of these clients are a little stressed with fitting the things they have to do in the time frame they have. We have developed plans to help them accomplish their goals and will give them the assistance they need to get the job done, but we have gotten a late start and have to compensate.

To be fair, we know that folks do not always have a long time to plan moves. A new job gets offered, an unexpected illness occurs, notices are given that require a quick getaway. We always find a way to get the basics done, but it requires diligence and commitment.

The moving message we want to give is this: When you have adequate time to plan, estimate the time it will take you to get everything done and double it. Life goes on while the move is being planned and work and family issues still need attending. Houses are staying on the market longer. In this area nine months is considered a quick sale. Consequently, the sooner the house is ready for showing, the more likely goals for sales and closing dates can be met.

Even if there is no sale required, having time to make the minor repairs to recoup retained deposits can make a difference in money available for the new digs.

No matter how much time you have to make your move, it is helpful to:

• Make a list of what you have to do. Work backwards from the moving date to set timelines. Don’t forget to include often overlooked items like picking up cleaning and making arrangements with the building supervisor to reserve the elevator and parking space for the moving van.


• Discard, sell, and give away anything you will not use at your new residence before you begin to pack.


• Keep important papers, moving documents and prescription drugs easily accessible and separate from packed items.


• Make arrangements to appropriately disconnect and package major appliances for transfer


• Keep an inventory of items packed for check off when your possessions arrive. This will allow easy identification of loss or damage.


• Do a complete walk-though before you leave. If possible ask someone to accompany you to provide an extra set of eyes to identify anything left behind.


• Take pictures of the premises as you leave it. These will come in handy if there is a dispute about the condition of rental property or the need to file insurance claims for vacant property.

A good professional organizer can be a valuable asset in helping you make the most of the time you dedicate to moving on to your next adventure.

Beverly & Kristen
http://www.keytransitions.net/

Moving into a New Space

A professional organizer can provide valuable help to people who are getting ready to occupy new space. Whether that new space is a condominium, a dormitory room, a new office, a refinished attic or a brand new house, the perspective of a third party with training in organizing can give a head start to saving time and living comfortably.

Small spaces are particularly challenging and ways to optimize storage with limited space was handled in a previous blog entitled “Too Little Space”. Up front consultation with a professional organizer can save a lot of hassle.

When Jane moved from home into a dormitory room which she shared with a roommate, there was no space for some of the things she brought with her to college. Her parents loaded four boxes of stuff which could not be crammed into the space and hauled it back home with them. Jane brought still more home with her when she visited. They had wasted valuable time and money purchasing items that were inappropriate for the space available.

Most colleges give lists of suggested items for purchase and dimensions for necessities like computers and refrigerators, but they fall short at suggestions for storage for other must-have items. An organizer will offer suggestions that can make the trip to college more pleasant. The hard decisions about what to take on that first trip can be made before the hectic event of actually moving in. That can save money and make those move-in trips a lot less stressful. Jane and her parents consulted with a professional organizer prior to her sophomore year. She was moving to an Honors dorm with even less space than her previous room, but no roommate. The organizer listened to the problems encountered the prior year, and made suggestions for storage and placement of Jane’s belongings. Jane’s mother reports the items that returned home with them were the tools they brought for installation of storage systems and one stuffed animal that gave up his space for a decorative pillow.
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Even when there is plenty of space, a professional organizer can be of help.

Todd and Jean were moving their family to their dream house. Todd’s mother was joining them and looking forward to occupying the mother-in-law suite built especially for her. The family had moved twice in the past five years and both times had resulted in continuation of storage problems they had lived with in previous houses. Everyone agreed they wanted this time to be different.

The professional organizer met with the family and suggested storage systems for the garage and closets, as well as placement of some items for efficient living. She assisted them in organizing the move so that items were ready for unpacking and storage when they arrived at their new home. Todd says it is the smoothest move they have ever had and the garage looks terrific even with both cars parked inside.

Moving time requires thought, planning and execution, as well as plenty of patience and hard work. A professional organizer can be helpful in all phases of the process.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net