Organize Clutter? I disagree!

I often clip articles regarding organizational techniques because I am in the profession of helping people learn to become more organized. I recently revisited an article printed in February 2007 and realized that many organizational solutions for clutter are simply “band aid” fixes for many people suffering with disorganization. Consider this title: “Organize Your Clutter”. Is this a sensible goal?

Every January, including this one, I have consistently seen the major home magazines and morning shows run features on “How to Get Organized”. Getting organized is a top New Year’s resolution for millions of people, but I disagree with the approach being broadcast on television and printed in periodicals. It’s time to rewind our minds and think for a second about how we got disorganized in the first place.

Organization 101: This is not a curriculum course in college. This is not something many people were taught in grade school. Accumulating clutter is a habit: buy, collect, gather, hoard and then sit back and struggle with how to deal with it all. Many people have resorted to buying fancy, decorative storage boxes to display their excess items neatly. Understandably, items like toys, photographs, books and the like need to be organized. In my profession, however, I am regularly confronted with people wastefully spending money on storage products to store items they do not need.

Getting organized and staying organized is a learned skill. The technique I’m referring to requires a lifestyle change. It is something that must be incorporated into the mental side of your life. Your brain is what gives you permission to buy “stuff” in the first place. It’s time to start experiencing an organized life inside your brain, not just inside your home.

Most people who consider hiring a professional organizer think mostly of the physical clutter re-arrangement. Our philosophy at Encore is “mental clutter re-arrangement”. You’ve got to understand that more space is not the answer. More decorative storage is not the answer. If trained properly, you won’t clutter your life. If trained properly, you will manage a schedule with your family that makes sense and is not packed to the max, causing daily stress. It’s time to train your brain to become organized. If you shift the focus to making yourself feel good inside, the rest will flow accordingly.

Barbara Warner is co-owner of Encore Professional Organizers, LLC, based in Dayton Ohio. Members of NAPO, NSA and NSA-Ohio, Encore focuses on lifestyle organizational changes for businesses and residential clients. Encore also offers professional training and seminars for large groups across the country. Visit EncoreOrganizers.com and EncoreSpeaks.com for more information.

Email this article to a friend