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Do You Want to Leave a Legacy of Clutter?

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Do you want to leave a legacy of clutter? title
Many of my clients are in tough positions where they have lost a loved one such as a parent, grandparent or spouse who has left a legacy of clutter.  These people are grieving, and in addition to going through this very emotional time, they’ve been left with stuff.  So much stuff that they are overwhelmed and sometimes angry at the person who left them with this legacy.

No matter how old you are, ask yourself, “Do I want to leave a legacy of clutter?”  If something were to happen to you, how much stuff would you leave behind?  How much of that is useful or sentimental, and how much of that will be a burden on your loved ones?

I’ve had clients renting storage units just to hold their late parents’ belongings, or filling up their garages, spare bedrooms or bonus rooms with boxes of things that belonged to mom or dad.  These are things that the person feels nauseous looking at, and often feels angry at how much room it is taking up in their home.  They are overwhelmed at the thought of opening each box and deciding “Is this a memory worth keeping, or is this junk?”  Time and again, I’ve helped people sort through piles like this, and it is quite an emotional journey.

Ask yourself, “What kind of legacy do I want to leave my loved ones?”  Picture your grieving family members sorting through piles of papers, clothing and other belongings that you should have parted with a long time ago.  What will they think of your belongings, and what will they think about you as they plow through the clutter?  I think most of us want to leave our family with as little stress as possible.  Decluttering now, while you are able to make the decisions, is a better choice than passing on this enormous task to a loved one after you are gone.

If you feel you’re ready to take a good look at your belongings and make decisions on what kind of legacy you want to leave, you may want to contact a professional organizer for outside, non-judgmental expert assistance.  A professional organizer can help you sort through your items, and help you determine the best way to discard each item whether that be selling, donating, recycling, tossing, or giving it to a family member now.

If you are in the Raleigh area and need assistance, please contact On Task Organizing to further discuss our decluttering services.

Organizing for Teenagers

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Organizing for Teenagers title
While organizing an entire home for families, I often work with teenagers to get their space and time in order.  If a teenager learns organizational skills, it will help them to be better organized in college and throughout their adult life.  Most teenagers I work with need help organizing their study spaces, bedrooms, bathrooms and schedules.  Here are some tips for getting organized is these areas.

Teen Study Space Organization

Designate one area to be the study space.  Depending on your home layout and your teenager’s personal preferences this could be in the bedroom, in a home office, bonus room, kitchen or dining room. A study space should contain:

  • A spacious work surface, such as a table or desk.
  • A comfortable chair.
  • Power outlets and charging cables for computers,  tablets or smart phones used for studying.
  • Access to regularly used school supplies such as pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, calculators & scissors.
  • A place to put the teen’s backpack.
  • An organized home drop zone near the most frequently used door can also help your teen’s school papers and mobile devices stay organized.

Teen Bedroom Organization

Getting out the door on time in the morning and the task of managing laundry can sometimes be a challenge for teenagers.  Add the following items to the bedroom to improve organization:

  • An alarm clock (or two). I suggest a second alarm clock placed across the room to encourage the teen to get out of bed to turn it off.
  • A dresser with drawers designated for each type of clothing.
  • A closet with clothing organized into categories such as “school clothes,” “dress clothes,” “sports uniforms,” etc.
  • Laundry baskets or hampers.
  • A shelf, bin or basket for “clerty” clothes.  These are clothes that may have been worn for a short time, but are still clean enough to be worn again before washing.

Teen Bathroom Organization

Whether the bathroom is shared or is only used by the teen, here are some items that will help keep it organized:

Teen Schedule Organization

Managing a busy schedule of school assignments, extra-curricular activities, social events and chores can be challenging.  Here are some planning tools that can help your teen keep an organized schedule:

  • Mobile calendars on a smart phone or tablet.  Some options are Google Calendar, iCal or Outlook Calendar.
  • Setting up a shared electronic calendar for the whole family can help keep everyone organized. An app such as Cozi is a great option.
  • A paper school planner, if your teen prefers using paper.
  • A large family wall calendar either on paper, or on a dry erase board or chalk board.  This is helpful in managing chores, after-school activities, and keeping track of vacations and school holidays.

I hope some of these tips will help your teenager become better organized.  Creating a place for everything and organizing common areas first is a wonderful way to encourage better organizational habits within your entire family.

On Task Organizing, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

What is Virtual Organizing?

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what is virtual organizing title
In addition to hands-on organizing services, On Task Organizing offers virtual organizing services.  Virtual organizing is a service provided using phones, tablets or computers.  You work in short 1 hour sessions with a professional organizer using Skype or FaceTime.  After assessing your organizing needs, the professional organizer creates a custom action plan.  The professional organizer provides expert advice, accountability, storage product suggestions, time management solutions and more to help you reach your organizing goals.

How Virtual Organizing Works

  • It starts with a free 30 minute phone consultation to discuss your specific organizing or time management needs.
  • We then schedule 1 hour virtual organizing sessions based on your needs and schedule.
  • During the virtual organizing session, you will use your smart phone, tablet or computer to show the professional organizer your spaces.  The professional organizer will then provide you with an action plan, organizing tips and expert advice on how to organize your home, office or time.  These sessions provide a non-judgmental, supportive and encouraging way to keep you on task and hold you accountable so you can achieve your personal organizing goals.
  • In between sessions, you will receive email support and organizing homework (hands-on organizing to complete on your own) to further success.
  • The amount of time and number of sessions needed depends on the size and scope of the project and the amount of do-it-yourself organizing you undertake in between sessions.
  • Sessions can be scheduled as often as needed based on your time frame and goals.

What You Need for Virtual Organizing

  • Internet access and email.
  • A computer, tablet or smart phone with Skype or FaceTime capability.
  • The physical ability to do hands-on organizing work by yourself (or with help from friends or family).
  • Motivation to reach your organizing goals.
  • Commitment to working toward your goal.

Benefits of Virtual Organizing

  • You are able to work with a professional organizer, even if there is not one in your local area.
  • The virtual sessions are shorter than hands-on organizing sessions, therefore easier to fit into a busy schedule.
  • You don’t have to bring anyone into your home for this service.
  • Accountability to your professional organizer can help keep you on task.
  • A customized plan from an experienced professional organizer.

Virtual Organizing Work Well for You if

  • You’re a do-it-yourselfer who wants expert advice and instruction.
  • You are busy and don’t have time for a longer hands-on organizing session.
  • You’re extremely motivated.
  • You live outside the Raleigh, North Carolina area.

For more information on virtual organizing services, please contact On Task Organizing for your free 30 minute consultation call.

Ways to Save Money When Moving

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Title - Ways to Save Money When Moving
One of the best ways to save money when moving is to declutter and organize before you move.  Moving companies often factor the weight of your belongings and the time it takes to load and unload into the cost of your move.  You will have a lighter load, less to pack and fewer items to unpack if you declutter first.  You will also save time and money during the packing process, because with an already organized home, it is easier to load boxes based on categories of items.

When moving, there are several options as to what to do with the things you aren’t taking with you.  A professional organizer can help you decide among these many choices.

Money Saving Tips When Moving

If you evaluate each item in your home prior to your move and discard by any of the above methods, you may help others and possibly increase funds. You will also save yourself a lot of time, effort and money during the unpacking process.   If you’d like to do this in a very efficient and organized manner, contact a professional organizer from the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals.  If you currently live in the Raleigh area, please contact On Task Organizing about decluttering services to prepare for a move.

25 Benefits of Getting Organized

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25 Benefits of Getting Organized title
Why should you invest in a Professional Organizer?  There are many benefits to getting organized, here is a list of 25 ways being organized can improve your life:

Reduces time spent searching for items.

Saves you money because you won’t re-buy items you own, but cannot find.

Lowers stress.

Makes it easier to grocery shop and cook healthy meals.

Creates a cleaner environment.

Gives you the ability to socialize more.

Creates a more peaceful space.

Makes it easier to complete chores such as laundry.

Eliminates paper piles.

Reduces junk mail.

It will take you less time to clean your home.

Important documents are easier to find.

You can be better prepared for emergencies.

Removes any embarrassment about your home.

Gives you the ability to host guests and visitors.

You will be able to quickly unpack and settle in to an organized new home.

You will be better prepared for moving or downsizing.

An uncluttered home can be put up for sale more quickly.

Increases your productivity.

You will learn ways to maintain organization.

Reduces family arguments about clutter.

16 Tips for Organizing Photos

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16 Tips for Organizing Photos title
Photo Organizing can be a daunting task.  Many families have decades of old photos taking up space in their home.  I’ve come across photographs in various closets, basements, garages, even attics.  Unfortunately, many photos not stored in climate controlled spaces were damaged.  To better organize and preserve photos and memories, please follow these tips:

16 Tips for Organizing Photos

  1. Gather all photographs in one place:  This includes photos in frames, albums, boxes, drawers, closets, wherever they have fallen.  Once you get them in one place, they are easier to sort.
  2.   Set aside a large flat surface, such as a big table or desk, to sort through the photos.
  3.  Have a photo safe pen for labeling the backs of photographs.
  4.  Separate photos by date as much as possible so it will be easier to spot duplicates.
  5. Remove any duplicate photos by giving them to someone else or tossing them.
  6. Discard any blurry photos.
  7. Remove any landscape photos that are not important to you, or reduce the collection to keep just a few of each location.
  8. If photos are very similar, choose the best one, and give away or toss the others.
  9. If there are any photos where you feel you don’t look good or they bring about bad memories, remove those as well.
  10. Store your photos in a way that makes the most sense to you. Some choices are : chronologically, by year or by stages of your life (childhood, high school, after marriage), by events (birthdays, holidays, graduations), by a person’s name, or by a category of people (parents, friends, cousins).
  11. Determine how you’d like to store photographs, either in albums or in boxes.
  12. Count or estimate the number of photos remaining, and gather or buy storage boxes or albums for these photos.
  13. Label albums or boxes so photos are easy to access.
  14. Determine if you’d like to scan some or all photographs, and plan a time to scan those, or outsource that to a business that provides photo scanning.
  15. Consider using archival storage products to preserve your memories.
  16. Store photos in a climate controlled space.

On Task Organizing, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

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