Connecting with the human side of organizing brings the process to an entirely different place. One way we can do this is by focusing our efforts on the treasures instead of the loss. As you organize, if you hunt for treasures, you can experience unexpected joy, laughter, and an array of other emotions. We can learn things about ourselves, understand connections we never realized, or find humor to lighten our mood.

As some of you may know, I’ve been sorting through and organizing our family home of 56+ years. In recent blog posts, I’ve written more about this experience. If you want to read more, check out these posts, including:

• What Are The Possibilities When You Clear Your Space?

• What Does Organizing Success Look Like For You?

• How to Be Successful With Your Projects and Purpose

Now, back to the wonderfully human aspect of organizing and discovering family treasures. The treasures I found were not gold or jewels, but instead photos, documents, and other things. Today and in the coming weeks, I’ll share some of these discoveries with you. I hope this will inspire you to embrace the human side of organizing and allow you to focus on positive discoveries, learning, and the aspects that are joyful.

There were many things that I found, especially among the photos. They were stored in various places throughout the house, in no particular order. So they presented me with a sort of treasure hunt on steroids. The treasures I’m sharing this week speak to the rich history of love that was part of my family. Finding them supported me as I sorted, edited, and let go.

My Grandmothers

One of the things I had forgotten was that over time, my grandmothers, who were from different family backgrounds and corners of the world, became very good friends. As a matter of fact, I remember at one point, one of my grandmothers went to live with the other for a while. They took care of each other and had a unique friendship. In this photo, which I’d never seen, it shows my Nana Stell and Nana Roe casually sitting together on what looks like a picnic table. It’s probably from the late 1940s or early 1950s. I can see how comfortable they were together and how much they enjoyed each other’s company.

My Parents

My folks were married for over 61 years before my Dad passed away. They were soulmates and deeply in love. They faced life’s challenges together, were strong individually, and were an amazing team together. In this photo, their closeness and support of one another are obvious. They loved the sea. I can imagine them standing there together feeling grateful for each other, their family, and the view in front of them. While the waves can knock down even the strongest of us, their love endured all of life’s challenges with grace, generosity, and kindness. They were a positive force in the world.

My Daddy and Me

What can I say? Being the youngest of three, I definitely felt like Daddy’s little girl, or “Squirt,” as he sometimes called me. I can remember the feeling of comfort and love just sitting on my Dad’s lap. All felt right in the world. I loved spending time with him, especially on Saturday mornings when we’d run errands together. It didn’t matter where we went- to the cleaners, the hardware store, or the bakery. It was fun going around with him, just the two of us. He always made me laugh.

As you’ve organized, what treasures have you or your clients discovered? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join the conversation!

Possibilities open up when your space is clear. I use the word “space” to encompass not just the physical spaces we live and work in, but also the mental and emotional space that we carry within. These past few months, I’ve been deeply involved in clearing out our family home of 56+ years. It has taken most of my time and energy. As you might imagine, it’s been an intense and emotional process. The home was filled with thousands of papers, photos, furniture, dishes, collectibles, artwork, books, music, family history and memories to process and decide about.

As a family we had to choose, what was being kept, donated, sold or let go of. Tons of decisions were made to clear the spaces and prepare the home for next. Even as things exited, the memories and positive feelings about our family home remained. Those memories go deep and are ingrained within, way beyond the “stuff.”

The clearing of the spaces prepares for memories, possibilities, and experiences that a new family will have in our beloved home. This extreme letting go of the things from within the family home and ultimately the family home itself has been preparing me for a new phase of life...one that is no longer anchored in this home that I grew up in.

So as the layers of stuff have been peeled away, as the floors are sanded and the walls are painted, possibilities open up not just for me, but for others too. What will be is yet to be understood or known; yet I’m feeling hopeful about how things will evolve and shift. And while it's been a highly emotional journey, it's also the natural course of things. We aren't meant to keep our things forever. They, like the people we love, are with us just for a time. 

What have you noticed when your space is clear? What has transpired within and without from your cleared spaces? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

Several organizing challenges commonly occur with my clients. A few months ago, I had the pleasure of talking with my friend, John Hunt, from Smead, about the top five organizing challenges and strategies for overcoming them. I’m thrilled to share these two podcasts with you.

If you’re stuck or overwhelmed or know someone who is, keep reading. You’ll learn how to shift your perspective, engage new strategies and possibilities, and confidently take next action steps forward.

Top 5 Organizing Challenges . . .

1. Transitions

Life transitions such as a move, new job, birth of a child, or loss of a loved one can create “situational” or temporary disorganization. Transitions can be overwhelming because they can involve something unfamiliar. Current organizing systems may no longer work and require adjustments. Watch the video (Part 1) to learn transition strategies like making a list of areas that need editing and organizing or recalling other past transitions that were successfully navigated.

2. Papers

While we live in a digital age, papers are still a big organizational challenge. Overstuffed and outdated files, unopened mail, and the management of paper can easily cause us to feel overwhelmed. Watch the video (Part 1) to learn paper management strategies including creation of a simple system to process incoming paper.

Organizing Challenges: Transitions and Paper, and How to Overcome Them (Part 1)

Linda Samuels' Smead interview with John Hunt - Part 1

3. Emotions

Organizing can be more challenging, especially when we have a strong emotional attachment to our possessions. This can happen when we’re experiencing grief or loss. Decision-making can be more difficult making it harder to let go. Watch the video (Part 2) to hear about possible strategies, which include engaging the help of a supportive, non-judgmental friend, family member or professional organizer and allowing your belongings to have “safe passage.”

“Organizing can be more challenging, especially when we have a strong emotional attachment to our possessions.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

4. Maintenance

Organizing involves not just establishing workable systems, but also maintaining them. Maintenance is an often overlooked, yet integral part of the organizing process. Watch the video (Part 2) to learn some maintenance tips including building in regular daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly stopgaps.

5. Mindfulness

Distractions interrupt our focus and frequently disrupt the organizing process. When organizing, we can focus on the future or past instead of the present. Watch the video (Part 2) to learn some mindfulness strategies including using “Full Circle Thinking”, where you purposefully pay attention and are mindful of what you’re doing while you’re doing it. Focus on one “circle” at a time until it’s complete such as “I’m opening the drawer and closing it.” Or, “I’m unlocking the door and placing my keys back in their home.”

Organizing Challenges: Emotions, Maintenance, Mindfulness, and How to Overcome Them (Part 2)

Linda Samuels' Smead interview with John Hunt - Part 2

What is your top organizing challenge? Are there strategies that work for you? What are the possibilities? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

Success is such a personal thing, even when it comes to organizing success. We view and define it differently. Some of us are excessively hard on ourselves and barely allow any acknowledgment of success or progress.

Sometimes we’re so focused on our goal that we rush through the tiny successes along the way, barely noticing them. What I see most often with clients is how overwhelmed, especially at the beginning of a large organizing project, can color their definition and expectation of success. In those situations, “completely done” is what success means to them, and until that happens, they remain in a very negative place. As I said, success is personal. We experience it differently.

What does organizing success look and feel like for you?

While I recognize that we each define organizing success differently, when working with clients, I help them celebrate and acknowledge the small successes along the way. Because let’s be honest. No project gets done in one simple stroke. Projects only get done by working consistently over time, piece by piece, and by changing some habits and behaviors in the process. It’s essential to cheer yourself on, do a happy dance, or shout out some “woohoos!” with each small success. These will help you relive the success and propel you forward for more success. You’ve heard this before, and it’s worth repeating: Success breeds more success.

Remember that organizing success has a range in what it looks like. Here are some recent client and personal organizing successes that have brought about high fives, big sighs, and huge smiles:

• Editing a box of old papers

• Labeling toy bins

• Deciding to let go

• Creating a resource list for an organizing project

• Decluttering the corner of a living room

• Clearing and organizing papers and “stuff” from kitchen surfaces

• Packing for an upcoming trip

• Preparing tax information for accountant

• Unpacking and organizing the last few boxes from a recent move

• Editing and organizing child’s clothing closet

• Handling daily incoming mail

• Hiring an onsite shredding company to shred decades worth of papers

• Organizing a pile of papers from the office desk

• Making a to-do list for a massive organizing project

• Organizing past event papers into accessible files

• Seeing donates, trash, and recycling taken away by hauling company

• Hiring professional organizer to help with an organizing project

What does organizing success look and feel like for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.