NAPO Oregon
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PRODUCTIVITY AND ORGANIZING PROFESSIONALS
Life is full of transitions. Changing careers, launching a business, navigating through pandemics, dealing with the death of a loved one, and even organizing your home...these transitions can all be overwhelming at first. During times of transition, to-do lists can feel endless. You might feel bombarded by the mountains of information to sift through and absorb. Then there are the inevitable times that you will stop and question, "is this endeavor worth it?"
As I began launching my organizing business, there were many days when I felt that the lists were insurmountable and the obstacles too large. Even as an organized person. When I felt this way, there were two words that helped me calm myself down and refocus:
"Baby Steps."
I chanted these words to myself each morning as I prepared to tackle another checklist item. I uttered them aloud in the kitchen, thinking about all that needed to be accomplished. They were a constant comfort.
When frustrations gummed up the works and progress came crashing to an unwelcome halt, I felt blessed when those around me whispered (or more likely admonished rather loudly), "BABY STEPS!" to remind me that everything would get done in due time. It would not happen all at once, regardless of how impatient I got.
My mission for the business launch was to give myself a year to get everything up and running by the time my last bird flew the nest, and I would become a "Free Bird."
You see, I wanted to avoid feeling sorry for myself due to the changes in my life, watching my kids blossom into their adult paths taking them far away. Lo and behold, I DID get it all done...and more. The Practical Sort is now in it's 5th year, and business is going strong!
The next time you take on a big project that feels daunting, like changing careers or trying to organize your home, simply close your eyes. Notice if your stomach is churning and the muscles in your back and neck tighten because you have no idea how it will all get done.
Then, say these words or keep them in the back of your mind, "Baby Steps." Repeat if necessary.
Sometimes it is best to start with a very small project or area because the pay-off will be more immediate. Your brain will experience the surge of endorphins while you admire the progress made. This can stoke your energy and motivation to keep going!
And when you find yourself in over your head, figure out how to calm down your amygdala and get back into your prefrontal cortex, the rational thinking brain. That might look like:
Baby steps indeed. It will all happen in due time.
The changing of seasons is always a motivating time to declutter, organize and turn over a new leaf (pun intended!). To celebrate, we've found some great local Portland area events, including those related to shredding, recycling and hoarding disorder services.
We hope these help you and your clients move forward into the new season and to close the year with intention. DISCLAIMER: NAPO Oregon does not specifically endorse these organizations and is not liable for their performance.
Local shred events are a great opportunity for our clients to eliminate shredding and support a good cause at the same time. These events are increasingly geared towards collecting food donations as well as shredding, so always check before you go!
Note: Unfortunately, the Beaverton Police Department has discontinued their Shred events.
Saturday, October 30th from 9 am – 12 pm at the Sherwood Police Department.
Protect yourself and your clients from identity theft while the Sherwood Police Department works to restock the community’s food pantries. This event is sponsored by The Sherwood Police Department and Pride Disposal. They will allow two boxes of shredding maximum and a minimum of two non-perishable food items. Call 503.625.5523, #2 with questions. More Information Here.
Saturday, November 6th, 2021 from 8 am - 1 pm at 3083 NE 49th Pl, Hillsboro, 97124.
This is the fall shred event in Hillsboro, which benefits the Safe & Sober Grad Night Celebrations for Hillsboro High Schools. You are allowed three grocery bag/banker boxes of shredding and a minimum $5 cash donation per car. This event starts at 8am and they go till the trucks are full! They ask us to remember to bring PAPER ONLY. More Information Here.
As many of our members know, buried in Treasures is a FREE 16-week peer-led, judgment-free program sponsored by Washington County Disability, Aging, and Veterans Services. There is a group starting October 18th and running for 16 weeks on Mondays from 12 pm -2 pm PST.
NOTE: The dates for this course are decided once enough participants are registered on the wait list! So if you have a client who wishes to attend, they should go ahead and get themselves signed up. Once they have enough for a group, they will contact participants to decide on a time.
This program provides in-depth training and support for people with clutter, chronic disorganization, and hoarding tendencies to learn practical skills in a small group setting of up to 12 who share similar experiences. Each 2-hour session focuses on a chapter in the provided book, Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding (Tolin, Frost, & Steketee, 2nd ed. 2013, Oxford University Press), with readings, activities, and homework between sessions. Participants are expected to commit to attending all 16 sessions as well as to participate actively. Research by Randy Frost and colleagues indicates that up to 73% of participants are much or very improved by the end of the group. Participants will find a supportive community of people who are struggling to cope and are ready for change. Contact Kera Magarill at 720.210.8481 or via email at kera_magarill@co.washington.or.us to register.
Recycle or Not is a great local resource that can help clients who struggle with recycling to develop an understanding of what Oregon Metro takes at curbside pickup.
To benefit from this resource, simply follow their Instagram page. They post common household items with info on whether the item can be recycled or not. You can also Direct Message them with a photo of an item you have a question about, and they are great at getting back to you!
Note: Recycle or Not focuses ONLY on what Portland Metro's curbside service takes. There may be alternate recycling options out there for some items! For the savvy recycler, this resource will be less helpful, but it's an excellent guide for beginners who want to stop "wishcycling."
You can find out more about them at recycleornot.org, or follow them on Instagram here.
This is a great resource for our Oregon Chapter Members only! It contains resources for recycling, repurposing, selling and disposing of unwanted items. The Resource List is maintained by the NAPO Oregon Resource Committee as a benefit to current NAPO Oregon members. If you are a Professional Organizer and you are NOT a member, this resource guide is a great benefit of joining the chapter!
Once you have joined, the Resource Guide will be available in the Members Only section of the NAPO Oregon Website.
NAPO Oregon, Incorporated is a legal entity separate and distinct from NAPO, Inc. (the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) and is not entitled to act on behalf of or to bind NAPO, contractually or otherwise.
© National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals Oregon Chapter. All rights reserved.
