NAPO Oregon
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PRODUCTIVITY AND ORGANIZING PROFESSIONALS
Author: MaryJo Monroe, reSPACEd
So you’ve made the decision to get outside help with your organizing project. That’s great!
But how do you choose the right Professional Organizer (PO) for your needs? This question can vary based on your organizing projects, your home and your specific needs.
Here are some important qualities to look for as you search for the best PO for you.
Often, Professional Organizers will have different specialities, so it helps you narrow down your options if you know what to ask for. Specialities may include things like paper/digital organizing, downsizing, eco-conscious organizing or product-heavy organizing.
Specialties might also focus on various populations such as kids, seniors or clients with brain-based conditions like ADHD and Chronic Disorganization (CD).
One of the benefits of choosing a NAPO organizer is that you can rest assured knowing they have completed multiple classes in organizing and are required to carry business insurance. This way, you and your belongings are protected while they work in your home.
This is part of being a professional. Contracts spell out what you can expect from the Organizer, what they expect from you, and the scope of the project so there are no surprises once the project starts. Working without a contract means you may be unprotected should problems arise.
Some organizers charge by the project, some by the hour, and some sell packages of hours. Be sure to ask about possible extra charges such as travel fees, assessment fees, credit card processing fees, cancellation fees and organizing product fees.
This is essential so you can meet the organizer and make sure you feel comfortable with their style and process, as well as all of their policies before you begin. It’s also an opportunity to ask questions and find out the answers to all of the points in this blog post.
Review our blog post How to Get the Most Out of Your Organizing Session. Ask the Organizer their stance on these items so that you can be prepared for the first session, should you choose to move forward with that person.
Are they non-judgmental and compassionate about your situation? Do you feel confident and excited about your project with them? If not, keep looking!
Having someone work in your home for hours at a time can feel vulnerable, so it’s important that you feel comfortable and confident in your organizer.
Need help finding the right home organizer for you? Click here to browse a list of local Oregon NAPO organizers. When you hire a NAPO organizer, you are hiring someone who has professional training, adheres to a code of ethics, protects your privacy and carries insurance.
Happy Organizing!
Author: MaryJoMonroe NAPO Oregon Chapter Member reSPACEd www.respacedpdx.com
Author: Deborah Debban, Embracing Order Being a parent is a rewarding yet demanding role that can often leave little time for oneself. The constant juggling act between work, home, family and personal responsibilities can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
However, there is a solution that can alleviate some of these burdens: organizing your home.
In this post, I’ll share some simple strategies and practical tips that will help you organize your space, simplify your life and reduce stress. Ready to get started? Let's do this!
When faced with the daunting task of organizing your entire home, it’s essential to start small and break the work into manageable steps.
Begin with a specific area or room that needs attention, such as the kitchen or your child’s playroom. Set and achievable goal and a timer for the area that you are focusing on.
By starting small, you’ll quickly experience a sense of accomplishment and momentum, making it easier to stay motivated and keep going.
Remember the saying, “Many hands make light work?” Involving your family in the organizing process not only lightens your load but it also teaches valuable life skills to your children.
Assign age-appropriate tasks to your kids and encourage them to take responsibility for their belongings. By instilling a sense of teamwork and ownership, you’ll not only create an organized home but also strengthen the bond within your family.
One effective strategy for managing a busy life is to prepare for the day ahead. Think of this process as a gift to your future self.
For example, get the coffee ready, pack lunches, set out outfits, and gather necessary items for activities and appointments.
This simple practice will save you precious time in the morning and alleviate the dreaded morning rush. You’ll start the day feeling more in control and less stressed. Plus, you are getting those tasks OUT of your head and completed or at least written down, lessening the mental load.
As a busy parent, maintaining an organized home can be transformative for you and your family. By embracing organization and involving your family you’ll experience reduced stress levels, increased efficiency and a more peaceful home.
Remember to start small, think ahead, and celebrate the progress you make along the way. With each step, you’ll create a home that supports your family’s well-being while providing a haven of peace in the midst of life’s unending chaos.
And remember, if you get overwhelmed or need assistance at any point in your organizing journey, there are NAPO Professional Organizers in your area that would love to help you get started, stay motivated and provide their expertise to your specific home and family’s needs.
Author: Deborah DebbanNAPO Oregon Chapter Member Embracing Order, LLC embracingorder.com
Author: Gabrielle Proust, Proust Dynamic Organizing
Two months ago, my housemate inherited over 10,000 books from a family member. To be clear, he already had a personal library of close to 1,000 books.
You may think this was rather an inconvenience to him, but no. Because saying he loves books would be putting it lightly: He is obsessed with books. This devotion was made clear when we moved into the house we bought together and his furniture consisted of:
-1 bed -1 desk -1 cat -10 fully loaded bookshelves
Five minutes after he told me about his inheritance, I casually glanced around our open plan living space.
“That’s quite a few books. Have you thought about where they will go?” I asked calmly.
I may be the queen of the understatement, but I’ve learned in my years as a Professional Organizer to always approach each client with caution and kindness. I leave judgement at the door, focus on empathy and ask questions. My roommate’s collection was no exception.
“Well, I’ve still got room for 3 more bookshelves upstairs – if I stack them. That’s 360 books. And the linen closet is under-utilized. I only need 2 sets of sheets and 2 towels. The rest can go away. That will give me room for 200 more.”
“And the other 9,440?”
I keep my voice level though I feel like asking, “Where in the blue blazes are you going to put 9,440 more books!” This is my house too after all.
Don’t get me wrong. I love books too. I have my own bookshelves and enjoy sitting down to while away the hours getting lost in a good story. My cat fits perfectly on my lap while I read. It’s a slice of heaven.
But there is physically not enough room for 10,000 books in this house.
I rummage through my mind for the best approach in this situation. Two of my favorite acronyms for getting organized pop into my head. They are from Organized to Last, by Porter Knight: FOCUS and RRRIPP.
Forward thinking: Plan for the long term. What books are you actually going to read in the next few years? Can you borrow them from the library?
Open space: Clear areas for peacefulness and some decorations for your bookshelves.
Concentric circles: Place the most important books closest to where you will use them: career books in the office, light reading near a comfy chair, cookbooks near the kitchen, and so on.
Upright storage: Go up, not out. Are the shelves arranged for maximum storage?
Simple systems: If the system is too complicated you will never use it.
“How many of those 10,000 books are you really going to read?” I ask.
“All of them…” he replied, without a hint of irony.
“Really? All of them? There aren’t a few that you won’t touch?” Say maybe 9,440?
“Well, I probably won’t read the 20-volume set on the history of the staple. Or the 960 books chronicling the life of a fruit fly – one volume per hour. You know they can live 40 days?”
“Ok, good start. That’s 980 books you can donate. I’m sure there is someone out there who would just love to read about the…staple…or a fruit fly. Gotta be one person at least.”
Gradually I bring my friend back around to the reality of our situation. There are simply more books than places to put them.
Refuse: Before accepting new books going forward, remember that it's ok to say no! Say thank you, accept them if you must, but don’t put them on the shelf where they will be forgotten.
Recycle: Eliminate excess by donating books or giving to friends who truly want them.
Refer: Remember that you do not need to be a storage locker for anyone. This is where it is great to work with an organizer. One of my client’s favorite lines is: “my Professional Organizer told me this must be gone by [fill in a date].
Identify: Know what books you own and where they live. This is helpful when you are shopping because now you know what you own and what you do not want more of. We have all bought a second copy of a book we forgot was already on the bookshelves at home.
Post: Block time on your calendar to work on each shelf and bookcase. A little every week gets a lot more done than you imagine because it is not so overwhelming as trying to do the whole library at once.
Put away: Everything should have a “home”. Put it there, so you know where to get it when the time comes to read it / work on it.
A couple of weeks later, my roommate and I stood looking down at piles and piles of books to donate. He crossed his arms and looked at me sideways.
“So... what do I do with them now? I don’t want to toss them in the trash. I don’t think I even could."
“Whoa! Hold on there." I say. "You don’t have to trash them! Not at all. Let’s prep the books you want to donate and take them to..."
Granted, we still have lots of books to review. But my friend is continually making forward progress. We’ll be attending the NAPO GoMonth event, and hope to see you there!
Author: Gabrielle ProustNAPO Oregon Chapter President Proust Dynamic Organizing proustdynamicorganizing.com
Author: MaryJo Monroe, reSPACEd You’ve gone to the trouble of finding an organizer, setting aside the time and making the investment. Congratulations! Asking for help can often be one of the biggest hurdles to creating change.
Now, you want to get the most out of your organizing session with your home organizer. Here are 7 suggestions from a pro!
What do you want to move towards? Homes for everything you own? The dining room table cleared off? A solution to the shoes piled up by the front door? The more specific you can get, the more happy you will be with the results at the end of the session.
If you're not sure specifically what you want to work on, write down some more general goals like "less time looking for things" or "getting the family to help put things away". These will help your organizer to zero in on your most important goals.
Sometimes trying new ways of doing things is uncomfortable at first. But this is how you will figure out new systems that work for you. If you stick to only what is safe and familiar, you won’t make progress on your organizing goals. So be ready to try out some new thoughts and behaviors.
Plan to not check email, texts or take phone calls during your appointment with your organizer. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode. If you’d like, tell your organizer you need to take a 5-minute break halfway through your session to check messages. Reducing distractions means you will be able to participate more fully in your organizing session.
Organizing takes mental and physical energy, and you don’t want to hit a fatigue wall an hour into your session. Be sure to eat a good protein-based snack before your appointment and have a bottle of water nearby. Staying hydrated and fed will keep you going for the entire appointment.
If pets are going to be a distraction, see if you can get a family member to be in charge of keeping them entertained or out of the way. Some of our clients choose to send their pets to doggy daycare during organizing sessions.
Don’t feel obligated to clean up or start organizing before your organizing session starts. You don’t want to wear yourself out or become overwhelmed before the work has even started. And no organizer will expect you to get a head start on your project by yourself!
Plus, it helps us to see your natural environment so we can understand your habits and specific organizing needs. Remember, NAPO organizers will never judge you for your mess!
It’s normal to feel a little bit nervous at the beginning of your appointment. But feel free to speak up to your organizer at any time if you feel overwhelmed, overly anxious or tired. These are signs that your organizer needs to adjust how the session is going to better suit your energy and coping levels. That is important information and we want you to feel comfortable sharing your experience so we can tailor the appointment to your needs.
It’s a wise move to hire an organizer when you can’t figure out how to make your home function, so hopefully these tips will help make your organizing session a success.
Happy Organizing, everyone!
Author: MaryJo Monroe NAPO Oregon Chapter Member ReSPACEd respacedpdx.com
It was only after I shoved aside the third casserole pan in my quest for a trowel that I faced my worst fear. I am a Professional Organizer, and I couldn’t find anything in my own garage! Tools were intertwined with tires, bike pumps and bric-a-brac were bonding, and the decorations were dangling with the dust pans.
“Enough!” I said aloud. "Enough of this catastrophic conundrum of chaotic containers cluttering up my car spot!"
You see, an hour earlier, the rain and leaves falling on my head had convinced me it is Fall. And with it, my professional training announced itself with a big voice in my head:
Fall is a great time to clean up and organize garages and outdoor sheds. The weather is cooler, the garden is waning, and it’s time to bring in the tools and cover the patio furniture.
Problem was, I spotted that one weed missed. It had to die. Right then and there. So off to the garage I went for a trowel. Argh! Three hours later I have no trowel, the daylight is gone, and I swear, that weed is grinning menacingly at me.
Then I thought about Susan.
I’ve changed her name to protect her from the Clean Police – you know, those people always raising their eyebrows at messes and “harrumphing“ when they spot disorder.
Yeah, them. They are so annoying.
Susan moved into her dream house several years ago – a Victorian cottage that needed a little work.
Years later, all was gorgeous and immaculate…except for the garage. During the initial home renovations, everything that didn’t fit somewhere landed in the garage. She always intended to sort it out once she had the time.
Well, as is true for so many of us, life happened. Her garage became One Big Mess. She was just too busy to organize it, so she called the professional - me.
She hired me to organize the projects, arrange the equipment, and discard the junk.
At the start of every organizing project, I ask my clients what is most important to them, and what are they ready to move along. But before she could even answer that question, we had to inventory the garage. We identified five major categories:
Simply coming up with the categories helped her feel like the task was no longer overwhelming. It was the first time she smiled inside her garage in years.
With list in hand, we sectioned her garage. She has a large space, so the process took 4 days.
Category 1. I started on the right side where there was already shelving. I pulled out everything that wasn’t training & showing dogs related and set it aside. Next, I moved to the opposite side and did the same for the power tools. Heavy tools went on the bottom shelves.
Accessories, lighter tools, and auto supplies went in the cupboards above. The piles of batteries were sorted and stored with the corresponding tool. I left the workbench empty and ready to use.
Category 2. Next, it was time for the back wall where all the small tools and restoring projects would be organized. Susan is “vertically challenged”, so both peg boards needed to be lowered to a more practical height.
Category 3. Sorting the tools into categories helped make the placement easy: painting, wall-paper equipment, general tools like hammers, goggles and gloves. Most of the tools went in drawers that were labeled simply (this is a garage after all). The paint brushes and frequently used tools went on the pegboard. I made sure to use the little clips that keep the pegs from jumping off.
Once I established the best placement, I used a black marker to show where “home” is for each tool on the pegboard.
Category 4. For the garden area, it worked better to put the tools just outside the back door on hooks under an overhang in the garden. The supplies stayed inside on shelves near the door.
I told Susan to take a little time now to clean, sharpen and paint her garden tools so they’ll be ready to go when the gardening bug comes back next spring. We also moved the old fertilizers and hazardous materials to the Junk pile.
After 8 hours the first four items on her list were sorted. Once that was done, number five was easy. Junk was everything that remained!
Three trips to Goodwill and one trip to the dump (and hazardous materials drop-off) was all it took. Susan was pleased, and her garage was no longer an embarrassment.
Do you have One Big Mess than needs organizing? Does it feel overwhelming?
You will find clarity as you finish each area, and you can take a break to do some tweaking. Many of my clients only need a push to get started. They are motivated to get it finished after I leave. Other clients have me back once a year to refresh and modify the whole area.
Either way, they can find what they want, when they want it, making the garage a wonderful useful space.
Last weekend, I took the same approach to my One Big Mess. Genius! I also found the trowel and that weed is no more!
Author: Sarah Gomm, New Chapter Transitions
As the weather starts to cool down and that crisp, autumn-y feel is in the air, I begin to think about fall décor. The cozy blankets and throws in plaids and autumn colors, woven baskets, scented candles and naturally...everything pumpkin spice.
Fall is such fun, but it can be easy to get caught up in a decorating frenzy and purchase more décor and seasonal tchotchkes than needed.
Here are 4 ways to cull more and purchase less this season!
Look at what you are pulling out of your seasonal storage bins. Are you excited to see it after it being stashed away for 9 months? Do you still say “Oooo, I love this”? If so, keep it. However, if it doesn’t still wow you, release it, giving it a chance at a new life via your local charity shop.
Do the pieces you decided to keep still express the look/feel of your home or the vibe you want? Maybe your style in years past was ‘cute country’, and now you much prefer the ‘coastal grandmother’ look. Our tastes and preferences can change. If it doesn’t reflect who you are now, donate!
Just as fast fashion is real, so is fast décor. Think dollar stores and aisle endcaps tempting you at the store. These things are made cheaply, look cheap and don’t last.
Rather than buy a bunch of fast décor, consider buying ONE special, high-quality item that really speaks to you. Gold star to you if that one purchase is from a local store rather than online. And of course, donate the fast décor from years past that you no longer enjoy.
Here's one of the best things about fall: very likely there are free decorations right outside your front door! And if they aren't free, they are available at your nearest pumpkin patch for a low price. Best of all, these items can all be composted at the end of the season, which frees up storage space in your home.
There are so many objects from nature this time of year that will create an autumn mood, such as:
Have fun incorporating nature’s décor with your favorite traditional pieces. Mix up the styles to create a curated look. It will appear as if you have collected over the years and hand selected every item with a creative and discerning eye.
Once the season is over, do a review of what you used for your fall decor. If there are items that you didn’t use because you just didn’t have the space for them (or simply because they didn’t speak to you) ditch/donate them now. Next year when you pulled out your seasonal bin, you will be thrilled to see only the things you love and cherish.
With every change of season, it is a great time to reevaluate our things, culling and donating items that we no longer love. It gave you pleasure and now it can give someone else equal pleasure!
Author: Sarah Gomm NAPO Oregon Chapter Treasurer and Provisional Member New Chapter Transitions www.newchaptertransitons.com
Author: Christi McLaren, Bright Space Organizing
Have you ever considered the fact that your car is actually a room on wheels? It's true! The average American spends 51 minutes per day in the car, according to a study performed by AAA. As a result, an organized car can make a huge difference in your everyday life.
Just like an organized kitchen makes cooking easier and safer, an organized car makes traveling easier and safer, too!
Here are 5 simple steps to get your car organized, and KEEP your car organized!
First, grab a trash bag and a box. Start by gathering up all of the garbage in your car (fast food containers, gum wrappers, grocery receipts, etc).
Once the trash is collected, grab all the items that belong in your home and place into the box to put away inside your home. That could be bags of merchandise, school supplies, mail, etc.
Next, remove all the items that belong in the car and place these into categories (like with like). This will be things that you might keep in the car but still need to review and declutter. Think CDs, reusable shopping bags, first aid kit, etc.
Review these items and create a donate pile for those things you no longer use, need, or love (outdated maps, uncomfortable sunglasses, CDs that you never listen to, etc).What now remains are only those car items you use, need, and love.
Now that your car is empty, it’s the perfect time to wipe down the dashboard and center console, vacuum the seats and floor, and clean the windows inside and out. Every car needs a trash bag!
This is also a good time to wipe down the items that are getting put back into the car. These can get grungy over time.
Designate a “home” for each item going back in your car by placing it where it makes the most sense to you. Containerizing can be very helpful. That could mean zipper pouches for the glove compartment, a folding trunk organizer for groceries, or a seat car organizer for your various smaller items.
Finally, restock your car with any necessary missing items (car tissue, hand sanitizer, replenishing your first aid kit, flashlight, etc).
Make sure all important papers are current, including your car insurance documents, drivers license, emergency contact numbers, and so on.
Maintenance is the most important step! Harness the momentum of your hard work to create a new routine: Every time you arrive home, remove all items that do not belong to your car. Request your passengers to help!
Designate one day a week to clean your car and fill up with gas. I recommend doing this every week, whether it needs it or not.
Implement these tips and you and your family will always have a clean, well organized car ready for use!
Author: Christi McLarenChapter SecretaryBright Space Organizingbrightspaceorganizing.com
Author: Megan Spears, Disorder2Order LLC
Paper is one of the most frustrating things to organize; it accumulates fast and can be easily lost. It also takes energy and time to read through a document and decide where it goes. It’s easy to see why we procrastinate dealing with paper piles. We spend a lot of time searching, sifting, sorting, filing, and churning all that paper. It’s exhausting!
As tax deadlines approach, a reminder will arrive (often coming in the form of a document in the mail from your accountant or the federal government), to get your records organized. This is the perfect time of year to finally set up a system to manage your records: when your taxes are on your mind!
Set yourself up for long-term success next year by creating a filing system while you are sorting through records and preparing your taxes this year. This filing system will work for you, instead of against you! Here are five steps you can take to get your paperwork organized.
A massive amount of paper lying around is somehow related to filing taxes, so it’s good to start there. Use your previous year’s tax records as a checklist to help you create file categories.
You can create a series of folders (paper or digital) with each category listed. As records come in, simply file them right into the folder.
If you have a record that you don’t need for tax purposes, ask yourself why you’re keeping it. Speaking of that…
“If I can get this information somewhere else, do I need to keep it?”
Me
This is a critical question you should always ask yourself when trying to decide if a paper record is worth keeping.
For example, if your bank has copies of all your records accessible to you online, do you really need to keep the paper copy of your statement?
Remember, if you have access to that record, is it worth keeping it? Perhaps the answer is yes! If that’s the case, then you’ve answered your question and it makes sense to file that record. If not, perhaps it’s OK to let that go. You can also check directly with your bookkeeper or CPA to find out.
A command center can help you organize your most important documents in one place. Usually, they have separate compartments to keep documents or folders organized and at your fingertips.
You can set up your command center in your office or kitchen, but ideally, wherever you process your mail is the best spot. Pick something that works for you.
For the best search results, google desktop file organizer.
Photo credit: The Container Store: Like-It Large Desktop Station
Having a recycling bin near or close to you while you process paperwork can make all the difference when staying on top of managing your paper piles.
You can easily toss envelopes, inserts, or junk mail immediately. Allowing less time processing and more time on records that need your focused attention.
If you want something to get done, you must make the time to do it! Managing paper is no exception. Set yourself up for success and start small: 15, 20, or 30 minutes at a time is perfect.
Use that time to ONLY deal with your paper piles. Don’t pick up your phone or read your email - just sort paper. Sort your records into your designated categories, then file or decide you don’t need it, and then recycle.
Even though the IRS is moving slowly this year, it doesn’t mean you should. Having a system in place to manage your paper means less time stressing and more time doing things that you love.
Author: Megan Spears Professional Member CPO® Disorder2Order, LLC www.disorder2order.com
Whether that means decluttering a room, organizing your paper piles or hiring a Professional Organizer to get the ball rolling, we are here to make the process easier!
In the spirit of GO Month, I've put together some decluttering tips to help support both homeowners and organizers who support them. I hope you find these useful!
1. For those who have a hard time making decisions when decluttering, it can be very helpful to designate a specific home for everything. When the available space for that category is used up, this serves as a visual cue that it’s time to declutter. Relying on these visual cues takes the decision making outside of the emotional brain, and allows our more rational-thinking brain to make choices about what to keep and what to declutter.
2. Starting the decluttering process can be very daunting. If you feel overwhelmed, focus on one corner of the room and work outwards. Don’t worry about the rest of the space - that will follow as you build momentum and confidence.
3. Before you begin decluttering, grab a bin and designate it as a “go elsewhere” container. Any items you find that need to be put away in another room should go in there, which helps you to avoid wandering into other rooms and getting distracted.
4. If you feel overwhelmed by organizing, start in areas with a "low emotional barrier" - places like the bathroom or laundry room where you'll feel more ready to let go. That will look different for everyone.
5. Kitchen cabinets are clutter magnets for items that rarely get used. If you have two of the same thing or two different things that serve the same purpose, choose between the two.
6. When decluttering in the kitchen, getting rid of excess food storage containers is half the battle! If you have Tupperware that you can’t find the lid for - get rid of it.
7. 85% of all textiles thrown away end up in landfills. When decluttering your closet, if you have items that are too damaged donate but you don’t want to put them into the trash, cut them up and make cleaning rags out of them.
8. You’ll never be “done” with decluttering; it is a constant process that becomes much easier with daily practice. To maintain your larger decluttering efforts, set up a donation bin in an easy-access location (or two!). Pop some trash bags in the bottom and a Sticky Note “donation” label on the font. When it gets full, place everything in one of the trash bags and donate!Ti
9. Place a small recycling bin in each room of your home. You would be amazed at how much clutter just sits around in the form of items to be recycled! Bathrooms, bedrooms and near where the mail piles up are all great spots.
10. Decluttering your bathroom might be as simple as checking the expiration dates on a lot of your products. Many makeups, sunscreens, medications, supplements, lotions and nail polishes can expire or dry out. If you look on the back, you can see the number of months from the open date when the product will expire. (This usually looks little a little jar or bottle with the number 18M or 12M - that means 12 months from the open date. Here is a quick video with examples if that is helpful.)
11. Take before and after pictures of your decluttering projects. Seeing how much progress you have made will inspire you to keep going! It’s easy to forget how far you have come and so helpful to have a reference for the times where you are feeling overwhelmed.
12. Schedule your donation drop-offs and pick-ups right away. A pile of things you are planning to get rid of is still clutter until it is gone. If it's in your calendar, you are more likely to follow through. Remember, this is an ongoing process. Each small step - even dropping things off at a donation center - should be celebrated!
Author: Aimee Bloom Professional Member Inspired Living NW www.inspiredlivingnw.com
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.
Author: Sherri Curley Professional Member The Practical Sort www.thepracticalsort.com
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.
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