Systems & Techniques Archives

Try Everything Organizing

June 4, 2019 by Heather Filed Under: Creative process, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources Leave a Comment

There are a lot of people who feel like they LIVE the try everything organizing approach and there are others who feel that the latest trends or books about organizing SHOULD work for them, but they don’t. That can be extremely frustrating and lead a lot of people to think they are doing something wrong or that they just can’t get organized! That makes me so very sad!

I like to take the ‘Try Everything Organizing approach” when working with creative clients who feel overwhelmed or like organizing is impossible for them. What do I mean by this? Well, we might mix systems for example and use the Kondo technique for books and clothing but try something very different for anything that is sentimental and harder to part with. When I say I use the Try Everything Organizing approach, I literally am going back and drawing on all the systems and techniques I’ve learned from books and classes on organizing and productivity.

I believe that when we are learning something new, we need to explore different techniques, experiment and practice. A dogmatic approach might work for some disciplined personalities but it might be more frustrating than helpful for artists, collectors, free thinkers and less conventional creative individuals. I work with a lot of clients who fall into one of the above categories…not putting anyone into a box, just sharing a description of some of my favorite client! Sometimes some of these individuals are ADD/HD and are so creative in their approach to problem solving, we come up with (invent/discover) some really amazing solutions. Mistakes lead to invention! There might be obstacles along the way…

you might be frustrated
you might be overwhelmed
you might be-feel laziness
you might be un-interest or un-motivation
there might be other people involved
you might feel shame
you might experiment
you might take an unorthodox approach
you might fail and try again!

Give yourself some “Try Everything Organizing” prompts such as, “What would happen if”? Respond by writing about it, or acting it out. What would happen if I…

I got rid of clothes that don’t fit?
I let go of books I have read and won’t re-read?
I gave someone who needed __________ more than I do?
I got rid of the magazine articles I tore out but never reference?
If I tried storing __________ here instead of there?
I let go of a few of my less favorite items in my collection?
If I tried folding my ________ instead of hanging them?
I tried living with less ________?

Your turn…what have you tried that hasn’t worked for you? What has worked? Are you already using the Try Anything Organizing approach? If not and you want to give it a try, I’d love to hear from you, Here.

My argument for keeping stuff…

May 22, 2019 by Heather Filed Under: Art, Art & Design, Creative process, In the Studio, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources Leave a Comment

Lately I’ve been in the midst of decluttering my art studio and I’ve got a heap of stuff to get rid of! I’ve certainly waxed on and on here about letting stuff go but today I want to share my argument for keeping stuff. This argument is not necessarily one that can be applied to all categories of “stuff” in our homes or work life but it’s certainly relevant for “artists” who work a process.

As both an artist and an organizer, I often have partially (un) finished works in progress (WIP’s) laying around my studio. Unlike partially made food, most art projects don’t have an expiration date and reviewing older work can spark both joy and inspiration to grow and work in a new direction! Some of the artist I work with invite me to participate in the process of reviewing work they have made. Together we sort into the Keep or Toss piles just like we might do with anything else (clothes, books etc). A lot can be said for tossing some of our badly made, “UGLY” art! Seriously, sometimes I look at some things I made and it just makes me cringe. I don’t want to keep those things, in most cases, not even to re-purpose into something else or give away.

Then there’s the argument for keeping stuff that is worth exploring further. Maybe it’s a certain technique, a color combination, something striking about composition or something nostalgic that evokes a personal response. All of these are great reasons to hold onto some of our art that might not be “best work” or finished. One of the most challenging aspects of making works of any type of art is knowing when to say it’s done. If something is undercooked or we leave it on the burner too long, it’s no longer edible. Art can be like that too, if it’s under developed or overworked it might just have to go (into the trash). But we learn from our creative mistakes! Part of the process of developing our skills is to review our mistakes and our successes. Looking back at work we made that helps us to grow argues a strong case for keeping some things that might not have been finished or “successful”.

I once read an article on creative process where the artist Robbi Joy Eklow suggested a “Time Out Box” for works of this nature. We do this with kids and with kids toys, why not our art? Setting something that you are unsure of aside so that you can come back later, review it again to see if it “Sparks Joy” is a great way to learn from your creative process. I’ve gone back to sketchbooks from 20+ years ago and found ideas that I’ve revisited and been overjoyed with. I don’t think there’s any time limit on creative incubation, do you?

12 Ways to Be Well

February 13, 2019 by Heather Filed Under: Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources, Wellness & Mindset 4 Comments

Wellness means more than keeping myself from getting sick or burnt out, overwhelmed or just getting by, it means feeling good about myself, finding balance, nourishing the spirit and soul and being a good steward of the earth.

12 ways to BE WELL, in body and spirit.

1. Get 8 hours of sound sleep (give or take what feels right to you). See last week’s sleep post here.

2. Exercise regularly (3-5 times a week for at least 30 minutes), some of my favorite forms of exercise are Yoga, walking and Dancing (Nia)

3. Eat lots of organic and local produce. Same goes for meat and dairy if you are not vegetarian (which I am not but was for quite a few years).

4. Take time to do something that gives you Joy each day. This might mean quality time with loved ones (pets, family or friends) or taking time for a personal hobby you love doing.

5. Drink water as much as possible every day.

6. Use natural and non-toxic cleaning and beauty products in your home and on your body (that are not tested on animals and that do not contain parabens and other carcinogens)..

7. Keep houseplants and get out and garden if you can.

8. Volunteer and help others out when/however you can. Online is great but in person is even better!

9. Breath. Stop, notice your breath through your day and just bring your breath back to you.

10. Have FUN and Play more!

11. Be KIND, and I mean to everyone. This certainly takes practice but it’s worthwhile and will lead you to…

12. Don’t forget to Smile! Smiling can change our attitude and thoughs, give it a try regularly.

These may all seem like really basic practices and I commend you if you already do all of these (they are all a part of my regular routine at this stage in life). If you feel like some or many of these goals are not attainable please stick with it, you can change habits but it takes time. Find the ones that seem the most EASY or the most REWARDING or the most FUN and start with them!

I will be share more ideas about wellness and self care throughout February and I’d love to open this up for discussion. If you would like to join me, please connect on my Facebook page.

How do you define Wellness?

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Toiletry Toss & Tidy Up

January 28, 2019 by Heather Filed Under: Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources 1 Comment

Take a little time to know what’s going on your skin and your whole body will thank you (our skin is our largest organ)! Follow these guidelines for an easy and quick bathroom tidy! By getting rid of what’s unhealthy, funky, old or expired.

Our bathrooms are essential to our wellness but we have to do a routine Toiletry Toss to be sure we are taking the best care of ourselves.

Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world. -George Bernard Shaw

Estimated organizing time: 30-45 min’s.

Toss the toiletries. Open the medicine cabinets, closets or any cabinets you store your bathroom products and toss expired and funky unhealthy stuff. Follow these guidelines to know what to toss and why.
- Make-up-I really like this guide by Bobbi Brown, if your on Pinterest…Pin it and refer back as needed!
- Sunscreen and lotions with sunscreen-one -two years
- Perfume and essential oils-three years (store in cool dark places-not the bathroom!).
- Look for expiration dates (usually printed on the crimped ends of tubes). Better yet, mark it yourself with a permanent marker with the date of your purchase.
- Download the Think Dirty app to find cosmetics and toiletries that are carcinogenic. I guarantee you will be shocked!
Medication Mindfulness. Toss old medications but don’t flush them down the drain. This pollutes our waterways and bodies. Use safe disposal options such as returning to pharmacists (some will take them back) or dispose of them. Place medication in a small bag with coffee grounds, kitty litter or dirt so that critters and kids are less enticed. Remove any personal info before recycling or disposal.

Go ahead and dump it all out!

Clean off the crud. While everything is moved out and off the counters give them a sanitizing wipe down. I prefer non-toxic natural products. Move things out from the walls and wipe items down including the back splash. Finish cleaning up with walls and switch plates, cabinets, drawers and handles.

Bathroom Drawer-Before

Bathroom Drawer-After

Group like items. Corral the contents of your cabinets by person and category like skin, hair, first aid, oral hygiene, makeup etc. Then, if you have enough space, designate shelves, drawers, cabinets or containers (use color coding and labels!) to each household member. Store things standing up if your drawers are deep enough. There are so many great container options to organize drawers and medicine cabinets. There are great options on any budget from boxes you can recycle to inexpensive plastic baskets to fully customized acrylic drawer inserts.
Maintain-Put it away-Daily. Estimated Daily Maintenance time:Take 3-8- min’s to put things on your counters and floor away and give the counter a quick wipe. Do this every day (either in the am when you are done getting ready or before bed) you will always walk into your bathroom with a sense of wellness. Doesn’t your bathroom feel better now! Help your kids and your spouse do their own toiletry toss once you complete your own.

“The greatest wealth is health.” ~Virgil

Need more? Email me and I promise to help you through it. One way doesn’t work, for everyone. I offer virtual and in person organizing, more info here.

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Your clutter action plan

January 17, 2019 by Heather Filed Under: Organize, Paper management, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources

What areas of Clutter overwhelm you? It’s important to identify where you get stuck and understand why. This clutter action plan will help you establish order and bring clutter under control. If you’re not clear on this, check out my post on the muddy water metaphor to help you identify with the feelings behind your clutter…then hop back over here or jump in now!

Start with the least cluttered category. Whatever category on your list above feels easiest – small stuff or big stuff (clear a big space)-start easy! By starting with easier items we gain compelling momentum! You will move on to bigger challenges once you’ve made progress in easier areas.

Decide before you begin. Start with a category of items (my preference), ex. all books, all kids clothes, all papers, all kitchen stuff or work by location (one closet at a time etc). There are advantages to each. When working by category you need to gather everything in one place and when working by location you may have to go back to locate things that belong in other categories. Decide before you begin.

Schedule it. Block out distractions and give yourself a deadline (a day a week etc). Set aside the time you think this will take. Estimate it and give yourself a bit of extra but set a limit. If appropriate, schedule a donation pick up, this will motivate you to get it done by the time they come for the pick up!
Gather supplies. Such as bags, boxes, sorters, a label maker/labels, rubber bands, paperclips, a shredder etc and make sure these items are handy if not right by your side).
Create a work zone. This will serve for the duration of your clutter clearing project. Ideally you can leave things (supplies, unsorted stuff, donation stuff) in this location till you are done! Even better if you can close the door on them between sessions if you can’t complete everything at once (a day, a weekend etc).
Make it fun! Put on some great music, light a candle, some incense…whatever will put you in a happy place.
Sort it. Start with trash, toss items if they are broken, don’t bring joy or are otherwise not functional. Make a maybe pile if you aren’t sure. Start with what’s easiest, if you think it’s useful but don’t need it, donate it to your charity of choice! It helps to know your things will be loved and used by others-share your abundance!
Categorize it. (seasonal, where you use it, how often etc). This is where you begin to see your organizing systems emerge. What do you need based on what you have?
Contain it. If you can’t do this all at once the create an area to work through un-categorized items until you’ve finished every last item. It can help to work through one category at a time. Don’t stop till you’ve returned things to their homes (old or new), tossed the trash and donations are out the door.
Reward yourself and Repeat. For each category or location take the steps above to complete the action plan and reward yourself with something small (flowers, a meal out etc).

When you have cleared all of your clutter, you can be of greater service to those around you.

-Michael B. Kitson

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