The Stress-Free Move: is there such a thing?

One of the services that Out of Chaos provides is project management during your move process (before, during, and after). We take care of all the details.

We hear horror stories all the time about moves gone wrong.

The Top 5 Move Moans

1. We were not completely packed when the movers arrived
2. We were living in boxes for months after the move
3. The movers placed boxes everywhere, except in the right rooms
4. How do we avoid the landfill with all our unwanted stuff?
5. We were so overwhelmed with all our stuff and did not know where to start

Following these move tips to ensure a stress-free move. Read more

Last week I was making a presentation to the graduating class at Ashton College, a local college that provides career and continuing education to both domestic and international students.

In preparing for the appropriate words of wisdom, it gave me the opportunity to reflect on my own journey and the journeys of those that I have worked with throughout the years.  In my work as an organizing & productivity consultant, one of the most common things that I come across is people who are dealing with procrastination and how they struggle with developing systems to reach their goals.

There’s a saying by Nicholas Murray Butler.  “People are divided into three groups:  Those who Make things happen, those who Watch things happen, and those who Wonder what happened.”

Everyone of us, at some point deals with procrastination and even the most organized lose their way.  It’s overwhelming at times to know where to start, when the piles are so high and the to-do lists are so long.

Things will continue to be thrown in our paths, whether it’s through paper mail, email, or people interactions.  Our lists and intentions will continue to grow.  It’s about adapting to change and circumstances and thinking about things in a different way.

I grew up Watching my Dad work in hotels and working in my Dad’s restaurant.  I grew up Wondering what was happening that he was able to create such a buzz and excitement for his loyal customers.  So it was no surprise that when I was ready I wanted to Make things happen for myself.

I followed in his footsteps and entered into a career of over 20 years in the hotel / restaurant industry.  When the events of 9-11 struck, I lost my job with the downturn of the hotel economy.  All I knew was the hotel industry – so what now?, I asked.

I had no idea what I wanted to be, otherwise I would be there already…I had to look at things differently and adapt to the changes that were before me.  There’s another saying, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there”.

I needed a plan, a system, a map.  I had to map out what I wanted, what my goal was.  Then, I had to decide how I was going to get there?  How I was to accomplish my goal?  Which road would I travel to get there?

Success can be defined in many ways and is different for everyone.  It may be about money, a job, providing for your family, status.  For me, it was to be self employed with my own business.

Whatever it is, your goals can change and will change.

It is so easy to sit back and procrastinate and think one day…later…  To Watch – as things fly by.  To Wonder – what if…

Make thing happen:

1. Adapt to the changes that will always come your way
2. Look at things differently (do something different)
3. Set your goals (determine what you want to achieve)
4. Design your road map (how are you going to get there?)
5. Be persistent, be brave, take one step at a time

Which person do you want to be?

1. The person who MAKES things happen?
2. The person who WATCHES things happen?
3. The person who WONDERS what happened?

A recent situation with a homeowner forced her to sell her 3200 square foot house and move into a 1900 square foot condo. She was so overwhelmed to be forced out of her home of 35 years that she had no idea where to start or what her options were when it came to downsizing her possessions.

Four options to consider, when it comes to leaning out your household goods and downsizing your home. Time is always a factor and cost is a variable. Cash, Consign, Craigslist, or Charity.

Read more

After last month’s live call-in show on CBC’s BC Almanac with Susan McNamee, a listener called in with a dilemma — her husband’s sweaters.
…to be exact, the sweaters that her husband’s mother had knit for him.

They had moved into a new home and the sweaters were packed away in a box (all 30 of them). She had refused to unpack the sweaters, since he never wore them. So they sit, in the box, unpacked, in their basement, never to be looked at again.

Yet… he would not let them go. He would not even talk about them. The organizing challenge is how she was to approach her husband about ‘The Sweaters’.

I often talk about value, being made up of two components — Emotional and Usefulness.

It was obvious that her husband had no use for the sweaters, especially since they were sitting in the box, months after the move, still unpacked. Emotional on the other hand — bingo! ‘His mother had made them…’

My recommendation in this scenario:

1. Throw Blanket
   Find someone who can knit. Hand knit sweaters can be taken apart and the yarn can be used to make a throw blanket(s). You might even consider a ‘patchwork’ of all 30 sweaters. So, every time you snuggle up with your re-purposed throw blanket, you will be reminded of ‘mommy dearest’.
2. Themed Photo Album
   Have some fun and have a dress-up day. Take out your camera and take a picture of your husband in each of the sweaters his mom made. Place them in a photo album with a snappy caption under each photograph (scrapbookers are jumping at this creative project). Use this as a way of honouring his mother and the memory of each sweater.
3. Donations
   Of course, there is the practical argument of donating the sweaters to a seniors home/centre or to a charity in need.

But, as you are well aware, this has nothing to do with a useful decision — it’s clearly pure emotion.

… thank goodness it’s only one box.

Summer vacation is at an end. Your kids are restless.  Business is about to kick into high gear again. You’ve got a million things to prepare. It’s time to get organized again for the school year. Where to start? You have to leverage your resources.

Perhaps you want to de-clutter and get out from under the piles of stuff that have accumulated since June (or since you moved into a new home). Or Perhaps you need systems in place to boost productivity for your business for the next quarter. If so, feel free to get in touch with me regarding professional organizing services to get your new school year off to a great start.

Maybe you need help with another area of your life or business so you can get focused for the coming season? I’m happy to recommend some partners, colleagues and trusted services I’ve used that might also benefit you.

Here’s a quick list of resources that can help you:

• Melanie Fung Lifestyle Management Inc. Personal shopping, small business assistance, running errands, event planning and more.
• Fresh Start Recycling. Helping home owners, building managers, and construction rid themselves of unwanted items.
• Silver Bullet Shredding. Professional, reliable and cost-effective shredding services.
• Recycling Council of BC. Information about where to recycle.

Do you need help organizing your time? De-cluttering your space? Making sense of your paper and electronic files? Get help from a professional organizer today.

Have a great start to the new season!

Are you stuck at the office while everyone else is out enjoying the summer sunshine? Taking a pass on the neighborhood barbecue because you’re just getting to your taxes – in August? Get organized and you can enjoy life again.

This month, the Scrivener Magazine published my article from page 10, “Get Organized and Enjoy More Time” with tips to not only get organized, but also stay organized.

Some excerpts that you may find helpful:

Read more

Knowing how to prioritize tasks is a common problem. It’s a challenge whether you’re keeping your home de-cluttered or maximizing productivity for your business. I see it with my clients and I definitely know it from personal experience.

As most of my friends and colleagues already know, I’m getting married this year. Naturally, I’m organizing the big event. I’m also running my business full-time, running off to consultations and home-organizing gigs. And of course, I have to have a life…

How do I avoid burn-out? I prioritize.

Before diving head first into a long list of tasks, it is important that you are clear on your vision and goals. Determine what you want to achieve in your organization, business, work and personal life.

• Ask yourself the following questions:
• Do you know what your company vision is?
• What are the goals you need to accomplish to meet this vision?
• What are your short-term and long-term goals?
• How does your personal goals fit into your day?
• What is important and of value to you?

Be clear about what needs to be accomplished. Every action that you take should serve to support reaching this vision. See your goals. Schedule milestones. And once you’ve got that plan, don’t procrastinate.

I help people de-clutter their lives and get rid of the bad habits that led to the chaos in the first place. Sometimes, my professional advice seems a lot like something you might hear from a life-coach.

After all, my “Three P’s” — planning, process and procedures, which help people stay organized and have a good life balance are also keys to long-term success.

Recently, some of my friends in the coaching field have written advice about forming good habits and letting go of things. My colleague, Dr. Brian Walsh, who collaborated with me on the Self-Hypnosis CD Ending Procrastination, provides this advice on improving behavior:

Over 97 per cent of our behaviors are unconscious. These behaviors are the result of imprinted patterns. Most of these were created when we were very young, perhaps under the age of seven. Another term for these patterns is habits, and yes, procrastination is a habit. It was learned, so it can be unlearned.

Most people believe that it takes 30 days to establish a new habit. Recent research has found that anyone can establish a new habit in as little as five days. Now, there’s a catch to this. Even if you have planted a new habit, the old one is still hanging around and is fighting for survival. Old habits die hard.

Here’s the key to success. Be aware that every time you fall back into the old habit, it will gain strength, and the new pattern will begin to weaken. The converse is true: Every time you practice the new pattern, it will gain dominance over the old one. Eventually it will dissolve, and that might take 30 days. You’ve heard that “Practice makes perfect.” Actually: “Practice makes permanent.”

On the topic of how to make your habits work for you, Life Coach Julia James has written a great article with a list of steps to follow:

1. First, pick a habit to establish.
2. What would be the smallest action you could take to get started? Commit to doing this one small thing on a regular basis, ideally on a schedule.
3. Set up a reminder to help you remember your commitment.
4. When you feel ready, gradually increase your commitment – but no more than you can consistently do.
5. Share your commitment with someone. Accountability really helps.
6. Identify the personal values you are honoring with your action.
7. Notice how good you feel when you follow a healthy habit; give yourself kudos for taking this positive step.
8. Stick with your new habit for at least 30 days. Before long, this behaviour will feel automatic and you won’t have to think about it anymore.

I’ve written before about how to face down the challenge of letting go of stuff that we don’t need. But what happens when your identity is tied to the things you own? My friend, Living in Vision Coach Lynne Brisdon discusses how to get past your hesitation:

When we have a strong attachment with our stuff our identity can feel threatened if we let go of it. This also has to do with being afraid of change and needing to control our surroundings in order to feel secure. The antidote is to shift to a sense of self identity that is truly about being who you are and not associated with having stuff.

This can also be related to the mistaken assumption that material objects: cars, a new PDA, or outfit, will fulfill us or have us feel complete. We feel good for a little while after acquiring the object of our desire, but we soon end up feeling empty again. We mistakenly equate having stuff with being loved instead of feeling whole and complete regardless of our belongings.