ARE YOU A HOPPER? Learn Your Organizing Style Series Time #1

Do you often jump from task to task to task without completing anything? If so, you’re a Hopper.

Hopping is the most common organizing style. Hoppers switch from one task to another – like playing in a leapfrog game. In the age of digital and video everything, people’s attention spans have become shorter.

Want to be sure? Take this Quiz:

As you answer Never (N), Occasionally (O) or Frequently (F), rate yourself according to the following scale.

Never 0 points              Occasionally 1 point                 Frequently 2 points___N__O_  F   

1-      Do you enjoy having many irons in the fire?                                                   

2-      Do you mind working on several tasks simultaneously?

3-      Do you interrupt what you’re working on to do something you just remembered?

4-      Do you leave tasks unfinished?

5-      Do you find yourself moving in fits and starts?

6-      Do you have trouble remembering where you replaced items?

7-      Are you easily distracted?

8-      Do people complain that they can’t follow your train of thought?

9-      Do you tend to run around faster when you feel confused or anxious about your work?

10-   Do you ever start to work in one room and wind up in another without knowing how you got there?

                          TOTALS

0-6 points           You’re not really a Hopper.

7-13 points         You have strong Hopper tendencies.

14-20 points       You’re a full-fledged Hopper.

WHY YOU HOP:

1-      You’re easily distracted.

2-      You enjoy variety and a change of pace.

3-      You desire immediate gratification.

4-      You like to feel busy.

WHEN YOU HOP: (even if you’re not a Hopper)

1-      You’re bored.

2-      You’re frustrated.

3-      You’re anxious.

4-      You accept too many unnecessary interruptions.

Planning your next steps and knowing where you’re going to land is what separates the successful Hopper from the unsuccessful ones. Hopping works well only when you’re comfortable and in control.

Now I have offered you a basic outline of this organizing style but if it resonates with you and you want to learn strategies and ways to make this organizing tendency to work for you can find it all in the book:

HOW TO BE ORGANIZED IN SPITE OF YOURSELF   

We all fit into at least one (if not more) category, and I would love to hear your thoughts as you read through the series.

Do You Want to Learn Your Organizing Style?

When I first moved to Sedona I often heard the expression “a Sedona moment”. Here, it means that it’s fate, kismet, meant to be….the vortex made it happen!

I want to tell you about one of my “Sedona Moments”.   

I came to town with a brand-new business and had to make all my connections from scratch. I joined the Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Groups, Business Groups and any other I thought would help me move forward. But something happened that I never expected. 

One day I got a call out of the blue from a woman named Sunny Schlenger. She heard from a mutual acquaintance that I was starting a new Professional Organizing business in town and wanted to meet me. She explained that she was once also a Professional Organizer and wanted to offer advice, guidance, really, anything she could do to help me move forward. I couldn’t believe my luck. We agreed to have lunch and of course, before I went, I Googled her.

I nearly fell over.

She was not just a Professional Organizer, she was probably The Original in the business! She had been on many talk shows and written many books. She was doing “the thing” before it was a thing!

She shared a lot of wisdom with me, and I will be forever grateful for that.

Now, I would like to share some of her wisdom with you.

Sunny wrote a book called How To Be Organized In Spite Of Yourself     

Here’s how she describes it: “In my first book, How To Be Organized In Spite Of Yourself, I identified 10 different styles of managing time and space that determine which organizational products and systems are best for each individual. I don’t believe that getting organized is simply a matter of solving a series of problems, but rather learning how to make personal, individual choices that will bring you close to who you are, and who you’d like to be.”

I just picked up this book again and with Sunny’s permission, decided to create my next series of blogs by sharing this information with you.

What’s Your Organizing Style? Stay tuned and find out.

TIME:
Hopper
Perfectionist Plus
Allergic to Detail
Fence Sitter
Cliff Hanger

SPACE:
Everything Out
Nothing Out
Right Angler
Pack Rat
Total Slob
 

Buckle Up! It’s going to be fun, and you will probably learn a little about yourself. 

Random Organizing Tips

Ideas are always popping into my head, and I write them down as I go. The last time I looked at my list I realized that it was long enough and worth sharing.

So here you go. My list of random organizing tips:

1-      Don’t automatically just buy bins and baskets to store stuff in.  Before storing anything take the time to go through the process of deciding if you really need to keep it. Just because you can hide something and make it look pretty, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get rid of it.

2-      Always put things back in the same place. This is especially important when it comes to smaller items like keys, watches, jewelry, phones, mail and remotes. When you start this habit, you will spend a lot less time stressing and searching.

3-      Take the time to organize your fridge and pantry. Searching for food when you’re hungry is no fun! Neither is buying food you don’t need.

4-      Invest in gadgets for kitchen cabinets. I’m not usually a big fan of gadgets but organizers for pots and their lids are wonderful space savers.

5-      Make the most of your free space. When space is used properly, you can gain a lot of storage. High shelves are often neglected because we don’t want to go find a stool. Also, don’t forget about the space under the bed.

6-      Keep visible spaces looking neat. Keep open spaces clear of clutter, surfaces clean and make your bed!

7-      Go through belongings frequently. Our needs, likes and style can change frequently. Take the time to cull through your clothes, toys etc. as time goes by.       

8-      Keep your garage organized. Think of your garage as an extension of the house. Try not to automatically use it as a dumping ground for things you’re not using.

9-      Make the best use of your drawers. Pay attention to what you’re putting into drawers vs on shelves. If it can be folded, put it on a shelf. Save the drawers/containers for things you need to dump.

10-   Organize as you go. When you organize things a little at a time, the task seems much less overwhelming.  

Home Organizing Before Selling

This is a topic I truly believe in. It makes no sense to me to just pack everything and move it. It wastes time, money and manpower. When you organize before you move, you take only what you need, love and will use.

Apparently many other organizers agree with me.

I (and many other Professional Organizers) were recently interviewed about this topic, by the people at Inspection Support.

ENJOY THE ARTICLE HERE

Small Projects - Fourth Quarter

WOW! Here we are in the final quarter of the year. Have you completed all your small projects so far?

Here’s the final batch. Keep up the good work!

EMAILS

- Go through your contact list and update email addresses
- Go into Junk Folder to make sure nothing ended up there that shouldn’t have
- Report any Junk Mail that seems like “Phishing” (ie: anything asking for you to click to update your information)
- Go into other emails and unsubscribe from anything you can

LINEN CLOSET

- Remove everything and clean the shelves
- Check for any torn or stained items – If you don’t need them turn them into rags or discard
- Play with how you fold the items so you can use the maximum amount of space
- Use stackable bins to contain smaller items and make efficient use of higher space between shelves

TOYS & GAMES

- Go through all games to see if they are still age appropriate
- Discard any toys/games that have broken or missing pieces
- Donate any toys/games that sit unused
- Decide how to organize the toys/games so they can be properly and cleanly put away after use (bins, baskets, shelves)

MUD ROOM/ENTRANCE WAY

- Keep only items that fit and are being worn – donate what is just taking up space
- If possible, only keep one season at hands reach at a time
- Find ways to contain smaller items and shoes/boots (ie: bins, baskets, racks, hooks)
- Make sure each family member has the same amount of allocated space  

 Well, the list is complete. If you found some others along the way…please share.

Let’s start it all again next year!

Small Projects - Third Quarter

Can you believe how fast this year is flying by?

As promised, I’m back with more small project ideas! Let me know how you’re doing.

BATHROOM VANITY

- Empty and clean all the drawers
- Go through items and dispose of anything unused or expired
- Collect loose items and put “like with like” (ie: hair accessories, make up)
- Get some form of drawer organizer to keep small items contained

BOOKSHELVES

- Take all books off the shelves and clean them
- Decide which books you want to keep and which you might donate
- Decide how you would like to organize your books (ie: color, height, subject, author)
- Replace the books on the shelves in an orderly way

FILING CABINETS

- Take out each file one at a time and look through it
- Discard anything that is no longer valid (ie: old insurance policies, expired contracts)
- Update the file names so they are current and accurate
- Properly dispose of what you’re not keeping – SHRED whatever has personal information on it

DESK DRAWERS

- Empty and wipe down all the drawers
- Discard anything that no longer works (old pens) or is unused
- Collect “like with like” so they can go back in the same drawer
- Get some form of drawer organizer to keep small items contained

Remember, take your time. These are small projects, but important ones!

Small Projects - Second Quarter

As promised, here are some ideas for small projects for the next 3 months. I find that taking your time to do specific projects and not just jumping into a whole bunch at once, is much more productive. 

These are in no particular order but are of equal importance.

JUNK DRAWER

- If you have more than one junk drawer, consolidate everything into ONE
- Empty the drawer and throw out what really is garbage (ie: broken elastics, empty pens)
- Decide if anything can be stored elsewhere (ie: loose office supplies back into the office)
- Get some type of drawer dividers to keep items sorted and organized

BEDSIDE TABLE

- Empty and decide if any loose items can be re-homed (ie: hair ties, nail polish, dental floss)
- Put as much as possible in your drawers so you have a clean and clear surface
- Get some type of drawer organizer to gather all the small items
- Leave yourself a reminder note to put things back instead of dumping it in your drawer because it’s there and it’s easier.

TUPPERWARE

- Remove all pieces and match with a cover.
- Get rid of all the incomplete, damaged pieces bad quality pieces
- Assess if you are using all the pieces you own – if not, time to donate
- Nest the smaller pieces in the larger to maximize space in your drawer

MEDICINE CABINET

- Go through and properly discard any expired items
- Put all “dangerous” items at the top out of reach of children
- Organize prescription medications by person
- Organize over the counter medications by category (ie: Cold & Flu, Allergy)

Simple enough right? And, plenty of time to get it all done.

Please share if you do!  

Small Projects - First Quarter

When you want to stay organized, there are SO MANY little projects that need to get done around the house.

Do you feel like you never have the time? That the chores are just endless?

I thought it may help to break things down a little. Plan on doing a few chores within each quarter of the year. I have created some lists and will post one each quarter if you choose to follow along. These are in no particular order and are not seasonal…they are just off the top of my head.

CLEAN OUT UNDER THE SINK

- Remove everything and wipe down the cabinet
- Go through and throw away empty products
- Find caddies/storage for sponges or other loose items
- Get rid of products you don’t use

CLEAN OUT THE FRIDGE

- Remove everything and clean shelves and bins
- Go through and get rid of expired items
- Consolidate items if you have multiples
- Make a list of what needs replenishing

CLEAN AND ORGANIZE THE PANTRY

- Remove everything and clean the shelves
- Go through and get rid of expired items
- Consolidate items if you have multiples
- Find caddies/storage for loose packets and other small items
- Make a list of what needs replenishing
- Donate any non perishables if they won’t be eaten

UPDATE YOUR RECIPES

- Eliminate any recipes that are too complicated or time consuming 
- Keep recipes you know your family will love
- Find a box, bin or binder to keep your chosen recipes all in one place

SORT THROUGH RECEIPTS

- Divide receipts into business or household
- Use the receipts to check through your credit card charges (avoid any fraud on your card)
- Keep business receipts in a safe place so you can find them at tax time.
- Shred receipts when you no longer need them

That list doesn’t seen too bad if you have 3 months to do it…RIGHT? 

I’d love to hear how you do!

Let's Entertain Neatening Things

It’s again that time of year when many people will give up some of their favorite things for Lent.  That is not something I practice but I often wonder what I would (or more specifically) could give up.

Then, as my mind always does, it started to wander onto how I could relate these thoughts to my work? And… it may be a stretch but I came up with this:

L.E.N.T. = Let’s Entertain Neatening Things   

This is something you can do for yourself at any time. Making things neater and tidier will help you feel more in control and grounded.

Here are ten ideas of places to begin:

1-      Junk drawer in your kitchen

2-      Medicine cabinet

3-      Home office drawers

4-      File drawers

5-      Pantry

6-      Bookshelves

7-      Toy boxes or shelves

8-      Garage cabinets

9-      Nightstand drawers

10-   Shed

Now, our main goal here is to tidy up, but while doing this you may take stock of everything in these areas.  If you don’t use them, need them or love them then give them up for your L.E.N.T.

I’d love to hear how it goes!