Usually around this time of year, I host a webinar class all about the organising trends of the past year and how they affect us professional organisers. But seriously, I just couldn’t face talking about the year that’s been for a full 45 minutes. So here’s a short review of the organising trends of 2020 instead…
First let’s talk about the hoarding of toilet paper, and anything else. People who never hoarded anything in their life hoarded toilet paper. It was a stark reminder that anxiety and a sense of lacking can drive anyone to acquire irrationally and cling tightly to something. As it happened, I wrote this article over at Hoarding Home Solutions. It just might give you an insight into hoarding behaviour.
Once toilet paper supplies were secure, it seems that lockdown had everyone either baking bread or decluttering their homes. I wonder how many bread making machines are still in use, and how many we organisers will declutter in the future?
It was great to see people reassess their possessions during their stint in isolation. Things were bagged up, ready to go to the charity shops, but the charity shops were closed. Good Samaritan sites and Facebook Marketplace came into their own as communities got closer. I noticed an increase in sharing locally. Gym equipment became a hot commodity in my area.
Our homes got short term makeovers. The dining table became the home office. The garage became the gym. Many people realised they were not getting what they needed from their home. It’s another chance to reassess values and needs. No wonder junk rooms and junk drawers were being decluttered.
Zoom and other videoconferencing platforms made it commonplace to access services, from mental health support and yoga classes to real estate viewings and professional organising services. People who never before downloaded an app are now comfortable with the online world. Virtual consultations are here to stay, and in fact, I am now (almost) exclusively consulting virtually.
Sadly, mental wellbeing for many people suffered this year. The bad news is they will need support going into the future. The good news is that the government has extended telehealth availability, and the required support will be there. They will also need sensitive organisers, skilled at working with complex needs clients, to help them. Please consider becoming skilled in that area if you plan to work with them. Wendy Hanes wrote this article over at Hoarding Home Solutions. It talks about hoarding, but likewise relates to other complex needs.
We had a brief encounter with rainbows when Get Organized with The Home Edit launched on our screens. Colour coordinated everything and pretty labels were briefly all the rage. There’s a bit more to it, and I actually enjoyed the show more than I expected to. I wrote about it here.
While I would never want to repeat the events of 2020, I do acknowledge it gave us an opportunity to be creative and practice our resilience. From an organising point of view, that’s a good thing.
What organising trends of 2020 did you notice? And which will stick with you?
