Here we are already at the letter S in our A to Z of Organising.
Safety – Decluttering and organising is about making the right things easily accessible, sometimes visually appealing, often creating space and harmony. But there is one aspect that must be taken into consideration and is too often overlooked – safety. When clutter is present, especially extreme clutter, there are dangers to the resident which must be addressed as a priority. A broomstick is a handy tool, and every home will have one (no need to bring your own). Use it to check whether the smoke alarm is working, and then use it to demonstrate to the client the width of the path necessary for access to the front door. You can find more safety tips on the Hoarding Home Solutions website.
Saving – Now by no means do I mean saving every item that comes into your life, or saving bits and pieces of “useful” stuff for some unknown event or date. I’m talking about saving money, saving effort, saving time, saving space, saving your sanity, all of which happens when you are organised. We organisers love to see that magic happen.
Sex Toys – Yes, you read that right. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that helping someone get organised can be very intimate. We organisers can become trusted confidants. Clients have told me secrets that even a best friend doesn’t know. Somehow while working quietly side by side, sorting through personal papers or souvenirs from a past life, the clients feel comfortable sharing their innermost thoughts. I had one client who showed me her hidden stash of love letters from an old flame. Her husband had no idea it was right under the bed. And another client asked me to find the “right” container for her collection of sex toys. She also insisted that if she died I should somehow make sure her children didn’t find that container while clearing out the house.
Simple – Keeping it simple will make it easier to do, easier to repeat, easier to teach someone else to do, easier to remember, easier to create order. Want an example? Check out a quick tip from my mother-in-law here.
Small Steps – Change is hard. Change takes time. Lasting positive change comes from making small improvements. Our clients often expect big changes overnight that will instantly make them more organised. But small steps are often a better approach. They are easier to insert into daily routines. Small steps can be managed, tweaked, fine-tuned. People can learn from small steps. They learn what worked, and what didn’t work, and why. They learn about themselves and their preferences. And with each small step taken, they can take another and another. Before they know it, they’ve created new habits, achieved new goals, and feel in control and organised. Small steps equal big success.
To read about the rest of the A to Z of Organising so far, click here.
