Well, well, well. The A to Z of Organising has landed on W.
Wardrobe – Sometimes the best way to understand our clients’ organising struggles is to go through them ourselves. I’m a naturally organised person, but when my central heating failed and the tradies had to remove the ceiling in my wardrobe, I was gifted the chance to be my own client. Here’s what I learned the day I decluttered my wardrobe.
Wellbeing – There are those who dismiss the value of the professional organising industry. They say things like, “Why would someone need help to get organised? Doesn’t it come naturally?” Well, if you’re reading this article, you know that it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. You will also know that helping someone to create an organised space to live or work in helps with productivity, efficiency, safety, family harmony and much more. In fact, it helps with overall wellbeing. Ask any past client and they will agree. So when someone comes at you with the tired old line, “Why would someone need help to get organised?”, you know what to tell them.
White space – There is great value in white space. Designers know that leaving white space allows the eye to focus on what’s important, free from excessive “noise” and distraction. That’s important to remember in our organising work as well. Often times our clients think that being efficient with space involves using every single nook and cranny to store their stuff. We can help them understand that filling a drawer or shelf to 80%, rather than 100% will actually make it easier to use that drawer or shelf. The same goes with their daily timetable. Allowing white space in a mental health sense means taking a mental pause from work and other busyness to allow the mind to wander, recharge, and daydream. When we can guide our clients towards embracing white space, they will feel the benefits.
Woe to warm wishes – Decluttering and organising can be an emotional roller coaster, especially for those who are challenged with chronic disorganisation, aka many of our clients. They can feel woe when surrounded by stuff that isn’t serving them but lack the knowhow or motivation to deal with that stuff. They can feel woe when confronted with items that represent ill thought purchases or a failed relationship. They can feel woe when faced with a mountain of decisions and a shortage of confidence. But then when an organiser steps in with the understanding and experience that makes the decluttering and organising process less painful, or even enjoyable, those feelings of woe can switch. By the end of a successful organising session, that “stuff” is sent off with warm wishes, perhaps to find a new home with someone else who can use it or love it. Think of Marie Kondo and her method of thanking the home for its service before even starting to remove anything. Gotta love those warm wishes.
To read about the rest of the A to Z of Organising so far, click here.
