Downsizing, Part I: Getting Started

Today we begin a three-part series on downsizing, a process that Professional Organizers are often called upon to assist with. Some clients downsize because their kids have flown the coop and they no longer need their big five-bedroom, three-bath house. Others reach a point in their lives where they just don't want the hassle of maintaining a big house and yard. And then there are those unfortunate souls who are forced to downsize because they can no longer live independently and must move into assisted living or nursing homes.

As we get older, keeping a handle on the volume of stuff we have in our homes is a challenge for even the most organized of families. And for families who have avid accumulators or chronically disorganized members, downsizing can feel downright overwhelming. Many of us have entered our parents' or grandparents' basements and asked, "What IS all of this stuff, and why are they keeping it?" Heck, you may have asked that very question about your own basement or garage.

If you are considering downsizing in the future, start now to take control of and responsibility for your belongings. Let go of what isn't serving you, what is broken, or what has negative feelings associated with it. Keep what you love, what has warm memories, and what serves your life in a positive way. Just make sure there will be room in your future smaller home for the items you decide to keep.

Here a few tips to help you or a family member get started:

• Take one room at a time (or even one drawer at a time) and begin to set aside items that you don't use or don't love. Keep reminding yourself that your future home will be filled with only those items that add value to your life.

• If you think a particular friend or relative would enjoy an item more than you, put a sticky note on it with their name. Later, call that person to confirm that they want the item. If they don't, add the item to your charity or sell pile.

• If you have a consignment shop nearby, go ahead and take a few resalable items over and open up an account. Then, as you systematically go through the downsizing process, it will be quick and easy to drop things off. Also, most consignment stores can help you arrange pick up and delivery of larger pieces of furniture for resale. Before you know it, you'll start receiving consignment checks.

• Throw away items that are broken and can't be easily and inexpensively fixed. Please resist the urge to keep broken items because you may use them later for "spare parts."

• Start a donation box for your favorite charity.

• Consider having a yard sale but know that this is a time-consuming, physically exhausting endeavor.
  

That's enough to at least inspire you to get started. I'll be providing more specific information about donation sources, consignment, Craig's list, and Ebay in Parts II and III of this series.

Cool Product: Travel Pack-It Folders

School's out and it's vacation time. That also means it's suitcase packing time. A really cool product to help you pack more efficiently is the Pack-It Folder from Eagle Creek. They keep everything from suits and jackets to shirts and slacks neatly folded and compact. And since garments are enclosed in the velcro-sealed pockets, they don't shift during travel, keeping them practically wrinkle-free.

The other neat thing about them is that they come with a little folding board that has graphics showing you the best way to fold different garments. While traveling, I keep my folding board in the packet so that I can re-fold any clean clothes I didn't use on the trip. (Yes, even I sometimes overpack. Gasp!)

I've been using all three sizes for a couple of years now and I LOVE them. I also got a couple for my husband but wasn't sure if he'd break his old packing routines and try them. Once he did, he was hooked! They make it so easy to find a particular garment if you are on the road for several days and don't want to have to unpack everything every time you arrive at your new hotel.

In between trips, I store my Travel Pack-It Folders in the suitcase I use most often. This follows the organizing principle that you should store items where you use them.

If you hurry, you may be able to get the Eagle Creek Pack-It Folders for 25% off from The Container Store during their travel sale!

Looking for Blue Eyes

I believe in the power of intention, that if you believe you can do something, you can. I ran across a fun story this morning about a little boy who believed he could do something extraordinary, though in his youthful exuberance he may not have realized it was extraordinary.

The boy, Nicholas Wagner of Chicago, found a one-in-a-million, blue-eyed cicada in his backyard last Friday. His kindergarten class had been studying the 17-year cicadas and he learned that a rare blue-eyed version existed. He told his parents that he was going to find one and he did! His mother told one reporter, "He's been looking for a long time."

What I find so inspiring about this story is that this little guy decided what he wanted, actively and passionately set out to get it, and kept going until his mission was accomplished. Many older, wiser individuals might assume something so elusive would be impossible to find or that it would take too much time and work. But little Nicholas Wagner didn't let those silly notions stop him from reaching his goal.

Is there something you want that you think would be impossible to achieve? Remember this little explorer the next time those doubts start creeping in.

Give Your Stuff a Second Life

My husband and I are crazy about cool old photos, and I recently came across this one of a Goodwill truck from the early 1900s. The writing under the Goodwill logo says, "Springfield Goodwill Helps Folks to Help Themselves."

If you fast-forward 100 years to Goodwill Industries International's web site, you'll find that their slogan today is "Let's go to work!" The site explains that more than 82% of Goodwill's revenues are used to fund their employment and training programs. I love the idea that, by giving your stuff a second life through donation, you might also be giving a person a second chance through the development of practical job skills.

As a Professional Organizer, I've dropped off countless bags of my client's donations at the Goodwill truck near my house. Yes, it's convenient. But I also prefer Goodwill because I've been a Goodwill shopper for a couple of decades. My husband, Greg, and I are collectors of mid-century modern artifacts. Put more simply, we collect cool old stuff from the fifties. In the nineties, we found most of our collection by prowling around thrift stores and flea markets. Greg is also a crazed collector of vinyl records (mostly weird old country music, nowadays) and Atlanta history books and postcards (remind me to tell you about his Atlanta history web site someday), so we often poke our heads into thrift stores when we're traveling. Let me tell you, the most organized, most professional, best stocked thrift stores are Goodwill stores.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should run out and go shopping at your local Goodwill store. My goal here is to get you to give your stuff a second life by donating it, not to encourage you to bring more stuff into your home or office. I just wanted to sing the praises of one of my favorite charities. If you live in Atlanta, there are tons of other good local charities that could use your donations including The Salvation Army, Dress for Success, Travelers Aid Atlanta, The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, The Atlanta Community Tool Bank, and local church charities, just to name a few.

Don't think you're just wasting your stuff when you donate it. Know that there are people who would be delighted to buy your "junk" off the shelves and racks of your local thrift store. So, if you haven't used it, don't love it, and it's not broken, consider giving your stuff a second life by donating it to whatever charity warms your heart.

Learning Jack Canfield's Secrets

I'm just getting back from a week in Minneapolis where I attended the annual conference for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). What a blast!! It was so inspiring to hear lessons from some of the best experts in the organizing field including Judith Kolberg, Debbie Stanley, Dorothy Breininger, Barbara Hemphill, and Monica Ricci, just to name a few. Believe me when I tell you that these folks have done innovative and amazing things to move professional organizing forward, and they were so giving of their expertise.

But perhaps my favorite speaker of the week was Jack Canfield, motivational speaker, co-creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book series, and author of one of my favorite books "The Success Principles". Additionally, he recently contributed his words of wisdom on the DVD for "The Secret. " I arrived early to the meeting hall so that I could get a good seat and ended up sitting fifth row center. Jack Canfield was amazing!! In his inspirational presentation, he focused on the importance of positive thinking, the incredible power of intention, and the necessity to commit your goals to writing.

Let me throw out the same challenge to you that he gave our audience of 900 Professional Organizers. In the next 24 hours, write down one goal in each of these three categories:

* Financial
* Business/Career
* Fun/Recreation

With each goal, write down how much and by when. For example, one of your goals could be that you'll make $100,000 per year by December 2009. If you really want to see results, you could also create a Vision Board that includes images representing your goals. Keep these written goals with you all the time and review them at least once per day. Visualize how great your life will be once you achieve your goals. See yourself having already achieved what you're wishing for...the new car, a better relationship with your teenager, a job promotion, or an organized office.

Then release the goal for the universe, the infinite force, God, or your own imagination to accomplish. Don't focus on the HOW. Focus on HOW MUCH and BY WHEN.

Finally, create one BIGGER goal. Canfield calls this your "Breakthrough Goal." Examples might be to write a book, be featured on a major talk show, get a big new corporate client, or find the man of your dreams. Stretch a little because if you believe you can do it, you can!

Please come back and leave us a comment as your dreams start coming true!

Organizing Dawgs

If you are in the Atlanta area on May 9th from 6-8 p.m., come see me and two other Atlanta-based Professional Organizers, Emily Lyles and Kelly Waldron, speak at the UGA Alumni Association's Explore meeting. We'll be discussing Personal Organizing and showing you our favorite organizing products for your closet, home office, kid's toys, and automobile.

The program will be held at the UGA Atlanta Alumni Center at 3333 Peachtree Road. NE, South Tower, Suite 210, Atlanta GA 30326. Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served. Plus, it's just a stone's throw from the Buckhead Container Store, so you could swing by there before or just after the meeting to pick up the latest and greatest in home and office organizing solutions.

Explore is a woman's enrichment program, but men are invited too. You also don't have to be a UGA graduate to attend. The cost for the event is $15 for UGA Alumni Association members and $20 for non-members. Click here to RSVP. I hope to see you there!

Cool Product: Turn-About from Pampered Chef

I just got an email from Karen who recently attended my "Managing Paper Chaos At Home" seminar. She wanted to tell me about this cool organizing product she just bought. The Tool Turn-About, made by Pampered Chef, spins freely and will hold 10 lbs. worth of tools. If you've ever been to a Pampered Chef home party, you know they make quality products.

I can see this spinner being used for easy access to kitchen utensils, office supplies, craft and sewing supplies, or even household tools. It costs $17 plus shipping/handling and tax. To order one, please contact Pampered Chef Consultant Karen Carter at kkcarter10@yahoo.com.

If you have any other cool organizing products you use and love (or have just seen and covet), email me at suellen@creativeorder.com or comment to this blog at www.betterorganized.blogspot.com.