More than Tinsel to think about at Christmastime

Doesn’t it sound like I’m going to write about the importance of gratitude and charity? While this time of year does tend to make us more reflective and likely to reach out to friends and family, that’s not the direction I’m heading.

But before I dive into this month’s blog, I have to address those who read my post last month and are expecting Part II on chronic disorganization (CD): with the last shopping weekend before Christmas less than 24 hours away, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to point out some of the things we should be prepared for in the days ahead.  Part II on CD will follow next month. 

So, this is the last weekend that those celebrating Christmas will be able to swarm to the malls. While you may be motivated to brave the crowds to ensure you’ve got the perfect gift for everyone on your list, I can’t pass up the opportunity to draw your attention to a few minor details that may make the following week a bit easier on you.

Holiday meal planning. If you’re planning a big meal, you’ve likely covered all the key components. Remember some of the less-significant parts of entertaining as well. Do you have all the condiments you need? Napkins? Butter? Chairs? Storage containers (so you can offer care packages of leftovers to some of your guests)?

Regular meal planning. With the excitement of party-going, road trips and making merry, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that you will occasionally be home.  When you are, you might not have the time or desire to prepare a full meal. Package and freeze any leftovers.   They’ll come in handy at this hectic time of year, when chaos subsides and you suddenly find yourself needing to feed yourself and your family.

Frozen veggies. Even if this is not something you regularly buy, it doesn’t hurt to have some on hand now.  As I said above, you just don’t know when you’ll find yourself at home. Instead of stocking up on fresh produce that can spoil while you’re out socializing, why not rely on the frozen variety that offers the benefit of an almost indefinite shelf life and the easiest prep imaginable.

What happens behind closed doors. Get your mind out of the gutter!  I’m referring to your daily “personal grooming”. When you’re getting ready to head out to that family dinner at 3 p.m. on December 24, you don’t want to discover that you’ve run out of shampoo, toilet paper, deodorant, or anything of the sort.

Dry cleaning. Be aware of closures. Dry cleaning businesses are often family-run.  They will often close for an extended period of time between Christmas and the new year. If there is something you need to wear over the holiday season, be sure that you’ll be able to get hold of it well in advance of when it’s needed.  

Tis the season to get sick. While this is a time to focus on joy and merriment, the reality is, a lot of people get sick over the holiday season.  It could be a flu, cough, or mild cold. Check your over-the-counter meds to ensure you have everything you need – just in case. Also, try to have clear liquids on hand, such as broth and juice.

Prescriptions.  If you or a loved-one take daily medication, check the quantity currently on hand.  There’s still time to get refills before the drug stores go to reduced hours and you hit the party circuit.

Tape. Despite your best efforts, you still may end up wrapping gifts on Christmas Eve.  Make sure you’ve got enough tape on hand.  Nothing is worse than settling down at 10 p.m. to wrap your gifts and realize there’s no way to get the job done.

Hopefully these tips will save you some frustration over the holidays.  Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

What is Chronic Disorganization? . . . Is it Contagious?

Chronic disorganization (CD) is not a diagnosis, it is defined by a set of characteristics that fellow organizer Judith Kolberg noticed amongst many of her clients. In 1992 Ms. Kolberg spoke at the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) conference, introducing the concept of chronic disorganization. From there, many other organizers acknowledged that they observed the same characteristics and had similar experiences with many of their clients. 

So, what are the characteristics, you ask? Quite simply, if you have

• Been disorganized most of your adult life,
• Tried, repeatedly, yet unsuccessfully, to get yourself organized
• Don’t respond to conventional organizing methods, or
• Need the intervention of someone else to help get you organized,

you may be experiencing chronic disorganization.  Most importantly, no matter what you do,

Your disorganization is persistent!!!

The causes of CD are many and varied. Poor modeling in one’s formative years, i.e. Mom and Dad never taught me how to do this, can lead to disorganization in one’s adult life. Major life events, such as marriage, divorce, death of a loved one or a move can create the onset of overwhelming pressures that translate into disorganization. In some cases, one’s disorganization can stem from neurologically-based conditions such as ADHD, or traumatic brain injury, or from mental health issues like depression or anxiety. These are just a few examples from a fairly exhaustive list of what can result in the overwhelm that leads to disorganization.

And there is always a caveat. You may be a very organized person who has undergone a major life event and experiences disorganization for a period of time; maybe six months to a year, or longer. No matter how long you experience disorganization or for what reason, the outcome is the same: you feel like you’ve lost control and just can’t regain control of your life, as you once knew it. 

The good news? Help is available . . . Just because you are disorganized now and maybe have been for a long time, doesn’t mean you will, or have to be, disorganized forever. The key to overcoming disorganization is to change, 1. the way you think about your things; and 2. your habits surrounding how you use your things. But like any other change you may want to make in your life, you have to be ready to commit to that change.

No one asks that you embark on this journey alone. Change can be difficult and slow; it’s only natural that you will experience frustration and setbacks along the way.  Support is necessary to stay the course.  Some of the options available to you include one-on-one time with a professional organizer, therapist, (or both), joining a support group, or accessing an online support group.  Whichever option you choose, make sure that you are learning something about yourself and how to do things differently.  That knowledge will be the key to making better decisions for yourself day-to-day.

With so much to offer on this topic, I just might have to turn it into a multi-part series. In the meantime, if you would like more information, please feel free to contact me at chris@homepuzzle.ca or visit www.challengingdisorganization.org. 

The Aftermath of Downsizing Seniors

Well, there’s more to be said on the topic of moving.  While everyone thinks of spring as the time the real estate market heats up; summer is when the moves occur. We all know that moves are stressful; but many may be unaware of the additional challenges faced by the elderly population.

In the biz, we’re coached to go slowly, allow time for our clients to make decisions, and take pictures to serve as a memory aid.  With so many decisions being made, it can’t hurt to have a pictorial reminder, right? I know what you’re thinking, “Sure, some elderly people may have trouble remembering things, but not my dad. He’s been perfectly calm through this whole process”.

Don’t be fooled. Even those who appear to be in control are likely struggling.  This may not be apparent until after they are settled in their new home and start to ask for those same things that they rationally agreed to part with a few months prior.

Keep these tips in mind when helping an elderly loved one to move:

Be patient. The number of things required for any move are overwhelming; for an elderly person, even more so. Allow time for ideas to take root and for sound decisions to be made.

No one really wants to get rid of everything. If someone says “Throw it all away. I don’t want any of it”, they are likely so overwhelmed with the project they’ve disengaged.  

Haste in the early stages of a move may lead to regrets down the road. You may plan on setting up a perfect new home for that special person; but he or she just may need some time in the new space to figure out for him/herself what does and doesn’t work.  As long as there is no expression of angst or frustration, let the process run its course.  When a decision feels right, it will be made.  

They say familiarity breeds contempt. But those things that are familiar to us bring comfort. No doubt, some things will be discarded and some new things acquired. But don’t underestimate the benefits derived from waking up in an unfamiliar place, and seeing your favourite coaster, mug or doily. When helping to set up a new space, try as soon as possible to pull out those special things that will put a smile on your loved one’s face.  

While the decision to move may have been difficult to make, and the move itself has worn out more than a few people, it can still prove to be the best thing ever done.  Once new routines are established, there are fewer responsibilities and possibley improved social contact and nutrition, you may see a happier healthier person emerge.

Moving Day is Here!

Spring is certainly a busy time in the real estate market.  The For Sale signs pop up over night and people pull all kinds of relics out to the curb, in an effort to properly stage their home for potential buyers.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in helping people to move, it’s that you can never start to prepare too early. Whether you’re 35 or 80 year of age, moving from a one-bedroom apartment or five-bedroom house, packing up an immaculate bungalow, or hauling away truckloads of a “collector’s” – I use the term loosely – delights, there will be a lot of decisions to make and a lot of physical work to be done.  The mental, emotional and physical commitment needed to have you ready on move day is exhausting.

Bearing in mind that you need to keep your home adequately furnished and tidy for showing, consider these few pointers to make your move and move preparation run a little more smoothly.

Never assume you’ll have enough time. Have you heard what happens to the best laid plans? It’s always prudent to expect the unexpected. You will be amazed at how much stuff comes out of a well-maintained home. Don’t underestimate the amount of time needed to sort and pack. Get started as soon as possible. The worst thing that can happen is that you finish packing ahead of time and wake up on moving day feeling refreshed and prepared.  

Don’t wait until the last week before your move to take out the trash. Once you identify anything that will not be moving with you, get it out of your house.  This is true of recyclables, hazardous waste, small items you can donate to a thrift shop, larger items that may be suitable for re-sale, or those items that just have to go to landfill. Many municipalitites offer curb-side pick-up of larger items, free of charge. As well, most recycling and garbage depots allow residents to drop off hazardous waste Monday to Friday. Planning ahead for the disposal of these kinds of items can save you money in the long run.

Pack seasonable items first. You won’t need your winter coat, Christmas decorations or menorah in June.  Why not get these things boxed and free up the mental space they would otherwise occupy.  There’s got to be something else you could be planning for.

Label, label, label. No matter how tedious it may seem, label all boxes. Whether you list the specific contents, or prefer to list the area of you home that the contents came from, leave yourself some clue as to what’s inside all boxes. Consider colour coding the labels; for example, all boxes from the master bedroom have red labels, boxes from bathroom have blue labels etc.

Keep like with like. If you weren’t able to tidy up before you started packing, tidy while you pack.  If your arts and crafts project is on the kitchen table, please do not pack it in with the cookie sheets sand muffin tins.  This is the time to take your crafts and put them with your other craft-related supplies. When you need to unwind in your new home, you’ll be glad that you can easily find your crafts.  

When you finally get to your new home give yourself adequate time to unpack. Think about where you want things to go, instead of tossing them in a cupboard to be dealt with later. Taking the necessary steps to get yourself comfortably settled will make your move more peaceful and satisfying.  Best of luck to all who are moving in the near future.

Waging War Against the Inbox

I have a dirty little secret: I struggle to keep afloat of the deluge of emails I receive. Because they don’t occupy any physical space, it’s all too easy to let them sit – indefinitely.  But every time I log into my e-mail, I am irritated to see the climbing numbers.  You now the ones I’m referring to; the tally at the bottom left corner of the monitor.  How many e-mails are in my inbox? How many are unread?

About three weeks ago, I decided, for the third time, it was time to stop the insanity. Three thousand, six hundred and fifty seven e-mails greeted me that day.  Five hundred and six of them were unread. I started chipping away.  That day, I deleted 87 e-mails.  I wrote down the number of e-mails remaining, and moved on to something else.  The next time I logged in, I checked the e-mail tally.  Inevitably, the numbers had crept up.  I gave myself 20 minutes to get the numbers down and knock off a few more. 

When I logged off for lunch today, there were 999 e-mails, (61 unread), in my inbox. When I returned from lunch 30 minutes later, 1001 emails were waiting.  This will be an ongoing battle;  lifelong maintenance, if you will. But I feel good about my progress and will continue to chip away at my cyber stuff.

If an over-crowed inbox is making it hard for you to manage your online communication, here are some tips to help you get over the e-mail hurdle.

1.           Commit. You don’t have to work on this every day, but if you’re going to make a difference, consistent effort is required.

2.           Challenge yourself. Determine how many e-mails you will deal with in a certain amount of time. See if you can beat the goal you set for yourself.

3.           Sort. Sort your e-mails by sender. This way all the e-mails from your mom are together, all the e-mails from a particular retailer will be together. With your finger poised over the Delete button, scan the contents of the e-mails from one sender at a time. Then say b’bye to the expired special offers and details of the family potluck from three years ago.

4.           Take action. If an email requires action, take the necessary action. For example, maybe you’ve kept an e-mail because you wanted to verify a mailing address or telephone number. Verify the relevant information, make the adjustments needed, delete the e-mail.

5.           File. You will want to keep some e-mails. Set up folders for the information you know you will need in the future. Move e-mails from your inbox to their corresponding folders regularly.

6.           Ask. When retailers ask for your e-mail address, ask what it will be used for. Remember that many retailers will send you something daily. Do you really want to be on that mailing list?

7.           Unsubscribe. Ask yourself how often you really benefit from the e-mails that you automatically receive daily, weekly, etc. If you have never derived any benefit from them, or worse yet, never even looked at them, consider unsubscribing. For example, I’ve received e-mails from two of my favourite furniture stores for years. I can’t remember the last time I was in the market for furniture. I’ve unsubscribed. Likewise, I’ve been receiving online bulletins from two fitness groups I’ve worked out with and never read a single one. I’ve finally realized that being active – not reading about being active – is my goal. I’ve also unsubscribed from their mailing lists.

8.           Separate. Use the Tools feature in your e-mail program to create mail rules. You can create rules based on the sender or subject that result in e-mails being automatically sorted into specified folders. This is a great way to keep the junk mail separate from personal and work correspondence.

9.           Don’t give up. The e-mails will keep coming. There will be times when it seems hopeless, (like when you return from a two-week vacation to find 500 new e-mails). Decide on twenty minutes at a time, 30 e-mails at a time – whatever you can consistently work in to your schedule – just keep at it.

10.       Enjoy. Enjoy the e-mail that you really do want to receive. Enjoy the time you will save when you don’t have to sift through thousands of e-mails. Enjoy the satisfaction of having made some changes.

Planning Ahead Can Save You Money

For those living in a snowy climate, this is the time of year we long to get away to warmer locales. So many people say a vacation is beyond their reach, but I discovered that with a bit of planning and research, great savings can be realized. Surprisingly, many rewards programs and professional memberships offer significant discounts or the chance to obtain free admission.  For example, we were able to access the Disney parks at no charge, after redeeming our Air Miles reward miles for park passes.

If you plan to stay in a hotel, you’re pretty much destined to eat every meal out and live through the wait times that often accompany dining out. This year we stayed in a villa, an option that was more cost effective than a hotel and afforded us some of the comforts -- and savings -- of being at home.

Travelling to a US destination meant we could purchase anything we needed once we arrived, but realizing we wouldn’t be able to use full packages of everything needed, we threw in a few household items when we were packing. Some of the things we brought along included coffee, sugar, filters and dishwasher pacs. We’d never use full packages of these if purchased after our arrival, and these items were easy enough to pack without risk of leakage or breakage.

If we were really on the ball, we would have packed a lunch on a few days. Maybe it’s a sign of my age, maybe I really do have a healthier diet than I realize, but I couldn’t handle the repeated consumption of pizza and chicken nuggets. We did always pack water for the day. That which costs $0.87 at the grocery store costs a minimum of $2.50 once you’re inside the gates. But before packing your cooler bag, make sure the park you are visiting allows outside food. We learned that visitors’ bags are checked before they are admitted to any park, except on rainy days.  Then it looks like anything goes.

Bon voyage!