When people contact me, it’s often because they want a better “system” for mail, their office, their clothes, their kitchen items, their attic — you name it.
In most cases, these same people have already gone to a store and bought a ton of bins to “organize” their junk, thinking that will create a “system.” Then they call me because the “system” does not work, and now they really can’t breathe because they just brought a bunch more junk into their homes.
What I have to tell you is, no matter how many bins you buy, you can’t create a “system” out of this:
Or this:
Or this:
That’s because when you buy MORE — i.e. bins, baskets, bowls — to organize your stuff, it only brings in more chaos, not less.
The the first step to organizing is purging. End of story. You can’t start with the system. That’s because the “system” you want in place only works when there is less stuff.
When I show up, I tell clients I have to get them down to ground zero FIRST, then we can create the “system.” We do this buy throwing away trash, selling items worth selling and donating other items. When you really look at your stuff, it’s easy to find things you no longer want and need.
Once I get them down to ground zero, then we can create the “system.” It takes an expert with a plan, however, to create a system that works. Sometimes, a client’s original system works. It just didn’t work before when there was so much stuff. And I help you figure that out AFTER we have purged.
Once you purge, you end up with this, and that’s why a “system” works:
