At the beginning of a project, my client's sense of dread is almost palpable; s/he has usually been avoiding and resisting this project for some time, and there's a strong feeling in the air of, "Where does one even begin?" (Usually we're at the "worst first" place, of course!) Once momentum picks up, the big picture begins to take shape, and order starts to replace chaos. Gradually the … [Read more...]
Navigating the mail
January 10, 2017 by
A tip about mail, gained from my former career in the USPS: One little-known fact about classes of mail is that, except for the one exception in bold caps below, ALL of what I term "consequence-related" mail will ALWAYS be sent first class. The other classes of mail usually include requests for donations, offers and coupons, newsletters, information about policies or accounts, … [Read more...]
Every misplaced thing is just looking for a home
January 18, 2016 by
There's a sense of rightness I watch for when clients hit upon where something belongs. It might be my suggestion or their idea - it doesn't matter. What counts is that, from then on, they probably won't have to think about where to look for it. That's one major way I measure success in a project: Can clients find things easily and quickly? … [Read more...]
Why I always start with the “worst first”
June 4, 2015 by
The most common opening question I receive from clients in our first session is, "Where do we begin?" My standard answer is, "With whatever it is that causes you the most stress - that worst thing you can barely stand to look at or think about." This strategy offers both visual and psychological encouragement. Once the most difficult space, project or issue has been tamed, the remainder doesn't … [Read more...]
A well-rounded view of my organizing universe
September 6, 2014 by
I posted most of my best organizing ideas on Facebook from January 2013 to August 2014. For those who want to get a better idea of what I bring to my work, as well as some valuable tips that may relate to your project(s), you might find my Facebook page interesting: https://www.facebook.com/WiserOrganizer … [Read more...]
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