Navigating Chaos: Simple Steps to Organize without Overwhelm.
Last week, I had a client who had a bit of a “planning problem” when we were tackling her attic.
Picture this: we had everything pulled out of her attic and sorted across her entire front yard into neat categories, ready for some decision-making!
And then…she froze! ❄️
She couldn’t decide what to keep and what to toss because she was too busy worrying about the future.
How would everything fit back into the attic? Where would it all go? Was she keeping too much? Would her Dad be rolling over in his grave because she had held onto all of this for so long? Would the 49’ers win this year…and how would that affect her holiday ornaments?
Ok, maybe not that last one, but you get the point.
I had to pause her very powerful (and actually impressive) downward spiral…
“Hold on” I said, “We’re not there yet!”
You see, the secret to successful organizing is taking it one step at a time. First, we pull everything out and create our categories. Then (and only then) we start deciding what stays and what goes.
The logistics of putting things back in their place? That’s a puzzle for another time (even if that time is only an hour away). ⏰
Taking things one step at a time makes the difference between being organized vs. being overwhelmed.
This is where working with a pro-organizer can come in handy. It’s my job to know the entire process inside out, so you don’t have to.
If you ever find yourself getting anxious about the “how,” just take a deep breath and remember that your only mission is to look for the next action you can take.
Try not to ruminate on all the actions it will take to complete the job…just look for the next action you need to complete in order to keep moving forward.
Organizing an entire home can be overwhelming, but here’s the deal: you don’t have to have all the answers. Your job is to focus on the present and keep looking for the next action that will move you forward.
Soon enough, you’ll start to see the progress, and it’ll all make sense.
My ultimate goal? To empower you, not enable you. I’m not here to be your lifelong crutch. I’m here to hold space for your journey, and cheer you on as you take one step at a time.
Your role? Simply to tackle one task at a time, and take deep breaths when your brain starts to freak out and tries to make you think five steps ahead.
The clutter didn’t show up overnight, and it probably won’t get cleared overnight either. (I know, I’m sorry…such a bummer).
But…you will achieve the results you’re looking for if you just keep taking one step at a time.
You’ve got this!
