Defining organization – what it means, what it looks like, what the outcomes are – are different for every person. Not everyone’s definition of organization is having every single thing perfectly locked away in a drawer or cupboard so that the entire home feels decluttered and spacious. Even among the minimalists and declutterers of the world, there are varying degrees of declutter depending on the individual. But that’s ok! When it comes to defining organization, it’s definitely not the same for everyone.
Being Organized the Wrong Way Is Just as Bad as Being Unorganized
We’ve come into people’s homes before who are frustrated because they’ve either done some form of guided self-help or hired another organizer who applied a stringent set of rules to getting them organized. The thing is, organizing only works if you build on your existing strengths and work with your personal needs. Organization should be customized. When you are trying to get more organized, the process should work with your existing techniques and needs, accommodate your unique situation, and reduce your stress level. For example, someone with ADHD might need stacks of paper around to remember to do the bills every week; hiding them in a cabinet or drawer might damage the fragile system they have in place. Or when working with a hoarder, getting rid of a lot may still leave the house disorganized, but from their point of view, they’ve overcome incredible fear to be able to part with what they did. We need to honor and respect their progress on their terms.
Organized Doesn’t Mean Austere
Throw pillows, kids toys, and decor you love don’t have to be removed from your home in order for it to be organized. It’s important to spend time defining organization in your own terms. For you, it might mean having a place for everything or being able to find things when you need them. For others, it means being able to get out the door each day with less stress. For others, it might simply be overcoming the urge to keep buying things you don;t need.
What Working with a Professional Organizer Should Feel Like
When you are vulnerable enough to allow someone into your most private spaces, you should feel respected and listened to. You should feel as though every step in the process is done to make your life easier, not to force you to conform to some different way of doing things. As you work through the emotion of letting go of things that you own, you should never feel laughed at or compelled into getting rid of something that will cause you heartache to not have later.
Here at Organizing Maniacs, defining organization is driven by your needs. We are constantly learning so that we can offer you our best. We listen so that we’ll know your goals and needs. Before we leave, you’ll have sustainable systems in place to help stay organized.
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