Advice Columns
Harriet offers helpful advice and tips through
three different columns:
1. If you need help with storage solutions and
deciding which type of organizing product(s) would be best for your
current needs, contact Harriet through her
Ask
Our Organizer
column at the Stacks and Stacks
organizing products online
catalog.
2. Organized
Outlook is an organizing tips column that Harriet writes for
sdhome, an award-winning magazine published by the San Diego
Union-Tribune.
3. If you have a question about how to conquer
clutter, manage your time or get organized, you can Ask The Miracle
Worker (below).
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March/April 2008
Ask The Miracle Worker
MAY 2006
Ask The Miracle Worker
Q:
We
just moved into a house 2000 miles from our previous location. It is 1000
sq. ft. smaller and our three-car garage is filled with about 300 boxes. I have
fibromyalgia and need to pace myself; every time I look in the garage and see
all those mislabeled boxes full of damaged goods and who knows what else, I give
up and go back inside feeling defeated --I need help!!
A: Here
are some suggestions which I hope will be of help to you:
A) First, it's important for you to acknowledge that getting through all those
boxes would be a major project for anyone, not just you. Unless you are
able to get someone to help you with it, the reality is that it's going to take
longer than you'd like to get the project finished. Forgive
yourself for not being superhuman.
B) If you're not able to have someone help you, then be realistic and plan for
this to be a long-term project. Sit down and map out a step-by-step plan
as follows:
1. Visualize how you want your garage to look when the clear-out project is
finished. How would you like to use all that space--for vehicles?
storage? tools/workshop? exercise equipment? (These are just a few options
to get you thinking.) Sketch a rough diagram of what will go where.
This will help you focus on the outcome instead of the overwhelm. Note: If
you are planning to use some of the garage space for storage of various
materials, you may need to obtain containers, shelving, etc.
2. Clarify your objective RE going through the boxes--to let go of ___% of the
contents? to find which things that you've been missing since your move?
or...?? See if you can conjure up any feelings of excitement at possibly
unearthing a long-lost treasure, for example; or a feeling of positive
anticipation as you think of how good it will feel to let go of stuff &
lighten your load. Focusing on the positive aspects can help lessen the
sense of dread & trepidation you may currently feel when you contemplate
those boxes.
3. Keeping your energy level in mind, decide on a daily or weekly goal for
tackling one box at a time. If you have 300 boxes, and you can only go
through, say, one a day due to your health condition, it could take you
close to a year to finish the project by yourself. Although that might
seem like a long time, at least it's a realistic plan. If you can't bear
the thought of it taking that long, then it may be necessary to have someone
assist you.
4. When going through each box, sort the contents into categories such as
Donate, Discard, Repair, and Relocate. At the end of each decluttering
session, be sure to transfer the items to their final destinations.
5. Make a point of congratulating yourself as you complete each decluttering
session. Let yourself feel good about the progress you make, even if it's
in small increments. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. Celebrate
the baby steps instead of beating yourself up for not getting everything done at
once.
For more tips on this topic,
read "Conquering Stuff and Space"--Chapter 5 of LET GO OF
CLUTTER.
Do you have question about conquering clutter or chaos? E-mail it to The Miracle
Worker using the address at the bottom of this page.
Be sure to include:
1) your name (which will be kept private); 2) your city & state (or country, if outside the U.S.); and 3) how you heard about this site.
_________________________________________
© 2008 by Harriet Schechter
_________________________________________
Do you have a
question about conquering clutter or chaos? E-mail it to The Miracle
Worker. Be sure to include: 1)
your name (which will be kept private); 2) your city & state (or
country, if outside the U.S.); and 3) how you heard about this site.
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