The Starting Line
Stepping up to the starting line for any sport is a moment filled with many, many emotions. You may be excited, nervous, confident, intimidated, hopeful, or relaxed. You might be a mixture of all those!
Starting a new organizing project may feel the same way. You want to get organized, you really do. You might have felt that way for a while. Still, you can’t find the time and energy to start or you feel confused about the best way to accomplish your organizing project. This is so common.
Keep reading to find out the five questions I share with my clients to help them step up to the starting line. It’s called the Getting Organized Quick Check. You can use it on any project of any size, from closets to pantries, basements to bedrooms. It’s the no-fail way to find out exactly what’s going on with your space and create a plan to get it back under control.
Question 1: What’s working?
I love starting with this question because it gets you to focus on the positive first. There are bright spots even in the biggest messes. Try to find at least 3 things you like about the space or the way you are living and working in it. If you can find more, don’t limit yourself. The more things you notice, the better.
Here are a few sample statements to get you thinking about the good points you can celebrate:
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“I love the open shelving because it allows me to see everything I have and access it easily.”
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“All my hangers are matching and high quality. My clothes hang on them nicely making it easier to put outfits together.”
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“My basement is cavernous. I can store things easily and not have to worry about running out of space.”
Focusing on the good stuff will help you solve what’s not working so well in the next part of the quick check.
Question 2: What’s not working?
This is the time to get picky. List all of the ways you feel your space is lacking. You probably won’t need a lot of encouragement to write down your frustration points. The only “rule” I suggest at this point is to keep your list grounded in reality and don’t try to find solutions. So, a statement like, “My closet is too tiny. I’m going to knock down the wall into the 3rd bedroom and make the whole space into a massive walk-in closet.”, might not be the best solution. It’s costly, messy, you probably shouldn’t do it yourself, and it could devalue your home.
Instead, here are a few examples for inspiration when noting what could be improved:
“There are only 3 drawers for folded clothes.”
“My slow cooker is too big to fit in the kitchen cabinets.”
“One bookcase is not enough to hold my book collection and display artwork.”
Question 3: What’s essential?
At this point in the Quick Check process, it’s time to consider the non-negotiables. For example, do you use your slower cooker so much that it’s inconvenient to store it in the basement? Do you really need an entire dresser for workout clothes and accessories? Is it vital to keep all 157 books in your current romance novel collection? See where I’m going with this?
This is the step where you consider your lifestyle and preferences while remaining open to possibilities.
Let’s consider the questions I asked above:
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You may need to keep your slow cooker close at hand if it is your favorite way to prepare meals for your large family. Although it doesn’t fit in the kitchen cabinets, you may feel it’s essential to keep in the kitchen. Even if it seems like it’s going to be impossible at this point to find a place for the slow cooker, just keep an open mind and trust the rest of the Quick Check process.
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You may need an entire dresser for workout clothes if you’re a yoga instructor and require 3 changes of clothes per day to stay feeling fresh between classes. It’s a lifestyle choice and your storage solutions should fit your needs.
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Romance novels may be your quirky, guilty pleasure. Maybe you have 157 vintage novels signed by the authors? Now that’s a collection which will need to be stored properly.
Be honest about what’s important to you because it is a necessary part of finding the right organizing solution to fit your needs.
Question 4: What’s your “why”?
Here’s where we get into the emotional side of getting organized. Tapping into why you want this space to be neater is going to help you remain committed to your project. Don’t judge or edit yourself during this step. Let it flow!
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“I’m tired of spending money on things I know I have and can’t find.”
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“Getting dressed in the morning isn’t fun. I can’t see the clothes I love and want to wear in all the chaos.”
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“I love to cook healthy meals with fresh ingredients, but my counters are overrun with stuff. I don’t have space to prepare food.”
Finding your unique and compelling reason to get organized is a game changer.
Question 5: What’s causing the issues?
Usually the cause of the problem is one of a few possible reasons. See which one of these may be your issue or outline your specific situation.
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Too much stuff
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Limited space
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Lack of any storage system
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Complicated storage system
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Inconvenient storage
Using the Quick Check is a wonderful way to begin an organizing project because it allows you to search for solutions knowing what you need, why you need it, where you have room to compromise, and the reason you are feeling the discomfort which accompanies clutter and chaos.
More Solutions For You
Here’s more to help you on your organizing journey:
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