The Organized Mind

I just finished reading the non-fiction book THE ORGANIZED MIND: THINKING STRAIGHT IN THE AGE OF INFORMATION OVERLOAD by Dr. Danial Levitin who included loads of scholarly research.  The author, a neuroscientist himself, tells us in the book that recent neuroscience research has learned a lot about the brain in relation to organization and productivity, but it hasn’t trickled down to the average reader. His aim was to bring the science to the average person.

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I worked with a client yesterday who is a mild hoarder. I have changed her name to protect her identity. I will call her Samantha to protect her real identity.

Samantha is a wonderful accomplished woman who went through a major life tragedy 24 years back and coped with her loss by taking up shopping. I have met with Samantha and her husband 3 times previously as we downsized and then organized her kitchen, clothes closet, and master bathroom.

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I was invited once again to be the home organization specialist on KSL Television’s Studio 5 TV Show. The 8 minute show segment focused on the following:

• Items that can be tossed in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, family room, and home office of every home.
• How to best organize these rooms with tricks and tools used by trained professional home organizers. (BTW: the products I showcased can be found at your local Bed, Bath and Beyond store.)

As I closed the show I offered a free printable of which you can easily take advantage.

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Elise had attended my January “Home Organizing Success” class at the Orem Library. Elise told me when she called that she had tried to organize her home on her own many times, but had not been successful and that attending the class had helped her understand my 5-step home organizing process, but that she was part of the 40% who needed to work side-by-side with someone to really feel she could organize her home trouble spots.

Those trouble spots were:

1. Her pantry closet  (see the photo to the right)
2. Her medicine closet / first-aid closet
3. Her basement food storage room (see the photo below)
4. Her sewing room

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Many of my clients ask me, “Should I sell or donate my stuff?” Those items that are still in good condition but that they no longer use, need, or love. This is how I help them decide:

Sell it if:

• It’s worth more quite a bit more than the selling fees and
• You’re motivated enough to organize the garage sale or online sell.

Be sure it is worth the major time and effort you will have to invest to sell the item.

Donate it if:

• It’s in good condition and
• The question of donating versing tossing  helps you let it go.

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