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Archive for Declutter

Many pieces of paper with "Alternative" written on them in different colours and fonts.

Decision Fatigue: What it is and how to manage it

Posted by Carolyn on
 July 20, 2023

Decision fatigue is more common than one might think. As an organizing professional I see it a lot. But what is it really, how does it show up and what can be done about it? This blog article takes a look at the idea from an organizers perspective.

Definition
many white tabs with "Option" writing on them in different styles and colours.

According to Wikipedia, decision fatigue refers to the impact of having to make too many decisions, or too difficult decisions, in a short space of time. In other words, it is the impact of that experience that is the fatigue referred to by psychologists.

Decision fatigue is “the idea that after making many decisions, your ability to make more and more decisions over the course of a day becomes worse,” said Dr. MacLean, a psychiatrist. “The more decisions you have to make, the more fatigue you develop and the more difficult it can become.”

What it looks like when organizing.

As I mentioned this is a common experience for me as an organizing professional. Because I work with individuals affected by chronic disorganization, I specifically designed the hands on portion of my business to be face to face with clients for only 3 hr sessions at a time. (Sessions for packing and unpacking associated with move management are longer). The reason is specifically due to decision fatigue.

It did not take me very long as a newcomer to the industry to recognize that clients would literally stop making decisions at about 150 minutes, or 2.5 hrs into our session. I had already been introduced to decision fatigue while taking a Masters in Health Services Administration degree. So, I knew this could be an issue.

There are six ways decision fatigue shows up. Avoiding decisions, or glazing over, is just one of them.Many pieces of paper with "Alternative" written on them in different colours and fonts.

  1. Reduced ability to make a trade off: in this impact, my clients can’t decide between choice A and choice B. If we agree that they will only keep one of two items, they can’t decide which one to choose.
  2. Decision avoidance: this second impact shows up as the client not wanting to make any decisions at all. Clients will sometimes show distraction from our task, ask me to make the decision or, for those who have more self-awareness, simply throw up their hands and state “I can’t decide”. For the record, no, I don’t make those decisions for my client.
  3. Impulsive activity: this is especially true for purchases at the cash register for shoppers. In organizing however, this impact of decision fatigue often show up as “throw it all out”. Clients impulsively decide to get rid of everything because they simply don’t have the mental energy left to decide.
  4. Impaired self-regulation: this is when the client doesn’t hold themselves to their usual standard of behaviour. Clients tend to get irritable and may be short or “snippy” with me or someone else in the family.
  5. Susceptibility to decision making biases: in this impact, the client tends towards an easier decision vs a correct or wise decision. It may be easier to simply not discard anything from a “I don’t like this” clothes pile than to be able to determine if any could hold any more value in the client’s future.
  6. Decision conflict and regret: In this impact the client becomes more and more worried about making a wrong decision. Eventually they just stop making decision altogether.

What do to about Decision Fatigue?hand with pole balanced on it show signs in opposite directions each saying "I don't know"

There are several ways to manage decision fatigue. When working with clients, I use whichever one works. I recommend you use whatever works for you.

  1. Take a break from the project you are working on. If possible physically remove yourself from the location and go to somewhere else even if it is just another room in the house or another office. Spend enough time in this other location doing something else until you feel at least a little bit refreshed.
  2. Change the task. If you are organizing clothes, try switching to working on a work project or making a meal. If possible, try switching to an entirely different task, however, even making decisions about a different set of items will help. If you are sorting clothes, try moving over to books.
  3. Go for a walk in nature. Walking in the woods, in a park or even just down the street will help to refresh your mind and your decision making muscles.
  4. Ensure you are adequately hydrated and have eaten enough to that point in the day. Many times while working, clients forgot to eat and drink. Hydration is most important however, being adequately nourished is also important.

Have you ever experienced decision fatigue? What was your experience? Drop me a note in the comments.

Action Declutter Organizing Challenges Organizing Resources Strategy
Tags : Clearing Clutter, managing mess, managing overwhelm, Organizing Maintenance, organizing strategies, Understanding disorganization
shelf in desk unit half empty

Micro Tasks

Posted by Carolyn on
 June 26, 2023

Micro Tasks Challenge the 15 Minute Declutter Routine

Could it be that micro tasks could be even more successful than a daily 15 minute declutter routine? I say yes; I think they can and that we ought to all jump on this bandwagon. Micro tasks could possibly even replace the 15 minute declutter routine.

How it Startedshelf in desk unit half empty

Mindlessly, I was stared at the shelf beside my desk. I had done so countless times before, while thinking through yet another online tech challenge. I have no recollection of sorting out the tech issue. It was clear there were things on the shelf I had not used in years and was never likely to use. In a split second, I decided to clear the shelf, wipe it off and remove to a donation pile those things I would not use. Like the audio CD for learning Spanish. I no longer have a CD player on my computer or portable device to play it.

In less than 5 minutes I had a clean shelf that was now half empty, a small bag of denotable items and a few items in recycling and garbage. The result of my micro task was a very satisfying declutter. The shelf is half empty, clean and can be used more effectively.

Micro TasksPiles of paper and filed on a desk top.

I soon determined that micro tasks could be done almost anywhere, almost any time. I’ve made a game of it. Just this morning, while waiting on the front door step for my son to load the car before leaving, I clipped back the trailing plants in the planter. The micro task took 5 minutes. Later while waiting for a video clip to upload, I wiped the windows sill, rinsed the stained-glass ornaments, took away the ones I no longer wanted and put everything back. Another 5 minutes.

I’ve defined micro task as a 5-10 minute task that can be completed with little or no additional equipment and contributes to clutter free living. Two days ago I took the ski jackets out of the front hall cupboard, inspected for rips and tears and transported to our off-season storage rack in the basement. I’ve got my eye on a shoe rack with 5 pairs of flip flops that haven’t left the rack in awhile – maybe 2 years. While waiting for the kettle to boil, I can scoop up the flip flops, inspect for integrity and bag for donation. This last task makes use of the concept of time layering along with micro tasks.

The Gamebrightly coloured flip flops in a circle all touching toes.

Try it.

  1. Look for 5 minutes either between other projects or activities or while waiting for something else to happen (standing in line)
  2. Look around for a 5 minute task that is super easy to accomplish. For example, while waiting for the pasta water to boil, take the cutlery out of the cutlery tray, wash the tray and replace the cutlery.
  3. Make a game out of finding a micro task that doesn’t require any extra equipment (except maybe a cleaning cloth).
  4. Make sure that the task contributes to either decluttering or getting something done. For example, I filed the top few items on my paper filing pile waiting for yet another video to upload,.
  5. See how many of these you can do in one day.

The Benefit

Five minutes may not seem like alot of time. Those 5 minute tasks, however, all add up. The paper requires filing. The shelf requires decluttering and the flip flops require a new home.  Add all those micro tasks together, all those 5 minute games, and eventually, you have a clutter free house.

Try it, and let me know how it goes.

Declutter Organizing Strategies Productivity Uncategorized
woman biting pencil staring at computer looking worried and frantic.

Top 5 Series – Indicators you’re Disorganized

Posted by Carolyn on
 May 1, 2023

woman biting pencil staring at computer looking worried and frantic.Think your office might be seriously disorganized?

Not sure if you are disorganized enough to need help?

You have your own business which you love.  It does ok.  Clients are happy – most of the time.  But you admit to yourself when no one else is looking that things aren’t as good as you think they should be. You are really afraid someone besides your accountant and CRA, or IRS is you are south of the 49th parallel, will find out your taxes were late last year….again. The assistant you hired reminded you that the last 10 client orders were late.  Meanwhile, you find yourself running from home to office to home to office, always late and always rushing.

You, and your office or business, may be disorganized and not be aware. Here are the top five indicators I find when clients call me for help.

1 Targets are missed.

This is the indicator that keeps you awake at night. As the fiscal year goes by, and performance targets get missed, you are already sweating. You didn’t meet your sales targets for last year and you don’t even know if you are on track for first quarter.  If fact, you are pretty sure your records aren’t up to date. Do you and your employees have a clear, strategic plan to accomplish those targets? Creating a step by step plan for everyone to follow will help keep everyone on the same page and the business on track.

2 Priorities are confused.

You know your ideal client.  You know your business mission and you have an awesome vision.  Should be enough right?  Then why is it you can’t meet performance goals. Employees don’t understand the mission and/or strategic goals.You have the mission memorized. You’ve agonized over your strategic goals. Every word is perfect. You’ve done the retreat and handed out copies. Why is it then, that no one remembers? Why don’t your employees remember what the company is trying to accomplish this year?

Maybe because words on a page don’t translate into happy customers. A perfect mission, vision and values statement is only helpful if there is an action plan to translate that into the satisfied client. How does you mission statement turn into sales? How does your mission statement become a product or service that removes your client pain point? Turn your attention to providing value to clients and your mission will come alive with sales.

3 Employees are unhappy.

You have a sense that there are just too many good bye lunch parties. Meanwhile you’re soaking up your training and development budget with new hire orientation rather than development of your existing and loyal employees. At the same time, you’ve hearing complaint after complaint from employees about this, that and the other thing. They never bring it up to the team meetings, (do you have them?) they just grumble.

Disorganization in an employer or boss can quickly lead to disgruntled employees. With clear expectations, timely projects and constructive feedback, employees will more likely enjoy making a contribution to your goals.

4 Offices, work spaces are cluttered and disorganized.clutter-free office shows what is possible with organizing support.

Starting with yours; do you, or your staff, keep asking for another copy of (name of latest report on the file share system) because they can’t find it? Do you, or your employees, spend too much time looking for things and not enough time acting on goals? Sure, you know exactly where that proposal is, right? If I said you had 10 seconds to find it, could you? What is under, behind or beside your desk? Your employees desks? Check it out.

Keeping a clutter free work space contribute to higher productivity and happier staff. Try putting aside a Friday afternoon for an office clean up – with everyone responsible for their own work area. Keep common work areas clutter free.

5 Someone is always at the office or online trying to work late – very late.

Someone, or ones, is (are) working longer hours than they should. Is there one person, maybe it’s you, that is always working later than everyone else, comes in on weekends, and probably still is not meeting their performance objectives? That extra work time without the work output to show for it, is a common sign of disorganization. That person may need some help to clarify their priorities and deadlines. Or they may need some support to create a more productive work environment.

My goal is to help you develop an awareness of what some of the indicators of disorganization.  With that awareness, you have the power to make changes. Even small changes can make a big difference.  Become a clutter free role model at your office and to your employees. Keep your work area clutter free. Small changes applied consistently over time amount to big results.

Business Organizing Declutter Office Organizing Productivity Top 5 Series
Tags : challenging disorganization, decluter, Disorganization, office organizing, Top 5 Series
colourful food bowls stacked on two shelves.

Excuses for Disorganization

Posted by Carolyn on
 April 24, 2023

Have you got Excuses for YOUR Disorganization?

disorganization around woman holding telephone in an office with piles of files and crumpled paper around

Always needing excuses for your disorganization can be exhausting. Maybe this isn’t you, but perhaps someone you know.  Are you chronically disorganized, overwhelmed and frustrated? Realizing that you are forever holding everyone else up.  You know you cause deadlines to be missed and you shrug off offers to help. You work hard to ignore complaints from colleagues but then go home discouraged yet again. Some people suggested you work with a professional organizer .  But this is just too scary. Chronic disorganization in an office is no laughing matter and no one knows it like you.

Whether your work is virtual or you are physically present in an office setting, being on time, on task and on target is key. Here are the most common excuses I’ve heard over the past 18 years and some solutions to help get beyond the chaos. My hope is there is a solution in here that speaks to your most common excuse so you can banish the overwhelm and exhaustion once and for all.

5 Most Common Excuses

1 “I don’t have time to worry about tidy piles of paper“.

Maybe it feels that way but meanwhile you don’t mind asking everyone else to wait while to try and find the report, letter or document that is now past due. In most business environments, and in the personal world, timing is important if not critical. So being on time is essential. 

Solution

In today’s world, most documents are digital. As a result our clutter tends to be on our computers. Computers file either by number of by letter. They don’t know any other way. Try to keep projects together in a file with the project name. It will be easy to find that report when you need it.

2 “I don’t need to be more organized; I can find anything I want in my office“.

Except that it takes you half an hour to find a file while everyone else is left waiting. Can you REALLY find anything in less than 30 seconds? If not, you need to find a solution. 

Solution

If it is digital, try filing by project as identified in #1 above. Another solution is to file by date. People think in different contexts. If you think by date, start each file name with the date you wrote it or the date it is due or the date of the event. If its paper and you need to see your paper out and about, try just labelling your piles.  Some people are pilers, some are filers.

3 “I’m not disorganized, I just like to keep things in case I might need them, someday“.Piles of paper and filed on a desk top.

Meanwhile you keep insisting you need twice as much filing space as everyone else, your office is a stack of boxes covered in dust, untouched in 5 years. Regular purging is an important part of being organized. try spending 15 minutes each day, at the beginning of the day while your mind is fresh, to purge and recycle or share unnecessary documents. Significant progress can be made in just 15 minutes and when done consistently every day for several weeks, magic can happen. Make it a habit and your world will transform. Literally.

Solution

4.”I am actually very organized. I know exactly where everything is“.

Have you noticed you are chronically late for meetings, supper dates, meeting the guys for pickup hockey? Do you find yourself rushing for completion of tasks at the last minute. You think you’re organized? Have you asked your friends and colleagues recently? 

Solution

You may think you are organized but the reality is that your friends and colleagues may think differently. Ever noticed that the time they give you to be together is half an hour earlier than everyone else? Time can not be managed. However, we can manage ourselves. Try using a timer or time-specific  playlist to keep yourself on task. Give yourself a false deadline – before the REAL deadline – and then play a game to see how close you can get to it.  Reward yourself as you get closer and closer to the deadline you set.

5 “I have my own style of organization. No one else would understand it“.

Keep your small business organized with these 5 key strategies.

You are absolutely correct that everyone has their own organizing personality. However, if you didn’t show up for work tomorrow no one else would be able to find any of your relevant work and your contributions to the company may be dismissed as meaningless. Still, your friends are frustrated waiting for you and partner is tired of the clutter hanging around.

Solution

Check out my blog post on organizing personality and see if you can figure out what your unique personality is.  Matching your organizing personality to specific strategies, tools and processes can make a world of difference.  Your boss and your friends will thank you. When we work for someone else, the work they pay us to do generally belongs to that company: files, paper, reports etc. Show them how important you are by creating organizing systems, processes and strategies that support you and your contributions to the world.

The world needs your unique talents. Find an organizing system that works for you and show us what you can do.  No more need for excuses for disorganization!

Declutter Office Organizing Organizing Challenges Organizing Strategies

Are you managing Chronic Disorganization?

Posted by Carolyn on
 April 18, 2023

 What is Chronic Disorganization?books

You many be managing chronic disorganization if you have been disorganized for awhile, tried to fix things and failed and are frustrated you can’t get stuff done in your life. While the term is not a medical diagnosis, it is a very real experience that many people are trying to manage.

Someone who is chronically disorganized has three defining features as identified by Judith Kolberg in Conquering Chronic Disorganization:

  1. They have been disorganized all or most of their adult life;
  2. Being disorganized negatively effects their quality of life in some way everyday; and
  3. Previous attempts to be organized have not been successful.

A significant amount of knowledge and understanding about chronic disorganization has been gained since Judith Kolberg first identified the concept in the early 1990′. The Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) was established later that same decade. It’s mission is specifically to “provide education, research and strategies to benefit people affected by chronic disorganization, and the professionals who work with them.”

Why Am I Chronically Disorganized?

There are many factors associated with chronic disorganization.  This  fact sheet from ICD provides a comprehensive chart of all factors. The most common factor associated with my clients’ inability to get and stay organized is a brain based condition, usually Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder.  Most of my clients do not exhibit hyperactivity but do struggle to maintain the correct level of focus for the task at hand. Another common reason is my clients have simply never learned.  Organization may not have been a priority for their parents.  As a result, they have never learned how to organize and don’t have any intuitive skill or talent. In addition, they tend to acquire easily and shed with difficulty.

Is Chronic Disorganization the same as Hoarding?

The simple answer is No, it is not.  Hoarding disorder is a mental health diagnosis.  Individuals with hoarding disorder are a subset of the larger population of individuals managing chronic disorganization. 

What Works?

People managing chronic disorganization do not respond to conventional organizing practices and strategies.  I frequently hear from clients that they have tried all the tricks and tips and still can’t make them work. These individuals think, learn and organize in ways that are unconventional or just more creative.  Their brains don’t think in a typical logical, linear fashion. The solution is to use more creative, innovative organizing solutions that work specifically for the chronically disorganized individual.

Where can I get Help?

purple, orange and green boxes. Institute of challenging disorganization logo.

If this sounds familiar, either to you or someone you know, reach out for help.  ICD has a professional organizer directory which can help you find someone in your area. It is important to work with someone trained in supporting chronic disorganization to ward off further frustration. Some professional organizers such as myself have made a commitment to this area of organizing by achieving the Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization credential.  And since I work almost exclusively virtually, I work with clients all over the world.

There is hope.  There is help.  You don’t have to live and work this way.

Declutter Organizing Challenges Productivity
Tags : Accumulation, chronic disorganization, Institute for Challenging Disorganization, professional organizers
garden shed with clear glass ceiling, a table, pots and potting supplies

Organize the Garden Shed

Posted by Carolyn on
 April 17, 2023

It’s Spring – A great time to Organize the Garden Shed

With the warmer weather comes a great chance to head outside and enjoy then garden. With the snow gone and tulips and daffodils popping up from the once frozen earth, this is a great time to organize the garden shed and get ready for some digging, planting and blooming oil your garden. An organized shed avoids wasted time looking for trowels and gloves. You will also save money as you get organized; you won’t be repurchasing items that you can’t find.

Uninvited Guests

If your garden is anything like mine, there is a pretty good chance that you have had a few critters decide to bunk in for the winter. Despite our repeated attempts to keep them out, wildlife finds a way in. We’ve had squirrels, skunks, mice and rats over the years. Keep this in mind as you open the latch and get started.

Here are ten tips to help with your project to organize the garden shed.

1 Plan for critters.brown squirrel sitting on post.

Unless you know with absolute certainty there isn’t a critter in the place, assume that there is. Keep yourself safe. Keep the young children away until the critters are gone. Wear gloves and possibly a mask while you figure out if you have had winter guests bunked in.

2 Empty the entire shed.

If at all possible start start by emptying the entire shed. Use a mask and gloves to protect from animal scat, dust and mold. With the shed empty, you will be able to check pots, bins and barrels for those unwelcome guests and plan eviction.

3 Sweep and inspect up and down.

This is a great way to check out the status of the building. Check the floor, corner and side supports while sweeping the floor. Overhead sweep out the cobwebs and check the roof.

4 Review all your tools, shovels, rakes and hoes.

Are there any that are broken, rusted or beyond repair? Throw out the unrepairable and fix what’s needed.

5 Store vertically.shovels, spades, rakes hanging on side of shed

Think vertical and you will find fresh storage space that you may not have realized existed. The rakes, hoes, shovels can be stored on hooks or nails on the walls. Then they will be out of the way and readily available when you are ready to rake. Most hardware stores carry a wide selection of hooks that will suit the purpose. Nails are also good.

6 Contain small tools.

Hang one shopping bag on another hook or nail to hold your digging and planting tools and a separate one for your garden gloves. The cloth recycled plastic bags readily available in stores are a great storage tool. Label with a permanent marker.

7 Store seeds in a rodent safe box.

Store seeds in a plastic or metal box so they are unavailable to rodents. For example, grass and bird seed are major attractions for mice. 

8 Check bottles of liquids for leaks.

Review your solution bottles and know your pesticide by-laws. Many jurisdictions have outlawed the use of pesticides. Check with your municipality to see where you can take the pesticides for disposal. Find an environmentally friendly alternative at your local garden centre.

9 Review pots for breakscolourful ceramic flower pots

Older pots may not have withstood the cold as well as others. Check through your collection for breaks and damage and discard any you don’t use, don’t like or just don’t want. Break damaged clay pots into pieces for use in the bottom of containers and pots. This helps with drainage and avoids water pooling in plant roots.

10 Set up a potting bench.

Now the shed is decluttered and organized, set up a potting bench at one end or side of the shed. You can repot and replant containers even on a rainy spring day. And you and the soil stay dry.

An hour or two spent organizing the garden shed can save time and money later in the spring and summer. Your gardening will be more effective and efficient. All of which adds up to more time to enjoy your blooms and greenery and less time frustrated with garden shed clutter.

 

Declutter Organizing Challenges Organizing Strategies

Spring Organizing

Posted by Carolyn on
 April 12, 2023

Time for Spring Organizingmany colourful tulips bunched together in a bouquet

The tulips or budding, the birds are singing, the snow has melted and spring has arrived.  Here’s to warm weather and bright colourful flowers and a chance for some spring organizing.

Cleaning vs. Organizing

Many people welcome spring with a fresh and vigorous intention to spring clean their home.  How about some spring organizing instead? Cleaning is for getting rid of dirt. Organizing is about managing space, time and stuff so that you can find what you want, when you want and use it to enjoy your life.

Here are 5 tips to help you get started with a spring organizing project and guarantee success.

1. Pick one small area to tackle on at a time

Also limit the time you commit to a spring organizing project. Unless you have help and a whole weekend, start with an hour or two. Organizing requires decision making and decision fatigue can hijack a project.  Start all to avoid feelings of overwhelm.  If you end up interrupted, you won’t have a big project left unfinished. Try a drawer, closet, cupboard and maybe one or two of those boxes in the corner of your basement.

dishes

2. Focus on reducing volume

Getting rid of things that we don’t need, like, want or use is a good goal for spring organizing. Shedding doesn’t have to mean throwing into the garbage. Shedding it about giving items a life beyond your front door.  Worn towels and other linen can go to an animal shelter. Books can be donated to a Little Free Library. Clothes can be sold or donated to charity. By decreasing volume, you will have less items to manage and more free space in which to live.

3. Give items a home

Everything you own needs a home. A common complaint I hear from clients is that their belongings don’t have a home. As a result, they never put them away. Items used frequently and consistently need a home that is easy for you to both take the item out and put it back in.  We call that storage and retrieval. Items are more likely to end up back in their homes when storage and retrieval are easy. Items that are used seasonally or only occasionally can be stored in less accessible locations.

4. Take away, right away

Take shed items out of your home as quickly as possible. You will see the impact of your hard work and tough decisions. Less items means you can enjoy the clear space. A stack of donations and recycling at the front or back door can be discouraging. It can also tempt you to second guess your decisions. Take those items away, right away.

5. Have fun and reward yourself

Organizing takes emotional and physical energy. Make it fun to make it easier. Play your favourite music. Invite a friend who might like some of the clothes you are shedding. Involve the children and make a game out of sorting old toys.

Spring organizing will also be more successful if you have decided on a reward for yourself when you are finished.  This is a great self-coaching technique for reinforcing the value of your work. It also makes the organizing work seem less onerous which means you are more likely to do it again. Maybe some fresh flowers for a table? Take yourself out to a movie? Arrange to meet a friend for an expensive and fun coffee? An ice cream for you and the kids? You get the picture.

Spring is a time of renewal and fresh starts. It is a great time for spring organizing to make space, out with the old, unused or unneeded. Good luck and remember to have fun.

Action Declutter Organizing Strategies
Tags : Accumulation, Clearing Clutter, organizing strategies, spring organizing
Stepping stones illustrating a pathway

Mastering Clutterfree Living Step 2: Create a Strategy

Posted by Carolyn on
 April 1, 2022

Create a Strategy and Find your Stepping Stones

After getting really clear on your goals, mastering clutterfree living step 2 is to create a strategy.  A strategy gives you a set of stepping stones to success.  It’s like using a map; once you know where you want to end up, finding the road to take is easier. The Waze app can’t find you a route until to say where you are going.

Here are some simple guidelines to creating the strategy for your clutterfree living goals:

  1. Break it down, break it down, break it down.  And then break it down again.  The most common reason clients don’t succeed at their decluttering projects is that they make the steps too big.  They end up frustrated and discourage.  Want to declutter the garage?  Start with getting the clutter out of your car.  Want to declutter your kitchen? Take it one shelf, one drawer or one utensil tray at a time.  Success is more likely and you will feel better.
  2. Look for the next best step.  Make it easy. Starting the kitchen with the pantry? Take it one shelf at a time.  With that complete, try using that dry-goods success to tackle another cupboard.
  3. Stick with each step until its complete.  Starting with the pantry? Finish each shelf before you move to the food container drawer. That way you can enjoy your accomplishment as each section is complete.
  4. dishesPurge before you splurge!Before you head to the basket/bin/box store to buy the best container to replace open bags of pasta, clear out the old pasta hiding at the back of that pantry shelf.  Find out exactly how many containers you need based on the END of the purging exercise.  That way you will know the size, shape, volume, type and number of containers you need for only the items you are keeping.

 

Declutter Organizing Strategies

Digital Declutter For a Clutterfree Business

Posted by Carolyn on
 September 27, 2020

With the world in the grip of a global pandemic, I hope that you have stayed well.

Like many people, lockdown during the pandemic has offered me a time for reflection.  Like many people, I have revised my business to make more sense in the increasingly digital world in which we live.

With changes afoot, it was time to give my audience an update. Here is a digital declutter and a clutterfree business update from 2020 thus far.

Too Much Stuff!

Following the establishment of Caldwell Evolution Inc in 2016, I used the brand Altered Organization to represent the organizing side of the business. Caldwell Evolution became the brand for coaching, productivity and all my other professional work.  A good idea at the time. Instead, however, I had created a lot of digital assets to be managed. They included a couple of Facebook pages, groups and Instagram accounts. The result was a lot to look after and it wasn’t being handled very well.  There was more to schedule.  There was more to post. Nothing was getting done.

Simplifying and Decluttering

What then, does a productivity coach and professional organizer do when looking for  digital declutter and clutter free business?

Declutter

It was time for digital and brand decluttering.

Taking a page out of my own client handbook, I have spent 2020 decluttering the business and online presence of Caldwell Evolution Inc.  Here are some changes that you may have noticed:

1. Caldwell Evolution Inc services are all consolidated under one brand.  Altered Organization as a brand has been retired. You can find information on all services one website www.caldwellevolution.com. 

2. Instagram has been consolidated.  You can find Instagram stories and Instagram posts all under the one brand Caldwell Evolution.

3. The @wellrich Twitter account has been brought in line with the Caldwell Evolution branding.  You can find me there @CaldwellEvolutn.

4. The Altered Organization Facebook page has been merged with Caldwell Evolution Organizing and Productivity. I invite you to join us in the new Caldwell Evolution Facebook group, Mastering Clutterfree Living.  Here you can find tips, strategies, challenges and conversation with other individuals seeking a more clutterfree, productive life.

5. On Pinterest, you can find me @caldwellevolution
Check out my LinkedIn profile which has also had a declutter fresh look.

Hopefully, these changes make resources and information easier to find. This will help your efforts to create clarity, create space and accelerate your evolution to the best version of you. My intention is that you find this simplified, decluttered digital presence helpful.  I would love you hear your comments.

Caldwell Evolution News Declutter
Tags : Caldwell Evolution, clutterfree, declutter, digital clutter, get organized, organize

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