Friday, January 17, 2014
7 Keys to Letting Go
By Aby Garvey
Do you crave the peace, calm and beauty greater organization would offer you? And yet, at the same time, dread the process of getting there? Here's the good news: you're not alone! For many, the mere thought of letting go creates an almost insurmountable obstacle for getting more organized. And yet ... letting go of excess possessions like supplies, shoes, unused gifts, clothing with the price tags still attached, and incomplete projects, along with letting go of old habits and beliefs about organizing is key to creating a future filled with greater calm, control, and organizational bliss.
So how to do it? There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. The trick is to figure out what works for you. What will motivate you to overcome "letting-go inertia" and move forward to the peace, calm and beauty you crave? The answer may be just words away! First, let's get into action write away --- yep, that is the kind of write I mean. Go grab a piece of paper and a pen, or better yet, download a handy-dandy worksheet here. Then, come right back here to get yourself ready for some good "letting go".
#1: Connect with the finished result.
The more clearly you can describe to yourself the benefits of letting go, the easier it will be to make any tough decisions that come up during the process. Write down your answers to these simple questions:
Why do you want to change or get more organized?
What are you making space for?
How will your space look, feel and function when you're finished?
Now ... list in vivid detail the benefits you will realize when you are more organized.
Don't forget to write down your answers in complete detail!
#2: Call upon past successes.
Do you remember the last time you really dug deep and let go of unwanted and unneeded things? Close your eyes and think for a minute. How did it feel afterward? Did you feel lighter? Did you feel more positive? Did you feel calm and yet energized at the same time? Were you more able to relax? Did you feel more motivated to do things you really love to do?
Add everything that comes to mind --- all those good and happy feelings --- on your handy-dandy worksheet.
#3: Prioritize
Decide up front which possessions and activities are priorities in your life --- before you ever step foot into the space to be organized.
Answer these questions on your worksheet:
Which belongings in your home are most important to you?
Which activities in your life do you want more time or space for?
#4: Decide how much is enough.
We all have things we love to have plenty of. For some it's tea. For others it's t-shirts. For you it may be shoes, scrapbook supplies or purses. For me ... it's magazines. I just can't seem to get enough! However, for everything you love to love, it's important to strike a balance between too much and not enough. When you have too much of a good thing you may start to feel bad about the excess or you may even forget what you have. On the other end of the continuum is the point where you feel deprived. Where is your comfort zone on the continuum? How much is enough and how much is too much?
For example, before you step into your closet, set a goal. How many t-shirts is enough --- ten, twenty or one-hundred? As long as you have the space for it, can find what you need and feel *good* about your answer --- that's what you strive for. Record your decisions on your worksheet.
#5: Anticipate and remove your obstacles.
Before entering your space of excess, the place you want to whittle down a bit, think about which items will be easy to let go of and which will be a challenge. Add the challenging items to your worksheet along with the reason they'll be difficult to let go of. The reasons are your obstacles. Now, let's figure out some simple strategies for removing common obstacles.
Obstacle 1: The "I might need it someday syndrome."
Strategy: Decide when someday is.
Here's how it works. You come across something and think "I might need this someday." Ask yourself, "realistically, *when* will I need this?" If you can't come up with a definite answer then assign an arbitrary date up to six months out in the future. Put the item in a box, write the date on the outside of the box, and move on. If the "someday" (the date on the box) comes and goes and you haven't needed the item ... you are now free to send it off to a happier place. Ah, doesn't that feel good?
Obstacle 2: The "I paid good money for this syndrome."
Strategy: Accept that the money is spent.
No amount of hanging-onto an item can bring your money back. Whether you keep it or not, the money is gone. Forever. Cut your losses and move on. If you look at something and feel guilty about what you paid for it, yet you're not using it, the guilt won't entice you to use the item. You'll continue to not use the item and continue to feel guilty about it. Why linger in the yuckiness? Let it go.
Obstacle 3: The "garage sale syndrome."
Strategy: Find an alternative happy home for your previously enjoyed items.
The garage sale syndrome sets in when you have decided to let go of some things and yet they continue to linger in your presence, waiting for the big garage sale. It's true; garage sales can be a way to turn some of your no longer needed items into cash. But not without a cost. If letting go of things is difficult for you, a garage sale simply extends the process. Instead, find a charity you'll feel good about donating your items to. Schedule a pick-up for the day after your letting go session. Or check out http://www.freecycle.org. In no time, you'll have treasure hunters lining up to relieve you of your things!
Obstacle 4: The "gift syndrome."
Strategy: Take the fact that the item was a gift out of the equation.
When you come across a gift, ask yourself "Do I need, use or love the item?" It the answer is no, you aren't obligated to keep the item. A gift doesn't come with strings attached. I know this one can be hard to swallow... but it's true.
There are ways you can honor the memory of the gift, without actually holding onto the actual item. For example, if you're a scrapbooker, you could take a photo of the gift and create a mini scrapbook or scrapbook page called "gifts of love." Record who gave you the gift and for what occasion, and then, why that person is special to you. This will allow you to focus on the person who gave you the gift, and their meaning to you, instead of feeling tied to the gift itself.
#6: Create results quickly.
If you're faced with a mound of things to go through, it's easy to become overwhelmed. Look for ways to create visual results quickly. For the things on your list that are easy to let go of, go on a scavenger hunt and collect a box or two full of "don't-need-it" items and start lightening your load right away. As you go through the process, take note of the positive feelings that come up for you. Add this to your handy-dandy worksheet ... and let those positive results fuel more positive results.
#7: Keep building on your successes.
Energized by your quick and easy results, keep moving in the direction of your goals. Set aside thirty minutes a day for tackling a corner, drawer or shelf. Or block out a couple of hours each Saturday to go through a small space in your home. Little by little you'll lighten your load and create peace, calm and beauty in your home and life!
Aby Garvey is a professional organizer who helps clients world-wide create space in their homes and lives for the things they love and value. She is the founder of simplify 101, a columnist for Organize Magazine, and the co-author of The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker. Visit Aby’s website http://www.simplify101.com for free resources to help you get organized and create space for what matters to you.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aby_Garvey
Get Organized For Scrapbooking
By Aby Garvey
Simplify the other areas of your life.
Are you looking for ways to get more organized so you can make the most of your scrapbook time? You've come to the right place! Below are simple and doable ideas to help you get organized and get scrapbooking!
Find snippets of time to scrapbook. Browse through idea books while waiting for appointments. Sketch layouts during your lunch hour. Journal for a few minutes each night before bed. Sort photos while watching your favorite T.V. show.
Free up your schedule. Give up any activity you do out of habit or no longer enjoy in favor of scrapbooking.
Make an appointment with yourself. Set a recurring appointment on your calendar to scrapbook. Give this appointment the same priority as any other appointment on your calendar. If you have to miss it, reschedule it - just as you would a missed dentist appointment.
Combine scrapbook time with activities that support other goals and interests in your life. When you scrapbook with friends, you accomplish your scrapbook goals as well as social and relationship goals. Scrapbook while your kids do their homework. You'll be at the ready to answer questions.
Keep supplies convenient. Store your in-process projects and basic tools in a picnic basket or antique wooden box in your living area. By keeping your projects close at hand you'll be able to quickly and easily pull out your projects whenever you have a few spare minutes.
Simplify your approach to scrapbooking.
- 1. Find a page design you love and make multiples. Use the same basic layout for various types of scrapbook pages such as Christmas, birthday, and 4th of July. The different themes and embellishments will make each page unique! 2. Buy scrapbook kits. Kits save precious time on selecting supplies and making sure everything matches. 3. Invest in a layout idea book. Why spend hours arranging and rearranging your photos on your scrapbook pages? Use someone else's layout. Your personality and creativity will show through in your color selection, embellishment choice and photos! 4. Keep journaling simple. Record key information about the event or pictures. Simply list who, what, when, and where. 5. Take the guess work out of color coordination. Stick with color schemes created by the scrapbook supply manufacturers. Or invest in a color wheel and come up with your own tried and true color combos!
Simplify the other areas of your life.
1. Anything you do routinely, do less often. Buy doubles at the grocery store. Make doubles of favorite recipes and casseroles and freeze the second batch. Scrapbook on the evenings you enjoy your second batch.
2. Avoid last minute errands by buying essential household items in bulk. Keep an extra supply of shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, toilet paper, and so on. If you'd make a special trip to the store when you run out, stock up and save the trip!
3. Be on the lookout for ways to simplify your life! The simplify 101 newsletter is loaded with ideas and tips to help you get organized and save time... so you have time for the important things... like scrapbooking. It's free, so why not give it a test drive?
Organize your supplies. Pare down to those supplies you use and love! Then, contain your supplies in containers that inspire you and make it easy to know what you have and use what you have. Use your scrapbook supplies to create crafty labels --- you'll know where all your goods are and add a creative touch in the process.
Consistency counts. You'll find your supplies and tools faster if you maintain a consistent organizing scheme throughout your workspace and storage area. If you store your patterned paper by theme, why not store your stamps by theme as well? The fewer systems you use, the more likely you'll find what you need when you need it.
Know your scrapbook storage limitations when buying supplies. To make the most of your scrapbook time, it's critical that your tools and supplies are convenient. Buy what you have the space to store. It's far better to have fewer things that are easily accessible than to stock up and be unable to find what you're looking for.
Keep collections together. Once you decide on a sorting scheme for your scrapbook supplies, keep your whole collection of that item in a single container. This will make your supplies easier to find ... saving you time. For example, if you store your embellishments by color, keep ALL pink embellishments in a single container and all blue embellishments in another container.
Make it convenient. Store items as close to your work area as possible. Prioritize your storage accordingly. Keep frequently used tools and supplies at eye level and within arm's reach when you're sitting at your workstation. The less often you use an item, the further away from you it should be stored.
Keep track of your supplies. Here's a fun trick to help you keep track of your favorite papers and cardstock by making a cardstock swatch book. To make a swatch book, cut or punch squares of cardstock. In each square of cardstock, punch a round hole using a standard hole punch. On the back of each paper sample, note where you purchased the paper and any other information you have such as manufacturer, name of the color, etc. Secure the squares together using a loose-leaf ring, available from office supply stores.
Take one idea and make it happen! Organization is an ongoing process. Pick one idea from the list above and get busy making it happen. Then, come back to the list for more ideas.
Good luck and happy scrapbooking!
Aby Garvey is a professional organizer who helps clients create space in their homes and lives for the things they love and value. She specializes in helping scrapbookers organize their homes and scrapbook rooms so they are beautiful, inspiring and functional. She is the founder of simplify 101, a columnist for Organize Magazine and the co-author of The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker. Visit Aby’s websitehttp://www.simplify101.com for free organizing ideas just for scrapbookers.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aby_Garvey
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