GETTING PROFESSIONALLY ORGANIZED IN THE NEW YEAR

We are thrilled to share with you an interview that we had with the community edition with Sophia Grande-Lawlor:

With the New Year often comes the resolutions to change your life for the better. One of the big goals people often set their sights on, but get too overwhelmed with, is organization.

Samantha Kristoferson and Emilio Jose Garcia of KW Professional Organizers know this feeling all too well.

“We took everything that somebody has ever written us and we tried to look for the common themes involved in [what people found the most challenging about getting organized], and the top three common themes for people are: the complete feeling of overwhelm, not having time and not knowing where to start,” Kristoferson said.

The urge to get organized is appearing in our culture increasingly with pieces such as Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Concepts such as minimalism are also growing in popularity, not only for aesthetic purposes, but for mental health and environmental reasons, too.

“I think what’s happening is that we are bombarded by stuff: physical stuff, a lot of digital stuff, a lot of information. We are demanding a lot from each other, companies are demanding a lot from us, life in general is demanding a lot from us, and our expectations are so high that people are craving simplicity, people are craving less things, less distractions, and more joy, more fulfillment,” Garcia said.

These problems and goals are all too familiar to those of us attempting to get organized in the New Year, but throughout the year, organization is growing in popularity across the country.

“In Canada, [professional organizing has] existed for over 17 years. Professional Organizers in Canada is our national association and it currently represents 683 registered professional organizers across the country from Vancouver all the way to Newfoundland,” Kristoferson said.

When it comes to getting started, both organizers stated the importance of knowing your intentions behind getting organized.

“What we need to do is understand what is it that you want to achieve, and why? If [you] can understand that, going through [the organization] process is going to be easier,” Garcia explained.

The importance of reflecting on why you are aiming to organize your space is important to the process, but for lasting results, it is critical to understand where these motivations have come from.

“The reality is, if you don’t feel like it’s something that’s motivated from inside of you, if it’s someone telling you you should do those things, don’t do it until you feel you’re ready to take on that step … Then you’ll probably see longer lasting change because it’s internal,” Kristoferson said.

Choosing what to keep and what to throw away can be an intimidating part of the de-cluttering process.

“Once we get started, one of the challenges everyone faces is making decisions, especially when it comes to items that were expensive or are emotional because they came from a family member,” Garcia said.

Kristoferson continued by explaining that just dealing with the clutter can oftentimes be the biggest hurdle.

“Everything that you keep, whether it be digital or physical, requires time, energy, and your attention. So just know that if you’re keeping something, eventually you’re going to have to deal with it,” Kristoferson pointed out.

Organization can be a complex process, but the results are increasingly important to recognize what we have. Kristoferson refers to the “economy of abundance” we live in, where we have access to so many products that it allows for easy accumulation of clutter. The
Waterloo Region is equipped with several removal services, donation centres and thrift stores that are ready to accept things you no longer have use for. This recycling of goods allows for better environmental solutions through the sharing of things, and as Garcia pointed out, it often makes letting go of things easier, knowing that someone else will be using them. As well as benefiting the community, organization allows for empowerment at home.

“I think that by having a clear space,” Kristoferson reflected, “by feeling like we have some control over things and knowing what you have, where it is, and getting access to it, gives you this ability to say: nothing can stand in my way.”

This article was first posted in the community edition.

What were your resolutions for 2018? Have you been able to move forward with them? 

My family is amazing.

I wanted to learn more about them.

I asked if they would share their gifts with me.

This is what happened…

We tried a new type of gift exchange.

For most of my childhood I could always remember my family’s joy in partaking in the annual Christmas gift exchange. Over a time though we became more grown up and more strapped for time. Finding or creating the right gift was often times more burdensome than it had seemed before.

Now anyone who knows me, knows that I love TED Talks, which is why I thought about asking if family could share giving stories instead of physical gifts. 

The idea was that all you had to do was share something. And because we have quite a few people in our family we kept the time limit to 5 minutes (though this detail is completely up to you).

What was shared?

At first many in my family were nervous, anxious, and concerned about what they would choose to share. 

Some shared:

• singing a Christmas carol
• a memory of an old home
• a slide show of photos from a recent trip
• a guided meditation
• a song on the guitar
• a presentation from their work
• some didn’t share, but enjoyed listening
• a day-in-the-life story
• a music video & dance
• words of wisdom

Now this event is something everyone looks forward to participating in because there is no pressure, no money required, no more time needed then looking inside oneself for a story, and anyone at any age can be included.

Think for a moment and go back to the basics with me.

Why do we celebrate at Christmas and the holidays?

My answer was to see my family and friends; to catch up and learn more about them. The Secret Santa Gift Exchange brought us closer together, helped us learn new things, and feel supported while we shared a part of ourselves.

Are you tired of giving and receiving stuff you don’t need? Try these suggestions for giving gifts that aren’t things! 

Chances are you will feel better and feel lighter by giving gifts that have nothing to do with stuff.

Both, Emilio and I truly believe that the greatest gift you can give anyone is your time. But it can be challenging to try a new tradition or ask someone else to stop giving material gifts.  Don’t worry! There are a lot of different options available to try giving something different.

Great ideas for giving EXPERIENCES:

TICKETS – one-off events like concerts, sports events, movies, theatre, local fundraisers or annual festivals

MEMBERSHIPS – local programs like the symphony, museums, gym or rock climbing clubs, swimming pools, interest group clubs that require a membership fee

GIFT CERTIFICATES – this can apply to just about any business or service – ask your friend or family member what they would really like to do, but maybe would never buy themselves. Examples are a Massage, Pottery Class, Home Brewing Class, Guitar Lessons, etc! The options here can be endless.

Great ideas for giving to KIDS:

VACATIONS OR TRIPS – if you have the ability to contribute to a summer camp or March Break holiday this could have life long positive impacts. You can keep the excitement going with this gift by continually asking about what they’ll do and see while they’re away.

LOCAL ADVENTURE MAP – use your creative side and design a trip around their neighbourhood.  Use your research skills to find the interesting things in the area and maybe even draw up a map! Not only is this a unique experience, but you can share it together and who knows what you’ll find! Sound hard? Try Geocaching!

LEARN A NEW HOBBY – Explore a new skill set by exploring different activities. Is there something that has peaked their interest before? Examples: cooking from different cultures, learning how to horseback ride, or maybe getting their MAKER on!

ONCE A MONTH CERTIFICATE – Set aside time once a month to spend with your recipient. You can use this time to share a meal, go for an outing, watch a movie or play a game! They will feel absolutely phenomenal knowing that each month they have something fun to look forward to!

Great ideas for giving TIME:

DINNER PARTY – try hosting a dinner in! We recently embarked on a once a month neighbour dinner. We picked the first Monday of every month, whoever can show up does! So far it’s been a great success with delicious food and great conversation.

WALK OR HIKE – we can often take for granted that maintained trail in the city or back country trail. Schedule time in your calendar with your friends or family to make it happen! Exercise will never felt as good!

VOLUNTEER – believe it or not, giving back is one of the most rewarding activities you can undertake. It doesn’t always require a long term commitment either. Investigate your local options and get out there!

JUST TIME – tell your recipient that you’re all theirs! Just schedule time in your calendar with no plans whatever other than to spend that time with your friend or family. Maybe you can help them work through a tough decision coming up or help them prepare some meals for the freezer. Whatever they decide you will feel great having spent time together.