16 Lessons learned about myself over the years working with others helping them to sort, organize and declutter
- Taking care of my home is an act of self care and something that I do for me
- Motivation and Inspiration truly does happen when I take a risk and jump in with both feet
- There is always so much more going on than what we see on the surface
- Actually doing the hard or scary thing is so rewarding after I have done it
- An overwhelming task that I have procrastinated on is usually not half as bad as I thought
- If I am struggling with an emotional issue doing something physical or clearing out some physical clutter helps me to have some clarity
- Working with my clients inspires me to work on downsizing and clearing out my own stuff
- It’s really okay to make mistakes, it’s the best way to learn and I accept that I am only human and forgive myself
- I am an introvert and it has felt good to share my true and authentic self and life with others
- We are not who we were 5 or 10 years ago. We change and grow every day so it is okay to let go
- Setting Intentions about what I want for myself and my partner has been a game changer
- I always feel honoured to work with others and hear their stories. Clutter tells a personal story!
- Great ideas and inspiration come to me when I take the time to be quiet ie: in the shower, yoga, meditation, going for a walk, or just doing nothing
- When I have a great idea…..I need to write it down immediately IYKYK Right!
- Doing nothing is important and it’s okay for me to step back and just take the time to regroup
- Having a balance in my life and home is so important to my mental health (and one more)
- There is always more to let go of
What has inspired you on your own personal journey.
These are inspiring messages, Kim. I love the lessons learned from your work helping others and how you apply these to your own life.
There are so many treasures here, but the one that jumped out at me was, “An overwhelming task that I have procrastinated on is usually not half as bad as I thought.” Recently, I felt overwhelmed by competing projects and tasks. The overwhelm came from thinking about them but not taking action. However, once I took the next steps for each, the overwhelm stopped, and my momentum increased.
Hi Linda,
So true right! Thinking about doing the task takes up so much energy and sometimes just doing it just lightens up the mood and gives you more energy for something else. thanks for commenting
So much wisdom here! I really love them all.
“There is always so much more going on than what we see on the surface” – yes! It’s amazing what we uncover when we dig into a pile, drawer, or box. How often we find things we think we’ve lost. Many times we experience joy and seeing something again. When we embrace a mindset of curiosity and discovery over drudgery, the whole experience shifts for the good.
Definitely feel that we change, and therefore our stuff should change as well. Like you, I have to write it down. And I mean, write it down as fast as I can. Not sure why, but I can’t hold thoughts for very long, especially creative ideas. I think my brain is constantly being assaulted by many inputs, and thoughts just get knocked out by something else zooming in.
For me, the whole point of the organizing is to improve my quality of life, so back to your self care point #1.
Thanks for sharing what you’ve learned from your years in this wonderful profession!
Thank your Seana, Finding things underneath the clutter (especially money) or a lost item certainly is a bonus.
I think that we as Professional Organizers have a lot in common with these lessons.
I resonate with all of these lessons. However, the first one is my favorite. Many people do not realize that taking care of the home is also taking care of yourself.
I have felt that quietness has helped a great deal. The busyness of life takes away from my focus and will stop me from seeing the next step. So, spending time in nature and being quiet has helped me listen. 3
Thank you for sharing your lessons.
Thank you for commenting Sabrina – yes I agree with what you are saying about #1 and i think it probably isn’t that common for people to think that way. IT is a mindset issue when we think about caring for our homes and also for ourselves.
I can relate to many of these, including “An overwhelming task that I have procrastinated on is usually not half as bad as I thought.” This applies to nearly all tasks, from sewing on a button to trying something new in my work. Whatever it is, the anticipation is usually worse than the actual task!
Thanks Janet – That is so true. Sometimes we just need to get it off of our to do list or just off of our plate.
What a great set of lessons to embrace and share. I think my favorites are:
* “Doing nothing is important and it’s okay for me to step back and just take the time to regroup” — people often wonder at me only accepting one half-day client per day, and rarely more than three in-person clients a week, and not constantly scheduling myself with volunteer work and extra projects. I do what I like, and part of that is doing (relatively) nothing more than relaxing, thinking, listening to music, or reading. Productivity is about creating what you must and what you want, and not merely all that you can!
* “Actually doing the hard or scary thing is so rewarding after I have done it” — This is one of those lessons I have to re-learn over and over, but even that is rewarding in and of itself.
* “Working with my clients inspires me to work on downsizing and clearing out my own stuff” — OMG, this is the ultimate truth. I am never so inspired to purge my files or organize my closet as when I’ve worked on that kind of effort with my clients.
Thanks for the wise reminders!
Thank you Julie, I love your weekly routine and I believe we get to set our own agenda for whatever works best for us.