Tag Archives: accountability partner

Can’t Seem to Move Forward With Your Organizing Project? Seek Out Help!

Do you always seem to have a list of organizing projects on your “To Do” list, but just can’t seem to get them done? Maybe you don’t know where to start. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed.  Maybe your projects keep getting put on the back burner because you have too many other demands on your schedule. It may be that you need to conduct a little product research before you can move forward.

Maybe it’s time to get help! 

HELP for Organizing Projects compressed

If you’re feeling stuck, I invite you to consider these options for getting the assistance that you need in order to organize that home office, declutter that closet, or sort those boxes in the garage.

1. Books

Conduct a basic Google search, and you’ll be surprised at the array of available organizing books. There are books designed to walk you through the basic process of organizing, as well as books that address specific aspects of organizing (e.g., various rooms, paper, time management, etc.) Still others provide an education on the psychology behind organizing (e.g., causes of clutter, habit formation, etc.).

I’ve created a list of what I consider to be the “Best of the Best” organizing books that I routinely recommend to clients . The list can be found on my website, in the Refined Rooms Amazon Store. Feel free to check it out to see if any of these books may be potentially useful to you.

2. Online Resources 

The internet provides endless opportunities for organizing guidance and ideas. Of course, we all know that Pinterest is the place to learn how to “organize on a dime” and to cleverly repurpose items for your organizing project. You can also find a printable checklist for just about any type of organizing project.

Online assistance goes beyond the pretty Pinterest pins. There are several online communities designed to provide ongoing organizing support to individuals who struggle to accomplish projects independently. Among these, my favorite is the Clutter Diet {affiliate link}.

Clutter Diet

This online program provides a weekly “menu” plan of organizing projects, tutorials, expert support, and community support to assist you on your journey to organizing project completion.

3. Friends & Family

Sometimes, all you need is a set of extra hands, or a person to talk to during a sorting session to make the aversive task more palatable. Tackling a project while partnering with another person can lead to getting more done in less time while having more fun in the process.

A friend or family member can also serve as your accountability partner…someone who can “light a fire under your butt” when you need it, or provide periodic check-ins to help you celebrate progress and navigate pitfalls.

4.  Professional Organizers

Maybe you’ve attempted to conquer disorganization on your own using a variety of self-help resources and have been unsuccessful. It could be that you just don’t have the time or motivation required to complete a large organizing project on your own. There are over 4,000 NAPO members who are ready to partner with you to help you achieve your organizing goals.

Check out the NAPO Professional Organizer Directory to find one in your geographical area if you desire to have a professional organizer work with you onsite. If you live in a remote area of the country and can’t find an organizer in your area, many professional organizers (including me!) provide virtual organizing services via phone/Skype/Facetime. The NAPO Virtual Chapter provides a directory of professionals who offer virtual organizing.

Take advantage of the available people and resources outlined above in order to finally cross that organizing project off of your “To Do List.” You’ll feel so glad you did!

 Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms?  Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn

Share Your “One Thing” for 2015!

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2015 1 Thing Cover

It’s so easy to get swept up in the excitement of the new year, don’t you agree?

I have a history of being overzealous when it comes to my list of New Year’s resolutions. My tendency is to attempt to achieve too many goals simultaneously, which often results in a failure to achieve any of them.  Can you relate?

I smartened up over the last couple of years and started to heed the advice that I often give my clients…focus on just one thing at a time. 

In 2014, my one organizing goal was to improve the functionality of several closets in our home (the guest room and my daughter’s bedroom). So what is my One Thing for 2015?  Actually, it has nothing to do with tackling a space within my home.

Planning The Menu

For years, our family has struggled with the “It’s 4:00…What’s for Dinner?” Syndrome, which leads to a lot of unnecessary stress, unhealthy eating habits, and overspending. So my One Thing for 2015 is to consistently plan out and shop for our weekly meals ahead of time.

How can I increase the probability of meeting my goal/resolution?

Focus on the benefits I will experience as a consequence of achieving the goal

~  Less stress…since I will have a plan in place

~  More money…since we won’t have to eat take-out food by necessity any longer

~ Improved health…since planning meals enables me to make healthier choices for our family

Create a list of concrete action steps

  1. Create a “Master List” of meals that all (or most) of my family members will eat
  2. Identify a printable menu planning/grocery list to use as a tool for mapping out my weekly plan
  3. Incorporate a meal planning component into our weekly family meeting that occurs on Sunday evenings, so that I can get family member input
  4. Explore meal planning programs and apps, such as Emeals.com to determine if they might be useful (my kids are extremely picky eaters, so I’m pessimistic about the usefulness of such resources for my family)
  5. To the extent possible, batch process weekly food preparation (e.g., dice veggies, measure out portions) in a single hour-long session each Sunday

Enlist the help of an accountability partner

Communicating your desire to achieve a goal to other people and asking them to support you and hold you accountable throughout the process is one of the most powerful methods for helping you stick to your commitment.

Now that I’ve put my 2015 goal out there for all of you to see, I’ve got no choice but to achieve my goal!  I invite you to hold me accountable via blog comments, emails, and Facebook check ins. My plan is to write a follow-up post at the end of February to share my progress.

Now, it’s your turn.

I invite you to share your One Thing for this year below in the comments section. Perhaps it’s a chaotic space you’d like to tackle, a system you plan to implement in order to increase household efficiency, or a clutter-producing habit that you’d like to nip in the bud. I’d love to serve as your accountability partner in order to help you achieve success in 2015!

 Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms?  Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn