Confessions of an Organizer: Why My Home is Organized

When someone finds out that I’m a professional organizer, I often hear the statement: "So, I know your house is perfect." And to that I say "No, my house is organized.”

I'm a busy business owner with no kids, so it’s probably easier for me then a lot of the population. But if you aren’t quite organized, take heart! It could take months or even years of learning what works and putting it into practice to get organized. Everyone's situation changes throughout their lives which affects their level of organization. But there are basic principles of how you can stay organized.

Here is a list of reasons why my house is organized:

1. We don't own a lot of things

I'm no minimalist (although some of my clients may think I am), but we try to pair down and purge on a regular basis. I try to only have what I need and buy only for the space that I have. When shopping not only do I ask: “Do I need or want this?” I also ask, “Where will I put it?” Because we live in a cozy one-bedroom apartment the answer to that question often leaves the item at the store.

2. I learn from the struggles of my clients

When I'm with my clients I see time and time again the same resistance: emotional struggles and the turmoils associated with unnecessary acquisition and letting go of things. It's like I get the privilege of seeing the same lesson over and over again. My own personal Ground Hog day, and unlike Bill Murray’s character Phil, the day is different, the client is different and the things may be different, but again and again and again it's often the same challenges. I get to see the moral, and I try my best to "get it" when I practice the acquisition and letting go of things in my own life.

3. “The best things in life aren't things” quote means more to me than a pin on Pinterest  

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but I want to emphasize how important it is. The moments we experience and share with loved ones are always more important than the collection (and working for and maintenance) of more and more items.

4. I don't strive for perfection

I'm in my late 30's and I'm over what people think (mostly). With age, my spiritual perception, and a little help of Brené Brown and her book The Gifts of Imperfection, I’ve come to realize living life based on unrealistic expectation is unfruitful. Organizational bliss, in my opinion, is a cross between finding what you need, when you need it, and knowing what is priority in your life.  How things look is often just the icing on the cake. Ironically when you have priorities in place, and put your belongings where you can find them, things tend to look nice naturally.

5. I try never to organize for the sake of being organized or for what others think  

I organize because it adds value and supports the functions of my life. Overall, it allows me to have great experiences, and to do things and be with people who are important to me.

When I'm balanced, I'm happy, and it doesn't bother me that I didn't make up my bed (for the day) or the laundry basket is full if it’s for good reason. If I know I gave the more important things in my life attention, then I'm at peace. When I feed my soul (or things that make me, me), then I have the energy and the desire to take care of the day to day maintenance that being organized requires.

6. I make a game plan  

Sometimes having a game plan works out, but the fact that I had a plan in the first place often gives me the courage to start. If you were shipwrecked on a desert island, would you just jump into the sea hoping for the best? No. You'd get your Tom-Hanks-in-Cast-Away skills on and make a plan of action. It's still scary, but that fact that you thought about a plan of attack will help you move forward. And, if you happen to get stuck, you can always refer back to your original plan.

7. I delegate and I don't try to do it all by myself (anymore)

Honestly, if it weren't for my husband my house would only be organized 80% of the time…(Thanks, Honey).But he’s not the only person on my team who helps me get the job done. It’s important to call in for backup when we need it, it’ll help us get to the things we love to do much quicker. It took me a while to get that lesson.

8. I make sure all my things have a home

We have assigned homes to most things in our home and car. It’s a rare occasion that we are frantically clueless about where something is. This practice can save a lot of time. If we are looking for something we need to have a vague idea of where it is. If you have a drawer filled with random, miscellaneous items, it’s time to empty the drawer and give each thing a home to call its own.

9. I realize the rhythm of my week, and energy levels  

When I first ended my 9-5 career I was still stuck in that mentality. I soon realized that I need to get up and get started earlier to get everything done. Then I realized that my mental clarity was sharper in the morning and when I was alone.  Because of this, I do a lot more administrative and creative tasks (like my planning, bookkeeping, blog writing, social media) earlier in the day and more laborious but less mentally intensive tasks (like cleaning, exercise, folding clothes, responding to emails) tasks at night. I also realize that I don’t have the gumption to go the gym early, but I’m more likely to go at 9:00 p.m. than at 6:00 a.m. Instead of forcing myself to go to the gym early, I don’t waste  time or energy trying to drum up motivation in spite of my low-energy level. Understanding my personal rhythm and energy has allowed me to get more things done because I work on things that match my energy levels.  Where you have the luxury of setting your own schedule, make sure you do so effectively.

Every individual is different, and what I’ve found that works for me may not work for you.  And what works for me now, may not work for me later. It's about learning the ebb and flow of your life and taking steps to readjust when necessary.  

You can try to incorporate some of the things that worked for me and see what happens. If you’re still struggling to get your home organized, reach out. We can help you come up with some personalized solutions that may work better for you.

Andrea Hancock is a professional organizer & productivity consultant, blogger, speaker, and educator that assists and empowers busy professionals, entrepreneurs and those experiencing major life transitions to create and maintain organizational systems that work for them personally.  Andrea is also founder of Dexterous Organizing, a results-oriented professional organizing company.  Book a free 15-minute Discovery Call to begin your journey to better productivity and more organizational prowess or give us a call at (703) 606-8968.

Quote of the Month: "The best things in life aren't things"

Confessions of An Organizer: My Organizational Challenges.

I think of being organized much like yoga or Pilates.  It takes practice and consistent effort, realizing that you won’t bend exactly the same way as your gym mate.  Your muscles have to learn how to move and get stronger to support how you twist and turn to achieve your goals.

Just because I’m an organizer doesn’t mean that I don’t have organizational goals and challenges, it means quite the opposite. I realize that no one is perfect (and the ones who have their life all labeled and color-coded make my left eye twitch uncontrollably). But it takes practice, consistent effort and making room for the situations that life brings our way.

I recognize my organizational limits and boundaries. I also know at what level of organization I feel comfortable. I create daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals that stretch my limits and boundaries. Sometimes it's not fun testing your own comfort levels. One day I may reach the all-labeled and color-coded status (sorry in advance for making your eye twitch) but for now I’m mostly labeled and not really color-coded. And for now, things are organized and uncluttered enough for me.

I can find what I need 90% of the time.  The other 10% I call sparkle. Sparkle is like when you get lost going somewhere but you find a wonderful frozen yogurt place that you didn't know was there but if you hadn't gotten lost you would have never known.  You can’t control everything, and for what you can’t control you can let go and let it flow.  Call it sparkle.

This picture was a sparkle moment:

I was supposed to be meeting a woman I met on OfferUp (similar to Craigslist) at the National Harbor who wanted to buy my hair dryer.  She was a no show but the sun was setting and we decided to get out of the car and take pictures.  I snagged this shot.  I would have never gotten it unless this lady didn’t meet me.  I decided to make the best of what could have been a total waste of time and gas. See, sparkle. :)

Anyway, I digress.

So you know my thought process around being organized and you realize that I’m still working on things myself.  Like: I will be paperless by 2015!

But this year I did pretty well in reaching my own organizational goals.  In fact, I did so well that one day I sat on the couch and I went through my brain for something I had to get done and I couldn't think of anything.  My receipts had been filed, my check register was caught up, there was a known tiny pile of paper I wanted to scan but it wasn't imperative.  Then the anxiety set in.  I have be forgetting something.  Something important. I ALWAYS have crap to catch up on.  Always.  That feeling of rushing around, being over-obligated, and time crunched and never having enough time in the day set it.

Could I actually sit here and read a book without a small voice telling me I wasn't being productive enough and I really should be {fill in the blank}?  Alas! The moment had come where I reaped the benefits of an important goal for 2014, that of saying NO to obligations that didn't serve what’s truly important to my life and over all goals and saying yes to all the things that are. Perhaps in that moment I had to acknowledge that all the practice and consistent effort paid off.  Then the anxiety slowly melted away and I enjoyed a few minutes on the sofa.

Recently I re-read/listened to the book The Gifts of Imperfection.  I think so far it’s one of the books I will re-read every so often to remind myself that the reason I get and attempt to stay organized isn't to impress my friends or family.  It isn't to allay the fear that one day my clients will knock on my door and demand to see the state of MY desk at any given moment.  But I realized organization in my life is to support my life and my business.  Sometimes my life gets hectic but when I put the most important things first, that’s all that matters.  I feel better about my day when I have my priorities in order. Filing can wait if it means there is a heart-to-heart to be had with my husband, the pile of business cards from a recent networking event can be done another day if it means I need to cook my family a healthy dinner, and although I agree that owning your own business takes sacrifice and some sleepless nights, I also believe that I can’t stay at 110% if I don’t get a good night’s rest on a regular basis. Exercise…let’s not forget about that (even though I had for almost 4 months).

Organization should support your life and goals, not take away from them.

Here’s my tips on getting to a point in your organizational practice that leaves you feeling supported:

1.  Ask YOURSELF: How organized do I want to be? Does my current way of doing things leave me feeling chaotic and uneasy?  Or do I feel I need to emulate someone in my life that seems to have it together all the time? If you answered yes to the latter question.  It’s time to dig deep as Breneé Brown would say. Be realistic.  You may realize that perfection for you may not look like a magazine cover or a Pinterest page.
2.  Create a plan of action to get as organized as you need to be.
3. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Sometimes if we create or regurgitate too many rules like “I can only touch a piece of paper once.” Or “I have to reach out to these people I met at a networking event within two business days.” Then we might find it paralyzing to ever move forward.  If you have to touch a piece of paper a second time to make a decision on it then DO IT. It surely isn't going to file, shred, or recycle itself sitting on your desk just because you already touched it.  And (my business consultant would probably disagree with me on this one) but if I waited a week and two days later to reach out to someone I met at a networking event, it surely beats the heck of me not doing it at all because I missed the two business day deadline. A little action gets more results then a lot of intention. Here's a Tweet: "A little action gets more results then a lot of intention"
4. Realize your weak spots. There are some things I’m not good at, and no matter how much I WANT to do them, I can’t either because of lack of desire, ability, or time.  I had to let go of my bookkeeping and a few other tasks that were simply holding me back from moving forward.  Figure out what you’re not good at and see if there is someone you can delegate to.  Stop being cheap.  There are tons of services that provide assistance from grocery shopping (Peapod), to cleaning (Homejoy & TaskRabbit) that are effective and affordable. Your return on investment will be tremendous. You can spend time making follow up calls, instead of reconciling your bank statement.
5. Get some accountability. A lot of our clients hire Dexterous Organizing 20% for the fabulous suggestions we give on creating organizing systems and how to store things but 80% for the accountability of actually doing it. Making decisions on what to keep and what not to keep and actually taking the not keep items away, and not going to watch Netflix instead of finishing an organizing project helps get it done and also help you see that it’s usually not as bad as it feels.

Getting organized is a journey. Don’t expect it to happen overnight, get some help if need be, take consistent action and then relax and enjoy a guilt-free moment on the couch when it all comes together.

Want to use this blog post in blog or other content? No problem, just let us know and use the below statement verbatim:

Andrea Hancock is a professional organizer, blogger, and speaker that assists and empowers busy professionals and business owners to create and maintain organizational systems that work for them personally.  Andrea is also Founder of Dexterous Organizing, a results-oriented professional organizing company.  To receive free productivity and organizing tools, or to venture into a more organized home, office, and life, click "I'm ready to get started!" at www.DexterousOrganizing.com or by phone at (703) 606-8968. 

Four Clever Ways to Contain the Clutter In Your Bathroom

1. Command hooks

from cosmopolitan.com

Pros:  Command hooks allow us to store things on walls, inside of doors, on the sides of cabinets and bookshelves, keeping things handy, off of counters, and sometimes out of sight.


Cons:  Sometimes they stick well sometimes they don't


TIP: Make sure you follow the directions carefully when putting on a command hook and stick to the weight limits.  We'd even suggest being on the safe-side and getting a weight limit beyond what you need to account for the weight from the force of you putting an item on and off.

2. Baskets

Found on shelleyjacobsendesign.blogspot.ca

Pros: Baskets make a great way for you to hide things that could potentially be unsightly.  It keeps things contained and if you're careful it can keep like items together (body care in one basket hair care in another).


Cons: Because most baskets are deep, the tendency could be to throw many things in them that are not categorized.  Eventually you can begin to lose things in plain site because the baskets become a dumping ground.



TIP: Label your baskets.  Although when you are first organizing it may seem obvious but after day 5 and early in the morning you may momentarily get confused what things go in which basket which can lead to frustration and an eventual disconnect from this way of organizing.

3. GlideOuts

Pros: It allows you to gain access to things that are in deep cabinets and use of your cabinets at two levels.


Cons: If you don't think your needs through correctly you could possibly be stuck with a poor design.


TIP: Think of how you use your things and store items in glide outs to a long-lasting benefit.

4. Shelving

Pros: Keeps things off counter tops and at arms reach.

Cons: Have to be installed; takes up wall space.

TIP: In small bathrooms, use shelving to take advantage of vertical space for storing extra toilet paper, hygiene or cleaning products that would otherwise take up space in cabinets or linen closets.


Need more help? Visit our website at www.dexterousorganizing.com

Five Things You Can Do For A More Organized Kitchen

We spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  We also spend a lot of money in the kitchen.  Think about all the food, appliances, cookware, flatware, and time we spend in the kitchen.

A contractor colleague of mine recently said a kitchen remodel should typically be 8% - 10% of the value of your home.

WOWZAS!

So I would assume that for such an investment, we would want to use our investment wisely.  Here are some tips to keep you from spinning your wheels and wasting a lot of time in the kitchen.

1. Out with the old.

This point may sound quite obvious but if you take out broken or unused cookware, expired food items, unused (especially the super bulky) appliances, you might be surprised how much roomier your drawers, cabinets, refrigerator, and pantry will be.

TIP: Before you go to the grocery store, make a list.  Raid your fridge and pantry and throw out all expired things, clear out and clean out the pantry or fridge.  Make this a habit and you'll buy less duplicates and have room for the items you are going to purchase.

2.  Keep items by category.  

If your pantry is divided by zones, it'll make things a lot easier to find.  Keep snacks together, baking items together, can goods together, and your brain will thank you and so will your stomach.

TIP: Keeping categories in bins or baskets make it easy to group categories. It doesn't have to be super pretty or polished but functional is better than nothin'

from unskinnyboppy.com

3. Keep items where you can see them.

Have you ever looked for something in the fridge and you couldn't find it because it was behind the milk? Well when we put things in the fridge, be mindful of putting short things behind tall things.  The goal when putting something in the fridge or pantry or cabinet is so that you can retrieve it later. 

TIP: Have a family member or roommate that doesn't follow that policy?  You can create sections in the fridge or pantry that make it darn-near impossible (binning everything pictured below) to do it any other way OR label it.  A lot of times putting things away is something we do subconsciously.  If we give our brains a visual cue, it might help.  Or strangling the offender.

from fitsugar.com

Dexterous Organizing does design work with ShelfGenie!

4. Empty that box or bag!! (Consolidate)

Many, many, many times when organizing pantries, we find a big ol' box with one tiny thing left in it. Once we threw away a lot of the excess bags and boxes we find awesome amounts of space for items. If you abide by tip #2 above you'll find that you can contain things by category and not need the bag or box.

TIP: Jars, air-tight plastic containers, freezer bags and snack/sandwich bags are a life saver in helping to consolidate half-empty boxes and bags.  Also use rubber bands to get the air out of snack bags and roll them up tightly for more space.

5. Stacking and Nesting

When you can take advantage of vertical space by all means do so! Many of the containers we buy in the stores are build for stacking and they are also built for nesting.  Usually with the lid is on a container, we can stack something on top of another without it falling off.  Conversely without the lid we can nest things inside one another (like bowls or containers).  This helps to conserve on the space.

TIP: Buy bowls and containers that all stack or nest together.  Trust me, it's worth it.

Stacking Containers

Nesting measuring bowls and cups!

If you repeat these tips constantly and consistently you'll work your way to a more organized kitchen. 

If you need help to make decisions or get stuck in ways to organize, give us a shout! Visit our website at www.dexterousorganizing.com for more information.

Kitchen Organization: Wire Shelving driving you crazy?

Some of us have wire shelves in our pantries and find them hard to use to store things. Those slots on the shelves make it hard for smaller items to be level, and for the use of shelving organizational products.  Try getting shelving wire liner. 

Better yet, replace your wire shelves for beautiful ShelfGenie glideouts.

Inspiration & Motivation: Keep On Going

'nuff said. Right?

Pack Your Bags!

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As the saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat (why are we skinning cats anyway...ew). So there are definitely a few ways to pack a bag.  I've done the rolling thing before (see above).

But by far my favorite is the packing cubes (see below).

Packing cubes keep me in my lane and helps me make choices about what to pack and what will and won't fit. We often pack too much, and packing cubes help us stay in our lane and pack what will fit.  Then once it's packed, you slam them (neatly) into your suitcase.  Even if you buy a few items on your trip they can fit outside of the cubes without causing you to wonder where it will go. 

Are you Single & Looking?

Well so are these socks!

What a cool and useful idea to keep socks that get separated back together again.

Why is Susan so lazy?

So one of my favorite kitchen organizing tools is the simple lazy Susan.  The kitchen is usually filled with deep shelving, small packages, cans and containers, interesting corners, and usually not a lot of space.  Lazy Susans help keep things in the back...well everywhere.  Here are some other uses I've seen and liked in the pantry.

The items in the corner are reachable and it maximizes the space there.

What do you think of lazy susans? Are they useful in your kitchen? Why or why not? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Dexterous Brides: Keeping on task for after "I do"

So if you're a newlywed, it's kind of hard to get out of the cutesy-newlywed-everything-is-his-and-hers-decoration-mode. That's okay.  You can still live on your bridal bliss even after "I do" with this cute little task-mastering notebook:

Great gift before or after the wedding

Now you have someone to share the best of your life and to help each other keep your house a happy home. I'd suggest being on the same page (pun intended) with knocking out a few things on a weekend morning and then rewarding yourself with a fun date.  I've been married almost 10 years and this format usually still makes us happy. :)


Here are some suggestions for some great summer dates from Bellatheblog.com

ENJOY!

Friday's Inspiration and Motivation: Organization is Beautiful!

Organization is beautiful! I think that  you can also create your version of organized that works for you and helps you be a better person for yourself and those around you.  It takes honesty, it takes guts, it takes work but that's what makes it beautiful.

Outdoor Delights: You even get to bring the kitchen sink!

So you like to grill or garden, but you find yourself running in and out of the house to rinse things off.  No need to call a plumber to install a sink, just use your outdoor hose to create this wonderful utility sink for your backyard.

Outdoor Garden Sink by Improvementscatalog.com

This outdoor sink closes off to protect it from dirt, serves as a shelf, has a place for wrapping your hose around it, and is made of heavy-duty plastic.  

What do you think?  Is this sink really delightful?  Tell me below in the comments section!

Friday's Inspiration & Motivation: Creative Minds

I advocate that organization should be comfortable.  It shouldn't be a layer of stress and habits that just feel inauthentic.  Creatives normally like to see things out.  Organized means that you can find what you need when you need it and you attempt to create balance in your time and space.  I don't think the two things are mutually exclusive. Tidy and put away aren't always appealing to a creative mind so the obvious answer to someone suggesting them to be "more organized" can lead to rebellion.  But if we change the idea of what organized really means, we can break down a barrier of creating organization.  Organization that is creative, beautiful, and authentically you.

Get ready for Spring Clean-out for the DIY!

You know who you are. When you want something you want it done yesterday.  But did you know in order to get a free donation pick up from +DCGoodwill you need to schedule it about 8 weeks out?  So you know what that means?

Imagine this scenario: It's mid-April and weather starts to break, the sun shines and you want to get started on planting your spring perennials.  But you notice your garage is cluttered and so is your basement. The itch has begun.  The Spring-cleaning itch. Suddenly you decide you have a ton of donate; a sofa, 8 bags of clothes, a box of old electronics, and who-knows-what-else but you drive a two-door sedan.  Yikes. So you call up Goodwill and they tell you that you can get a free pick up and they are booking for June.  Are you serious?! But it's April! you reply.  Yep. They're serious.  So avoid any @!#&* on your part!

If you're looking for a free option to haul away your junk and you know you're gonna get the itch.  You better book your Goodwill pick up like...(looks at watch) NOW!  Here are 5 easy steps:

1. Fill out the form
2. Check out the things Goodwill won't take
3. Sit and wait.  Goodwill will call you in about 5 business days to set up your pick up.
4. Let the Spring Clearing itch hit; or better yet put a couple dates on your calendar to go through the back of the closet and the untouched places of your house and car and start labeling what's donate.  If you need help with the sort, schedule an appointment with us.
5. Make sure you set your donate in one central location for the day of pick up.  Generally in the driveway, garage, or somewhere on the first level of your home. 

If you're into convenience however you can pay. Goodwill DC has partnered with a junk hauling company that will remove your junk future treasures, out but for a fee.

You can of course hire Dexterous Organizing and not only will you have a partner to help you get your spring-clean out itch stretched but we'll bring our team of experts, from organizer and junk hauler to handyman and closet systems, to help you every step of the way so you'll not only clean out but maybe even implement a new system and get a great deal on a garage system installed so next spring's clean out might not be so daunting!

What are some things you plan on getting started on for a spring clean out? Share your ideas below in the comment section.  If you know of someone who is in need of a kick-start to spring cleaning please share with them or your audience on social media!

Inspiration & Motivation!

Did a system you try to get organize not work? Don't let it get you down. Success if just a few more tries away.  Maybe we can help?

Know someone else that needs Inspiration & Motivation? Please feel free to share this wonderful message on social media with others by clicking the share buttons below.

Inspiration & Motivation!

It's so easy to make excuses as to why we don't do something we know will benefit us in the long-run. It's not easy but it's worth it. Did you set an organizing goal that you have yet to achieve? Let's get over the hump together!

Know someone else that needs Inspiration & Motivation? Please feel free to share this wonderful message on social media with others by clicking the share buttons below.

Interview With An Organizer: Christina Eanes

Just about every week I meet some awesome folks! Because I provide a lifestyle service, I try to have as many outstanding professionals in my back pocket that can assist my clients to have a fabulous life personally and professionally.

These interviews are also meant to show that we all have our own style of keeping it together, organized, and productive.  I'm the Organizer but certainly not a know-it-all (if my mom or husband is reading I advice them to stop laughing now).

Here is the latest interview.  Enjoy!


Welcome Ms. Christina Eanes of Eanes Coaching and Consulting LLC!

Tell us a little about your company: Eanes Coaching and Consulting LLC provides coaching and consulting services to both individuals and organizations. The coaching portion of the business helps individuals in their personal and/or professional lives with a goal they would like to achieve or a problem they would like help tackling. The consulting portion of the business provides curriculum development and training delivery services for organizations, particularly in the area of leadership development.

Name one thing you're really good at keeping organized in your business?   I am a HUGE fan of being organized. Being organized allows me to be super productive (i.e., help more people)! A very important aspect of any business is keeping track of what you've done, who you've met and worked with, and your profits and expenses. In order to do this, I've created my own Access database that tracks all aspects of my business.

Any specific favorite organizing tool? I love my Access database as well as QuickBooks. They meet almost all of my tracking needs.

How do you keep track of your networking and clients/profits and expenses? In order to ensure that I track everything I need to, I keep a tray by my computer where I put any of my documents or notes that need to be entered into my database (or calendar). I then set aside 30 minutes a day to update the database and work my way through the tray during the allotted time.

How do you stay motivated to keep organized? (book, advice, routine, person)  It's not hard to stay motivated to keep organized because I really enjoy the feeling being organized gives me. If it's on my calendar, I have no problem keeping up with it. So I literally schedule an "organization" appointment in my calendar on a recurring basis.

What is your biggest organizing conundrum? I am organized in pretty much every area of my life.... except my kitchen. I have to go through the cabinets every few months to re-organize them. My best guess is somehow gremlins get into the cabinets and rearrange things.

If you want to learn more about Christina and how she can help you to reach your goals for 2014 (or beyond), connect with her on her website (link above).  Here is more about the organizational tools Christina uses:








And for those of us who also need help in the kitchen feel free to get some ideas here:


Follow Dexterous Organizing @ DexterousOrganizing.com's board Kitchen Improvements/Organization on Pinterest.

Like what you read? I'd love to hear your feedback so please comment below.  Know someone who could benefit from the information? Feel free to share via social media by pressing any of the social media buttons below!

Would you like to have a 1:1 meeting with me so I can possibly have you in my back pocket as an outstanding service or product for my clients? Then email me at andrea_hancock@bdexterous.com

Ciao!

Don't Believe the Hype!

If I were to tell you that I were a doctor, what are some automatic things you'd think about me? Smart, articulate, makes a lot of money, healer, knowledgeable, are a few adjectives that come to mind for me. Now for a moment let me be more specific. If I said I was a neurosurgeon or if I said I was a veterinarian you get two vastly different pictures right? What is my point? The possibilities are endless and depending on your experience or lack of experience (say what you've seen on television of these professions) you have a mold of what these professions do, what type of people choose to be in this profession, and the qualities they possess.

I say that I'm a professional organizer. This industry is relatively new and for now the majority of the population who has any idea of what an Organizer is gets their ideas from television. Some are a little off "So you're like Nicey Nash right?" Um, no. I love Nicey Nash as an Entertainer and Host of the show but she is not an Organizer, she is a celebrity of a show who helps people de-clutter and facilitates a team of professionals (one who happens to be a Professional Organizer) and the home owner. She does a little of what an Organizer does by helping the home owner make decisions about what to keep and what to sell all with hilarity and pizazz. Then some people are much closer to what and Organizer is: "I love Peter Walsh." So do I. He is actually an Organizing Expert that helps people think about their stuff in a different way and then gives them the mental and physical steps to over-come clutter and organize their spaces. Yes, although he probably doesn't like the label, he is a Professional Organizer. So there are different pictures in our heads and in the heads of others (particularly our clients) that we have to address as to who we are as people and what we do as a profession.

When I first decided to pursue a career of a Professional Organizer, I too was under the "stereotype hype" of what an Organizer is. I thought this person was Mary Poppins and Martha Stewart's love child and everywhere he or she went the world was a little tidier with a throw pillow and a vase of peonies left in their wake of song and dance until it was time for them to fly off with open umbrella to the next appointment. With that idea, the pressure was immense. And although I love being organized and some of my friends think I am very organized - yes I like to straighten up my hotel room before I leave for the day as part inventory and part anal retentive. I drool while at The Container Store and could stare at pictures of organized spaces with dreaminess, but I also didn't come out the womb organizing my stuffed animals by type and color. As a child my room was messy on many an occasion and I kept things that I should have thrown away (like a Dixie cup of full of my baby teeth). I joined NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) and stood in a room full of veteran Organizers and thought they were organizing giants. I thought about their years of experience and techniques and my messy childhood turned organizing fan and I felt like a fraud.
I recently read Organizing from the Right Side of the Brain by Lee Sibler. I suddenly had an ah-ha moment.

I'm a right-brain thinker who has some of the traits Sibler lists. I wear my B Dexterous signature tee-shirts and they say "I love organizing" and trust me the shirts don't lie. I do love organizing. I love organizing because I hate the alternative. Sure I can leave a space messy for a short while but after I spend 10 minutes looking for something my other right-brain characteristic – impatience comes to the fore and I get anxious, angry and moody (moody being another right-brain characteristic Sibler lists). I love organizing because it brings calm and cohesiveness to my world and helps me feel like I'm accomplishing my goals and not spinning my wheels. Sibler states about the creative right-brainer who stays organized: "There are wanna-be creatives, and then there are the truly creatives. The wanna-bes are people who have very low attention spans and are all over the place. They can come up with all kinds of truly wonderful ideas but rarely follow through on them. The second type of people are also extremely creative, but as it happens they are extremely disciplined as well. It's a most remarkable combination." I follow through. I love being creative and seeing a project from start to finish. I am a right-brained-creative-organizer.

I didn't fit into my own "stereotype hype" of what an Organizer is. I didn't come out of the womb with a file folder and a label-maker. But I love leaving a space organized so that my clients can feel calm and cohesive in their space. If they feel like they have to doodle for 30 minutes before they figure out how to organize, that's okay. If they want to pile instead of file, if it works go for it! Organizing is about creating a system that works for each individual. Being able to find the things you need and want without being anxious, angry and moody. Yes to create, you have to be creative. But being creative doesn't mean being disorganized. I actually DO think Mary Poppins and Martha Stewart's love child would make a great organizer. A song, a dance, a lesson on potting your perennials while your unkempt office, living room, and kitchen all put themselves neatly away. But that's a stereotype that no longer causes me angst. I say that I'm a professional organizer. I'm not a left-brain run-of-the-mill organizer stereotype and I think I I'm wonderful the way I am. Thanks Lee.

Andrea Hancock is a professional organizer, blogger, and speaker that assists and empowers busy professionals and business owners create and maintain organizational systems that work for them personally.  Andrea is also founder of Dexterous Organizing, a results-oriented professional organizing company.  To receive free productivity and organizing tools, or to venture into a more organized home, office, and life, click "I'm ready to get started!" at www.DexterousOrganizing.com or by phone at (703) 606-8968.