Friday, May 18, 2007

The Organizing Sourcebook


I've just started reading a new organizing book that I really like so far. It's called The Organizing Sourcebook by Kathy Waddill. I won a signed copy as part of the grand door prize package (lucky me!) at the WDC-NAPO Professional Organizers Conference in March and just got around to reading it. I guess I've been too busy until now--that's a good thing! :) In the very beginning of the book Kathy relates how her assumptions about why people are "disorganized" evolved and changed as she met with more and more people in her early years as a professional organizer. As she worked with people she began to see that the "mess" the client was complaining about wasn't usually the real problem. (I agree!) She began to realize that there was almost always some life change or more than one change that a client was going through such as a move, birth, death, divorce etc. that was causing their normal systems to breakdown resulting in "disorganization". After quite a few different situations in my year and a half of organizing, this belief really resonates with me. I can't wait to read the rest and learn more about her "9 strategies for reasonably organized people".

Projects

Take a look at some of my organizing success! (Photos and text used with permission.)

Before

Before
Cluttered Desk

After

After
Clean and Clear of Clutter

Chaotic Shelf

Neat and Tidy Home Office

Client Feedback

I work out of a home office without any administrative support. I worked with Melissa to organize both my personal and professional effects as I prepared to relocate. I wish I had done it years ago. While organizing my office and paperwork Melissa identified my natural tendencies and created an organizational structure that was easy for me to maintain. When I began looking for a personal organizer, I mostly wanted someone else to come in and take care of the mess I had allowed to build up over the years. Working with an “uninterested” party during the purging process helped me lighten my load considerably. During the process Melissa provided me with simple intuitive skills that have not only allowed me to maintain my newly found order but help friends and family organize as well. I can honestly say hiring Melissa is one of the best things I have ever done for myself. Kelsi Reeves