Home Back to Articles Shannon Seek Author, Organic Organizing September 2002 - Does Being Organized Mean You Never Make a Mess? The Organic Organizing Newsletter | 2nd Edition by Shannon Seek, BS, CPCC, CDS, Professional Organizer Sometimes people think that being organized is about being perfect. No room for mistakes or a mess. This is how the fear of making a mess can keep people from getting organized in the first place. It is like cleaning the kitchen and making everyone stay out. The kitchen needs "a break." Because eating is a part of living, an organic process, human needs eventually win over the "tidy untouchable kitchen." The same is true of any space where living happens. It is inevitable that tomorrow is another day and you will make another mess until you take your last breath. To create just about anything in life there will be some sort of chaos or disorder in the process. When you pack to go on vacation, you might have clothes all over the place until you put them in your luggage and pick up whatever is left. The process of packing can be messy. Only if you stopped packing and left the mess, you might become unorganized. If you give yourself permission to make a mess while you are working, you can own the need to pick up when you are done (Essential Action #6 of the Organic Organizing Matrix sm/tm). (continued, above right) Back to the top (continued) How? Slow down and notice what you need in order to make the process easy. Examples: Traveling? You might want a reminder list of what to pack or a designated spot for packing. Dread laundry? Maybe you need a clean space for folding or to get rid of some old clothes to make room to put things away. File drawer crammed? It might be time to box 1999 records and put them in storage to make room for 2002. The trick? Have things easy to find, easy to use and easy to put away when you are done. Look for obvious answers, like when you have lost your keys and they are in your hand! See how you can accommodate what really happens when you do things (such as making a mess), and you will notice yourself being more organized, naturally. Remember their is ebb in flow if there is life. About the Author: Shannon Seek is available for private coaching, teamwork and presentations on getting more focused, effective and organized. For more information, please contact Seek Solutions at: findit@seeksolutions.com or visit her coaching & consulting website: http://www.seeksolutions.com Back to the top | Home |   | OOM Store |   | Info (Newsletter) |   | Contact |   | Privacy Policy | All Rights Reserved. Copyright, Shannon Seek, Seek Solutions, 1996-2004 Marin County, San Francisco Bay Area, California (CA), USA Tel +1 415-925-8856 www.organicorganizing.com info@organicorganizing.com