Yes, I know. It’s not spring yet. However, even though in the northeast we had more snow in the past few days and we're still sporting our coats and gloves, spring and what it represents is on our minds. I have nothing against snow or cold or being cozy inside on a winter’s day. Yet the thought of spring brings a smile to my face and a sense of hope that’s particular to this season of rebirth and renewal. Some of you might be wondering why I’m jumping ahead to spring thoughts when it’s still winter. For someone like me that engages in mindfulness practice, this seems anti-mindful.

I was prompted to future-think when I was invited back last week to be a guest on WNYC’s All Of It show hosted by the fabulous, Alison Stewart. The topic was “Spring Cleaning,” as in ways to prepare for spring organizing, choose next steps, lighten-up, and let go.

Alison and I talked about many ideas including rituals for spring organizing and how those are different from other seasons, and which are the most popular areas to organize during the spring. I also answered listeners’ questions such as the best method for organizing “hard” purses, how to let go of the clothes we’re emotionally attached to, and how to be a role model for our kids.

You can listen to the podcast here:

One of the clear themes that arose in the discussions and questions was what to do next? And while that answer varies greatly depending on what your unique situation is I thought it would be useful to share a few organizing strategies to help you navigate next as you gear-up for spring organizing.

3 Next Steps for Successful Spring Organizing . . .

1. How do I choose my next step when I’m feeling overwhelmed by the number of organizing projects I want to tackle this spring?

Next Step: When there are a lot of choices, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. In some cases, this overwhelm can cause inaction. One of the best ways to get unstuck is to figure out the tiniest possible next step you can take. So instead of focusing on all of the projects you want to do, select just one for now. There is no wrong choice. Pick one that will yield the most significant positive result for you or the project that will be easiest to accomplish. Then think small. What one tiny step can you take to move it forward? Build on your success one increment at a time.

2. How do I figure out my next step when I know what I want to organize this spring, but I have no idea of how to get it done?

Next Step: It’s terrific when you know what your organizing goals are. It’s also normal to be unsure about how to accomplish them. An excellent next step is to reach out for help.  The help can be from a family member, friend, or professional organizer like me. It’s possible that merely talking about your goals with another person will be enough to get clarity and move you forward. Other times, it’s helpful to have someone working side-by-side with you to help with the actual next steps. The point here is that you don’t have to go it alone. Enlist help from an organizing buddy.

3. What next step ideas do you have for letting go of the things that I’m emotionally attached to?

Next Step: Letting go can be challenging, but it can also be freeing. It’s important to ask yourself why you want to let go. Are you feeling overwhelmed or burdened by your things? Are they taking up emotional or physical space in your life? It’s worth deciding which items are adding value and which ones are not. Once you do that and you’ve determined the belongings you’d like to release, but feel emotionally attached to, find the right resources. Giving, donating or selling them to others that will appreciate your things as you have will make it easier to let them go. It will provide them with safe passage. It can also be helpful to have the support of a non-judgmental, compassionate person to be with you during the decision-making and letting go process.

Behind the Scenes at WNYC

To listen to the March 1st podcast of my guest appearance on WNYC's "All Of It" including listener questions and organizing challenges, my responses, and more, click here. For an inside look at WNYC, watch the video below.

With spring around the corner, what organizing projects are you thinking about? What are your most pressing next step questions? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join the conversation!

The woods grace the landscape in our backyard. We’ve lived here for almost 33 years and have joyfully watched as the colors and textures changed with each season. With the arrival of winter, the landscape is now bare with naked trees and little visible green. I eagerly await the first big snow when the quiet blanket of white transforms the woods. There is a time for each season. There are beauty and comfort in knowing that the seasons will change. Everything has its time. Appreciating and understanding this is an integral part of life’s balance. Nothing is permanent. Change is the only constant.

The Tree . . .

Over the years, we’ve lost many trees in our woods. Even the strongest of trees won't live forever. Several months ago I noticed that one of the tall trees was leaning more than usual. Each day it seemed to bend a bit more. Recently we experienced torrential rain with high winds. That did it. One dark evening, I heard a loud, crackling sound followed by a big, slow thud of the weighty trunk crashing to the ground. It wasn’t until the next morning that what I heard was confirmed. I saw the 50-foot tree toppled to the ground. Its time had come. 

The Bonfire . . .

Each year our friends have a winter solstice party, which we love going to. They build an enormous teepee-shaped bonfire in the woods. The fire is constructed from dead trees and limbs from their forest. The dead trees are repurposed to create this fantastic blaze that gives new energy to our thoughts and aspirations as we stand together in the dark of the winter night. We reflect about the past year. We toss into the fire experiences and ideas from the previous year that we’re ready to let go of. We also throw into the blaze new intentions for the coming year. Then the fire burns the wood completely taking with it our collective thoughts and bringing us a sense of balance and freedom. We square away what was. We ready ourselves for what will be.

As you conclude your year, consider how everything has a life. Are there projects or ideas that have run their course? Is it time to let them go? Are there projects you’re in the middle that need more attention? Or have they run their course? Are there new ideas that are begging for your energy and creativity to breathe life into? Nothing is meant to be forever. What will you let go of? What will you continue? What will you begin as one year ends and the new one starts?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

Our lives are full. We are human beings busy doing. There’s nothing wrong with doing. After all, there are always things that are next on our to-do list. There are always those next goals that we want to accomplish, places we need to get to, or people we want to connect with. However, sometimes we can get so caught up in the doing, that we don’t take time for just being.

Embracing the gift that awareness of the moment can bring is so valuable. It can give you that much needed pause between activities. It can give your mind a break from the barrage of thoughts and distractions. Awareness can connect you to and help you appreciate the present moment. Mindful living can be done anywhere at anytime. All that’s needed is your willingness to be aware of and embrace your present experience.

To further expand on how it's possible to introduce mindfulness as your next step, I’ll share a recent moment that I wrote about in my personal journal . . .

I have so missed the sun. I am here now sitting, basking in the warmth of the sun. On this unusually warm, winter day, I find myself seated by a window of a café as the sun streams in. It warms my left arm, face and body in the most joyful, enveloping way. The surrounding furniture is bathed in the strong light and shadows cast by the sun. Calm, peaceful, and grateful feelings within accompany this unexpected, seasonal gift.

Sipping my cool iced tea, I notice the contrast of the chilled liquid entering my mouth and throat as the sun warms my outer being.

There’s more to do today. Yet, I am feeling so content just sitting and being with this moment.

How does mindfulness show up for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

There are more frequent moments of enjoying the sun and noticing the season beginning to change. That change has not completely happened yet. We are straddling the dark of winter with glimpses of the warmth and lightness of spring. Simple moments bring my attention to the changes.

The sun’s presence has increased my awareness of the change-filled moments. They can be felt and seen in many ways. Sitting by the window in a café, I felt the hot sun streaming through as it warmed my skin and calmed my soul. Walking through my living room I saw the sun cast its bold streams of light and shadow across the space. Sitting outdoors on a bench, the sun bathed my body and face with its heat. Moving along the path by the river, I felt unencumbered because I only needed to wear a very light jacket on that sunny, warm day.

“We change without realizing it. We are in the midst of change even now.”

— Haemin Sunim

The season is changing. The sun is getting stronger as the daylight lasts longer. In small ways, I can see and feel change happening each day. I delight in and embrace these joy-filled moments. I am grateful for the visible changes. They are a source of hope and movement. They mirror the possibility of changes that are harder to see.

What changes are you sensing? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join the conversation!