I love helping my clients succeed as they make changes in their lives. Being part of their organizing journey as they experiment and grow is a privilege.

Prioritizing goals, changing habits, and learning new skills is no small feat. It takes patience, time, and curiosity. Sometimes, I’m asked, “How much can you accomplish in a one-hour virtual organizing session?”

Of course, that depends. However, it doesn’t matter if you’re planning, decluttering, assessing, or something else. My goal is to help my clients experience and notice their progress during every session.

Progress shows up in different ways. It might be . . .

• Having a perspective shift

• Decluttering a surface

• Reducing overwhelm

• Letting go of unhelpful ideas

• Making decisions about emotionally charged possessions

• Gaining clarity around the next tiny, doable step

• Designing an organizational solution for a challenging area

• Planning a big project

• Figuring out where to start

• Gaining confidence

• Identifying potential obstacles

• Noticing the changes they made

• Learning new skills

• Organizing mind clutter

• Brainstorming about how to prioritize commitments and goals

• Getting unstuck

• Organizing a specific area

• Improving their mood

• Feeling empowered by their progress and agency

An Essential Question

My friend and colleague, Juliet Landau-Pope, begins each client session with this question. It’s a beautiful query because it encourages the client to review their progress and identify the benefits they’re experiencing. She asks,

“What value did you get from the last virtual organizing session?”

I listen carefully to what my clients say. They talk about their obstacles, positive changes, progress, and goals.

My clients experience many positive results from their one-hour virtual organizing sessions. I’m sharing their inspiring thoughts with you, which are categorized into five areas. They are:

• Clutter

• Progress

• Mood

• Enjoyment

• Empowerment

41 Inspiring Results Clients Describe About Their Virtual Organizing Sessions 

Clutter

“I’m in the process of un-messing.”

“The bedroom is more habitable.”

“Clutter is more energy than it’s worth.”

“The couch looks better.”

“My pile of ‘going’ is getting bigger.”

“Stuff was much more overflowing before.”

“I now have a blueprint for how to declutter.”

Progress

“I made headway.”

“So much progress has been made.”

“Once on a roll, it’s easier.”

“I got so much done during our session.”

“It’s a big deal for me to be this focused.”

“I am making significant progress. I couldn’t do that a while ago.”

“Wow! This is starting to come together.”

“I feel more in control.”

“I see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

“I now have a blueprint for how to declutter.”

— Oh, So Organized! Client

Mood

“Things feel mentally more manageable.”

“I am way less overwhelmed.”

“I feel better.”

“I am so relieved to be dealing with this.”

“I feel good. I was down in the dumps when I couldn’t do anything.”

“It’s good to talk about emotional strategies to make it better.”

“This feels so good what we did today.”

“At the beginning of our session, I felt like crying. Now I feel giddy.”

“I’m in a better mood now.”

Enjoyment

“This was super helpful and fruitful.”

“Who knew organizing could be so fun?”

“This was very helpful. It was better than I thought it would be.”

“I really enjoyed our session.”

“This has been so much fun.”

“I see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

— Oh, So Organized! Client

Empowerment

“Things are improving. I’ve got this.”

“I have a plan that I can actually accomplish.”

“Not insurmountable anymore.”

“I’m in a whole other place than before.”

“It's not scary anymore.”

“I know I can do it. I can pair things down.”

“Not impossible or unconquerable.”

“I feel very motivated.”

“This is so liberating. I deserve this.”

“This is empowering.”

“I can do this!”

Virtual Organizing is a Powerful Path Forward

Which client experiences resonate with you? Have you worked with a Virtual Professional Organizer? If so, what positive results did you experience? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

Do you need help getting unstuck, making a plan, decluttering, or organizing? If so, I’m ready to help. Please email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Moving forward is possible, especially with support.

The idea of ‘out with the old, in with the new’ is a phrase I remember hearing from when I was very young. I heard it most frequently around New Year’s. At first glance, it makes sense until we look a bit more closely. The New Year allows us to pause, reflect, and decide how we’ll make the next year ‘better’ than the one that just ended. We lean into the fresh start and the hope a clean slate brings.

Recently, a few things happened that made me question the ‘old/new’ saying. As we plan and decide how we want 2022 to be, I propose we don’t completely abandon the old in favor of the new. Instead, gather from the past and the present as you move towards the future. Consider the positive energy from revisiting ‘something old’ and embracing ‘something new.’ Not an either-or situation, but a richness that comes from including both. This can apply to all aspects of your life, be it getting organized, nurturing relationships, decluttering belongings, changing habits, and so much more.

A Case for ‘Something Old’

One of the things I love doing but haven’t done for a long time is baking. Why is that? Well, the positive thing about baking is how yummy it tastes. The challenging part is controlling my portions of freshly baked, hot-out-of-the-oven treats. In the past, the goods were baked and gone within hours and sometimes minutes. Since one of the things I’ve been working on as of late 2021 is eating more healthfully, along with losing weight (thank you, Noom), baking took a back seat.

But then something happened. Last week, we expected a big snowstorm. I don’t know about you, but baking and snowstorms are a perfect pair for me. I felt inspired and decided to bake banana bread with walnuts and dried cranberries and make chicken vegetable soup. It felt wonderful to create deliciousness in the kitchen and bake again. And while I ate a bit more banana bread than I planned, I managed to only eat one (generous) piece and freeze the rest.

The point is that even when you choose to change your habits and not engage in activities you used to enjoy, it’s possible to revisit those older joys and incorporate them in an energizing and healthy way.  Reframing and setting boundaries are your friends! I encourage you not to give up on all the old with the New Year.

A Case for ‘Something New’

We all know the exciting feeling of doing or learning something new. I might fail or do it poorly, but the thrill of ‘new’ gets my adrenaline flowing. Aliveness pulsates throughout my mind and body when I experiment, remain curious, and push myself beyond what I know. Something about the New Year encourages us to think out of the box or comfort zone. 

This month, some things happened or will happen that fit the ‘new’ category. The first one was a cooking experiment I did last week. Yes, it’s another food story. I don’t know about you, but my husband and I love Dave’s Organic Killer Bread Thin Sliced with 21 Whole Grains and Seeds. It’s so good for sandwiches! However, we don’t like the ends. They are small and a bit tough. We also don’t like wasting food. When each loaf was almost finished, I’d buy a new one. I saved the ends hoping that someone (my husband) would eat them. That strategy wasn’t working, as evident by the growing bag of ends collecting in the refrigerator. Then, one day I had an idea. What if I made croutons from the unwanted pieces? How hard could that be?

It turns out it’s easy. I had fun finding a recipe and modifying it. I cut the bread into cubes, tossed it with olive oil and some seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, laid them out on a parchment-covered baking sheet at 400 degrees for 10-17 minutes, and flipped them when halfway baked. Now I have a new recipe, a way to handle those ‘ends,’ and something crunchy to add to our salads and soups.

“Gather from the past and present as you move toward the future.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

The other ‘new’ things coming up are two speaking engagements this week. Speaking isn’t new. I’ve been doing that for decades. But the two situations are unique for me, and I’m excited about both. 

I’ll be giving my virtual workshop, How to Conquer Clutter, for a corporation as part of their Lunch & Learn series. Not the workshop, but the setting is a first for me. I’m grateful to Marcy Stoudt, founder of the Executive Mom Nest, for making this incredible connection.

The other new gig, a virtual Zoom event on January 15th, is open to the public. I’ll be on a panel with eight industry experts who will share tips and strategies for From Staged to Sold in 90 Days! Get Your Home (and Yourself!) Ready for the Spring Market.

I’ve been on many panels before, but never one focused exclusively on preparing your home for sale. I am grateful to realtor Jenifer Ross for putting this event together and inviting me to participate. If you are interested in attending or know someone who will benefit, click here to register for free.

As you lean into your fresh start, what will you carry forward or introduce to 2022? Energy comes from revisiting things we enjoyed in the past and pursuing new paths. You have so many resources to draw from as you plan and create your best year ever. What are you excited about? How will you make the most of your fresh start? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.