Earlier this year, John Hunt interviewed me for the Smead “Keeping You Organized” series. We talked about chronic disorganization, clutter, and next steps. With winter’s thaw bringing signs of spring, hope, and change, I wanted to highlight some ideas from my conversation with John. You can watch the interview in its entirety at the bottom of this post.

Chronic Disorganization

Disorganization manifests itself in various ways, from mild to severe and from temporary to ongoing. In the early 1990s, organizing pioneer Judith Kolberg noticed that certain clients did not respond well to traditional organizing techniques. She developed the term chronic disorganization to describe this group and was the founder of the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD). In 2011, NSGCD changed its name to The Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD). I’m ICD’s President-Elect, and I will become President on July 1st.  ICD is a 501(c)(3) non-profit association that offers a wealth of education, research, and strategies about chronic disorganization for professionals and the public.

The definition of chronic disorganization: 

• Having a history of disorganization

• Self-help efforts to change have been unsuccessful

• Disorganization undermines the quality of life

Next Step

After reading the definition of chronic disorganization, maybe you’ve had an “ah-ha” moment and realized that you or someone you know has this challenge. Learning more is a great next step. Download several of ICD’s easy-to-read, free fact sheets.

Favorite ICD Fact Sheets:

• Are You Chronically Disorganized?

• Are You Situationally Disorganized?

• How Do I Find A Professional Organizer That’s Right For Me?          

• Readiness for Change

• Tips for Communicating With the Chronically Disorganized

• Time Management for the Chronically Disorganized

Hope

What I love most about every new season, month, or day is that auto-reset button. The natural cycle allows us to get creative and begin again (even after we’ve failed.) The reset encourages possibilities. Possibilities breed hope. So, if you’re feeling challenged by the organizing piece in your life, remember that change is possible.

• Learn more

• Reach out for help

• Discover ways of organizing that work for you

• Remain hope-filled

Linda’s Interview About Chronic Disorganization

What’s next for you? Are you or someone you know chronically disorganized? Are you ready for change? Come join the conversation and share your thoughts about disorganization, change and hope.

Next steps are the focus for March. This month winter will transition to spring. On Sunday we move our clocks forward. We’ll trade piles of snow for new blooms. With all these thoughts of transitions, change, and next, I’m excited to introduce today the new blog feature, “What’s Interesting?”

I'm sharing my latest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. I look forward to your feedback, participation, and additions. Enjoy round one of fun, inspiring, and interesting finds.

What's Interesting? . . . 

1. Interesting Read - Habits

If you haven’t already read The Power of Habit – Why we do what we do and how to change by Charles Duhigg, I highly recommend it. Duhigg writes about the three-step habit process (cue, routine, reward,) and also how to alter unproductive and unhealthy habits. Identifying and changing “keystone” habits can have a positive domino effect, which automatically change other habits.  

2. Interesting Resource – Photo Organizing

One of my colleagues, Dr. April Lane Benson, recently told me about MyPublisher, a website where you can easily create high quality photo albums from your digital photos. I tried it, and was blown away by the quality, ease of use, customization options, and excellent customer service.

3. Interesting New Book – Chronic Disorganization

Just released this month, The ICD Guide to Collaborating with Professional Organizers, edited by Phyllis Floor Knerr, CPO-CD®, is an important addition to the organizing industry. It includes articles by 57 industry experts (including me) about chronic disorganization, what trained professional organizers do, building successful collaborations, and collaboration case studies. The only book like it in our industry, this is a must read for all professionals working with the chronically disorganized population.

4. Interesting Product – Planner

There are many ways to organize our time and plans. Especially for those that need a home-based system, prefer paper, are visually and tactilely oriented, thePost-it® Notes Weekly Planner could be a great addition. Color can be used to code events, people or activities. Sticky notes allow for easy movement and alterations. It’s a flexible planning system. 

5. Interesting Tech - Scent

We experience our world through our senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and scent. Our productivity can be enhanced or not by understanding how they can work with us. For example, using color can instantly help us recognize categories or brewing a pot of coffee can be the indicator that it’s time to start working. A new gadget being developed is the oPhone, which allows users to send and receive fragrances such as flowers, coffee, and fruit tarts along with their text messages. I’m curious how the oPhone will influence how we work and relax.

6. Interesting Thought - Next

We can make excuses or we can move ahead anyway. Just take one small step towards next, even if you’re not sure. Experiment. Discover. Stay curious.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you like this new feature? Would you like to see it continued? What was most interesting to you? Do you have anything you’d like to add? Come join the conversation. All feedback is welcome.

Are you ready for next? What will you need? At the end of last year, I started preparing for next. An exciting volunteer opportunity presented itself and I knew that if it were to happen mid-year, I’d need to be ready. Part of getting ready had to do with comedy and knobs. Are you curious? I’ll explain and also share some preparing for next strategies.

The opportunity I mentioned, has come to fruition. The exciting news is starting July first, I’ll be joining the ICD board as President-Elect. This amazing association is the premier resource on chronic disorganization.

ICD provides education, research, and strategies to benefit people challenged by chronic disorganization. Adding this volunteer position to my current commitments required that I get ready both physically and emotionally.

4 Tips to Prepare for Next

1. Bring on the Comedy – Doing something we’ve never done requires some bravery and creativity. As I’ve never been president of an association before, I wanted to exercise my bravery muscles to prepare myself. I did this by signing up for a Comedy Improv class. I’ve never done Improv. This new experience has been incredibly liberating. I’ve discovered that it’s all about letting go, trusting others, and allowing the filter to be silent. There’s been immense joy in facing the fear, turning up the bravery dial, unleashing creativity, and delighting in pure fun.

2. Bring on the Knobs – The knobs I’m referring to are for my office space. For a gift several years back, my husband promised to design and build a beautifully organized office area in my colors. For a variety of reasons, we hadn’t moved forward on the project. However, I recognized now was the time to get it done. Preparing my physical space so that I could be fully ready for next, became a top priority. Selecting the knobs indicates readiness. The knobs symbolize those finishing touches that will allow me to open the doors to next.

3. Bring on the Blog – Writing a weekly blog post is one of my regular commitments, which takes time. To get ready for the additional responsibilities as President-Elect, I thought that it would be useful to plan out and work on a years worth of posts. This included creating a blog calendar, selecting monthly topics, preparing all of the “Ask the Expert” interviews, and finalizing the details for the Giveaways and collaborative posts. Doing the advance planning and writing has helped me clarify the bigger picture, and pave the way for next.

4. Bring on the “It” – Today is my Dad’s birthday. He passed away a little over a year ago and I miss him so much. He was an amazing person, a wonderful role model, and one of my biggest encouragers. I always went to him for advice. When I was deciding if I should accept this leadership role for ICD, I spoke with many people. My Dad wasn’t there this time to weigh in. When my husband and I talked, he said that he knew what my Dad would have said if he were here. I knew too. He would have said to me, “Go for it!” He knew the importance of stretching, growing, and stepping outside of your comfort zone. His words of confidence and exuberance accompany me in the pursuit of next.

Whether you decide to try something new to practice stretching, organize your environment to allow the physical space to support your needs, do some planning and project completion, or determine your call to action, I wish you all the best as you prepare and move forward. Come join the conversation and share your thoughts. How will you prepare for next?

Reflecting on my recent trip to Toronto with my mom, I found a connection between traveling and the next step ideas I'm writing about this month.

Perhaps as you take on next, some of the steps I've identified will be helpful as you continue on your journey. We begin first with an idea and travel on from there.

“Prepare not only your suitcase but also your attitude.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

The 7-Step Travel Journey

1. Entertain New Idea

Before I planned to go away, there was no plan. A question was raised if I could travel with my Mom to Toronto to hear the premiere of my brother's new symphony?

Next step: Is this journey possible? Set aside time to mull over the idea.

2. Consider Logistics

Moving to next involved looking at calendars, discussing possible travel schedule, reviewing the basics for flights, hotel, and ground transfers.

Next step: Fact gather to move ahead.

3. Create List

After schedules were coordinated and travel details were booked, "to dos" came next. This included writing a pack list, getting foreign money, and adding international capabilities to my smart phone.

Next step: Create "to do" list to provide focus.

4. Prepare Attitude

No matter how organized or ready we are, the unexpected will occur. The morning of our trip, a major snowstorm hit our area. Roads were messy, our flight was delayed, and things didn't go according to the plan. Between Porter Airline's free latte machine, the short video clips I was sharing back and forth between my Mom and our younger daughter, and the great people watching at the airport, I enjoyed the travel day, delays and all.

Next step: Prepare not only your suitcase but also your attitude. Next is so much easier when you activate positivity, gratitude, and fun.

5. Get Comfortable

Change in routines and environments can be energizing or stressful. Know what you need to take care of you. After a car ride, flight, ferry boat, and taxi, Mom and I arrived at the hotel feeling a bit worn out. We unpacked, settled in, ate some dinner, saw my brother, put on our pjs, I took a bubble bath, and got a good night's sleep.

Next step: Getting back to the basics prepares and renews us for next.

6. Activate Senses

Traveling is an opportunity to experience the new through our senses. I explored the sights, sounds, scents, and feel of being in a different place. I enjoyed walking, taking photos, hearing wonderful music, being with family, and meeting the friendly people of Toronto.

Next step: Allow your senses to guide you forward.

7. Complete Cycle

We pack. We unpack. Preparing for next included finishing the process. Upon returning back home, I unpacked, put away the “stuff,” responded to emails, reviewed the schedule and to dos for the week, enjoyed dinner with my husband, and got a good night's sleep.

Next step: Clear the decks. Complete what you start to prepare for next.

Many exciting adventures are ahead. I'm ready to move forward, one packed bag at a time. Come join the conversation. What are your next step thoughts?