Lost In The Back Country

We got an email from an old friend last week.

“We moved and I can’t take it anymore. We have too much S*%! and I want it all GONE!”

So being the incredible business that we are, we squeezed our friend Mrs.P into a week that was already busting at the seams. But we understand when someone emails or calls us and they are in that much of a state, we HAVE it help and quickly.

There’s just no sense at all to have a friend feeling overwhelmed for weeks on end when we can come in and get it under control in a day or two.

Our response was ” We’re on our way!”

So, now because this was a desperate plea for help we moved fast and booked her into a tight time slot. And then  moved onto helping the clients we had booked in prior to Mrs.P.

FYI – Mrs.P lives about 1.5 hrs away in the lovely rolling hills of Southwestern Ontario.

The adventure begins: Erin and Rebecca rub the sleep from their eyes and roll out of bed extra early in order to get to Mrs. P in good time. Rebecca jumps behind the wheel and they’re off! Heading north ( that’s all Rebecca needed to know, as Erin is the navigator).

As they are travelling NORTH, Erin starts to check into the very organized calendar of Just In Time Solutions and is having a hard time finding the “NEW” address of Mrs.P.

You see Just In Time Solutions had gone “paperless” since seeing Mrs.P the last time. So, Rebecca and Erin had an idea of where Mrs. P’s new house was but no real address. They had contact information…. however, Mrs.P has three small children and as every Mother knows

– Do Not Bother me before 9 am! Do Not Pick up that phone because you will go down that rabbit hole and your morning routine will go out the window!-

So, being the organized and structured Mom that she is, Mrs. P was not answering calls or checking emails. ( to which Erin was trying desperately to get a NEW address)

Rebecca takes the bull by the horns and arrives at a small village that she believed would head them in the right direction and if nothing else could be used as a bathroom break!

Without fear or hesitation Rebecca abandons Erin in the van and heads into a quaint little general store. Asking the clerk behind the counter if he knew where Mrs.P lived.

His answer ” No, better check the post office.”

And then it happened….A bulk of a figure beside Rebecca turns around, pushes his glasses up onto his nose and points a well worn finger at Rebecca saying

” I know a Mrs.P! She lives on my road!”

Rebecca responds ” That’s her!”

With amateur artist ability but decades of local knowledge our new friend took a pen and paper and drew a map to Mrs. P’s NEW home. Now, you might ask why not just put the road name in the GPS? Well our new friend had lived here all his life and said “they keep changing the road names on me so I’ve given up and I couldn’t possibly remember what road I live on.” ( let’s be honest he said a few choice words in between , but you get the idea)

Rebecca graciously thanked the gentleman and headed outside to the van waving a piece of paper at Erin as she crossed the street.

After getting settled into the van Rebecca looks out the window to see her new friend leaving the store,  he then proceeds to get into a tractor that is parked on the side of the road.

Being patient Rebecca waits for the tractor ( slow moving vehicle sign attached) to pull out. It’s then that they realize their new friend is heading home and they happily accept the wave of his arm to “Follow”.

Yes, it was an early morning.

Yes, even professional organizers don’t get ALL the details ALL the time.

Yes, Rebecca and Erin were in a hurry.

But, it’s moments like this…moments when our team is in the right place at the right time. When they meet extraordinary people and smile and say

“Thanks” for the reminder to slow down and enjoy the ride!

p.s Mrs.P was a very happy client by the end of the day!

 

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Years of De-Cluttering

17 years of being a Certified Professional Organizer and you can probably guess – I’ve seen it all.

But something I didn’t actually anticipate back in 2001, was the relationships I would be forming with my clients. In my view 17 years of being in a small business and being successful is an incredible accomplishment. But today I write you about some of my firsts….

There have been clients that have been a “one off deal”. They are in need of help and coaching and when the day is done, they’re happy and organized. These clients are usually families with children. But some of my first clients were professional people who were entering “middle-age” or thinking of retiring. These amazing, organized and dedicated individuals have called on me from time to time to help in life changing situations.

I have had the honour of assisting them from moving from their family home to an apartment or condo. I have been blessed to shared the ups and downs of “downsizing” and for some moving into spaces that provide a bit more care.

It hit me this week, that I have grown so very attached to these people. They have become my friends, confidants and sounding-boards. We know everything there is to know about each other families and lives because of the time I have been given to walk along beside these wonderful individuals. I never expected to form such ties with clients that had called me for help so many years ago. But I have, and I am humbled in their trust and belief of who I am and what I do.  There have been difficult decisions and moves made,  but I believe that because of our strong relationship both of us make these moves easier on each other.

To all those clients that have become “friends”, to all those who have allowed me to join them in this incredible journey. Thank you. Thank you for your never ending confidence, faith and assurance.

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#BellLetsTalk – Mental Health

We are lucky to have the support of a large national company, Bell Canada who is investing in Mental Health Awareness across our country.

I would be surprised if there was one person among us who has NOT been touched by a mental health issue.

Many discussions have started in my days working with clients as to why mental health issues seem to be more “out there”.

Why there seems to be more mental health problems with young adults and teens.

And how can people live and function with so many road blocks and stigmas attached to mental health issues.

I don’t have all the answers, I probably don’t have any! But from personal experience in my own life as well as those clients who were brave and confident enough to reach out, I believe that as a society we are trying to grow and become more compassionate. We are teaching our children to become more understanding and open to discussions.

But, we have a very long way to go. The #BellLetsTalk initiative is a step in the right direction, but we must continue this support year long and in every aspect of our lives.

When you hear a friend, co-worker or family member degrade ,knowingly or not, someone who is struggling – STAND UP! STOP the behaviour. Yes, It’s sometimes not so easy, sometimes you must be brave yourself. But I have to say, I doubt you will feel “bad” after asking the behaviour to stop. I doubt you will feel belittled and ashamed. You might actually feel empowered, strong and full of life and all it took was a few words to re-direct someone’s unkind thoughts and words in a way that gets THEM thinking.

75% of our Organizing clients are dealing with some kind of mental health issues. Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Grief and Shame are all very common feelings when working with someone in their living space.

Asking for help is the first step towards living a calm and peaceful existence. We are so very proud of our clients that do reach out. And we understand the concerns when it is a family member who contacts us initially. Number #1 rule in Professional Organizing? It never works if the client isn’t truly ready.

If you’re thinking of a family member who you feel may need some help, the best bet is to ask first, never assume they’re ready.

I love this clip – please take the time to watch to the end.

It’s a Good Day

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It’s been a different sort of day

As I work away in my office doing everything that needs to be done to run a small business of my own, it’s been a challenging day to stay on task.

The recent election in the USA has most people in a daze today, I’m finding. I went to bed last night feeling anxious and woke up feeling depressed. I’m happy for those that are happy with the outcome. We are all entitled to our political views. And although I’m Canadian and happy to be one, there is no doubt in my mind that there will be fall out and changes from this very, very stressful election and campaign.

I only wish our neighbours to the south peace and security. I wish those in the world who are living in a state of limbo, a sense of calm.

Remember you cannot control anyone else actions or how they react to a situation. You can only control your own. So, be the person you are proud of. Strive to make your time here as fulfilling and worthwhile as possible.

Look to the future, your future as an adventure where sometimes challenges will arrive and certainly set you back…maybe even knock you down for the count. But that same adventure could very well lead you to the edge of the most beautiful and enriching state of being you would never had noticed.

Project to your family and friends that you believe in them, provide that safe and comforting environment that you, yourself wish for.

There have been many, many difficult things that have occurred in our lifespan, we concurred them all. We grew and learned from our mistakes and we will continue on this journey.

Trust in who you are. Be strong. Hold your face to the sun and breathe deep.

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What kind of FUN brings you the MOST happiness?

Sunday Night “happiness project”.

I’m still stuck on this “fun” thing. I’m pretty much always about FUN. I love hanging with people that are fun, I like seeing others having fun because it usually makes me smile and I often encourage everyone to let their guards down and “go for it”.

Gretchen Rubin states that there are three categories of fun.

Challenging Fun – the kind that takes a fair bit of effort and organization. This kind of commitment can bring on frustration, anxiety and a bit of strain. But research shows it’s the absolute BEST when it comes to satisfaction.

Come to think of it, I guess that pretty much is life in a nut shell. Most often the things you put the most effort into are the things that pay off the most and give you the most “inner joy”.

Moderate Fun – This is kind of the “garden” variety. You know the kind of fun that requires minimal effort. Play in the park, walk on the beach, baking cookies. 🙂

This kind of fun gives you joy and often makes you smile, but let’s face it there’s no bells ringing and nobody is popping out of a cake.

And then there’s Relaxing Fun – This is easy. No effort. It happens without a second thought. Watching a movie, reading a great book…relaxing fun. I’m thinking this one is what gets us through the day to day stuff that drags us down.

My thoughts. It’s important to have all three “funs” in your life. Make the effort and pull out all the stops for some challenging fun. Moderate fun I’m going to say is for that “all in the family” kind of day and then there’s the “me time” – Aka – Relaxing fun.

For me as a Professional Organizer, the challenging fun is almost every BIG job that we encounter. Rebecca and Erin are ALWAYS good for some serious laughing bouts. And it’s these moments that get our clients through some pretty tough stuff. Our team is always planning, scheduling and organizing for our jobs. We put a great amount of effort into our relationships with our clients. They are never far from our thoughts and we can usually find something that keeps them laughing in the months and years to come.

One thing about Rebecca and Erin is that they never truly let a client go. Example: one client has a “thing” for flying pigs! So Erin is always on the look out for the perfect “flying pig”.

Challenging? Yes….worth every minute?

Absolutely!

 

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Where there is no wood, the fire goes out…

Happiness Project Sunday night edition.

Go off the path. It’s the next step in Rubin’s “Happiness Project”. And it’s so absolutely true for myself, my co-workers and my clients. I have always been someone who believes in constant learning, someone who refuses to stop looking at things in a different light.

And that is such a huge part when coming into a home of a friend, family member or client! As a Certified Professional Organizer I am always telling my co-workers and clients that there could be a different way to look at this problem.

1st get to the route of the cause. Dig deep and learn from others and yourself. The path less taken is not always so bad and sometimes it’s that path of hardship and conquest that leads to us to an ex-ordinary and heartfelt discovery.

Fuel the fire! Knowledge will never be lost on others that are willing to learn. Continue to strive for something “off the path”, something that even if it seems frivolous will or could end up being the missing link three weeks from now.

Helping someone bring chaos to calm, means learning from them. Asking the questions, listening and putting your knowledge in their hands. We learn from every client and we hope that every client learns from us.

No matter what your career or stage in life, knowledge is a gift. Use it well.

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Do You Remember The Last Time You Were Silly?

“A good belly laugh will keep you young.” This is something I heard time and time again from my grandmother.

Man could we laugh. Even now thinking back I’ve got a huge grin on my face and I can’t stop the flow of memories.

I’m into Chapter 5 of my book ” The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen is asking me something that I doubt I can link to being organized or bringing “chaos to calm”.

But then again….If you’ve ever met my “TEAM” then YES! There is a direct link.

Chapter 5 – “Take Time To Be Silly”

Oh yeah, that’s Rebecca and Erin.

You see when our friends and fans call on us to help them with certain areas of their homes, offices and lives, their mood is often overwhelming, tired and anxious.

And then the LADIES arrive! Rebecca and Erin are an amazing team that can set a client into their comfort zone. Reassure them that there are no judgements passed and they are only there to help. And help they WILL!!

So many times a client will open that dreaded door to show off that room that lives in their nightmares and then, they turn and look at Rebecca’s face….pure JOY! Excitement and awe.

Erin laughs because she knows Rebecca can’t be held back. Where to start? Never mind that! Erin’s concern is how do we slow her down!

Yes, Rebecca loves to dive right in and thankfully Erin is there to pull back the reigns and listen to the client for a few minutes to hear their vision of this space.

But the laughs that they have and the crazy moments on the job are what makes the client and my “team” enjoy their time and treasure their experiences.

So yes, “Take Time To Be Silly” is a must for all, because in a blink of an eye the “team” will be gone and you’re space will be your own again.

You will be the ones sitting back with a grin

and a shake of your head when you remember

the belly laughs the ladies brought in.

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Do you find you’re not making time for FUN?

I’m half way into “The Happiness Project” and again, it’s like Gretchen Rubin was writing about me!

6 months in and Gretchen is writing about how she needs to “have more fun in her life”

Well, I’m not sure that I feel I need more fun, but I think it can never hurt anyone’s life to have as much FUN as possible!

The crazy thing that has me thinking of my clients and my co-workers is the following quote:

All this thinking about fun made me realize that I had to make time for it. Too often, I’d give up fun in order to work. I often felt so overwhelmed by tasks that I’d think, “The most fun would be to cross some items off my to-do list. I’d feel so much better if I could get something accomplished.”

Now here’s my thoughts and question for the week. Do you feel that if you could organize your time better and actually get a couple of things off your “to-do” list that you would enjoy the “fun” things even more?

Or do we follow Gretchen’s thoughts, that by taking time to do something that truly was “fun” for us, that in turn we would feel energized and ready to tackle “the List”?

But then again, does it even matter which way we lean? If we are taking the time to do something that is truly fun for us…before or after a task are we not accomplishing “more happiness”?

I also think the thing I need to truly address is what is actually FUN for me. There are many times during my life that I’ve done something or gone somewhere that I would have answered, Yeah it was fun.

But now more then ever I’m searching for those moments, activities and adventures that are truly “ME”. Something that brings me JOY. Makes me feel happy. These things aren’t necessarily what I would have thought of 10-5 or even 1 year ago. But I do think it’s important to re-evaluate your precious time and find something that is yours, something that may help bring the rest of your life into focus.

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Work Smart – Leads to Happiness??

Yes, That’s what I thought I had read.

Gretchen Rubin writes

“As I had found in January, when I started applying the “one minute Rule” and the “evening tidy-up” small efforts, made consistently, brought significant results. I felt more in control of my workload.”

This made a serious “slap in the face” moment for me. Having my own business and running it efficiently is something that is of the upmost importance to me. I too wanted to know where I could make changes to my workload. To streamline my efforts and have the results right there in my face.

Too often I find myself in the office well after hours and on weekends. My co-worker Rebecca believes it’s because like her, my brain doesn’t shut down. We get soooo excited about our clients and how we can help them that until we get our thoughts down and share with the “team” we don’t rest.

Just In Time Solutions has grown at amazing rate in the last 10 years. But, I think I can do even better.

Rubin states that she noted she was more productive during a 90 minute stent then a three hour long haul.

She accomplished more in a shorter time because she could focus on one maybe two issues – complete them and then was ready to take that 15 minute or 30 minute break before heading back in for round two!

Do you loose concentration after 90 minutes? Have you ever tracked your efforts and noted when you got the best results?

Mornings are always better for me. Without a doubt, I’m fresh and ready to go at 6 am and can definitely handle anything the world throws at me. But as the day wears on is my productivity decreasing?

Maybe I should be “happy” with the results I’m getting between 6-11am and call it a day!

Humph, now there’s a new concept! Dare you! Try it for a week or even three days. Track how your results change from working on a 90  minute schedule to “free-for-all”

Let’s hear what you have to say.

Time Management Tips!

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You Manage What You Measure

If you’ve taken the chance and picked up a copy of the “Happiness Project” You will have gotten into a bit of the meat of it by now. Interesting isn’t it?

This book to me is obviously applicable to everyday live. Marriage, Careers, Kids etc. But Every now and then I find a distinct connection that makes me think of my clients!

The changes that the Author – Gretchen Rubin was making in her life, she was measuring them. Tracking her results and noting the difference in her “happiness”.

When I start to work with a client I often am privy to many personal problems, insights and dreams. So, more often then not a relationship forms on a greater level then just “organizing”.

Those relationships grow over time and most often do not stop just because the project has been complete.

Do you find yourself in situations when a memory will pop into your head and you’ll be thinking of someone, wondering how they are doing and if they are succeeding in their personal quests?

This happens often to myself and the team I work with. We love our experiences but most of all we love to re-connect with our past clients. If for nothing else but to hear them say “hey! I can still see the floor in my laundry room!”

When we finish a project we hope that our clients can manage the systems we have put in place for them. We hope that as they measure their happiness and begin to notice the changes in their “organized” lives that they too think of us.

Maybe don’t strive to move a mountain…Maybe just tackle that laundry room floor.

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