Klinger wanted to get out of the army, and you want to get out from under your clutter. But there are all sorts of perfectly good excuses for why that hasn’t happened yet. Watch this two-minute clip as Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake reviews Klinger’s ongoing excuses for why he should be discharged. “Mother dying, father dying, ah, here’s an oldie but a goodie – half of the family dying, other half pregnant.”
We use the same old excuses all the time too
- It’s too hot/too cold to work in the garage
- I’ll start on Monday
- I can deal with it later
When you find yourself putting off decluttering with an oldie but a goodie, consider the idea that your excuses might be perfectly valid but hiding a bigger problem.
What is chronic disorganization?
Some people have the knack. They pick up as they go, they finish what they start, they seem to effortlessly keep things moving back towards where they go. If they start a load of laundry, it doesn’t stay in the washer until it’s rank, they move it on through the dryer and they take it out of the dryer before they clothes get wrinkled. That’s their skill set.
So it’s not yours. No worries, now professional organizers have been invented, there’s someone out there you can hire to help you. Just as you’ve outsourced many other things you aren’t naturally good at, you can get help with organizing too.
READ MORE >>> What does chronically disorganized mean?
But I should be able to do this myself
Hmmm. Do you bake every cake from scratch? Write the software for your spreadsheets? Design and create the apps you want? Not everyone has to do everything and you’re no exception.
From birth we get help if we need it from professionals. Think of the specialists who teach children, do speech training, vision therapy, occupational therapy, tutoring, coaching, and therapy. We outsource all those skills because we want our kids to have the most qualified help.
Feel like organizing’s “women’s work” and you ought to be able to do it? Update that old-school programming glitch right now. The organizing gene doesn’t choose which gender gets it. Women in the past may have done most of the organizing but that doesn’t mean all of them were good at it.
How to find a professional organizer
There are two main professional organizations. NAPO and ICD. If you think you might be chronically disorganized, try ICD first. Take your time choosing the right organizer for you. If you’re in the Boulder/Longmont area, I can help.
Who do you know who needs to hear they don’t have to struggle with their clutter any longer? Share this post and watch them sigh with relief.
by Lucy Kelly
DON’T MISS OUT >>> Send It Away Saturday is my email list reserved strictly for people who want to get organized without getting overwhelmed.
Speaking of excuses…I have lots of items I am hanging on to saying they are too good for goodwill and have been looking online for a local church rummage sale or other non -profit. No luck since covid.
This week I read about one for the “Souldog” rescue in Westminster ( on FB) and boy did that motivate me to start loading my car trunk . Even old towels that can be replaced with new ones and blankets will be good for the cause. I felt a real spark of enthusiasm and didn’t feel like I had to make so many decisions as now it is purposeful. And the money raised will be used to buy puppy food.
Now I will unload on this weeks subject of old tea. Cheers.
Interesting and exciting how having a specific place to donate to motivated you, Linda! Our dog Daisy is a Souldog rescue, I can’t think of a better cause.
Oh this is so great. I love being part of a thing. As a matter of fact, I also like going straight to the experts for help. Or as Mr. Rogers said, “ Look for the Helpers.”
Anyone would be in good hands with you!
YES, Mr. Rogers had it right! I love being part of a thing too, especially one that helps so many people get on with what they were put here to do.
We are a thing and I’m so glad that we’ve been invented! You have a marvelous way of putting everyone at their ease. If I needed organizing help, I would want to work with you. I think you’d have me chuckling the entire time. I also like what Seana said: “there’s a not guilt vibe here”. Well done, Lucy!
Aww Diane, I’m blushing, thank you! Client sessions are fun, I’ll say that 🙂
There is a stigma of getting help that needs to stop. If you do not have the ability or attention to organize, you will need assistance to keep focused. And that is OK. Organizing is a skill and the more you work the skill the more you realize what works for you and what doesn’t. Professional Organizers are here to help keep you on track and moving forward. No judgment, just motivation. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. =)
You’re so right, Sabrina. So many clients tell me it took them months if not years to finally call me. They felt so embarrassed that they needed help with what they imagined everyone else found easy. But without people who struggle in this area, there wouldn’t be the growing organizing industry there is now.
“Write the software for your spreadsheets?” Oh, that’s a good one. I usually use, “Do you cut your own hair” or “Would you set your own broken bones?” but yours is apt for everyone. (During the pandemic, way too many people were cutting their own hair!)
I’ve heard all of the excuses and m ore, and I’m so surprised that more people (most people?) never just say, what Phoebe on Friends said: “I would, but I don’t want to.” Granted, that’s more of an issue with situational, rather than chronic, disorganization, but no matter the reason for the excuse, yes, “Professional Organizers have been invented!” I love it!
Hairdressers our way are advertising with signs that say, “Fix your Covid cut!”
A common example is “Do you do your own oil changes?” but with Lucy’s, there’s a much lower risk that they’ll answer, “Yes, in fact, I do!”
Yes, people got creative during Covid, I had to dig deeper to find a relevant example!
Oh yes girl some of us are masters of excuses!! Great reminder! Great suggestions!
thanks, Lisa!
Love the “no guilt” vibe of this post. I completely agree, and I have no idea how the software of the apps I use has been written. I hire people to do lots of things. That phrase, “Professional Organizers have been invented” made me smile. 🙂
We’re a thing!