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Posted on: November 1st, 2019 by Jana Hartwell | No Comments

Do it this month!

Creating new habits is one of the most important keys to staying organized. And who hasn’t yet heard the saying: “It takes 21 consecutive days to make or break a habit.”?

This month!

Organized people have ingrained habits that make it easier for them to stay organized. Here are some of those every-day habits you may need to create for yourself:

  1. Put all things away immediately after you use them or, at the very least, before you walk away from that space.
  2. Create homes for any items you currently don’t have a set place for.
  3. When undressing, always put your clothes and shoes in closets or dresser drawers, or hang them on hooks. Keep them off, floors, beds, furniture or exercise equipment.
  4. Stick to the one-in/one-out rule — As your bring in a new item, release at least one similar item (e.g., incoming new blouse equals an outgoing blouse). Do this every time and your closets or cabinets will not overflow.
  5. Purge outdated household papers and office files quarterly, semi-yearly or at least by end of each year.
  6. Purge your children’s school papers and art projects by the end of each semester. Keep the best-of-the-best in a container large enough to hold the biggest item.
  7. Rinse food off dishes, immediately after a meal; wash & dry dishes or load dishwasher before bedtime.
  8. Limit the amount of times each day you check & respond to emails and social media. A good rule might be: once in the morning, once before lunch, once after lunch, once again at the end of a work day. If possible, stay off email and social media at night.
  9. Shut down all electronics at least an hour before bedtime. This will help you sleep better.

These are just some important habits to develop if they are not already a part of your established routine.

You will know you’ve been successful, when your body has memorized the motions of the habit and you won’t even have to think twice about it. This will typically happen within 21 consecutive days of practice.

It’s November 1st. What new habit will you have created by November 21st?

Jana Hartwell, CPO®
Sensible Organizing Solutions, Inc. 
(858) 300-5757 

This month… 
Make or Break a New Habit

Posted on: August 20th, 2018 by Jana Hartwell | No Comments

List out your top three goals!

This has been one of the hottest Summers I can remember; and for those without air-conditioning, sometimes unbearable. The humidity, coupled with days and days on end of sticky heat and wildfires has been quiet a challenge for many of us with breathing issues. I, for one, have felt a 30% or more lapse in my usual productivity level due to decreased energy.

Evidenced by the slow down in calls, emails and texts asking for my help this month, I know some of you are also feeling the sap of energy. Or… maybe you are one of the fortunate ones who are out traveling the world, enjoying new adventures! For whatever reason, many of us have gotten off-track from our goals of getting home and office projects completed this Summer.

So let’s get back on track! Here are a few helpful hints for moving forward on your Summer goals:

1.  Make a list of the top THREE things you want to accomplish by end of Summer.
2.  Prioritize the importance or urgency of each goal/project.
3.  List out the actions you will take for each project.
4.  Choose someone to help keep you accountable by checking in on your progress.
5.  Commit time on your calendar to work on each goal. Write in the time-chunks as you would a meeting.
6.  No matter how you feel… Keep these appointments with yourself to do something, anything, to advance you forward on your goals.
7.  If you get stuck, call your accountability friend (or me!) to help. This can be physical help or just a brief pep-talk.
8.  Whenever you finish work on one of these goals/projects, reward yourself! The reward can be as small as a sip of your favorite beverage or perhaps spending time with a friend or walking in nature or getting pampered with a mani-/pedi or a massage.

Regardless of whether you choose me as your accountability person… I’d love to know how you are progressing with your TOP THREE goals to complete by end-of-Summer. So drop me a note about your efforts, progress and/or any setbacks. I’m happy to provide some support when you need it.

One of the keys to getting back on track is knowing you are not at it aloneMost people want to see you succeed and love to help when asked.

Posted on: September 10th, 2016 by Jana Hartwell | No Comments

When Organizing Becomes Very Personal

On Aug. 26, 2015, my 90-year old father died of congestive heart failure. Six siblings and I found out about his death, two days later. We had just received a copy of his very first completed Will only five days before. I was named Executor. Organizing, for me, had just become very personal.

2015-06-03-18-51-37Survived by my father was his sweet, almost 89-yr-old wife of the past 33 years; I was also asked to become her Power of Attorney & Guardian. Our StepMom suffered from a recently broken pelvis, dementia and other chronic health problems. Just a week before my Dad died, she had also lost her last remaining sibling. Two years before that, her twin sister died; plus her brother-in-law (my father’s best friend) passed a few months before that! My StepMom was traumatized, fragile, vulnerable, alone and quite confused.

The past year, my life as I knew it changed dramatically. Instead of thoroughly enjoying my successful, full-time business helping others reduce clutter, get organized and be more productive, I focused almost solely on managing a very complicated probate situation.

Since my Dad and StepMom resided in Nashville, TN for the past 25 years, it was necessary for me (with sometimes another sibling) to fly back there at least six times within seven months in order to clear out their home. And yes… they had hoarding disorder! Tidy hoarders (except for one room, which had piles of clutter stacks on every surface and on the floor), but nevertheless, “savers”. Many vital documents were mixed with old Publisher’s Clearinghouse mailings, letters from family or friends, newsletters from various associations, boxes of receipts or bank statements dating back more than 30 years and many other random, sentimental items. Few of their papers were organized so when all was said and done, I must have sorted through over 200 full boxes of just papers. This excludes the many rooms of other household items to be classified and dealt with.

After clearing out their home, it had to be prepared for sale. Once their home was sold, a rental home in Florida needed to be cleared and sold as well. This home had been rented for the past 10 years by some Level 5 hoarders who also collected many animals. Imagine that mess along with thousands of fleas and roaches. The renters skipped town, leaving many of their furnishings, leaving us with a very expensive clean-out project.

Needless to say… for the past year, I have been quite busy with some very high-level organizing responsibilities. But not for you, my clients. For my family; my deceased father; my abandoned, now almost 90-yr-old StepMom. As a result, my business has been neglected, which means many of you have been neglected! For this I apologize and deeply regret.

My monthly writings to you have also been put on the back-burner. Many other things and people in my life have been pushed aside. Because of an intense focus on managing estate duties, even areas of my home had become neglected and yes, disorganized! Most importantly, I had neglected caring for myself as well as I should have, especially core physical fitness.

I’m writing you to confess. To let you know that I too, know what it is like to feel completely and utterly overwhelmed. To feel alone sometimes with my clutter (mental, emotional and physical). To walk into a room that beckons me to tend to the project there, turn around, walk away and sometimes even crawl into bed with fatigue caused by depression. These are real byproducts of grief.

Grief, depression and clutter are bedfellows. One often causes and/or accelerates the others. Sometimes it may feel you might never crawl out of the dark hole. But you will… If you reach out and ask for help. Admit that you cannot do it all alone, all the time. Admit that sometimes you just need another human (and God) to be your strength when you can’t find it within.

So get in touch with me, especially if you can relate to what I’ve written today. I’ve been there. I’m crawling out and can feel the warm sunshine on my hopeful face. And there is always hope.

My joy is in helping others, using the natural gifts and earned skills I possess. And I know that helping others is integral to my healing. For the benefit of us both, I invite you to invite me back into your space again. Or forward this to a friend you believe can benefit from some sensible organizing solutions.

Posted on: March 27th, 2016 by Jana Hartwell | No Comments

Due to Jana needing to manage over a year’s worth of family emergencies and become the Executor over her father’s estate, blog posts were placed on hold until matters are settled. Sometimes when raw life happens, we need to modify our priorities.   😉

Come back to this page in a few months for some updated tips, tricks and inspirations on how to organize your time, space and information.

Meanwhile, for a glimpse into Jana’s personal life, please read the following blog post.

(more…)

Posted on: December 19th, 2014 by Jana Hartwell | No Comments

‘Twas just weeks before Christmas, when I looked ’round my house…

And feelings were stirring that I just couldn’t douse.
The clutter was piled up in mounds all around,
While piles, dust and overwhelm all did abound.

No visions of sugarplums danced in my head,
Just feelings of angst and confusion and dread.
The papers were piled on the table so high
“There’s no chance of mealtime,” I thought with a sigh.

Just thinking of guests that would come all too soon
Had made me panic and wish it was June.
Aackk! People are coming! Oh, where will they stay?
I must move this clutter. It’s all in the way.

I want to have family and friends to enjoy,BEFORE-Close up of Sete by Window
To entertain, decorate, bake and…oh, boy.
“I meant to get to it”, I heard myself whine,
But now it’s December and we’re down to the line.

I thought I could do it myself if I tried,
But it was too much and my brain felt so fried.
I needed some help and knew whom to call
A Professional Organizer who’s on the ball.

My organizer friend was so lively and quick
Before I knew it, we were ready for St. Nick!
She helped me to think in a rational way.
I still had some time; they’re not coming today.

She settled me down and said, “You’ll be alright.
Now take a deep breath and this clutter we’ll fight.
We’ll start in one room and just put things away
Stuff with no ‘home’ won’t be able to stay.”

2014-12-06 08.14.32We cleared and we sorted, we put things away
I was so glad I had not waited just one more day!
We purged and we sorted and made such a clatter
The donation bags got fatter and fatter.”

Soon tabletops showed up and floors all got clearedAFTER-Close up of Sete by Window
There’s so much more room now, it almost feels weird.
With Karen’s help I got so much more done,
She’s taught me the process, we even had fun.

I love it!  I said as I looked all around.
I couldn’t believe all the lost stuff I’d found!
I’d managed okay while the stuff was all lost
But realized I’d be fine if most just got tossed.

I could go on but I think I’ll stop here
And wish every one of you holiday cheer.
Oh, and by the way, if your shopping’s not done-
Choose gifts they’ll want, need or use up and you’ve all won!

Wishing you joy and peace inside of your home.
And so I’ll exclaim as I send my newsletter
Merry Christmas to all! Be a clutter go-getter!

All rights to this poem go to my New York NAPO colleague:
© 2014 Karen Sheesley

Jana Hartwell, CPO®
Sensible Organizing Solutions, Inc.
(858) 300-5757 or (619) 302-5254
www.sensibleorganizing.com

SOS…    Helping smart, busy people make room for what they love best!