Stranded
How’s it feel way out there? In the vast, deep blue sea treading water with your head barely above the surface as fishies nibble on your toes. Not so pleasant huh? Being disorganized is a lot like treading water in the middle of the ocean. You can start swimming, aka getting stuff organized, but the progress you make can often feel minimal and pointless like trying to swim to shore after being stranded in the center of the Pacific ocean when the organizing you just did snaps back to the way it was just a few days prior. So are you a lost cause? Is there any hope of getting back or being rescued?
Of course, you’re not a lost cause, there is most definitely hope of rescue, it’s just a matter of tweaking some habits! I heard your S.O.S. I’m on my way and ready to throw you a lifebuoy. So just hang tight, we’re going to get you home safe.
Your Options
Option 1 – Start Swimming
As your hands wade back and forth in the marbly blue ocean you think, “I might as well start swimming.” It’s worth a shot, right? I love the tenacity, get in there and attack, don’t give up and let the merciless water consume you, make it your bitch.
Here are some pointers to help you swim your way out of the clutter:
1. Start small – Don’t expect to get everything done in a day. Commit to just clearing out one part of one area. For instance, you may normally think, “I’ll organize my entire kitchen today.” Instead, consider just starting with a single shelf in a single cupboard. This makes the task feel less daunting, and you’ll be more likely to act on it. You’ll also find that since you started you’ll want to keep going and will actually end up organizing a whole cupboard.
2. Don’t punish yourself – If you don’t finish getting that shelf done, do your best to keep from stepping into the boxing ring with the past you. Just accept it didn’t get done and commit to finishing it (or starting it) another day. BUT, make sure you set a specific date and time or else it definitely won’t ever be completed. If you don’t do it on the rescheduled date, then just recommit to another specific date until you finally follow through.
Pace yourself inch by inch – Doing this alone is going to take some time, and you will tire yourself out, so just don’t rush and remember you’ll get there when you get there. Every movement forward is an inch closer to land! You can do it, just inch yourself to the finish line.
3. Use rewards – Reward yourself when you do make progress. This will help reinforce the behavior and after a while, the rewards will become unnecessary because you’ll just enjoy getting organizing your space.
4. It’s okay to redo something – If there’s an area that you organized and it doesn’t end up working properly remember that it’s okay to redo it. The best systems don’t happen the first time you make them, but the 3rd or 4th. Every small change gets you closer to it working perfectly. Also, you’ve already done most of the hard bits, shifting the essentials around is the easy part.
5. It’s a mind game – Keep only what is essential and get rid of everything else. It can be difficult to determine what is essential, but deep in your heart, you know. You can reassure yourself by asking yourself a myriad of questions. We have some listed here that can help (15 questions to consider while organizing). Some things are going to be very challenging for you to remove from your space, but just remember that the emotion will pass and that in the long run, you’ll be better off. It’s also okay to keep things that you find sentimental and bring you joy regularly.
The hard honest truth is that it’s going to be difficult, and you’re going to want to quit, but just keep going. Although, you do have a rescue flair on you and you can always signal to us for a rescue ship.
Option 2 – The Rescue Ship
We’re out here as the coast guard just scouring the vastness of the ocean looking specifically for you. All you have to do is reach into that pocket, pull out the waterproof rescue flair, and we’ll be there faster than a shark on a bleeding seal.
Here how we can help:
We have studied systems, design, and usability for years and can quickly come in and help you solve the frustrations you face in your home.
We will help you through some of the tough parts. Like letting go of certain pieces of clothing.
You don’t have to do any of the heavy lifting in terms of organizing and thinking, we come in, pull you out of the water, and carry you along for the ride. You just guide us on where you’d like to be dropped off.
Our process is built to iterate – We already know it needs to be redone 3 times to be perfect, so we designed our process optimally around that specific concept. This way you’ll get just what you needed and won’t be left out at sea.
Once we’ve got you we’ll send some divers, pull you out, get you some dry warm clothes and wrap you in a nice warm blanket by a fire, then we’ll make sure you have a nice warm cup of coco to sip on as we drive you back to land. Your space will be organized and efficient, you’ll have saved a ton of time in life and will be feeling relief daily!
Land Ho!
Whatever you choose we are here to support you on your journey back to land. We’d love to celebrate with you when you get there and maybe have a few bottles of champagne and a fat cheeseburger. We also love sharing in the feeling of relief when you finally have your space clutter-free and organized.
So if you’re going with option 1, please tag us in photos of you organizing your space! We’d love to see your progress. If you pick option 2, just reach out to us by clicking here, just leave your info and someone will call, text, or email you within 15mintues, emailing me at jp@reliefkey.co or reaching out on Instagram at @relliefkey .
No matter what you choose, we know once you’ve got both feet planted firmly on the ground you’ll have a new lease on life! You can do it, you are not a lost cause, start small and pace yourself. Before you know it, your space will be organized!