Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Vocabulary
Every industry has its language: venture capitalists talk about scaling up, lawyers talk about burdens of proof, and organizers talk about decluttering. As a reader and as a writer, I love words. I think they have power, so in the spirit of back-to-school, I give you my favorite organizing vocabulary:
Volume: No matter how well I’ve organized your stuff, the laws of physics mean that if you don’t reduce the volume of clutter, there is a limited amount of progress you can make.
Access: Even if I’ve organized it really well, if you can’t access what you need without moving five (well-organized boxes) what have we really achieved? (See: Volume.)
Prioritize: Not everything can be top priority. The ability to prioritize is key to being able to make great to-do lists. It’s also the first step in realizing what stuff you really don’t need to do.
Weed: Stuff grows. You think you don’t shop, but somehow more stuff is always coming into your house. Therefore, you have to weed. All the time. It is just part of life. (See: Volume.)
Strategize: You need a plan. If you have clutter, disorganization and stagnation, you need to have a plan for how to get rid of the piles, and also how to ensure they don’t come right back. (See: Habit.)
Habit: Organizing isn’t brain-surgery (lucky for me!). It’s habit. Boring, but totally achievable. Read the book!
Forgive: Stop beating yourself up. It’s ineffective. Put your energy towards building new habits. Maybe you think people don’t change, but their habits can, and that is all you need. You can be sentimental and even kinda lazy, but if you have good habits, you can still be organized. I know, because I am all those things. Put down the stick, pick up the pile of papers. (See: Habit.)
As I look at this list, it dawns on me that almost all of these words are verbs, because organizing requires taking action. For most of us it’s an ongoing action, and that’s okay. So, think about these words, use them… and if you think of others that help you wrap your mind around your organizational challenges, send them to me!