It seems like everybody has clutter. Whether you use two legs or two wheels, clutter seems to find a way into your day. Sometimes people are born with organizing challenges or they're disorganized as a result of a life-changing experience. Overcoming daily obstacles can be an obstacle in itself.

 

Families with Autism may experience a lot of clutter because mainstream ways of organizing no longer work. Women with ADHD often feel disappointed in themselves because it can be difficult to be "super women." Mental illness may also carry particular organizational challenges unique to the individual. Wheelchair users are challenged by above-the-counter storage areas and disrupted paths. At best, it is difficult to find organizing assistance for folks and families dealing with non-traditional ways of being in the world. 

 

Please join A Clear Path in 2013 when Dr. Regina Lark presents four tele-seminars addressing alternative ways of de-cluttering and organizing concerns for those who may not be served by mainstream solutions. 

 

NEW DATES

 

Tuesday September 10, 10am:

Organizing for Women with ADHD: Knowledge is Power

 

Tuesday September 24, 10am:

Organizing for Families with Autism: The Benefits of Order, Consistency, Routine

 

Monday October 7, 9am: 

Organizing for People with Physical Disabilities: A Home for Everything in Your Home

 

Monday October 21, 9am: 

Organizing for People with Mental Illness: An Integrative Environment Approach

 

Click HERE to order

1. Prepare. Preparing for going back to school may mean making a trip to the 99 Cent Store to get school supplies. Crafters prepare for projects by purchasing fabrics and yarn. People with desk jobs may prepare for fall by figuring out more efficient ways to work and complete tasks. Plan ahead! Stay on top of your workload with a to-do list and give yourself reasonable deadlines to complete each task. Simple tasks (like selecting your clothes the night before or planning dinner in the morning) will save time in the long run.

2. Create and maintain a system. This may range anywhere from making your bed every morning to creating a bedtime, shopping, or workout routine. It is important to manage your time and to pay attention to your goals. Use each spare moment you have to complete a simple task to save yourself trivial work later.

3. Using a calendar or planner is the best way to stay on top of deadlines and give yourself time. Managing several deadlines may translate into a lot of work, confusion and clutter if not planned out correctly.

4. Office Space: To have the most efficient office space, it is critical that all unnecessary paper, items, and irrelevant distractions be purged. Create an "end-of-the-day ritual" to avoid showing up to work with a pile on your desk every morning. Take 15 minutes to update your to do list and file papers which will not only give you a sense of accomplishment but also a clean state the next time you walk into work.

5. Sewing room organization: If you have a large space, use a corner desk and long tables that can serve as cutting and sewing spaces. If you don't have much space, a kitchen island or a rolling cart may provide a sturdy workspace. Create an organized and colorful workspace by stashing rickrack, ribbon, buttons and other embellishments in clear jars. Display the filled jars on a shelf for touches of color. Try to keep like colors together.

6. Craft room organization: Using available wall space in the crafting area will give you more space to craft. A pegboard works great to hold most supplies and gives a visual of your craft inventory. Pay attention to which supplies you use often, which you use less frequently and which you use together. Label and stack boxes of items you rarely use on top shelves, keeping items that you use often easily accessible. When you're auditioning fabrics for an upcoming project, keep them in a basket on or near your sewing space for quick reference.

7. Homework/Work station: When creating a workstation it is important to have space and necessary supplies within reach. There are several keys to having an effective homework/work station: keep away from noise and distraction, ensure comfortable seating and good lighting, all supplies are within reach, and there is plenty of space.

8. The Garage: It is not uncommon for the garage to become an extension of the house or used as a storage area. Because they're such big open spaces, it's easy to put anything else that doesn't have a set place in the house into the garage. Before reorganizing, try taking everything out of your garage. Decide which area of the garage is going to be used for what purpose. It helps to take everything out to give yourself a blank canvas, then you can see how to portion out the space.

9. Time management is key to minimizing stress and attaining goals. In addition to planning out your day and creating routines, say no to non-essential tasks and prioritize the essential ones. To help you figure out what is non-essential, evaluate how you spend your time and eliminate what you don't need to do. Before you start the day, know what you need to accomplish and how you will accomplish them before the day ends. Fill your car's gas tank in the evening so you're not late to work and not stressed out in the morning. Give yourself a break when you need it, and take advantage of your free time.

10. Clean up as you go along. Creating a huge mess may be overwhelming and seemingly difficult to manage. By putting things back where they belong when finished with them, you can save a lot of time in the long run. It also helps to come back to a clean workstation to help increase productivity and overall mood.