Unlocking 5 home organization secrets (What your organizer won't always say to your face) #97

Ready to hear some amazing secrets from the experts? That's what I'm sharing in my latest podcast episode. I'm telling you stuff that professional organizers really want to tell their clients, but usually don't.

Imagine learning the best tricks for tidying up your home. It's like having special access to the secrets of getting rid of clutter.

I'm going to talk about things in the organizing world that people don't always talk about. From the problems with fancy organizing tools to how to set goals you can actually reach, we're going to cover it all.

And let's talk about something tough: getting rid of stuff you don't need. It's hard for everyone, but I'll help you through it.

But here's the really great part: I'm not just giving you quick fixes. I'm giving you the info and tools to keep your space clutter-free for a long time.

And here's a bonus. Learning this stuff will not only help you tidy up on your own but also make it easier when you work with a professional organizer.

So, are you ready to learn some great tips for organizing your home? Listen to my episode and get ready to make your space—and your life—way more organized.

Thanks for listening! For more organizational motivation, support and free resources:
Join my podcast Facebook group Living Clutter Free Forever Podcast: KonMari® Inspired Organizing | Facebook
Visit my website www.caroline-thor.com
Come and say 'hi' on Instagram @caro.thor
Follow me on Facebook @carolineorganizer
Join my online membership Clutter Free Collective

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:27

Hi there, I'm Caroline Thor, professional organiser, konmari consultant, teacher and mum of three. I started off my life as a mum feeling overwhelmed, disorganised and desperately trying to carve out some time for me amongst the nappies, chaos and clutter. One day, one small book called the Life-Changing Magic of Tidying changed everything and I began to learn strategies for making everyday life easier. Today, I have the systems in place that means life can throw almost anything at me, and I want to share them with you. If you're an overwhelmed mum struggling to keep it together, then this is the podcast for you. Grab a coffee and settle in for a quick chat with someone who gets your reality. Hello and welcome back to this latest episode of the living clutter free forever podcast. I'm so pleased that you found the time to join me today, and today's episode is actually inspired by one of you.

Speaker 1: 1:37

I was in France last summer and I was messaging on Instagram during that time with various people who listened to the podcast One lovely lady called Lisa. Shout out to Lisa, you know who you are. I was asking her what she would like to hear podcast episodes on. Now I know this was a little while ago, but she actually came up with two really great topics, and today's is the first of them and the second will be later on in April. And what she'd asked me was what do professional organizers not tell us but wish they could? And I thought, oh, that's a good one. Now I'm actually in a group of professional organizers internationally it's called Inspired Organizer, and they're absolutely amazing. They have been the best group to be part of. They do crazy things, like if I message in the group and say I've got someone in Brooklyn, new York. They need somewhere where they can donate clothes, but they don't have any way of getting them there. Do you know of anyone that does a pickup service? Someone will give me that information. It is just crazy. So it means I can support my clients worldwide. So I am so, so grateful for this group. So I went back to them and I said what do you wish you could tell clients? But don't, that would actually make the organizing job easier for them and for you. And they came up with nine different points which are just fantastic, and so this is what today's episode is about what do professional organisers wish they could tell you before they start work with you? But they don't, because it might come across as a little bit, I don't know, a bit rude maybe, but it actually would make your life a lot easier. So here we go.

Speaker 1: 3:31

The first thing and this is something that I always say to my clients when I have my first consultation with them. So I do actually say this to them but I wish I could tell you to hold off on buying organizing products until we're done decluttering and I've given my feedback. Now this might sound counterproductive, because surely it's better to have the products there so that as soon as you've decluttered, you can start organizing. But it means that you've got unnecessary items and products in the space that you have to work around and also you don't have the organizing experience that someone with years of professional organizing does. And it may be that you buy items or products that are not necessarily going to suit your space or the idea that the professional organizer would have for that space in order to optimize it for you. So I, as a KonMari consultant, always say hold off buying organizing products, but also because, once we're done with the decluttering, you probably have enough organizing products already in the home. You probably already have enough spaces. You don't need to be spending extra money.

Speaker 1: 4:47

The only time I have done a massive buy for a client of product is when we were working on a kitchen and she literally only had three cupboards in the kitchen, so everything else was on shelf space, open shelf space, open shelves that she'd had to construct prior to me coming freestanding shelves. So we needed product in order to be able to store things safely on the shelves, like bottles and things, so they weren't going to fall over. And I'd measured it prior to going and I knew what we needed. So that's the only time that I have worked with a client and in advance, bought product because I knew we were going to need it for that job, but otherwise it's rare that we need more organizing products. So that's the first thing.

Speaker 1: 5:35

Okay, next point I wish I could tell you that letting go of certain items would make our time together more effective and worthwhile for you. Now, this is going to sound strange, but what might be the case is that a client might want to have a home that's beautifully organized, but when it comes down to it, they're not ready to let go of items and you end up perhaps having to organize the space with everything that was already there because the client can't even let go of a paper clip. So things like that are really tricky. I once had a client who had about 50 VHS tapes and VHS tapes take up so much space and bless her. She did not want to get rid of them because she was going to watch them at some point. Now I know that she still hasn't watched them, and this is over a year on, and we had to find a way to store these VHS tapes in a very tiny apartment that was already very full. And at times like that, you are wishing that your client would let go of those items because you know it would make their life so much easier and it would make my life so much easier.

Speaker 1: 6:58

And it's very often the case that clients have perhaps collected something in the past. I'm going to use craft items as an example for this. So maybe you bought everything you need for crocheting, or you bought everything you need to do watercolour painting I don't know whatever it is and these craft items take up a lot of space, but you've never, ever used them. But you have the intention at some point in the future of doing this particular crafting. I would love to tell people you're not going to If you haven't done it for the last five, six, seven years. Why are you suddenly going to get round to doing it? And these craft items very often take up so much space and we can spend so much time trying to find a way to organise them that that is one of the things that I very often wish people would be able to let go of to be realistic about what they are going to have time to do in their life. Don't forget, as KonMari consultants, we're talking with you about visualizing your ideal lifestyle, and I think you need to be realistic about whether doing these crafts are going to be part of your ideal lifestyle.

Speaker 1: 8:15

Okay, next thing, I wish I could emphasize the importance of being fully committed and prepared for the organizing process. It's crucial for both of us to dedicate the necessary time and effort to achieve the best results. So what this means is that if you are really committed to decluttering and organizing your home, it's not a great time to also be scheduling other service providers or having to make calls, or having to do work, or having guests, or out of the house appointments or helpers, or the list goes on. So if you are going to make the most of the time you have with your professional organizer, then it's great to free up your calendar and really prioritize your time and devote your time to the project. If you're being distracted by other things, it's a bit of a shame, because it means that you're not making as much progress, or perhaps you're not as invested in it as you thought you were going to be, and the outcome will reflect that. So that's something that I think a lot of professional organisers wish they could tell you.

Speaker 1: 9:29

Now, another thing that was said to me within this group of professional organisers is something that does not apply to KonMari consultants, but I thought it was worth including in case, at some point, you are thinking about booking someone to come and organise your home for you, and the thing that was shared was I wish I could let you know that, while your eagerness to help is appreciated, sometimes it can unintentionally slow down the process. Trust in the process and allow me to lead, and it will make things smoother and more efficient. Now, the reason I say why that doesn't really apply to KonMari consultants in the same way is that I always work with my clients. The process is slightly slower, a lot slower than if you have someone that will come in and organize the space for you Because I work with my clients at every stage. We're talking about everything. I'm teaching how to fold. I'm wanting my client to help with the folding so that they learn the skill, so that when I leave they're able to do it without me.

Speaker 1: 10:47

Everything about the KonMari process is setting you up for success so that you actually don't need to call me back. I actually had a really great testimonial recently where someone had written I would love to have Caroline back into my home because it was so much fun, but actually she's made herself redundant. And that's actually what I'm aiming for. It's not a great business model because it means no one ever needs me back again, but it means that, having invested the time and money in having me work on your home, you really are not going to necessarily need me back again, unless there's some life-changing event and you need a bit of a reset and you need some support with that. But if you've hired a professional organizer to come in and organize the space for you and you're trying to perhaps tell them your ideas and how you would like it organized, when actually they have the best view of what would work for your space, or if they're trying to quickly get everything out and put it all back in again in a more organized way for you. They may find it easier to do that on their own, because if you're helping, it might slow them down, and they're also very conscious of your money. They want the process to go as quickly as possible for you so that you get the most bang for your buck. So if you have hired a professional organizer rather than a KonMari consultant, it really is worth your while just saying how can I best support you if you want to be involved in the process, and please do tell me if I'm getting in the way or if I need to do something differently.

Speaker 1: 12:25

Okay, the next point. I wish I could gently remind you to keep your expectations realistic. While I strive to create organized spaces, it's important to understand the limitations and practicalities involved. Now, I have had this on a few occasions, and it's actually been when it's been an unpacking job. But the boxes have been there for quite a while and not been unpacked after a move, and so lots of things have already been unpacked and are on the shelves and in the storage, but there's a large number of boxes that haven't yet been unpacked and the client would like me to find spaces for all of these things in all of these boxes, but actually all the storage is already full. So at points like that, it's really important that you stay realistic. Do you actually have space for these items in your home? Perhaps you do just have too much stuff that it is going to be possible for me to create this amazingly Pinterest worthy organized space that you've been dreaming of. You perhaps are going to have to be realistic about the fact you are going to have to get rid of a large number of your items before it's going to be possible for it to look how you are imagining. So keeping your expectations realistic is really, really important.

Speaker 1: 13:54

I wish I could discuss the impact of overbuying and clutter caused by bulk purchases. While it might seem like a good deal, it often leads to unnecessary stress and clutter in your home. Okay, anyone that's worked with me will know I don't beat around the bush on this. I'm going to tell you if I think your bulk buying is a problem. I have had clients bless them where they have had piles, piles of toilet rolls behind their bedroom door. It's not a good look and it's not a calming effect for you. And, yes, you've saved money by bulk buying, but the knock-on effect of that is that your bedroom looks totally cluttered and not how you would like it to. So I don't have a problem with that, but this was something that a few people mentioned.

Speaker 1: 14:41

I wish I could express the importance of following through on advice given regarding organising specific spaces. Repeatedly organising the same space without implementing changes can hinder your progress. So this is for people who have perhaps had an organiser in the organiser's already organised this space for you and a while later they get a call again can you come back and do this space with me when it's already been organized? So the client has perhaps not followed through on the advice that the organizer gave them regarding that space and it's become cluttered again and needs reorganizing again. So, following through on the advice you're given really listen to what your organizer is saying to you about how you can maintain this space and how what they've created for you needs to work on a daily basis, and that way you're going to make the progress you would like to see. Okay, another point I wish I could convey that while organizing products can certainly help, they may not always provide a perfect solution or bring instant peace. It's about what finding works best for your unique needs and lifestyle. Okay, now, this is something else that I'm always really upfront with my clients about. When we start to find the final resting place, as I call it, for the items Sounds like they've died, but I will use a candle example, and I always tell my clients about this as soon as we start organizing. And this was an amazing client of mine.

Speaker 1: 16:18

Shout out to Annetta. She has done her whole apartment using the KonMari method and it's taken us a long time, but it's been worth it and it looks looks absolutely amazing and she's super happy with it. But the reason it's taken time is because when you apply the KonMari method in your home and you do a category, then when you move on to the next category and do that, you perhaps create some space where you realize that something from a previous category would fit better there. And her candle collection was a case in point, because we originally had done candles and brought all the candles in the home together and they fitted in quite a large box. Annetta had a lot of candles and we put them into a cupboard in the dining room and then a bit later on, we got round to doing a cupboard in the living room and realised that the candles would work better in there, and then later on they actually moved shelves in that cupboard because we did another category.

Speaker 1: 17:25

So just because we organise something into a certain place for you does not mean that's where it necessarily needs to end up staying. And you may have an organizer come and work with you and they create a solution. But it may not be the perfect solution or bring you instant peace, because when you live with it for a while, you might realize that it doesn't work for your lifestyle and it might need tweaking. And maybe you make that decision and move it. Or maybe you get the organizer back and say this bit isn't working for me. The rest of it's great, but this bit doesn't work. What can we do to tweak it? And it's fine to do that, but you need to be open to the fact that just because the organizer does the work for you and walks out of your front door, it's not necessarily the perfect solution immediately and you need to be open to that.

Speaker 1: 18:16

And the final point that was brought up by several organizers in the group was I wish I could stress the importance of prioritising your organising project and following through on commitments. Now, all of us, having booked an appointment with somebody, can have a last minute emergency, which means we're going to have to cancel, and we're perhaps going to have to cancel under 24 hours of that appointment. So something like a medical emergency. Or perhaps you're just genuinely really ill and that's fine and we've all had to do that. But when you have said I would like to get my home organized, and then every time the appointment comes up, you cancel. It's frustrating for you because you're not committing to something that you have agreed to, and it's frustrating for your organizer because they're having to then, at the last minute, try and fill that time with another client and if they don't, then it's lost time. So following through on your commitments is the best thing you can do for you because it means your home is actually going to get organized. And let's face it, at the end of the day, consistency and dedication are key to you achieving the lasting results you want.

Speaker 1: 19:38

And I think most of my clients are really excited when I arrive because the reason they've booked me is because they're struggling to get it done themselves. They are struggling to motivate themselves or find the accountability to actually declutter and organize themselves, or maybe they just don't have the time to do it, which is also quite normal. So when I actually rock up at their home on said day, they're really excited. They're like, yes, this is actually going to happen. How many times have we tried to do something ourselves? And me in sport is like this Tomorrow I'm going to go for a really long speed walk. Tomorrow I'm going to do some skipping. It doesn't happen. I've ended up, since January, having a personal trainer who comes to my home once a week, because I know if I don't have that, I am not going to do it. And for a lot of you it's exactly the same If you don't have that date in the calendar, that appointment is not going to happen. So, whatever you do unless it's an emergency, don't cancel it. Follow through on your commitment to yourself and your commitment to your organizer and let us help you make that progress and achieve the lasting results that you want.

Speaker 1: 20:53

Okay now, I hope this has been helpful. I hope Lisa has enjoyed listening to it, seeing as it was her idea for a podcast episode. Thank you for that and I hope that it helps you should you have in the future an organizer coming to your home, be aware of things that will actually help us make the process easier for you and more effective for you. And also a final big thank you to all the organizers in Inspired Organizer who came up with suggestions for this episode. I really appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 21:31

Okay, if you would like some regular input into decluttering and organizing based on the topics in this podcast, then I would love for you to come and join me in the Living Clutter Free Forever podcast Facebook group. It's growing rapidly and it's a fun space to be in and there's lots of interaction, so come along and join us. The link is in the show notes. I would love to see you there and we can get you motivated and started on your decluttering and organizing journey Until next time. And organizing journey Until next time. If you've enjoyed this episode, please send the link to a friend you know would appreciate it, subscribe and leave a review. I look forward to bringing you more organizing tips next time, but if you can't wait until then, you can go to my website or find me on Instagram at carothor, or on Facebook at Caromine Organiser. Thanks for listening and I look forward to guiding you on your journey to find your clutter-free ever after.