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The Stuff Behind The Stuff...                                  
                                    

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Positive Outlooks, Positive Spaces

7/6/2020

7 Comments

 
Confession: I've had a hard time writing lately. It's challenging to know what's helpful, tone-deaf, encouraging, Pollyanna-ish…you get my drift.

Another confession: Over the past several weeks I've bounced between being incredibly productive and completely lethargic. Over and over. I'm like a Roomba - either motoring around doing my job or stuck spinning in circles. 

But in this wild time, I've come to appreciate again just how much my home office space supports me - or holds me back. Aha. Now there might be a topic. Not so much the home office angle - there have been plenty of articles and posts about productive Work-From-Home setups already. But instead, how can a space encourage you to do the things that make you, you?

I'm reasonably sure we're all aware that a well-ordered space makes life easier, that we love looking at those attractive, organized closets and shelves online…and dreaming. But what needs to be taken into consideration in a space to help you express yourself, to support your unique brand of success? My office setup is usually ideal for me - it's been helping me to get through the pandemic challenges in lots of little, but effective ways. Small desk (yet another confession: I actually hate sitting at a desk), couch (with lots of pillows), my bookshelves (full), my plant (Edmund), my favorite prints and photos on the walls. It makes sense for both who I am and how I need to work right now. When I let the irrelevant paperwork pile up, or the books get out of whack, I notice more than ever how unsettled and unproductive it makes me feel*. If I can't settle in quickly for a Zoom meeting or to write, I know it's at least partially due to how the room is working, or not working. Would my office be a perfect setup for you? I doubt it.
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Meet my Pachira aquatica, Edmund.


​One of the questions I ask clients when they are wrestling with what to do with an object is: "Does this ______(bowl, receipt, extension cord, whatever) help you to be successful?" 
suc·cess (from dictionary.com)
/səkˈses/
noun
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  1. the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.
  2. also: the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals
Synonyms: advance, achievement, benefit, gain, realization, progress

​So, taking it one step further: "Does this particular space help you to be successful?" Is it helping you make progress, or making things easier for you? If not, the next step is figuring out what would make the difference. Not just getting rid of clutter, but considering arrangement, colors, tools, lighting - everything that can make a space, and you, progress.
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  • Does your den give you the benefit of curling up for some uninterrupted time with a great book? 
  • Does your "she-shed" or "man cave" advance your creativity, or fitness, or relaxation?
  • Does your garage help you to realize the goal of working on that classic car?
  • Does your pantry assist you in making lunch with your family?
  • Does your office welcome you to work and make progress?
  • Does your closet encourage you to get ready easier, with less decision fatigue?


And so on. It's an obvious but under-appreciated fact that when we look at disorganized spaces, we're frequently focused on how awful they make us feel. If we can see past that overwhelm to what kind of supportive environment is possible, maybe even see the organization as an act of creativity in and of itself, it spurs the process on. It doesn't necessarily make the organizing and decluttering go faster (sorry), but deciding and choosing with your positive, progress-oriented outlook in mind can change the whole tone. When I've been stuck lately, if I have the presence of mind to do a little clearing, I start moving again. Before I started this post, I cleaned out a drawer and shredded some paper. I've witnessed it repeatedly - when a room is working correctly for its owner, all sorts of new and positive things open up for them.


*I do not own an "autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner", but I noted with interest in doing my research that what often causes them to spin in circles is, unsurprisingly, debris and/or obstructions.
7 Comments
Linda Samuels link
7/6/2020 08:45:11 am

First of all, Sara, I LOVE that you named your plant, and named him Edmund! I'm guessing there's a story there (maybe a blog post?)

We all get stuck and how open of you to share that you've felt that way recently. During these pandemic times, I've been there at points too. At those times for me, the clutter was more internal than external. So paper shredding and physical organizing wasn't helpful. Although, I have done my share of shredding during this time. Instead, I allowed myself to lean in to that stuck-ness and not focus on productivity. Self-care was what I needed to move through those phases.

I totally agree with you how our spaces can support or hinder our energy. Several years ago, my husband helped me redesign and build my office space to be Oh, So Linda! He worked with me to consider what I needed, the placement, colors, function, and materials. I love it so much and always feel like it supports who I am and what I am doing in this space. I don't have an Edmund, but I do have tiny airplant that my daughter gave me. Maybe I should name her? You've inspired me.

Reply
Sara
7/6/2020 09:33:37 am

Hi Linda - it's interesting that the physical shredding wasn't helpful for you. For me there's often an energetic interplay between the external and internal (see the meaning of Edmund below). Just another example of how we're all different, and the organization of a space needs to reflect that. :)

And yes, there's a story - "Edmund" means "fortunate protector." Thanks for the comment, and do let me know if you name your airplant!

Reply
Diane N. Quintana link
7/6/2020 09:10:22 am

Great post, Sara. I will echo what Linda said. I think it's very important to make sure the space supports the person. The colors, the types of furniture, the view, plants & placement of things come together to support the activities that will take place in the space. Good for you for having what you need in your office. I grow orchids in mine. At any given time I may have one of them in bloom or pushing out a stem. I love having them as company in my office - along with Miles and Josie (my 4 footed friends)!

Reply
Sara
7/6/2020 02:15:53 pm

Well, I can't say I have EVERYTHING I want in my office. ;-) But it's pretty close. I do have a great east-facing view, which is really huge for me. I love the idea of orchids!

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Sabrina Quairoli link
7/6/2020 11:52:17 am

This topic is very important for people to realize. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. The environment is super important for motivation.

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Sara
7/6/2020 02:17:58 pm

Oh gosh, yes. As I mentioned I'm really not keen on being at a desk all day (I'd rather be sprawled out on the floor), but sometimes I have to. If the desk area is arranged in a way that makes me feel good I'm much more comfortable putting up with it.

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Bruce Jircitano
7/6/2020 03:10:33 pm

Sara, thanks for sharing about positive external spaces! I have had such cluttered physical spaces for my entire life, that for me, creating order in the external is truly bringing peace to my ability to practice self care.

I was unable to make this change without help. Through virtual organizing sessions you, I begun to change a lifelong pattern of chaos, make decisions for myself with guidance through questioning, and reveal the true internal patterns behind the stuff has been cluttering my life.

Shame, avoidance, perfectionism,.... and many more survival skills I"ve adopted have kept me from asking for help with my stuff. Now that I am truly learning skills to change the clutter behavior patterns with help, I am better able to maintain the systems I'm developing and tackling for the first time on my own.

I used to hire someone to come in to declutter/organize for me and that's what they did. Even if I was present, I wasn't usually invested in thinking about the objects that were being processed. It was a whirlwind organizing/decluttering/enabling session that gave me no responsibility for making decisions. I'm learning to sift through stuff and determine its meaning and purpose in my life which has recently manifested in an "Oasis" self-care space of my own, that doubles as an office space in a comfortable, serence environment.

Thanks for sharing your wisdom around organizing and creating space for what's really important to me.

Best,

Bruce

Reply



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    Sara Skillen - Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Organizer Coach®, wife, mom, dog-lover, author.  Learning to trust my intuition more every day. Shall we work together?

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