Nashville Professional Organizer & Coach - SkillSet Coaching & Organizing
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
    • Coaching
    • Home and Business Organizing
    • Speaking
  • The Book
  • Contact
  • Support Group
  • The Blog
  • FAQs

The Stuff Behind The Stuff...                                  
                                    

​

The Lone Clutterer

3/27/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
I was looking up some statistics the other day for a talk I was giving.  One I didn’t use, but that struck me as incredibly sad, was the following:

How long would it take you to get your house ready for dinner guests? The results are as follows: 65% said "4 hours or fewer" (913 votes), 11% said "I'll never invite anyone inside" (151 votes), 10% said "8 hours" (142 votes), 7% said "24 hours" (104 votes), 6% said "40 or more hours" (87 votes)*

Spend 24 or more hours getting ready for dinner guests?? Well, ok, maybe for Thanksgiving.  But never invite anyone inside? Given that this was a “quick poll”, I know it’s not part of a larger, more scientific study, but I think those results are an indication of how isolating our choices can be.  I joke around sometimes that the best way to get motivated for organizing is to invite house guests for a weekend.  But for a lot of people, it’s no joke.  They will never do it.  I think it can be a chicken-and-egg situation, too: do they not invite people over because the house is disorganized, or do they keep the house disorganized so that they don’t have to invite people over?

To think of actually hiring or inviting someone to actually assist with an organizing project can cause even more distress. 

"A professional organizer in my home?  Not a chance.  I’ll have to get rid of things (some things, probably)…They’ll see what I mess I’ve made (they’ll have to, to address the issues)…They’ll think I’m _________(no, it’s about being of service)…Really, I can handle this myself (then why haven’t you?).” 

I think this problem occurs often with outwardly very smart, successful people - think medical or legal professionals, professors, entrepreneurs.  They work hard to maintain the image of being in control, and why wouldn’t they?  Most people wouldn’t want to visit a dentist who can’t find their tools or who forgets to show up for appointments.  Perception is important.  But I think there are also those who in a weird way, may prefer to just stay disorganized. Maybe it’s much easier to be in denial than to face the fear of 1) having to go through the sorting process; and 2) having no excuse to stay hidden at home.

To circle back, it does make me sad.  We all could stand a little more connection in our lives, and to let too much physical stuff get in the way of interacting with others is a missed opportunity.  Whether we work on it ourselves, or get a friend to help, or hire an organizer, or even remain blissfully unconcerned, clutter shouldn’t dictate our social lives.  So maybe, invite someone over.  And if you need a little extra help to get ready, I’m here for you.


*NAPO, . NAPO Public Quick Poll. Unknown 01/06/2009 Statistic by/from NAPO Public Quick Poll, June 2009

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    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?

    Schedule

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Best Squarespace Website Designers
    Picture
Picture
Content copyright 2013-2021, SkillSet Coaching & Organizing.  All rights reserved.  SkillSet Coaching & Organizing is a division of SkillSet Enterprises, LLC. Photos of Sara by Mary Rice Photography.
Picture
Home
About
FAQ
Services
Home and Business
Coaching

Speaking
​
The Book
Contact
Support Group
Blog

615-428-3816 
sara@skillsetorganizing.com
1550 W. McEwen Drive, Suite 300, #49
Franklin, TN 37067

Picture
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
    • Coaching
    • Home and Business Organizing
    • Speaking
  • The Book
  • Contact
  • Support Group
  • The Blog
  • FAQs