I walked into a home office lined with piles. All I could see were piles of papers and other miscellaneous stuff. My first instinct was to turn around and return to my client’s living room where I felt so much more comfortable. That’s the truth! Yes, even professional organizers want to run away from piles of stuff and the multitude of decisions they entail if they are ever to be dissolved.

Instead of running, however, I got on my knees on the floor and started looking for where to begin. You see, there’s usually a way into a mess like that. What am I talking about? It’s as if something is holding all that chaos in place that if discovered and dismantled shifts the negative energy of the paper challenge and makes it seem less daunting.

In this case the key was a box of books on CD. I found it when I was examining the contents of the piles for big chunks of things that could be easily moved. I asked my client where she keeps her books on CD. She laughed and said, “Oh, everywhere!” I happen to know that she is a seeker, someone who loves learning who really values her books on CD. And there they were buried in her neglected piles. I said, “We’ve got to create you a space for all your CDs! They are too important to be floating around!” She agreed and allowed me to search out a spot.

Lest you think I never have doubts about whether I’m doing the right thing in the right moment, you need to know that I did find myself wondering if working on the CDs was the right place to begin. I’ve done this long enough, however, to know that trusting my intuition works better than acting on my doubts. So, I kept going.

The CDs came to rest in bins on shelves in one corner of her office. It’s was amazing what the act of organizing and placing her CDs all together in one location did in the bigger scheme of things. Not only did it get the ball rolling, but the movement of a chunk of the mess in that office shifted the energy from stagnation to movement, from negative to positive. After that my client and I just plowed through the rest of those piles in record time, high on the positive energy we felt after creating a new order for items of real significance.

Are you avoiding an organizing challenge? See if you can find the key that will unlock the door to your resistance. Look for something of significance to move and honor by giving it a home. Then enjoy the ride!

Yesterday in the middle off fixing my lunch for the next day I was seized by the urge to switch two pictures in my dining room. I’ve learned that when I have a strong urge to move something I should just do it. So, I did. What’s that all about? I think those urges are information I’m getting from God, the Universe, my angels, my spirit guides, divine information that signals change of some sort for me.

I enjoy change. I’m not a big physical risk taker. I don’t jump out of airplanes or seek the thrill of a motorcycle ride. But, I do get a rush from making changes in the way I do things and in my physical space. Changing things in my home gives me a new perspective. When I feel bored or stagnant I often find myself rearranging things on my kitchen counter or in my home office. 

You may be wondering what sparked moving the pictures? Well, I looked at one of them and remembered that Bob, my husband, really doesn’t like it. And, it was in plain sight when he’d look from the kitchen to the dining room. That got me thinking about where I could put it where it wouldn’t assault him head on. I found a spot and made the switch. 

I think the urge to make that change was sparked by a new closeness between Bob and me, one that began with moving the bookcase (see January 11,2009 post). I’ve known for some time that he disliked that painting. Moving it signals a renewed willingness to honor his feelings. And, the urge to make that change made me realize that I am getting more conscious of the barriers I have erected to that keep him from getting too close. Wow! That’s big stuff for me!

Have you recently felt the urge to make a change, even a small one like parking in a different spot? Honor it! See what happens! The urge could be important information for you, signaling necessary change. Enjoy small changes! They are a lot safer than bungee jumping, and who knows where you might land!  

You may be wondering what feng shui organizers think while they’re working. Believe it or not, organizing can be a meditative experience for me. I’ve done it for so long that I don’t have to keep all of my attention on the task at hand. That leaves me with energy and attention to notice what’s going on around me. I recently had the chance to experience the yin/yang differences of men and women while I was working. 

Recently I helped move a client back into her newly renovated home. The first day  there were just four women working together to unpack and set up her kitchen. We worked fairly independently with occasional checkins with the project designer and each other about what we were doing. As we worked we chatted quietly, and our work had a gentle feel about it. It was as if we were all aware at some level that we were participating in sacred work.

Several days later, after the “walk through” that had identified a punch list of items to be fixed around the house, I experienced something entirely different. We women were still quietly doing our thing. The difference was that at least five to seven different men swarmed in to make necessary repairs. As you might imagine, they brought with them the noise of power tools, guy talk, and vigorous movement. One man was washing windows, another was digging out a threshold, a third was doing paint touchups. And, the foreman was overseeing all the work and chatting with his buddies and the women in a loud voice. The energy the men brought with them was in stark contrast to the quiet, gentle energy of the women. 

“Wow!,” I thought. What a great example of the yin/yang of women and men. The women had the quiet, nurturing energy of yin and the men clearly displayed the active, loud energy of yang. And, you know what? That project could only be finished with both energies. We each had our separate and essential responsibilities, our distinct ways of being. Together we helped create an environment with exquisite balance, one that is bringing joy to my very special client. 

Recently a client and I were clearing off her paper infested desk.  She looked at a piece of paper and said, “Chunk it!”  I found myself smiling at her special word for “throw it away!”  It got me to thinking about the many ways clients express letting go of things.  One client says, “Shoot it out of here, “ and others say “pitch it”, “purge it” or “toss it.”  One of my favorites is “grind it”, an expression a client uses for shredding.  Words are powerful motivators!  Choose one or create one that motivates you and use it often!  Then watch your life transform into something fresh and new and exciting.    

The gray days of January are upon us. Many of us miss the warmth, color and light of seasons past and feel sluggish, moody and even lonely. After all, we are stuck with our own company as the cold of the season forces us inside. It takes extra effort to nourish ourselves with connections with wonderful others. And, it can be difficult to find the energy to force ourselves out of the cocoon of our comfort zone.

I have been blessed this week to be participating in a work project that has me working with two other women. We are moving one of my clients into her newly renovated home.  It may be gray outside, but inside it is warm with gentle conversations, pleasant interactions and the commitment to our very special client. We are working cooperatively to accomplish our goal and at the same time feeding our souls.

There can be magic when the right combination of women come together to help another. Over the Christmas holidays I worked with my sister-in-law, Amy, to help move her daughter, my niece, into her home. Almost without words we worked together to clear out my niece’s apartment and set up the kitchen in the new house. Amy and I have similar work styles and love to get things done. Working with her was so easy. It was such fun to accomplish our goal together. The experience left me feeling closer to her.

Remember that women thrive on connection and relationship. When you are feeling parched and lonely this winter, perhaps needing encouragement or a helping hand, consider reaching out to a dear woman in your life. Then bask in the pleasure of that sacred connection!  

Bob and I moved a large bookshelf from his office into our family room. Doing that required moving all the books, of course! Bookshelves are usually left where planted for just that reason. What an overwhelming, heavy job!

We started by going through everything on the shelves and deciding whether we really wanted to keep each item. Many books hadn’t been touched in years, since the last time we moved those shelves. Talk about static energy! With Bob taking the lead we released 12 grocery bags of books. I know some of you are having a stroke right now at the idea of pitching books. Fortunately neither one of us is extremely sentimental about books. We have a few favorites, which we kept, but the rest had to be good candidates for reading or reference. If not, out they went! 

If you are worried about the books, a majority will end up in good homes. Most went to Good Will. A select four bags will go to my mother and step-father who are retired and spend much of their time reading. What they don’t want Mom will take to her library where they will recycled.

When the shelves were moved and reloaded they seemed so much happier to have lighter loads. We actually had room to put pictures and other treasures on them. And, the shelves transformed our family, making it feel so much cozier.

Feng shui teaches that everything is alive with energy. Moving the bookshelf and its contents was a HUGE shift in energy. Shifts of energy often result in change of some sort. I was curious to see what this change would bring. 

The morning after the shelf was moved, much to my surprise, my husband woke me with a kiss. Don’t get me wrong, my husband kisses me daily, but what was surprising about this kiss is that it came at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday, a time when he normally is sawing zzzzzs. Even if he was awake at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday, chances that he would be in a good mood and doling out kisses would normally be slim! Wow! Let’s move some more furniture! The other surprise was that he was raring to go to the grocery store! 

What’s particularly interesting is that the bookshelf was moved to a corner of our family room that holds the energy of love and marriage. When placed there, organized and enhanced by photos and treasures, it became an enhancement to love and marriage. Presto! There I was on a Sunday morning getting just what I wanted from Bob. Yes, moving a big piece of furniture may be a pain in the butt, but it can result in positive change like getting more of what I really want from my husband.

Is there something you’ve been meaning to move but have been avoiding because it seems like an overwhelming job? Remember my Sunday morning kiss. You too could experience positive change that comes from a major shift of energy!

I couldn’t stand it any longer! I was hauling around a purse the size of a deflated pumpkin filled with everything from my digital camera to the remote for a medical device. My left shoulder has been aching for years. People who handled it would always groan and tease me about its weight. And, most annoying of all, and what finally sent me in search of a new model, the handles were fraying. Talk about negative energy! It was causing me physical pain and it looked like something I’d picked out of the trash.

It was mid-December, a time to be buying things for others, and there I was in Kohl’s looking for a purse for myself. I was searching for one that was very durable (I’m very tough on purses), that was a hand-held model, and that was just big enough to hold only the essentials (wallet, pens, pad, business card holder, cell phone, check book, digital camera, and a few personal items like lipstick and tissues). What was I going to do with all the rest of the “essentials” that were in my pumpkin purse? After some mulling I decided that I’d keep the pumpkin purse in my car filled with those things I use only occasionally like my digital recorder, flip video camera, the remote for the medical device and coupons. 

Another criteria for this purse was that it could not be very deep. I imagine that most women know what I’m talking about when I say that many purses, especially large ones, are black holes. They are so deep and dark that things just disappear into their depths. No more black holes for me! I finally found two possible candidates, one that was all black and one that was black with brown trim and accents that look like zebra and leopard skin. Hmmm. . . which to choose? The all black purse was a cute shape and cost less than the zebra purse. But, I felt so drawn to the unique zebra purse! I went against my practical, depriving nature and bought the zebra purse. It helped that it was 40% off. A real bargain!

Once I’d made my choice I realized that I really had to downsize my wallet and my pen holder, which were pumpkin purse size. I searched out a smaller wallet, something that almost fits in the palm of my hand. And, by some miracle I found a sleek zipper bag for my pens. For about $50 total I was all set!

Next came the great purge. I emptied the pumpkin purse and enthusiastically pitched and pitched stuff that I’d been carrying for years. Most of what I tossed were things I thought I had to have but rarely or never used. It was so liberating! I then filled the zebra purse with just the essentials. Because the purse was just the right depth I could see everything at a single glance. It was wonderful! All of the larger occasional use essentials went into the pumpkin bag and into the car.

What I’ve noticed since I made this big change is that I smile instead of groan every time I grab my purse. I am able to find what I need in it in an instant rather than fumbling and cursing in the black hole of the pumpkin purse. It really didn’t say much for my professional organizing abilities if I had to rummage through a cesspool of a purse. And, I feel calmer and more in control now that I’ve established more simplicity in that part of my life. 

Since I cleared the old purse and established a new, simpler, more functional and more attractive purse, I’ve moved on to create more clarity on my desk and in my files. Consequently it’s easier to figure out what to do next in order to reach my goals. Just lightening the load of the purse led to me lightening my paper load and my mental load. Wow! Who would have guessed that the purse could be so powerful!

How would you rank your purse? Is it a life-affirming appendage? Or, is it a black hole of confusion and stress? You too can discover the power of the purse! 

I once heard that the way you begin the New Year sets the direction for the rest of the year. What were you doing on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day? Since I want 2009 to be a year of deliberate progress in building my speaking business, I reorganized my filing system so I can easily access any information I need to move forward. The top drawer of my two drawer filing cabinet is completely devoted to files that relate to speaking. I moved my general administrative files to the bottom drawer since I only occasionally need to access them. I’m now ready to take off!

What do you want this year? If you aren’t clear about that, just take a few moments to search out some things in your home or office that you don’t want and pitch them. As you get rid of what you don’t want, you’ll get more clear about what you do want!

Set your intention for a great 2009 and clear out anything that could be a block to you getting it!

January is a time of new beginnings.  The rush and stress of the holidays are past us and we have the opportunity to look out on a whole new year, a fresh start.  Wouldn’t it be nice to start that new year with a clean slate, a clear head and lots of energy?  The best way I know to clear your head and get energized is to clear clutter.

I use a Feng Shui principle as one of my guides when clearing my own clutter and helping others clear theirs.  It is, “everything is alive and always talking to you.”  You may remember learning that everything is made up of moving particles (protons, neutrons, etc.).  That was hard to grasp in 9^th grade and still is.  What is easier to understand is that everything is alive with memories and associations.  And, when you look at an item, those memories and associations talk to you in the form of thoughts.

For example, I have a framed thank-you note from a client on my office wall.  When I look at it I think of my client and her appreciation for my help when I organized her office.  It tells me that I did good work.  It tells me that I made a difference in her life-so much of a difference that she got took her time and energy to send that special card.  That object is alive with good associations and says good things to me.

On the flip side, one of my clients complained that she hated returning home every day.  When we took a look at what greeted her when she opened her front door, we found that she was immediately confronted with a desk piled high with unsorted papers that clearly said, “You have work to do and, as usual, you are behind.”  No wonder she wasn’t delighted to return home.  Every day the mess on her desk assaulted her!

Your challenge is to check out everything in your environment and listen to what each object is saying to you.  Where do your thoughts go when you look at a particular item?  Are they positive and do they engender warm feelings?  Or, are you thinking negative thoughts about yourself or someone else?

When you find things that only elicit negative thoughts or have negative associations, get rid of them in the most expedient way possible.  Watch your energy increase as you systematically silence those things and begin creating an environment filled only with things that you love and that say nice things to you.

Feng Shui Tip of the New Year-

Live with what you love or use.  Get rid of the rest!