Kompletny przewodnik po kontroli bałaganu

Pod koniec lat czterdziestych Homer i Langley Collyer trafili na nagłówki gazet, gdy ich ciała zostały odkryte w bałaganie w ich nowojorskim kamieniu. Dobrze wykształceni bracia przez lata żyli jako pustelnicy w domu bez ogrzewania i bieżącej wody, otoczeni rzeczami, które gromadzili przez dziesięciolecia. Władze zostały wezwane do domu braci Collyer z powodu nieprzyjemnego zapachu; a po wejściu natychmiast odkryli ciało niedawno zmarłego Homera. Uważano, że Langley uciekł. Jednak dziewięć dni później, gdy przeszukiwali stosy bałaganu, odkryli ciało Langleya, pogrzebane pod stosami gazet i magazynów, które zawaliły się na niego, gdy chodził po domu [źródło: New York Press ].

The Collyer Brothers are an extreme case, but they're not alone. Chronic disorganization is a problem for many people, though it may mean different things, depending on who you ask. For one person clutter may mean being unable to manage the piles of papers that accumulate on the kitchen table. For another, clutter means not being able to find the table at all.

Ale bez względu na to, czy jesteś kimś, kto przez lata zebrał tyle przedmiotów, że nie możesz przejść przez drzwi, czy kimś, kto po prostu potrzebuje dobrego systemu do uporządkowania rachunków lub dokumentów, bałagan można zapanować. Po prostu musisz chcieć to zrobić. Chociaż definicja bałaganu różni się w zależności od osoby, metody kontroli bałaganu można zastosować w każdej sytuacji z pozytywnymi wynikami. Czytaj dalej, aby poznać skuteczne narzędzia do kontrolowania bałaganu.

1. Metody kontroli bałaganu
2. Narzędzia do kontrolowania bałaganu
3. Kontrola bałaganu i zdrowie

W radzeniu sobie z bałaganem ważne jest, aby pamiętać, że osobowość, środowisko i styl pracy odgrywają rolę nie tylko w tym, jak bałagan się gromadzi, ale także jak jest kontrolowany. W rezultacie nie można zastosować jednego rozwiązania w każdej sytuacji. Eksperci podkreślają jednak, że ważne jest, aby myśleć w kategoriach „bycia zorganizowanym”, a nie „bycia zorganizowanym”. Innymi słowy, opanowanie spraw to tylko połowa sukcesu; utrzymanie to druga połowa [źródło: National Association of Professional Organizers ].

While the clutter spectrum runs from moderate to extreme, basic methods can be employed to get the problem under control. First, identify your goal. Do you want to be able to open the front door or are you just looking for a way to organize the kids' toys ? With a goal in mind, give yourself further motivation by visualizing what the space will look like clutter-free.

Whether your goal is to de-clutter a desk or an entire house, tackle one manageable area at a time, such as the top of the desk or one room. Follow these steps for sorting through clutter:

[source: Absolutely Organized]

Sorting through clutter requires a lot of self-evaluation. If you're on the fence about which pile something should land in, ask yourself the following questions:

For those people who find parting with their treasures a difficult task, donating them to charity can make the process less painful. Knowing that their things are going to a good home makes it easier to say "goodbye."

Profesjonalni organizatorzy są zgodni, że kluczem do kontroli bałaganu jest mieć miejsce na wszystko, a następnie z niego korzystać. Aby było skuteczne, miejsce musi być wygodne i pomieścić podobne przedmioty. Na przykład bardziej prawdopodobne jest, że członkowie rodziny odwieszą płaszcze, jeśli szafa lub haczyki znajdują się w pobliżu drzwi, którymi wchodzą do domu.

Życie w Twojej przestrzeni pomaga również kontrolować bałagan. Zanim zdobędziesz nowe rzeczy, zastanów się, jak je wykorzystasz i gdzie je przechowasz. Jeśli twoja szuflada na skarpety jest przepełniona, nie kupuj nowych skarpetek, dopóki nie pozbędziesz się niektórych starych.

Metody kontroli bałaganu są łatwiejsze dzięki odpowiednim narzędziom. W następnej sekcji odkryjesz narzędzia, które pomogą Ci zapanować nad bałaganem; a dobrą wiadomością jest to, że niektóre z tych rzeczy nie zajmują miejsca.

Czy masz skłonność do bałaganu?

Chronically disorganized people are often overwhelmed by clutter and exhibit the following behavior:

• They collect or save large amounts of papers, documents and things that have no apparent use, or bring no pleasure.
• They have difficulty getting rid of things.
• They have a wide range of interests and many incomplete projects.
• They're easily distracted.
• They have poor time-management skills.

[source: The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization]

Motivation is the best tool to get a handle on clutter and it's usually driven by your goals. Inviting friends to your home without embarrassment or knowing where you put important documents can serve as the motivation for getting things in order.

For the initial clean up, garbage bags are essential for getting rid of trash and holding donations. Just be sure not to confuse the two. In the maintenance phase, keep trash baskets and recycling bins handy for tossing out newspapers , magazines and junk mail , but don't forget to take them to the curb for pickup. Speaking of mail, sort it each day when you bring it in the house, so it doesn't become clutter, and so bills and important documents don't get lost.

Storage bins are a great tool, but experts recommend you don't buy them until end of the process, when you know what they'll hold and where you'll store them. Apply the same philosophy to shelving and files: Don't buy them until you know how many shelves and files you'll need and how you'll use them.

Hiring a professional organizer is also an effective tool for conquering clutter. Organizers may work with a client for an afternoon to get an office under control or they may work with a family for years, helping them to obtain and maintain an uncluttered lifestyle. In some situations, a third party's ability to ask the right questions with compassion is often more effective than having a family member help.

In extreme cases or when clutter impacts physical and emotional health, mental health professionals are called in. The next section explores how clutter and health are linked.

Thinking About Hiring a Pro?

The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) can help you find someone in your area. The 4,200 certified members are trained to:

• Listen to clients and determine his/her needs
• Customize organizational systems to meet client needs
• Teach basic organizing skills
• Visualize spatially and see the big picture
• Break goals down into manageable steps
• Categorize and plan ahead
• Use technology to support organizing efforts

They also have physical and mental endurance; they are compassionate, responsible and professional.

[source: National Association of Professional Organizers]

Although the definition of clutter differs from person to person, it's safe to say that there's a problem when storage areas are overflowing and important items are missing. At first, piles of possessions may seem harmless. But left uncontrolled, clutter can impact your health and safety in a variety of ways. Here's how:

Mentally, living in clutter is stressful , overwhelming, depressing and debilitating. Many clutterers hold onto things because they suffer from feelings of low self-esteem, fear loss and failure, or they have attention deficit disorder (ADD). Without help, it's an endless cycle. The clutterer's behavior also affects the health and well-being of family members, and in severe cases, can lead to eviction, hospitalization or homelessness [source: Compulsive Cluttering Resource Guide].

Changing behavior is not easy for a clutterer, and for a hoarder it's even more difficult because his or her emotional issues run deeper. Here are some differences between a clutterer and a hoarder:

[source: Clutterless Recovery Groups]

An inventory of the items found in the Collyer Brother's home revealed that the two were indeed hoarders, not clutterers. To some extent, they were also the victims of circumstance. Apparently, the brothers inherited their parent's fully-furnished house, which was already filled with possessions. The brothers, who had many interests, added their own collections.

Unfortunately, the home, which was located in Harlem, fell victim to vandalism and crime, and the brothers reacted by boarding the windows and doors and retreating inside. As the brothers became more fearful, their behavior became more eccentric. In the early 1930s, Homer lost his sight, but Langley thought he would recover, so he saved all the newspapers for Homer to read when his sight returned. Langley used the tons of debris amassed in the house to make booby traps to capture intruders. Sadly, he was caught by his own devices [source: Psychologists World].

What Was in the Collyer Mansion?

More than 100 tons of debris and waste was removed from the Harlem house before it was demolished. In addition to paper and junk, professional movers found: 25,000 books including almost 3,000 law books; family oil portraits; Mrs. Collyer's hope chests, filled with hundreds of yards of fabric; six guns and other weapons; 14 upright and grand pianos, two organs, five violins and an assortment of other instruments; scores of 7-inch gramophone records; chandeliers; tapestries; a portrait camera and darkroom equipment; bicycles; a 9-foot-tall (2.7-meter) mahogany clock and 13 ornate mantel clocks; 13 Oriental rugs, heavily ornate Victorian oil lamps and vases; white plaster portrait busts and picture frames; a static machine used for the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism and other ailments; and, a certificate of merit for punctuality and good conduct awarded to Langley at Public School 69, for the week ending April 19, 1895.

[source: New York Press]

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