Maybe somewhere in the world, there is someone who was born organized. I am not that person. Neither is anyone I know.
I’m not “naturally” tidy. When I was growing up, I was kind of a slob. My mother would prompt me to clean my room and I would shove everything in the closet and hope she didn’t open the door.
I’m not a “natural” minimalist, either. I spent my first paychecks on crap from the mall just like every other American teenager. When I was real young, I collected air in empty film canisters that I asked my mom to label with the location- Grandma’s House Air, Highway Air, etc.
Literal AIR, y’all. Could I have chosen a more useless collection?? (Yes, my mother did label all of those for me, and yes, she is, in fact, a phenomenal person.)
I had to learn how to live with less, and I had to learn how to keep my things tidy, just like virtually everyone else I know.
We have to learn how to relate to our things the same way we have to learn how to relate to people-- it takes effort, practice, and intention. Maybe it comes a bit easier to some people, but that doesn’t mean it’s not accessible for all.
I mastered these skills over three big transitions, trial-by-fire situations which helped me see how a minimalist, organized space influenced my productivity, my health, and my happiness for the better. I’m less anxious, less distracted, and less impulsive in a tidy home, and I value that. I wanted to get better at this lifestyle, so I practiced more, read more, decluttered more, experimented more.
My next learning focus is on reducing waste and harmful chemicals in my home. I’m not yet a master, as evident by the remaining paraben-laden products in my bathroom, but I’m learning. Sustainability is a learned state, too.
If you’re currently disorganized, if your home is cluttered, if your life feels jumbled, don’t tell yourself it’s a permanent and pervasive trait. Organization is not like height or eye color- it’s a state that can change with knowledge and attention.
Being organized is a set of skills, strategies, and routines that you can learn. And while I love working with clients over multiple projects in their homes, I don’t intend to make anyone a client for the rest of their natural lives. I’m here to help shorten your learning curve by teaching you what I know.