National Organising Week starts this week!
National Organising Week between 7-13th November 2016 is designed to celebrate the positive impact of decluttering & organising your home.
APDO Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers is running a third annual National Organising Week asking: why delay letting go of those possessions which are cluttering your home and impacting on your precious living space? Declutter N.O.W.
So from 7th to 13th November, APDO is launching a mission to encourage UK households to tackle those niggling tasks (we will be starting 1 day earlier here in the UAE!). APDO specialise in assisting people to clear their clutter and organise their homes, but members can also help clients mentally declutter negativity from their lives. Some professional organisers have backgrounds in life coaching or mental health, whilst others are experts in interior design. Whatever the slant, the common theme is an ability to motivate and inspire.
As Britain's experts in decluttering and organising, APDO are aware that some do need a push in the right direction. In fact, “Procrastination Nation” has become something of an epidemic. Crucial.com conducted a 2016 survey which revealed the majority of people (58%) had left jobs undone for over six months; a third leave tasks for a year and one in 10 just can't find motivation to even begin a chore - for over five years.
Now that's a lot of unfinished business…So here are some top decluttering tips from APDO to get the job done:
TIP ONE – Don’t delay decisions.
Avoid the temptation to put unwanted possessions ‘out of sight and out of mind’, whether that’s in a cupboard, attic, shed or in self-storage outside the home. You’re essentially just postponing dealing with the clutter. Just because it’s out of sight, it doesn’t mean it can’t weigh on your mind.
TIP TWO - Don’t give up.
When you start decluttering and organising, things can look worse before they get better. The key is to commit some time to the process, not become distracted by other tasks and push through feelings of overwhelm.
TIP THREE – Be realistic.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. It took longer than one weekend for things to become disordered so it will take time to solve the problem. Don’t be discouraged if it seems like you have a mountain to climb. Break down the task into bite sized chunks and it will be far more manageable.
TIP FOUR – Call in the professionals
Sometimes the task of tackling clutter on your own can feel too overwhelming. That’s when a professional organiser can help you clear a path through the mess and stress in order to achieve a calmer home and life. They have the experience and ideas to help you make the most out of the space you have. They have the expertise to advise you on what to do with unwanted possessions and they can teach you to maintain the changes for good.
Procrastination is a genuine blocker to productivity, stealing time and draining emotional energy. A 2015 YouGov survey found that 41% of Brits procrastinate for up to an hour each day – that equals 15 days a year. And 13% of us (that's 8 million people) sometimes lie awake at night worrying about procrastination.
Additionally, procrastination could be harming important relationships. According to psychologytoday.com, delaying action has a high cost to others as well as oneself; it shifts the burden of responsibilities onto others, who become resentful. Procrastination destroys teamwork in the workplace and cohesion within private relationships. Not only that, but it's a common cause of conflict: over a quarter of UK couples argue about unfinished tasks at least once a week according to crucial.com
National Organising Week is a great opportunity for you to stop and think about the mental and physical clutter you are living with. It's a chance to consider how you are using your precious time and APDO hopes to inspire the UK to take action to tackle things - NOW.
DeCluttr Me have reduced their hourly rate this week especially for National Organising Week, so if you have wanted to declutter and organize, NOW is an ideal time to make a booking*. To find out more, contact us using the contact form or call us on 055 8890751.
(*bookings must be made between 6-13 November and sessions must be booked before 31 December 2016).
As always, if you find this post helpful, please share it with your friends, family and colleagues! Thanks
