Here are detailed ideas about goal setting:
How to set a goal - Think about what you want to have happen in the space and how you want the space to feel. If more than one person uses the space, everyone needs to be involved in the goal setting process.
Let’s say that the goal is to organize the family room. Everyone needs to agree on the function of the space. It also makes sense to spend a bit of time talking about how people want the space to feel… comfortable, peaceful, functional etc. As you list these words discuss what these words mean. For example, if someone wants a space to feel peaceful, what does that mean. What does the person think of when they say peaceful. During this process write down the agreed upon function and feel of the space. This piece of paper / document will be very important in the organizing process.
In using the family room example, we are going to assume that the function of the space is to have a place where the family can watch TV together, have a place for crafts, and have a little office area. In this situation 3 areas of the room need to be established for different functions. We’ll also assume that the people want the space to feel comfortable: places for people to sit and put drinks and popcorn and for things to be findable and easily accessible: being able to easily locate DVDs, papers, and craft things without having to look under lots of stuff.
By having these goals spelled out some things become very clear. For example, if there isn’t space to have all three areas while still having the space be comfortable and items accessible – then some tough decisions will need to be made. Sorting and purging will need to happen. This is when it is really helpful to have the paper / document that lists what people want from the space. Get practical. How many DVDs really fit on the shelf and only keep that many. How many drawers do you have for craft stuff, only keep what will fit in the drawers. If you have a 2 drawer filing cabinet - what will you work on at the desk and what papers do you want kept in the filing cabinet. Now that you know the parameters you can start sorting and purging. Remember, keeping the goal linked with each item can make it easier to make a decision.
Peter Walsh, who wrote the book It’s All Too Much, has people think about goals by asking these questions, “What is the current function and ideal function of the space. Who uses it and who should use the space. What should it contain and what has to go.” If this set of questions is helpful – great!
ONE LAST SUGGESTION
If it is hard for you to let go of some things…consider working at it in steps. For example, put the items for a possible purge in a box. Decide that you are going to live with the decision of letting these items go for one month. After a month see how you feel. Were you able to live with out them? If yes, you may be able to move the items out of your space.
SUMMARY
So remember:
Set a goal
Write the goal down
Keep the goal in the forefront
Link the goal with the items being sorted
and
Good Luck!
Susan
