Sharing our organizing stories
Perhaps you have a high-demanding job (or two or three), or family obligations or a medical condition or other personal issue.
Your intention is to be more organized, but you find yourself stuck, unmotivated, overwhelmed or realize that you simply cannot do it by yourself.
Or, you might be highly focused, extremely productive, successful and innovative in your respective career or professional field, but problems arise when your manager doesn’t approve of your messy desk, or family members complain about the unfinished piles or cluttered living areas.
That was my own personal experience.
In 1998, I had a full-time job in New York as a technology manager for a global firm. I managed a team of technicians and was responsible for high-level, high-tech executive meetings.
During the day, I had open binders, folders, post-it notes, faxes, phone messages, notepads and reports spread out all over my desk and, at times, spilling onto the floor.
Each night, before we left for the day, we had to make sure to stash all of our stuff into drawers and lock them up, especially when the “big boss” from London was scheduled to come to town. He was known for his white glove inspections on each desk, after working hours. We would hear about it the next day and find out who got called out for not passing inspection.
At home, I was a mess... I was a new mom with a new baby, living through home remodeling, three moves in three years, family illnesses, and piles of dishes, mounds of laundry, unopened mail, bills unpaid, gifts that were never given, and piles of paper everywhere, but no time or place to stash it away, like I could at work.
Eva Abreu, Professional Organizer on "Hoarding: Buried Alive" television show. Photo courtesy of Discovery/TLC
In 2000, I decided to become a “corporate stop-out” and left the corporate world in order to try to get more organized at home, have less stress in my life and to spend more time with my family.
I ended up becoming MORE disorganized being at home full-time!
Little by little though, I found ways to slowly work my way out of the clutter and time management trap.
Eva Abreu, Professional Organizer on "Hoarding: Buried Alive" television show. Photo courtesy of Discovery/TLC
We’ll discuss the techniques that I learned over the years to create the S-T-O, Sort-Things-Out method of organizing and how I became a professional organizer featured on Discovery/TLC’s TV show, “Hoarding: Buried Alive.”
We’ll talk about how to get started, stay focused and develop lifelong habits to keep motivated and stay on track with your organizing journey.
Let’s take it day-by-day and know that I’ll be right alongside you to get organized and Sort Things Out, one step at a time.
Eva Abreu, Organizing Coach