organizing Archives - Streamlife

Archive for organizing

This is for you. What are you hungry for?

April 21st, 2016

Dear friends,

You’ll have noticed a bit of a gap in my writing over the past few months. I apologize. In December I shared that I was enrolled in an Executive Coaching program. Turns out there was a lot of writing to do for the course and between that and media content work, I didn’t have a lot left of time or energy for creation. While I chose to pause my blog writing, I have been sharing articles related to productivity and performance on my Streamlife facebook page. If you haven’t checked that out, please do.

The course finished up earlier this month and I’m proud to share that I’m now a Certified Executive Coach. During the program I got to practice what I preach and spend some time in reflection thinking about how I want to serve and what I want to create. I have some ideas of what is necessary in this overly busy culture of ours, but what I’d really like is to hear from you. For example, what would you like to learn more about and which formats do you most enjoy?

I’ve created a short survey to learn more about your desires and preferences. Would you be so kind as to take 5 minutes (I know that’s an extra 5 minutes you hadn’t planned on, and so appreciate it) to share your thoughts?

Here are some of the areas I’m very interested in researching and writing about and I want to know if they resonate with you.

How important is sleep as a foundation for productivity?
What is the ideal mix of sitting, standing and walking in a workday?
What nutrients best fuel the brain for creative thinking? For problem solving?
How does the open concept office affect focus? What are companies doing to address this?
How can you work more effectively from home? How do you deal with interruptions? Spending too long in the office?
What does meditation do for your productivity?

I’m also interested to know if you would find book reviews valuable. I’m constantly reading books on a variety of ways to improve the way we live – as always through boosting productivity while ensuring peace of mind – and would be happy to share what I learn on my journey.

If you’d like to explore what coaching is and how I might be of help, or to chat about the content you’d like to see, don’t hesitate to book a call with me. Or drop a quick thought in the comments below.

Thanks so much for joining me here, and for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Categories Home Organizing, Productivity
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Introducing a Coach Approach

by Clare Kumar

December 1st, 2015

It’s been a few weeks since I last posted. Here’s why – I went back to school. A lifelong learner, I’ve continually been studying organizing and productivity principles but this fall and winter, I decided to invest more fully in learning how to better bring about sustainable change.

Bringing a coach approach to consulting

I began the Graduate Program in Executive Coaching in September, immersed in a classroom on the historic Royal Roads University campus in stunning yet serene, Victoria, BC. The photo above was taken on one of my morning walks. That was before I knew that you’re not supposed to walk alone…something to do with bear and cougars!

From now through April 2016, I will spend half my work time studying and further developing coaching skills. Already in this learning and in this work, I feel at home. It’s feels like everything in my life has been leading up to bring me here. It simply fits like an exciting pair of new shoes that is unexpectedly as comfortable as your favourite slippers.

So, what is coaching?

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as :

“Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

Just three weeks away from the completing the first half of the program, here is some of what I have learned.

Coaching truths

I will be listening more than talking.

It will be my job to stay curious and create a safe space as I ask carefully crafted questions to prompt self-discovery and awareness. To be sure issues are understood and options well-explored, I’ll be actively listening for both what is said and what remains unsaid and using appreciative inquiry to learn more.

You hold the answers.

The solutions which stick are more likely those that we naturally gravitate to rather than those that might be prescribed. I have worked with different types of coaches – from ones who ‘tell’ to those who are non-directive. Even though I may be excited about a coach’s idea during a session with a ‘telling coach’, I’m rarely as confident about the direction upon further contemplation. There is not much more gratifying to me than experiencing someone’s ‘aha’ moment that unlocks a profound shift.

Results matter.

Coaching is about creating change. It’s an ideal fit given that I’m achievement oriented and that many of the clients I attract feel similarly.

It’s a longer term partnership.

While I’ve witnessed extraordinary things accomplished in a 10 minute laser coaching session, deeper results can be achieved through a longer term commitment, generally three to twelve or more months. In knowing you more fully, I can better support you. This takes trust and patience. Think of it like a slow-cooker, not a sauté. The flavours are that much richer.

A new focus

I have often said that organizing and productivity is not rocket science (though it certainly is neuroscience!), and that there is no one right way to do things. It’s important to come to solutions that work for each individual. I will be drawing on my over ten years’ experience as a Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultant, as well as fifteen years in the corporate world, as I coach to help generate action plans which feel natural and compelling to commit to. I will be facilitator, champion, guide, and supporter to open new possibilities.

What about organizing?

My focus is on working virtually with clients to help get organized at home, be more productive at work (and vice versa) and facilitate better work/life integration. While this means I will personally be doing less hands-on organizing, I do have a team of very capable organizers ready to assist. I will also be working on packaging my knowledge and approaches in guides and tools to help you on your organizing and productivity journey.

The invitation – open for a limited time

While completing my coaching training, I have a limited number of spots open at a Special Rate for my Introductory Executive Coaching Program. It includes 5 sixty (60) minute calls with email support during our engagement. You must book by December 31, 2015 and sessions completed by March 25, 2016.

If you’re ready to start making changes, schedule a complimentary Discovery Call to talk further about this offer. If someone you know is feeling stuck and this might help them move forward, please pass on this post.

I leave you with another photo from Victoria and look forward to serving you.

Book Review – Part 2 – The Pros and Cons of the Kon-Mari Method

by Clare Kumar

May 20th, 2015

For Part 2 of this blog duo, I explore some cons to the KonMari Method. Tell me if you agree?

Cons

1. It’s about more than sparking joy
I agree that taking pleasure in the use, consumption and display of things is important. William Morris may have said it best in his edict that one should have nothing in one’s home that is neither useful nor beautiful. Salman Ahktar goes further in his book “Objects of Our Desire – Exploring Our Intimate Connections with the Things Around Us” to talk about taking delight in our sensual relationship with things.

Photo: Penguin Random House

Here’s the challenge though. If you are curious and creative, you’ll find joy in the multitude of usesyou for an item in the future. If you’re sentimental, it’s easy for many items to spark joy, or any variety of strong emotional responses which make it hard to part with an item.

While asking yourself if an item sparks joy is a great place to start, it simply can’t be the only question. I recommend asking yourself if you would purchase the item again today. If yes, it likely sparks joy, and I hope it also has a value relative to the life you are living today, the space you have available and the time and energy you have to take care of and honor it.

2. Go big or go home
Some may find Marie’s approach to tackle the whole home daunting in scope and this itself might keep you from getting started. I had the pleasure of meeting Gretchen Rubin (author of The Happiness Project and her more recent best seller, Better Than Before). In her research about successfully forming new habits, Gretchen found that some people do best by starting with a small initiative and building on it, whereas others thrive by making a major commitment. (See Disctinctions: Do I like to take smalls steps or big steps?”) If you like small steps, the KonMari Method may feel overwhelming.

I would encourage you to determine which piece of the Four Step P.L.A.N. to Get Organized™ is the source of your organizing challenges and start there. My homework for new clients is to make a list of things that are bothering them. From that list we then identify which project is most pressing and which also fits the time energy and budget they have available.

Seasonality is also important. Comfort is king when organizing., so working on garages, for example, may be better left for temperate months. The most important thing to do is make a decision and commit to a process of change. The size of the steps don’t really matter.

3. You don’t need organizing supplies
As many of you know, I developed the Pliio Clothing Management System, a line of organizing products that makes it much easier to manage folded clothes. I was very conscious as a professional organizer that I was not simply creating another product to store. I tested the product extensively to make sure it added value on many levels:

making the folding process so easy you can think about something else entirely
allowing more garments to be stored in the same space (20-30% more based on typical client experience)
keeping clothes in a better state (this depends on how neatly you were storing things before)
making it easier to see your wardrobe so more gets used. In fact, a lovely byproduct of implementing the system is thoroughly editing your wardrobe.
making it easier to put laundry away. (I dare you to search twitter if you think there is no angst around this!)

Once I identified all those benefits and heard them validated by hundreds of people, I had confidence in bringing the product to market.

I do support Marie’s suggestion that you can be resourceful and accomplish a lot with basic boxes, (though I prefer clear shoe boxes to a mishmash of shapes and sizes). However, there are many organizing products which assist in the storage and use of items and they deserve your deliberate consideration. Look for products with long term value and the investment will continue to serve you.

Categories Arrange, Home Organizing, Liberate, Nurture, Peace of Mind
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Why Give the Gift of Getting Organized?

by Clare Kumar

November 12th, 2014

How would you feel if someone gave you a gift certificate for organizing services or a product to help get organized?

Embarrassed? Incredulous?

No need. Let me turn that around to excited and eager!

Few organizing skills are taught in school yet many of us have an expectation that we are supposed to just know how to do it. Not everyone innately has these skills and for many it’s frustrating to try to get organized and yet not create systems that work.

In the marketing and media that I have shared over the last few years, my goal has been to present organizing services and products as tools that fast track you to living the life you really want by

a) Improving efficiency and productivity
b) Improving peace of mind at home and work

When perceived as a tool to give you your best life, it’s much less about fixing something that is broken, and much more about positively creating environments in which you can thrive.

So what makes a great organizing gift?

PRODUCTS

Some of you might be thinking “I have enough stuff. Why would a professional organizer suggest purchasing more?” I get it! We recommend using what you own where you can, however for an organizing system to be sustainable, things must be:

a) Visible – if you see things, you remember you have them, and are much more likely to use them!

b) Accessible – items must be places so they can be retrieved using the appropriate amount of effort

c) Manageable – items have to be easy to handle – through both retrieval and putting away

Here are a few examples which accomplish all three beautifully:

1. Premium Modular Canisters

From Rubbermaid®, this is one of my favourite products for the kitchen. The shape of these canisters is perfect for upper cabinets or in pantry. They use the full-depth of the shelf which prevents the creation of two rows…one of which you can’t see! Canisters come in different heights so you can choose the right size for your foods, and stack them easily. The new clear lids mean that you can now use them effectively in drawers as well. Eliminate all those crumpled bags of dusty flour, sloppy sacks of lentils and lost twist ties and make the kitchen a happy place!

Clear on all sides, modular, stackable and fits in one hand!

2. Pliio Clothing Management System

Pliio® products make clothes easy to fold so they stay folded. Clothes can be removed easily from drawers or shelves – even the bottom one in a pile, and even better, Pliio makes them easy to put away. No more excuses! Don’t you know someone who deserves starting and ending their day with a closet that looks like this?

Keeping clothes visible, accessible and manageable and maximizing storage space.

Keeping clothes visible, accessible and manageable while maximizing storage space!

3. Well-designed Fridge

If you’ve got a bigger budget, this fridge from Miele is a fine example of keeping things visible with its clear drawer and shelf fronts. Counter-depth shelves ensure a simple reach for everything.

A well-designed fridge with clear drawers and shelves keeps food easy to see and easy to access.

SERVICES

You can work with Streamlife organizers in person from developing organizing strategies right through to implementation and follow-up coaching.

Did you know you can also work with me virtually? With either a combination of phone conversations and photos or Skype/Facetime sessions, we can tackle any organizing challenge no matter where you live. Simply email info@streamlife.ca for more info.

I often end my talks with this closing thought: organizing is a foundation for personal and professional success. So, if you know someone who would like to create a home that recharges them instead of depletes them, or an office in which they can get right to work – on the right things – each day, consider the gift of getting organized.

Categories Holiday Organizing, Peace of Mind, Productivity
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Freeing Your Fridge: A quick guide to organizing your refrigerator

by Clare Kumar

September 28th, 2011

I hadn’t planned on cleaning out the fridge during the last week of the summer – it was one of those things that once you start, spirals into a bigger project. I was cleaning out the vegetable and fruit drawers, which I do fairly often because, despite our best efforts, they sometimes suffer the effects of neglected produce, and really can’t be left on their own.

I decided to go one level down to the meat/cheese drawer. I didn’t think it would be so bad because everything in that drawer is pre-packaged in some form or another. Suffice it to say I didn’t think you would appreciate a ‘before’ photo. My daughter, 8, was helping me with the project and she noted that there were several colours on the bottom of the drawer, none of which were white.

Categories Home Organizing, Organizing with Kids
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Managing children’s artwork and projects

by Clare Kumar

September 13th, 2011

My son's drawing of a killer whale

Are you ready for the ‘incoming’? What’s your strategy to cherish your child’s accomplishments without sacrificing your serenity? Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate the prolific creators.

a) Frame very special works and display them as pieces of art.

Categories Home Organizing
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Organize Your Workspace: Choose your tools

by Clare Kumar

August 23rd, 2011

Organizing tools are critical to create an efficient and effective workspace. Tools help us group like items together, identify and contain items for easy retrieval, and place items in the most comfortable position for use.

However, not all tools are created equal. It is important to consider how and where you will use an item to make sure you’re making the right investment. Sometimes a cheap solution can turn into an expensive one if it doesn’t solve the problem or hold up to use.

Categories Business Organizing, Home Office
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Simple steps for a stress-free back to school

by Clare Kumar

August 16th, 2011

Although we know it’s coming, the rush of back to school seems to sneak up on us every year. We’re experiencing steamy summer weather and in just two or three weeks many will be heading back to school.

While many of us challenge ourselves with resolutions for the new year, September can be a period of greater transition. Children advance to the next grade requiring new clothes and supplies; older students may change locations or take up different areas of study, and people of all ages sign up for activities forcing new routines and a need to find homes for all the associated items. If not managed, we can pretty quickly become overwhelmed by too much stuff and the feeling of having not enough space or time.

So what better than this time of year to make a commitment to getting better organized? Read on for some simple tips to make heading back to school a little less stressful. Read More→

Categories Home Organizing, Organizing with Kids, Peace of Mind
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Organizing Your Workspace: Getting Started in Three Steps

by Clare Kumar

August 9th, 2011

Simply tailoring your workspace to suit you and how you like to work will boost your productivity. People are different sizes and shapes and have different learning styles and responses to their environments. Some things in your office may be working well for you, but chances are your space could be further customized to suit your preferences and work style so you can work more efficiently. Worth exploring?

Categories Business Organizing, Ergonomics, Home Office, Productivity
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Getting Ready for Unexpected Guests on The Steven and Chris Show

by Clare Kumar

August 2nd, 2011

Clare joined the ever-entertaining Chris Hyndman talking about how to prepare for unexpected guests on The Steven and Chris Show. If you’ve ever had to get your place in shape to receive guests in a hurry, you’ll know how stressful it can be.

One of my dear clients came up with a name for the boxes she used to collect the things that still needed to be put away before guests came over…”Panic Boxes”. Now a box may work as a temporary storage solution, but if you go that route, you have to set aside time after guests leave to unpack the Panic Box, unstuff the Panic Closet or remove the things you’ve hidden behind the Panic Couch. Otherwise Panic storage may come back to bite you. Sure, sometimes it will feel like Christmas when you finally unpack lost treasures, but it’s the important items that can get displaced in this approach that can cause true panic! Think passports, bills, concert tickets, gift certificates, etc.

Here are a few ideas on how to make preparation for guests go a little more smoothly so both you and your company are more comfortable.

View the segment – scroll to 29:40 – the fourth segment. You’ll see we really had fun with this topic!

Love to hear your quick tips on prepping for company.

Categories Home Organizing, Peace of Mind
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Archive for organizing

Bringing a coach approach to consulting

So, what is coaching?

Coaching truths

I will be listening more than talking.

You hold the answers.

Results matter.

It’s a longer term partnership.

A new focus

What about organizing?

The invitation – open for a limited time

Cons

Connect

Categories