METRO TASKS Spring Organization Tips

Its that time of the year. Remember last year when you said its time to do the Spring Cleaning? If youre not careful, youll be staring at last years pile which had grown upon the years before which will have grown upon this years. We all begrudgingly say that were going to do it and keep putting it off to the next weekend that never comes. Maybe this years different, maybe were moving -- or, maybe were motivated, - or, maybe were ready to allow Julie Sikora of Farmington Hills, Mich. based Metro Tasks deal with our worst nightmare -- that pile that never seems to stop growing.

Detroit, Mich., May 1, 2002 -- Its that time of the year. Remember last year when you said its time to do the Spring Cleaning? If youre not careful, youll be staring at last years pile which had grown upon the years before which will have grown upon this years. We all begrudgingly say that were going to do it and keep putting it off to the next weekend that never comes. Maybe this years different, maybe were moving -- or, maybe were motivated, - or, maybe were ready to allow Julie Sikora of Farmington Hills, Mich. based Metro Tasks deal with our worst nightmare -- that pile that never seems to stop growing.

"Many people just dont know where to begin. The entire process becomes so overwhelming that for many, the best answer is avoidance. Thats when clutter-a-citis takes hold. The clutter overwhelms the client and in return the client cannot do the task," states Sikora.

If you think your piles are bad, Sikora has probably seen worse. Metro Tasks clients come from all walks of life -- young, old, stay-at-home moms, business owners and executives. Metro Tasks helps their clients get their homes, office and lives in order, charging either a project fee or hourly rate depending on the job.

Sikora offers these tips for those looking to get organized this spring:

- Invite another person to keep you company while you organize. Their company will help keep you on track and focused.

- Engage your organizing partner in the process. Ask them to hold up each item or object as you sort through your piles and rooms. Its a lot harder to give an item up when youre holding it yourself.

- Set up three boxes when you begin organizing -- one box is for giveaway, another is for throw away and the third is for keeping. For many people it is a lot easier to giveaway, rather than throw away.

- Call your favorite charity and arrange a date for them to pick up the items you will be giving to charity. This call should be made when you begin the organizing process. By setting a pick-up date, you have set a deadline date for getting yourself organized.

- Work in pockets or segments of areas. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to look at the entire organizing project. Instead, focus on one corner or one area. As you work through each area you will be amazed at how organized you become.

- When it comes to clothes practice the one-year rule. If you havent worn it in one year, it might be time to part with it. If you absolutely cant part with it, put it away and revisit it next year. If you still havent worn it the following year, throw it away or give it away.

- If you didnt realize an item was missing until you came upon it in a pile, chances are that you wont miss it if you give it away or throw it away. If youre unsure, put the item in the trash or giveaway box and forget about it for ten to fifteen minutes. Chances are that youll leave the item in the trash or giveaway rather than retrieving it when the waiting time is up.

- Try to avoid shifting back and forth between organization jobs. We end up creating more work for ourselves by starting projects and then abandoning them mid-way through to go on to another task. Youll find that if you do this the piles seem to increase rather than diminish. If you find items that need to be put away, wait until you have finished organizing before putting them away. It is very easy to get distracted when we keep getting up from the area we are trying to organize.

- Got a lot of sorting to do? Metro Tasks recommends relocating your pile of papers from the clutter zone to a clutter free zone. It makes the sorting process more manageable and helps keep you focused.

- Getting organized can seem very overwhelming. To help organizing easier, try to first deal with the items that are least meaningful.

"Many people are embarrassed about being disorganized. One of the first things I tell prospective clients is that theyre not alone. Disorganization isnt a character flaw, and its nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of." Says Sikora..

Metro Tasks works with its clients to bring order to chaos. Once the initial organization is complete clients are consulted on a weekly, monthly or bi-monthly basis to coach and teach them how to maintain their newfound order.

Metro Tasks, LLC can be contacted by phoning (248)324-9700. Metro Tasks is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and the National Study Group of Chronic Disorganization. Metro Tasks accepts Visa and MasterCard and is fully insured and bonded.

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