The 9th Habit
Blogging my exploration of the first 8 Habits.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Inside Out Friday: Getting Ready to Move
Organizational wisdom from Julie Morgenstern:
Keep only what you use and love.
-Organizing from the Inside Out Cards
Great advice. I moved yesterday. Halfway, anyways. As mentioned before, I did a serious re-evaluation of my possessions in anticipation of this move.
Also, in recognition of the huge amount of junk I've accumulated, I took the above advice. I had so, so many notebooks, old papers (business, personal, and academic), books, magazines, art supplies, office supplies, weird electronics cables and connectors, hardware I've never used, and dozens of things I hadn't laid eyes upon since before three moves ago.
I asked myself these questions:
By being ruthlessly honest, I cut the amount of stuff in my room by over 75% (by weight or by volume). The benefits go beyond an easier move. More Julie:
Insider's Tip: What is the disorder costing you? Realtors regard "first impression" improvements such as decluttering closets to be one of the smartest ways to speed the sale of a home and fetch a better price, according to the New York State Association of Realtors.
-Organizing from the Inside Out
Well, I'm not selling my rented dorm room, to be sure, but I can see how even a buyer (who isn't buying your stuff, after all) would get good vibes just by seeing an orderly space. I now have a clearer idea of what I have; I could more readily see my way around my space before moving out, and I can find what I need now (even though most of it is packed). With a clear image of where everything will go in my home for the new school year--something that's possible when there are relatively few items and a good idea what they all are--I have a better "End In Mind" for the move. I have more enthusiasm for using what I have, and more joy in having it. And, in the meantime, I generated a little spending money by selling some of my possessions, and a lot of good feelings by giving many more to Goodwill.
On Fridays, I take a break from the 7 Habits theme of the blog to focus on the thinking of Julie Morgenstern, author, consultant, and expert in organization and time-management. Julie's books preach an "inside-out" approach to these subjects, which mirrors Stephen Covey's approach to the Habits.
-Organizing from the Inside Out Cards
Great advice. I moved yesterday. Halfway, anyways. As mentioned before, I did a serious re-evaluation of my possessions in anticipation of this move.
Also, in recognition of the huge amount of junk I've accumulated, I took the above advice. I had so, so many notebooks, old papers (business, personal, and academic), books, magazines, art supplies, office supplies, weird electronics cables and connectors, hardware I've never used, and dozens of things I hadn't laid eyes upon since before three moves ago.I asked myself these questions:
- Have I used this within the last year?
- Will I need to use it within the next six months?
- If the answers to 1 & 2 are "No," do I like this enough to hang onto it?
By being ruthlessly honest, I cut the amount of stuff in my room by over 75% (by weight or by volume). The benefits go beyond an easier move. More Julie:
-Organizing from the Inside Out
Well, I'm not selling my rented dorm room, to be sure, but I can see how even a buyer (who isn't buying your stuff, after all) would get good vibes just by seeing an orderly space. I now have a clearer idea of what I have; I could more readily see my way around my space before moving out, and I can find what I need now (even though most of it is packed). With a clear image of where everything will go in my home for the new school year--something that's possible when there are relatively few items and a good idea what they all are--I have a better "End In Mind" for the move. I have more enthusiasm for using what I have, and more joy in having it. And, in the meantime, I generated a little spending money by selling some of my possessions, and a lot of good feelings by giving many more to Goodwill.
On Fridays, I take a break from the 7 Habits theme of the blog to focus on the thinking of Julie Morgenstern, author, consultant, and expert in organization and time-management. Julie's books preach an "inside-out" approach to these subjects, which mirrors Stephen Covey's approach to the Habits.
Labels: clutter, dorm, goodwill, julie morgenstern, moving, organization, student life, stuff
¶ Posted by Mark @ 9:14 AM
