Let's Start at the Very Beginning …
I used to think I was organised. And I was, just not in a way that always benefitted me, or actually made my life easier.
I was organised in the "just in case" way. Notepads that would see me through a whole other school life. More greeting cards and gift bags than a triplets' birthday party. Candles for days.
Two things changed all of that.
The Breaking Point
The first was working long hours in my previous role as an Operations Manager in a frantically busy debt recovery team. I loved my job. I loved constantly searching for ways to improve our service and make processes more efficient (figures, eh?). I loved the people, and helping them learn and grow. But the hours were long, and my to-do list became relentless.
All of a sudden, my "organised" just-in-cases were a heavier burden than a relief. I had so much that I didn't actually know what I had. So after a busy day at work, I'd do the convenient thing and just buy more. Someone's birthday? I'd grab another gift bag and card in Sainsbury's while picking up yet another expensive oven ready meal because I had no idea if the well intentioned veg in the fridge would still be edible.
The Lightbulb Moment
The second was the wonderful Dilly Carter.
I was working my notice with no clear plan ahead (I know, what was this organisation freak thinking, quitting her job with no plan!). My sister sent me a link to Dilly's "Become a Professional Organiser" course. Organising TV programmes and putting the tips into practice had always been a passion of mine, alongside my frequent habit of coming home with yet another storage basket (I'll get to why that's a problem in another blog, one day). What did I have to lose? I added the sign up date to my diary and waited patiently for the day to come, then was delighted to get a place shortly after they opened, years of practice from the operation that is trying to get gig tickets clearly paying off in this moment.
On the course, one of the first things Dilly taught us was that you should know every single item in your home. That's when it clicked for me.
It wasn't about being the person who had everything bought in advance to save money. It wasn't about having ten different spices for the one day a year you decide to make that curry, or twenty mugs "just in case" every distant relative turns up for a cup of tea at the same time. It was about effective use of space, and having clarity.
Wait a minute, I hear you cry, isn't that exactly what you did at work?!
Yes. Yes it was. And I hadn't been applying that same logic at home. Lightbulb moment.
How It Worked in Practice
I slowly worked my way through every room and cupboard in my house. Everything out, just like Dilly taught us, and every item carefully considered:
- Do I still use this, or could someone else benefit from it more?
- Did this makeup palette go out of date ten years ago?
- Why was I holding on to this soft toy that had no real sentimental value?
Then the spaces were assigned to streamline daily living. Frequently used kitchen items went in prime spots, so I could locate and return them with ease. Lesser used items (the baking kit, I'm looking at you) got stored together, neatly, in one box at the back of the cupboard.
The Result
There's less chaos in my head, and less chaos at home. It's much easier to clean. I can find what I need in seconds, and I know exactly what I need before I go shopping.
Now I get to bring that same feeling to my clients, taking the skills from my old career, my personal love of organisation, and everything I've learned since. I couldn't be happier.
Does any of this sound familiar? If your "just in case" system has slowly turned into a "no idea what I've actually got" system, I'd love to help you sort it. Get in touch to find out how a session with The Ruby Reset works.
