THE ART OF HOME ORGANIZATION FOR SENIORS

Written By Donna Gore

Introduction - Some wise words about clutter… and they’re all true- A cluttered mind is like a cluttered room, It's difficult to find anything you need; ""Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions;” "Bottom line is, if you do not use it or need it, it's clutter, and it needs to go;” "Organize, don't agonize."

I have been intrigued by this topic for a long time. As a neat minded person and minimalist by nature ( and somewhat by necessity due to my disability), I wanted to better understand the challenges, particularly as they relate to seniors. Concerning seniors, there are so many transitions they must experience in the process of aging. Many of them are losses in family and friendship circle that can never be replaced. At times, I think it’s eaier to graviate to things, particularly treasured items that hold special memories which they cherish and seemingly can always hang onto without the personal pain of human loss. However, with some people, the accumulation of things becomes daunting. Memories cannot be separated from things.

However, it’s a lot more than just things that need organizing in our lives - Types of organization includes - Your Goals, Priorities, Task Management, Time Management, Schedule Clutter, Committment Clutter, Attention Clutter, Mental Clutter, Habits/Routines.

I had the opportunity to meet and interview a local entrepreneur, Brenda Tringali - Organizing and Productivity Mentor, Certified Professional Organizer®At Your Fingertips Organizing.; Myrtle Beach, SC area.

Not everyone is truly qualified to be a professional organizer -

Question - Why are credentials important to this job?

Unfortunately, professional organizing is not a regulated industry. As a result, anyone can claim they are a professional organizer without any related education or experience whatsoever.  That’s why credentials are so critical.

When I decided to become a Professional Organizer ten years ago, the first thing I did was join the National Association of Productivity and Organizing (NAPO) Professionals. I immediately began taking courses and earning certificates.

A few years ago, I decided to become a Certified Professional Organizer® requiring:

To prepare to the grueling exam, I took and passed a CPO® prep course. I also joined a study group of other NAPO professionals who were also prepping for the exam. Together we read, wrote book summaries and discussed the 28 recommended organizing- and productivity-related books whose content could be on the CPO® exam. Last but not least, I put in countless hours of exam study time on my own.

One of the happiest days of my life was when I received notification that I had passed this arduous exam.  Each CPO® can re-certify every 3 years by either retaking the exam or by showing proof that they have completed 45 or more eligible CEUs to keep abreast of industry changes.

Question- What are your array of services?

In Brenda’s words - I help people achieve their goals by helping them:

  • clarify/prioritize their goals

  • create SMART goals

  • create project/action plan with deliverables and due dates

  • regularly meet with them (virtually or in-person) to discuss their progress to date, challenges that prevented them from making progress, alternate approaches, etc.

I offer the following 4 services both in-person and “virtually” anywhere (via phone/video) regardless of the location:

  1. Downsizing/Decluttering/Organizing

  2. .Productivity (Goals/Priority/Time/Task/Procrastination Management)

  3. Accountability

  4. Public Speaking

Question- What makes you different from the competitors?

EDUCATION

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

  • Certified Professional Organizer®/Productivity Consultant (10 years)

  • Former Human Resource professional (30 years)

  • Former Bilingual Social Worker (worked with child abuse/neglect) (3 years)

MEMBERSHIPS:

  • NAPO (National Association of Productivity & Organizing professionals) member (https://www.napo.net)

  • NAPO Virtual Chapter member (https://www.napo.net/page/virtual)

  • Faithful Organizers member (https://www.faithfulorganizers.com/)

  • Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce member (https://www.myrtlebeachareachamber.com/)

    Best Qualities

  • Non-judgmental

  • Compassionate

  • Positive attitude

  • Respectful- of clients and their possessions

  • Making clients feel at ease: I understand how stressful this process can be is. As a result, I try to put the client at ease by active listening, sharing stories, prayer, listening to their favorite music, making them laugh, etc; CODE OF ETHICS: I abide by the BCPO Code of Ethics.

  • The Nity Gritty Questions abiout Serving Seniors-

    Brenda’s Mantra- ‘Life is too short to waste time.’

    Question- Why is that statement especially important to seniors?

    We all have things we want and/or need to accomplish during the short time we’re on this earth. Because none of us knows when we’ll take our last breath, it’s critical that we accomplish the most important projects while we’re able to physically, mentally, emotionally, etc.

    As seniors (and yes, that includes me), that amount of time is diminishing with each passing day. So if there are goals, projects, tasks, etc. that we want/need to accomplish, it’s critical that we take advantage of each day to not only start these, but finish them as well!

    When clients of age tell me they’ll complete that goal, project, or task they’ve been procrastinating on “later”, I ask them to take

  • The Rocking Chair Test- Picture this:

    1. Fast-forward to when you’re in your 100’s, sitting in a rocking chair reflecting on your life.

    2. Make a list of the important projects you intended to complete but never did and now regret.

    3. Of these, narrow THOSE down to your 3 most important.

    4. Last but not least, prioritize those three so your #1 is at the top of the list.

    ****These are the ones I urge them to start, if not finish, as soon as possible

Question- Has some type of life altering event… or the way my family did it (genetics) play a role in disorganization?

There could be many reasons why someone is disorganized. Some reasons are situational meaning that the person used to be organized however a situation in their life (marriage, birth/adoption, divorce, death of a loved one, etc.) has altered that.

Another category is chronic or challenging disorganization. Unlike situational, this persists over a long period of time and can recur despite repeated self-help attempts.  The Institute for Challenging Organizing has wonderful resources for professionals and those who are challenged by it.

Question- What special considerations do you need to keep in mind for seniors?

When I work with clients regardless of age, I consider the following:

-habits/routines their perception of the situation; their personal preferences (learning style, behavioral style, etc.) their organizing skills (space, data, objects); their productivity skills (priorities, time, information, etc.); their technological/computer skills; physical considerations; their mental health (ADHD, OCD, hoarding, dementia, etc.) other factors (age, religion, culture, etc.) budget, etc.

Question- Discuss the emotional and psychological effects of a long term disorganized person.

I’m not a licensed therapist but I’ve learned from education and ten years of hands-on experience are that the devastating effects, can include but are not limited to: depression, anxiety, low- self-esteem, low self confidence, loneliness.

Question- Many seniors like to collect ‘stuff’ of memories - travel souvenirs, photos, children’s belongings.  What is the best way to attempt to part with things that you can’t let go of?

***First and foremost, a client has to be ready, willing and able to part with items they no longer want, use or love.  If they’re not ready, it’s not possible for them to make progress.

For those who are ready, I’m trained to help them understand that not every item carries the same weight/importance as others. Once they begin to understand this and apply it to their items, it’s easier for them to begin making decisions regarding what to keep and what to purge.  I love to use the following as an example— if there were a fire in in your home and you only had five minutes to go in and grab what’s most important to you, what would you grab?  The answers can be eye-opening!

There’s a quote by Barbara Hemphill, a pioneer in the organizing industry that reads "Clutter is postponed decisions.” Once people realize that many of their items are things they simply have not made decisions about in the past, I teach them how to make better decisions that they won’t regret later.

Question- Do you know right away if a senior is ‘a collector’ versus ‘a hoarder?’

I never jump to conclusions. While completing a mental assessment of their home/office, I simultaneously conduct an in-depth, in-person interview with prospective clients to understand the following: their goals,their challenges/concerns; situations beyond their control; psychological obstacles; other individuals who are involved and how; readiness and commitment to the process, etc.

If I suspect someone is more than a “collector”, I refer to the Institute for Challenging Disorganization website. It has several resources available for professionals as well as the general public that can begin to answer these questions. Based on all this data, I can make a qualified assessment of the individual.

Question- What has been the most successful of all the approaches used to help someone keep their dignity?

Because everyone is unique, there’s no one approach that is the most successful in my humble opinion.  It’s a matter of trial and error depending on the individual's learning preferences, abilities and willingness to learn.

Question- Describe a typical path back to normalcy or a better way of living with organization in their lives…

Because every person is unique, there is no typical path. But I will say this. I work with clients to help them identify their bad habits/routines that contribute to their visible or invisible clutter in the first place. But the successful clients take my advice a step further. On a daily basis, they reflect and act on the following as it relates to their habits/routines: the bad ones they need to stop; the good ones they need to continue; the good ones they need to start.

I explain that like exercise for people who don’t do it regularly, this can be painful at first. But the more they do it, the easier it will become. And by doing it daily, they are creating great habits for the future. It truly is a lifestyle change.

Question- Discuss the importance of working with different generations and the use or lack of technology to help organize.

I’ve learned that in order for people to successfully get and stay organized, we must use the tools they are most comfortable with. My clients, regardless of age, either use paper tools, digital tools or a combination of the two . I never force technology on a client. I’ve learned that they will be more successful using the tools they are accustomed to and like.  However if they want to learn new tools, I’m more than happy to show them.

Question- How do you help people feel more empowered and in control?

As a CPO®, we take an oath to pass our knowledge and experience along to our clients. There are clients who are enthusiastic to learn and by doing so, they become more empowered and in control of their situations.

***It’s important to understand, however, that not everyone wants to learn how to maintain their new custom systems once we’ve developed them. They’d rather pay me to go into their home/office on a maintenance schedule to deal with their regression and to get them organized once again.

Question WHAT ARE THE MYTHS OF THIS PROFESSION? (No, I don’t do that!)

There are several myths but below are some of my favorites:

1) Professional  Organizers will make you get rid of/purge most of your possessions. A trained organizer will do nothing of the sort. While we may encourage you to purge, we never force you to get rid of things you don’t want to.

2( That there’s only one “right” way to get organized. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because each person is unique, so is the custom solution we develop together.

3) That working with a professional organizer costs a lot of money. Most professionals know that many people have limited financial resources. That’s why I have a service level for every budget- including those who want to DIY (Do It Yourself).

4) That the professional organizer will make clients buy all kinds of fancy/expensive containers. I tell clients that If they want to get organized, I can help them accomplish that with products they already have in their home or items purchased at the dollar store. It’s their choice.

5) That once the space is organized, it will remain that way on its own long-term. Unfortunately, this is not the case. that’s why we’re trained to help clients identify their bad habits and routines that may have contributed to the problem. Once identified, I work with the client to identify bad habits to stop, and good habits to start and/or continue.

I hope you have enjoyed this very informative interview and will consider Brenda’s services in the future! Check out all of her available services AtYourFingertipsOrganizing.Com

***In the meantime, please comment and review other blogs you might have missed from my website including -

Essential Caregivers: They are no Longer the Best Kept Secret

Some Basics: Long-term Care Ombudspersons Leading the Way for Seniors

What’s Your Motivation

AND… please visit and contact me regarding my NEW Sevices and Merchandise ‘Store’

Thanks for your time and interest,

Donna




Donna Gore
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