50: 10 Questions to Ask Before Starting to Organize Any Space
This week, we discuss 10 key questions to ask yourself to make decluttering and organizing fun and purposeful. We break down each of the 10 end goal words, such as purpose, usefulness, frequency, and comfort, and provide insightful questions to consider within each category. Whether you're just starting your organizing journey or looking to maintain an already organized space, these questions will help you create an organized space that aligns with your needs, enhances efficiency, and contributes to a comfortable and visually appealing environment. So get ready to dive into this episode and kickstart your organizing journey with purpose and joy!
In this episode, we talk about:
- Questions to think about for your organizing project or journey
- Identifying the primary function of the space to determine what should stay or go
- The importance of comfort, aesthetics, and adaptability, ensuring your space is not only organized but sustainable in the long run
Mentioned in this Episode:
Episode 001: 7 Steps to Organizing (almost) Anything
https://theorganizedflamingo.com/7-steps-to-organizing/
Episode 008: Step 1: Assess and the Power of Planning Ahead
https://theorganizedflamingo.com/8-step-1-assess-the-power-of-planning-ahead/
Download your FREE “Should you Keep It or Toss It?” decision tree https://organizedandproductive.com/keeportoss
The 10 End-Goal Words:
Purpose, Usefulness, Frequency, Storage, Prioritization, Efficiency, Comfort, Aesthetics, Maintenance, Adaptability
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The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Review full show notes and resources at
https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast
Join our weekly email newsletter for all-things organizing & productivity delivered right to your inbox
https://theorganizedflamingo.com/quicklinks
Download your FREE “Should you Keep It or Toss It?” decision tree https://organizedandproductive.com/keeportoss
Review the Transcript:
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:00:00]:
Hi, Haley and team. This is recording for episode 50, organizing without the tiers, 10 questions to make decluttering fun. Thank you so much. If you find it difficult to make a decision, there could be several factors of why that is. But one of those factors could be because you don't have a purpose, a goal, or a visual at the end game. It helps to have the end goal in mind. So for today's episode, we are going to focus on 10 words and questions within those words that you could be asking yourself to find a purpose in your organizing journey and project. So this may help The organizing journey a little bit more and make it a little bit more fun and purposeful and help you avoid the tears of frustration that comes when you don't even know why you're trying to declutter or organize.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:00:54]:
So I'm excited to dive to dive in with to these with you and to help you avoid the frustration in Tiers that sometimes just really do does come with organizing and decluttering and not knowing why you're even doing it. So let's dive right in. Alright, friends. So first things first. This episode is airing for the 1st time at the beginning of January of 2024. So probably January 1st. And with that, happy New Year. You know, we we try to keep all these episodes as relevant as possible.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:01:28]:
So if you're listening to this episode after January, don't you worry. We like I said, like, we try to make all these episodes long lasting. So you this episode is relevant regardless of when you're listening. But because we are airing this at the beginning of the year, I just wanna say happy new year. And if you're listening to this after that, happy new start of your organizing journey or project. So in typical fashion of our solo podcast episodes, I like to give you an outline of what's to come in the episode so that you can, either if you're a note taker, you know what's to come. If you're a visual, more listen like, if you like to visualize it in your head, this is really helpful for all of you. So what's coming is we've got 10 sections here or 10 words that are end word or end goal words, And you'll see what I mean when I first start the the list.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:02:19]:
And when it within each word, there's questions for you to ask yourself. If you need the list, it's down in the show notes. So I've I've I've outlined the 10 words and then you can just listen to the episode to, you know, to follow along with the questions. We also have the transcript available to anybody that may need it and it is in our the link to all of our podcast episodes are in the show notes and then that will take you to the show to the transcripts of this episode as well. And one other thing, if you are not familiar with our 7 steps of organizing Almost anything, which is our framework here at the Organize Flamingo. There is a link to that episode down in the show notes because I refer to Step 1 in this episode. What that means is we have a framework that 7 steps of organizing almost anything. And Steps 2 through 5 are interchangeable depending on what your end goal is.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:03:13]:
So you'll wanna listen to that episode so that you can understand What is it that you're trying to achieve? And then you could decide, you know, which steps are next after this one. With that being said, all of these questions in this entire episode Fits very nicely with step 1, which is the assess step, which is figuring out your plan. And I've got you know, we go deeper into that episode on that, You know, step 1, assessing episode. And then these are just questions that whether you're following our framework or not, they're still useful, but they're Incredibly useful if you are, you know, following along with our 7 steps. So let's go. Let's head to the questions. So the 1st and goal word is purpose. What is the primary function of the space? Is it for work, relaxation, creativity, or is it something else? Identifying the primary function of the Space is going to help you determine what should stay or what should go.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:04:15]:
So for instance, if it's a workspace, Items related to work should take priority over the leisure items. Right? And so you'll go down the list for this particular end goal. So Ask yourself, what is the purpose of the space, the closet, the area, whatever it is that you're working on? If you're going on a long journey, You will also ask yourself this question. The 2nd and goal word is usefulness. The question here is, do I use or need all the items in this space? Are they serving a purpose, or are they just taking up space? Assessing the usefulness of items is crucial to decluttering and organizing. If something is in used or doesn't serve a purpose, It might be worth maybe donating, selling, discarding, one of those. There is a decision tree that I've made for all of you, which you can find in our show notes. It's called the keep or toss decision tree, and it's a 1 pager super quick.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:05:18]:
And it gives you, like, a yes or no type of decision tree So that if you're if there's, like, I if there's items when where you're just not sure about, this decision might help you with that. Okay? Like, there are some limbo items, and you're like, I don't know. I'm stuck. So the decision tree is gonna be super helpful, especially for this this section. Our 3rd and goal word is frequency. How often do I use these items? Should frequently used items be more accessible maybe? Like, these are the questions you're asking for yourself. Right? Like, these are in your perspective. Items used daily or frequently should be really easy to access.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:06:00]:
Rearranging to prioritize access to these items can save you so much time and effort. I've talked about this before. It's some I mean, this is really predominant. Like, if you're in a, if you're in an industry like you're if maybe you're in the Kitchen and food industry, you know this very well. Right? Like, it needs to be within your hands reach, within your movement. If you're an architect For builder, you know what I'm talking about. When you design spaces, you analyze and you study how somebody functions in that space so everything's readily accessible. So that's what the frequency why frequency is so important.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:06:35]:
If you're needing something all the time, should those items be a little bit, you know, placed in a place where it's accessible to you much easier. Let's talk about storage, and this is our next end goal word. So it's storage. Do I have adequate storage solutions for these items? Can I optimize storage to save space? Because efficient storage solutions will be able to prevent clutter. It's not the answer to all. There's steps that need to come before finding the perfect storage solution, which we talk about in our 7 steps of organizing almost anything. Storage does not come first. It should not.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:07:18]:
Investing in storage containers is great and shelving and furniture that maximizing space that maximizes the space will make such a big difference. So think about that. Do I have enough storage solutions for what I'm trying to achieve? So this is a very important question for you to be asking yourself. The next end goal word is prioritization or the ability to find things. So if it's easier for you to think about this, it it's how do I find things? So what are the essential items in the space? Can I prioritize or categorize them for easier access? Which, By the way, we have a podcast all about categorizing your items and how important that is. And also just finding a category system or categorizing system that works for you, and how your brain works and how you retrieve things. So listen in on that episode. So prioritizing essential items will ensure that they're readily available, which we talked about before, right, in one of our other words.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:08:18]:
Categorizing them can also simplify the retrieval, which is how you find things, and, of course, then it will reduce the time spent searching for said items. Let's talk about our next and goal word, which is efficiency. If this is important to you, then, I mean, You know, listen in to all of the tips, but this is a big one for a lot of you, especially that are just trying to be more efficient. So can I arrange items in a way that makes The tasks at hand easier or more efficient? You know, maybe in your craft room, in your areas where you don't utilize as much, but when you're in there, you do need to be efficient. This is a really big category in word for business owners, for people that work from home or like your home office or homes or your office space very important efficiency. Because arranging items based on frequency of use or workflow will enhance productivity. There and as an example, organizing a kitchen so cooking essentials are close at hand, Can streamline meal preparation. Another example is if you're shipping things all the time and having that area just Feel and be more efficient for the way that your brain operates and the way that you do things is going to be a lifesaver.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:09:36]:
So very important for you to be asking yourself these questions as well. The next 2 words are all about feeling, and the first one is Comfort. So the fur the the end goal word is comfort. Is this space comfortable and conducive to its intended use? Can you add anything to enhance comfort so that when you're organizing, the end game of comfort will be important? Because sometimes Get very stuffy in our organizing journey. We think everything has to be and look a certain way, and it ends up not feeling comfortable for you, your Family, whoever it is that's using the space. You know, they'll feel a a space that feels comfortable, encourages the productivity and relaxation that you need. Some people don't think about that as either. You know, they think that it has to look a certain way, and if your brain isn't comfortable around that surrounding, or maybe your work needs a little bit of a different feeling, like you need to relax, to think, to write, to do, then you that space needs to have, that as a component.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:10:44]:
So this could involve arranging furniture for better ergonomics or adding cozy elements for relaxation areas, you know, maybe the bathroom, maybe the bedroom, your closet, areas where maybe that is a place of relaxation, living room, family rooms, things like that. So think about, comfort as a very important question. And this is a really fun, I think, a very fun section to experiment with. So I don't know. This is one of my most favorite questions to ask myself and make sure that I'm asking so that it doesn't get too rigid. The next one is also about feeling, but a little bit of visualization, which is aesthetics. So the end goal word is aesthetics. Do the items and their arrangement create a visually appealing space? Can I personalize it to reflect my style? Because visual appeal contributes to the overall ambiance.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:11:40]:
A few people don't think about that. Julie Hood in one of our past Episodes, I think hers is episode 49. She talked about that. You know, how the visualness of of your area contributes to setting yourself up for success. So that is a very important piece. Creating an organized space that also looks pleasing is going to enhance your motivation, and the mood of whoever is utilizing that space. So a very important word as well. Okay.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:12:10]:
Before I give you the last 2 words, like I mentioned, all of these were all of these words and questions fit very nicely with our step One of assessing, your project and asking all of these questions before you start a project. But if you've already started, Questions like all of these as you go along will also be very helpful. Okay? So don't feel like you like, if you didn't ask ask answer or ask yourself these questions At the beginning of the project, you know, you're set up for failure. Definitely not true. Do check ins whenever. These 2 words though fit very nicely with our Step 6 and 7, which is evaluate your project and maintain it. So though these 2 specifically are, like, perfectly tailored, but you could be asking yourself These questions it should be way before you start. But if you haven't, just know that these 2 questions are going to be perfect for step 6 and 7.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:13:05]:
Okay. So maintenance is our end word or end goal word, and this is all about how is it to clean and maintain this organized setup. If you are just starting your organizing journey. This is very important to think about. Okay. I may have this grandiose or marvelous idea that I'm about to commit to, But if it's not easy to clean for you and the people that are using it, especially if it's, for little ones, you know, that really becomes predominant. But honestly, this is for Anyone at any age. Or if you have you're a caretaker for maybe an elderly parent or something like that.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:13:45]:
How is how easy is it to clean and maintain? Very important question. Can I establish a routine to keep it organized? Maybe okay. If you're in a space where it's very awkward and you just it's going to be hard to maintain and clean no matter what. Very relevant in smaller spaces. You know, you're working with what you got. Like that that's what you were given. Awkward bathrooms, awkward rooms, like this is it. Your kitchens, Cabinets that are very awkward in the in the corner.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:14:14]:
You know what? That's that's what I have at hand. Okay. Fine. You know, you we've gotta move on. But can you establish a routine to keep it organized and cannot be part of your plan? Okay. So that's this that's what the section is about. An organizing system that's easy to maintain is going to encourage consistency, and that's what we're looking for in this section. Like, how do I Make sure that this is going to be sustainable in the long run.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:14:41]:
Establishing a cleaning and organizing habit is going to really ensure that the space is functional in the long run, and, it's sustainable for you and the people. Maybe if you're teaching somebody how to do it because it's, it's for children or somebody else's space. You know, is it can they keep it keep up with it as well? So that's what this section is about. Our end goal questions and word is all about adaptability. You should be asking yourself as you're making this plan or as you're going along, a question about is this is this system, is this space, is this Thing that I'm about to, you know, to plan out is it flexible enough to accommodate changes or new items in the future? Changes, you know, whether it be, for whatever reason. The this is especially true if you, you know, your family dynamic is changing. If you're introducing new members or if there will be, like, reconstruction of a house or a space, if you're moving I mean, this is very a very important section if you're moving. If you know that that area will need to move with you or it will need to you know, you need to figure that out, if you're in a space where you're renting, you know, in in having this area Be adaptable to that change is going to be important.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:16:04]:
This, you know, being open to the adjustment as it is like your life evolves ensures that the space remains functional and organized over time. Because what we see here in the when people don't ask themselves these questions is sometimes they will make permanent changes in the system that either are very you know, they were perfect for that time. But as time moved on, it did not go it did not suit those new needs. And now they're stuck with a very Quite permanent solution. And now to get it down, to get it off, or to demolish it will be way more costly. Now sometimes a permanent solution is going to be perfect. This is very much true for those family areas, you know, the the entertainment center or whatever you're building out for the TV, for the puzzles, for the books and stuff. Great.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:16:57]:
I mean, you're there for the long run. Right? Like, you know, if you're You're thinking long term. That's fine, but just ask yourself that question. Okay. As I'm about to purchase this very permanent item, this permanent solution, Am I, am I okay with that? Or if it needs to change, just what will be my options? Just think about it. You don't have to make a full plan. Just think about it. Okay.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:17:23]:
So what do you think? Did you ask yourself all these questions? Are these questions helpful? I hope they are. I have been asking these questions in our client intake forms and or when I first, you know, Start to meet people and they have proven to be very helpful. So I didn't just make these up. These are things that I have been asking throughout the years, And I've outlined the ones that were not life changing, but project changing. You know? The ones that if they would not have answered the Question. The project or the journey would have not been as successful or as streamlined. Okay. So that's why I outlined these Ten end goal words and questions.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:18:05]:
Because I just think that if you ask yourself, at least you're conscientious, if you're, you know, making sure that you're answering them even if they're short answers that they will set you up for success. And in each question is playing a vital role in creating an organized space that aligns with your needs, enhances efficiency, and contributes to a comfortable and visually appealing environment. Right? As always, if you need a little bit more of a tailored approach, let us know. Send us a message, and we would be happy to help. And happy New Year, and happy start of your project, whichever one you're listening to and comes first. Wishing you the very best, and cheers to an amazing year, an amazing start of new beginnings. Until next time, happy organizing.