Ellen Hankes

Travel Magazine Collections

  Some magazines such as National Geographic have "keeper" qualities. Subscribers are attracted to the quality of information, the vivid photographs, the detailed maps and the journal's format. Whether the traveler is armchair-bound or an active venturer, this publication has been a classic catalog of adventure for well over a century.

As a professional organizer, I am often asked, "What can I do with years' worth of National Geographic magazines?"

Since so many people have saved back issues of this journal, there is often no collectible value in a multi-year collection. However, check out the National Geographic Collector's Forum for current information on sought-after issues and other valuable ideas. The maps from the magazine may be of value to others, so don't overlook that aspect.

What's your experience with old magazines? We would like to hear from you!

Disorganization Unleashes Intense Emotions

  Embarrassment. Shame. Disappointment. Many disorganized people feel these intense emotions on a daily basis.

The clutter-laden adult is embarrassed to have anyone come to her home because of the mountain of stuff. The school child has been shamed one more time because the completed homework didn't make it to school in the backpack, The salesperson is disappointed because of misplaced vital contacts.

What a boatload of emotions disorganization unleashes! Consider these tips for dealing with the emotional side of disorganization:

• Take a deep breath. Send a dose of oxygen to the brain and give yourself a moment to regroup.
• Take and make time. Most organization issues take a long time to build and some time is necessary to create a better situation. Schedule time to focus on organizing.
• Delegate. Do what you do well and hand off to others things that they do best. Family and friends can help if they are supportive of your needs. A professional organizer can guide you towards your goals in a non-judgmental way.
• Learn more about yourself. What do you do well? Recognizing and honoring your strengths will minimize your rough spots.

What words describe how you feel about your disorganization? We would like to hear from you.

Reminders

 Reminders can go anywhere! A clever professional quilt maker put the ample drapery wall in her studio to work holding project reminders, fabric swatches and other tools of her trade. For most items, a straight pin was sufficient to hold the lightweight fabric or paper pattern.

To keep a bulletin board type display working for you, avoid posting items that simply have no other home. Reserving display space for items that inspire you or serve as a reminder for an intended action will pay off in the long run.

Sticky notes are often posted in large quantities for reminders. Review them frequently!

What's your reminder wall? We would like to hear about it.

Right-Brain, Left-Brain, and Organizing

  Would you believe that each of us has been issued the most elaborate structure in the universe? Rich or poor, young or old, sad or happy, every person has 100 billion nerve cells in this marvelous brain of ours.

The decade of the 1990's was devoted to understanding the brain in ways previously unknown. One of the popular simplifications of how the brain works is explained in the Right Brain-Left Brain model.

Want more information on your Right Brain or Left Brain tendencies? Take this quick 20-question assessment. I was amazed at how the results confirmed what I know about myself. 

A person struggling with organization, either thing-organization or time-organization, may benefit from Organizing for the Creative Person: Right -brain Styles for Conquering Clutter, Mastering Time, and Reaching Your Goalsby Dorthy Lehmkuhl and Delores Cotter Lamping.

Does knowing more about how your brain works affect your level of organization? I would like to hear your thoughts!