Don’s Story (or D.C.’s story)
Many agree that getting organized is a top priority and improves lives. In making New Year’s resolutions, most people pick one related to self-improvement. According to research from the University of Scranton, getting organized ranked as No. 2 in the top 10 New Year’s resolutions for 2014.
The price of disorganization
When you read the following statistics, it won’t come as a surprise why organization ranks high on many people’s wish list. A Boston marketing firm has found the average American spends 55 minutes a day looking for things.
In “Cost of Disorganization,” a survey from GfK Roper Custom Research North America, reports that American professionals spent an average 19 minutes per day looking for items in the office and on the computer. This translates to an average 76 hours per year! Almost two full work weeks.
Imagine what professionals working in a home office could get done if they didn’t spend an hour and a half each week looking for misplaced things. It took Don 10 minutes to find things.
To Don, a clutter-free area means a clean mind. He wanted to make a change. So wife introduced him to professional organizer Jordana Turcotte of Simply You.
Taking the first step toward organization
The first thing that caught his eye about Jordana was that she drove a green VW bug with signs on the side promoting her business. It impressed him that she was in business for herself. She intrigued him enough that he asked her questions to learn what she had to offer.
Don’s wife admitted that he wasn’t the most personable guy on the planet. Yet, during the first session, he let Jordana enter his most private room – not the man cave, mind you – the computer room-slash-office.
The room needed a lift. They spent time reviewing his private space. “I never saw a male or female who pays so much attention to detail, taking care of the little things you’d never think of yourself,” Don said.
It can be a challenge to give advice on how to organize things without sounding judgmental. Jordana was thoughtful in her recommendations. Don said she pointed out the benefit of keeping things more organized than he had been.