Transitions
In working with clients, I’ve come to a hypothesis — life transitions (both positive and negative) breed disorder in homes.
October seems like a fitting month to discuss transitions because, for many of us, it is the ultimate in transitions. Think of all the October changes:
We go from tank top and flip flops to hoodies and sneakers.
Long summer nights slip into early bed times and sunsets.
The warm sun turns into crisp air and leaves.
Casual Friday resets to full day of work.
All night soccer and tag becomes homework and early dinner.
All of this change leads to a distinct change in how we use our homes. The parts of our closets that we use change. The shoes we wear change.
For me, the transition from flip flops to sneakers is A HUGE DEAL.
And when these changes happen chaos can happen. I love the change from summer to fall. For me, it is a total rebirth. And, as much as I love it, there are issues about how I manage my home that come with it. For example, there is a pile up in the entry way.
First, I start taking out my warmer shoes. First come out the dress(ier) sneakers. Later, my boots will follow. But I keep the flip flops out because I LOVE THEM and I MUST LIBERATE MY TOES WHEN I CAN.
So, I get a pile up of shoes at the door.
This is just the shoes. It doesn’t even take into account the rain jackets, hoodies, umbrellas, and other gear that is needed at the end of summer/beginning of fall.
And, now, I think about the massive, unexpected life changes that happen all the time — marriages, divorces, new jobs, lost jobs, births, and, yes, even deaths. Life has a way of throwing a wrench in most of our best laid plans.
And those wrenches can create massive transitions in our home management. Here are some tips for managing the chaos life transitions can bring to our homes:
Recognize that you are in a transition. And most importantly, recognize that this transition will mean your home organizing might feel a bit chaotic.
Be mindful of your new routine. But don’t resist it. Just watch it, and use the information to create new habits.
Click here to read more about creating new systems and habits.
Keep your long term vision in your mind. And be open to changes that you need to make because of the transitions happening in your life.
Click here to read more about the value of vision in your home management.
Rather than beating ourselves up about the mess life transition brings, let’s recognize the transition and learn from them. We can use that information to create new routines and modify our visions. This will get us a lot further than shame ever will.
