How COVID Might Change Your Approach to Organizing

Everyone’s talking about the “new normal.”  Though a global pandemic is new to us, anytime we go through a life transition, we have to deal with a new normal. Regardless of the transition itself, they tend to be similar in that our lives deviate and never go back to “before” or what we call “normal.” As we all figure out what that new normal will mean for us, some thoughts popped into my head about how this impacts our approach to organizing. Here are some ways it might:

1. Your commitment to organizing may change.

We’re all spending a lot more time at home. For many, this means more focus on the space around us. We’ve heard from many people about home improvement projects they are tackling now. After all, if you’re spending more time there than you did before, you’re going to notice the things that are broken. Something you’ve ignored for months or even years might feel irritating. You might finally feel ready to deal with it. You might feel a stronger sense that something needs to be done. And you might just have more time due to fewer outside commitments.

The mental health impact of this time may make you feel heavy; organizing might feel like a way to lighten up in some way.

On the other hand, this experience may have the opposite effect. Just as a severe physical ailment might shift your priorities, lowering the need for organizing the attic, your attention may now feel diverted to other projects. We all experience this differently.

2. You might find yourself needing less or more stuff.

I read some stats about people shifting a lot of their shopping online and how that will change our shopping habits for many years. Because online shopping is easy, you might feel inclined to buy more. With fewer life experiences to go out and DO, we may feel the need to seek pleasure in consumerism. This isn’t bad or good on the surface; it’s just something to realize because it will impact your space. Where are you putting all of that new stuff?

Last year, Americans spent more on self-storage space than they did on going to the movies. This year, that will probably continue. We’re not going to the movies, and may not for months. But I also wonder if the increased time at home means we have time to discover which stuff matters — and which doesn’t. You might find this experience has taught you something about the value of experiences over stuff, and therefore are ready to clean out that storage unit.

3. The way you organize may change.

Depending on your stage of life, lifestyle, and personality, you might have spent very little time in your home or a lot of time. If it was little, you may have put things in specific homes based on their frequency of use or you may have just put them wherever felt convenient. We’re changing the way we live each day. Many of us are not working or are working from home, which means less time commuting. I put away my backpack because of this; I don’t need to transport my laptop to the office. Similarly, you might find you’re putting some things away you used to need often. Meanwhile, you might have pulled out something dusty from the closet. A friend of mine is getting a lot more use out of her kayak, for example, while I’ve been pulling out my puzzles.

Where you now keep things may also change. You’re likely cooking more. Is it time to optimize your kitchen? If two partners, spouses, or roommates are working from home for at least a few more weeks, is it time to reorganize the office? Does this lamp need to be moved? Do the spices belong in another cupboard?

If you have questions about your organizing habits and how they are changing, contact us. We can coach you using phone or video to help guide you on a new path to organization — whatever that may mean for you