A couple of weeks ago Don and I were out to dinner with friends. The conversation turned to my organizing business. One of my friends asked me, “What have you learned about people after organizing and de-cluttering homes for a couple of years?” My response surprised her when I said “I’ve learned that there is a lot of sadness out there.”
People save their stuff for a variety of reasons: to hold on to the past, to hold on to memories of loved ones long gone, to cover up the pain of their loss of dreams, to mask their fear of aging or just plain loneliness. I explained that the calls that I get in response to my articles and advertising are many times coming from a place of sadness, loss, stress or just plain desperation. If they can barely get the words out, I know they are most likely embarrassed, ashamed and frightened.
I’ve learned that a closet full of beautiful clothes and a house full of collectables does not necessarily bring happiness. At some point the sheer volume of living with so much stuff can be overwhelming and discouraging, and prevent people from making sound and necessary decisions for their future.
This article is my 29th in a series that I have written for The Jewish Link. My first published articles were more “how to” oriented where I discussed details of recommended organizing tips for paperwork, closets etc. Once I got comfortable with my audience and my voice, I started to speak more from my heart and my personal experience.
Everyone has some form of meshugas in their life. I look in the mirror and ask, Whose face is that? When did I get so old? But I slap a smile on, pull my hair back and show up at my client’s doorstep ready to dig in with a positive attitude, an open heart and no judgment. No one really cares about gravity’s impact on my 60+-year-old body. No one cares.
On Father’s Day we treated our son and his wonderful girlfriend to tickets to see the Broadway show, “Beautiful.” If you love Carole King’s music, this show is a must see! During the last scene in the show, Carole is seated at a grand piano at her concert in Carnegie Hall, and she is belting out the song, “Beautiful.” Something very interesting happened to me while I was listening to the song; it was as if I was hearing the lyrics for the first time.
“You’ve got to get up every morning with a smile on your face and show the world all the love in your heart. Then people gonna treat you better, you’re gonna find, yes you will, that you’re beautiful, as you feel.”
It does not get any better than this…thank you Carole King for these fabulous lyrics and the rocking music. At that moment I decided to make this song my anthem—yes, it has replaced Ethel Merman belting out “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.” Sorry Ethel.
Sometimes a change in our lives needs to start within our hearts, accepting that we have reached rock bottom and it’s time to call in the professionals. It could be a therapist for an emotional issue, a cardiologist for a heart issue, or a professional organizer for a clutter issue. Whatever your pain point is, there is hope and help. It starts with you, waking up with a smile on your face…because you are beautiful!
Link for song on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJn3QJYYBr0
Happy “Beautiful” Organizing!
By Eileen Bergman
Eileen Bergman is a professional organizer, a proud member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD). Eileen is listed in the resource directory for the Hoarding Disorder Resource and Training Group. Eileen may be reached at 973-303-3236 or [email protected].
