Get Organized

October 5, 2011

Reading time min

Get Organized

Christoph Hitz

For the organizationally challenged, the task of sorting through old magazines, paperwork, knickknacks and other items that have outlived their usefulness can feel overwhelming. Professional clutter-buster Eve D'Onofrio, PhD '04, sees it as a puzzle.

Since founding Organized Tranquility in 2006, D'Onofrio, a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, has worked with Bay Area clients ranging from pathological packrats to small business owners. Her holistic approach helps people rearrange their physical environment while developing intuitive, sustainable systems for maintaining order.

The greatest barrier to success is often in our heads, she says. "There has to be mental and emotional clutter that we have to go through, and if we can get through to that, we can get to what is happening physically."

Her recommendation for those who have earmarked 2010 as their reorganizational renaissance: Start by writing a vision statement articulating short- and long-term goals. Consider each space separately and describe how it should look, feel and function. Then "break things down to manageable parts and stay focused on those parts," she advises.

Finally, don't expect to turn into Martha Stewart overnight; such expectations undermine progress. "I encourage people to commit to time and not outcomes," D'Onofrio says. "For most, it's a comprehensive lifestyle overhaul."


AIMEE MILES, ’10, is an intern at Stanford.

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