Wow that kid is organized!

I have been so excited to share a story with you all about a major organizing success for one of my clients.  Actually, let’s call it an organizing success for

I have been so excited to share a story with you all about a major organizing success for one of my clients.  Actually, let’s call it an organizing success for her whole family!

During my first post-holiday visit to this client’s home, I saw a bag on a chair that appeared to be filled with toys and stuffed animals.  Although it was unrelated to the project we were working on, I asked my client about the bag.  She smiled mysteriously and suggested that I “check the label.”  Sure enough, as I got closer, I noticed this index card (see image) taped to the outside of the bag.

So here’s what happened:
After the family had finished their holiday revelry, her daughter was preparing to move all of her new loot into her bedroom.  My client had a conversation with her about making space so that she could see and appreciate all of her new gifts.  (I’m so proud! *tear down cheek*) Anyway- she tapped into all of the excitement that her daughter was feeling about the new toys and therefore offered her a little perspective for the project.  She then gave her daughter the responsibility to make her own decisions and the tools to get the job done (big trash bag, index card, marker).
When she checked back in after a while, low and behold- the job was done.  Her daughter was proud that she had made space on her own for the new toys.  In fact, they decided to wait to donate the bag so that she could show it to me the next time I arrived!  What typically would have been a very trying mother/daughter project (believe me- I know these two) was accomplished without argument.  We both made sure to give her lots of praise (and I had some congratulatory words for mom too).
Best of all, her mom took advantage of the opportunity to teach her daughter the relationship between space and stuff and the concept of our possessions having a natural life cycle.  These skills, and the feeling of empowerment to tackle these tasks on her own, will continue to benefit this girl throughout her life.
And we might just have a budding organizer on our hands…