Clearing Office Clutter After Life Happens

I typically talk with my clients about getting their lives back on track after life happens. We can have the best systems for staying organized, but it all goes out the window at these times. This hit home recently. Here’s my experience with clearing office clutter after life happened.

My husband Jay had tested positive for COVID. The plan was for him to isolate in our bedroom for the duration while the pull-out sofa in the den was all mine. This sounds like a reasonable plan and after all it was only for 2 weeks…. except for the fact that there was a really organized person (me!) in a room that was out of control.  

Sofa cushions were piled up in one corner. The coffee table was now parked next to my desk creating a trip hazard. A folding chair and free weights were against another wall. Clothing, books, and papers were stacked on the file cabinet. The partially opened sofa bed sat in the middle of the room….you get the picture.

Unfortunately, when I sat at my desk, this was all starring me in the face!  I quickly became quite adept at not seeing the clutter around me. My priorities included doing all the household tasks, focusing on work tasks as I isolated for 5 days, and of course providing room service to the patient.

I knew that I had to walk the talk and do exactly as I advise my clients… stay in the moment, keep all the balls in the air and avoid getting Covid.  After all there shouldn’t be one process that I share with my clients and another that I follow when circumstances are similar.  My advice and guidance is much more valuable when it’s based on actual experiences and the impact they have on daily life.

As soon as Jay recovered, I put the train back on the tracks… reclaimed my space and focused on clearing all the office clutter that had collected.  In short order, life returned to normal.

I’ve always been a strong believer in walking the talk…. How about you?