As we wrap up the year, some unique words and phrases describe 2022. They include the big quit, resilience hubs, nomophobia, goblin mode, sharent, quiet quitting, de-consumerism, infodemic, permacrisis, situationship, mys, and slow working. I frequently heard or witnessed three words: exhaustion, overwhelm, and hope.

Despite the challenges, we continued forward as we navigated the unknown, found untapped inner strength, extended compassion and grace to ourselves and others, and searched for balance and meaning in a continually changing landscape.

At this reflective time of year, I appreciate revisiting the past before moving ahead to the future. As part of my review, I selected highlights from each month’s favorite and best-loved organizing concepts of 2022. I hope you discover a seed idea to bring inspiration and balance to your New Year.

Where will you focus on creating the organization and balance you desire? Which people and projects will receive your time, energy, and attention?

12 Exciting Favorite and Best Loved Organizing Ideas of the Year

1. Fresh Start - 5 Guaranteed Ways That Will Make You Get a Hopeful Fresh Start

“Your blank slate is ready to be painted with a wash of gorgeous colors.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

2. Embrace Change - One Beautiful Idea Will Shift Your Perspective About Every Change

“Change is happening for you, in favor of you, and doesn’t that change everything?”

— Bethany Auriel-Hagen

3. Next Step - Use This Helpful Strategy Now to Feel More Motivated to Take Your Next Step

“While thinking is an integral part of progress, an action also needs to happen for movement to occur.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

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4. Letting Go - What Can You Easily Let Go of Now to Reap One Astounding Harvest?

“Progress happens when we finally lean into letting go.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

5. Clutter - 3 Brilliant Little Lessons ‘Magic Lettuce’ Taught Me About Clutter

“Clutter will increase if you don’t create intentionality and boundaries for your stuff.
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— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

6. Time Management - Has Your Time Arrived to Prompt a Supportive Pause?

“If you continually go without stopping, you’ll burn out.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

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7. Motivation - Discover One Surprising Solution When Doomerism Sabotages Your Motivation

“... the best way to spur action is to begin from a place of optimism - a belief that the thing you want really is possible.”

— Jane Coaston

8. Enlisting Help - What’s the Value of Enlisting Help as You Make a Positive Change?

“Reaching out for help is the secret sauce for success.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

9. Mindfulness - How to Joyfully Inspire Every Question with Mindfulness

“Is it necessary?”

— Yota Schneider

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10. Possibilities - What’s Achievable When You See Life as a Petri Dish of Astonishing Possibilities?

“Life is a petri dish of possibilities.”

— Chris Bianco

11. Wonderfully Human - How to Have Compassion Navigating Life’s Every Day Amazing, Awful, and Ordinary Experiences

“Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful, and relax and exhale during the ordinary.”

— L.R. Knost

12. Life Balance - Make a Happy Holiday Season Life Balance Inspired by One of Einstein’s Timely Ideas

“Build in some stillness and rest.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

My deepest gratitude for being an integral part of this vibrant community. We’ve had an incredible year of conversations and sharing. You bring learning, growth, support, and inspiration to every exchange. Thank you for regularly returning to participate and share the best of who you are.

What inspired you this year? Which organizing concept resonates most with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

As the cold freeze of winter chases the second month of this New Year, are you actively pursuing the changes you want to make in your life? Or, are you in the research and planning phase? Maybe change is the farthest thing from your mind. I’ve noticed during my latest conversations how people are at different ‘change’ points. Some have committed to specific changes, others are pondering change, and some want no change. Where are you right now on the change spectrum?

Recently I discovered three inspiring ideas. I considered them concerning these ‘change’ conversations. Especially if you are in the midst of change or trying to decide what changes you want to pursue, one of these concepts could help you clarify your direction or encourage a perspective shift. 

3 New Trends Will Inspire You to Make Remarkable Changes

1. The Big Quit

Life has changed in numerous ways. The last two-plus years of the global pandemic affected how we live, think and respond. The pandemic has influenced “the great resignation” or “the big quit,” where millions of employees from all industries are leaving their companies in droves. They no longer want to continue as they had, which was not working for them. Instead, they’ve gone for more significant opportunities, higher pay, and better scheduling flexibility. Enough was enough.

How does “the big quit” relate to you? Use this mantra to ask questions to encourage change in your life.

• What are you currently doing that is not serving you well?

• What do you need to “quit?”

• Is your home environment cluttered and draining your physical and emotional energy?

• Do you have ineffective systems that don’t support who you are and what you’re doing?

• Which unhelpful habits are preventing you from living your best life? 

• What do you want to stop doing that no longer works for you?

• What do you want to “quit” to transform your life?

2. Resilience Hubs

According to Google, the word used most to describe 2021 was “exhausting.” It’s no surprise since we’ve had to navigate the pandemic for another year. We’ve experienced loss, working differently, and shifting COVID protocols. We’ve had to balance work and family life with continually changing rules and a mutating virus (now Omicron BA.2). And as if this weren’t enough, we’ve experienced political unrest, inflation, and unprecedented uncertainty. I’m exhausted just thinking about all of this. What is the antidote to fatigue?

Recently, I heard about “Resilience Hubs.” These are trusted physical spaces, typically located in urban areas, established to support communities during regular times and disasters. With local government and residents as their leaders, these hubs have better communication and can more easily pivot to provide the resources the community and its members need to thrive.

As you pursue the changes you want for this year, consider creating your own personal resilience hub. What do you need to replenish your reserves after the exhaustion from the last few years? My resilience hub includes:

• Meditating daily

• Walking in nature

• Doing yoga

• Practicing mindfulness

• Spending time with friends and family

• Getting enough sleep

• Letting go of things that drain my energy

What will you include in your resilience hub?

“Which unhelpful habits are preventing you from living your best life?”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

3. The Magic Question

Zoe Chance, Yale University professor and author of Influence Is Your Superpower, was interviewed on NPR this month. During the conversation, I was especially intrigued when host Leila Fadel asked her to elaborate on a section in her book about the magic question. Magic question? I couldn’t wait to hear what it was. Are you thinking the same thing?

The magic question: What would it take?

As Zoe explains, “The magic question is magic because…it’s respectful…you get creative and surprising answers that you would never have expected. And…when they tell you, here’s the roadmap to success, they are implicitly committing to supporting that outcome.”

Change is hard. Often it’s a challenge because we get in our own way with excuses, doubt, or fear. But if we activate some magic, in the form of this magic question, what becomes possible? As you navigate your path of change, ask, what would it take to:

• have an organized, decluttered home?

• have a workspace that helped me focus and supported my needs?

• have time to work and relax?

• have  . . . ?

I hope that with some new tools or phrases at the ready, you will be inspired to pursue the change you desire. Did one of these ideas resonate with you? Did you discover something today to help? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

As always, if you want help on your change path, I’m an email or phone call away. Reach out at any time to schedule your virtual organizing session. Find me at linda@ohsoorganized.com or 914-271-5673. I’m ready to help facilitate the change you desire.

We are still at the beginning of the New Year, yet we can embrace a fresh start at any time. You can begin again any moment, minute, hour, day, month, season, or year. Your attitude about ‘new’ can determine an optimistic or pessimistic start. 

While I feel incredibly energized in January, I also regularly experience a positive anticipatory sense at the beginning of each day. Most mornings when I wake, I am energized by the clean slate and promise a new day brings with its plans, surprises, and quiet moments that will unfold. 

To understand other views, I was curious what my thoughtful colleagues’ perspectives were about fresh starts and new beginnings. I reached out to this generous group – Al Bingham, Felice Cohen, Juliet Landau-Pope, Christine Li, and Yota Schneider. I asked them to respond to and elaborate on this prompt-

How do you make the most of a fresh start?

Their diverse responses include having no expectations to delving deeply. My deepest gratitude goes to this inspiring group for sharing their time, hearts, and wisdom with us.

5 Best Ideas to Help You Make a Promising Fresh Start

1. Remain Open

“I make the most of a fresh start by trying to have ZERO assumptions about what is going to happen. That way, I remain open to what might be and not wound up by what I might expect to happen when I often have no idea what might actually happen. When I have no assumptions or expectations going in, I can enjoy the process and the eventual outcome without having them mean anything negative about me — and that is a wonderful thing.” 

Christine Li, Ph.D. – Procrastination Coach, Clinical Psychologist, Make Time for Success podcast Host

 2. Stay Focused

“I think of every day as a fresh start, a new beginning, a new chance to get things done. To help make the day productive, each day starts with a clean To-Do list. A list offers steps to follow, guides you toward a goal, and keeps you on target to avoid falling down a TikTok rabbit hole. (Use TikTok as a reward for finishing a task on the list.) Every task completed, whether easy or time-consuming, motivates you toward completing another. Then another. Remember, you don’t have to get it all done today; there’s always tomorrow.”

Felice Cohen – Author, Speaker, Professional Organizer

3. Be Present

“Faced with a fresh challenge, it’s tempting to look back, reviewing previous efforts and setbacks. Or perhaps to project into the future, speculating on possible outcomes. While there’s much to be learned from looking back and forward, both drive you into your head, fuelling fears and fantasies rather than forward into action. No wonder over-thinking is a common cause of procrastination. If you aim to boost motivation, adopt a more mindful approach to your present situation. Focus on what matters most, right here, right now. Then identify the very first step and take the leap.”

Juliet Landau-Pope MA, PG Cert AP, CPCC, FRSA – Productivity Coach, Virtual Organizer

“We are still at the beginning of a New Year, yet we can embrace a fresh start at any time.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

 4. Manifest Attention

“During the big reveal on makeover shows, the heroes don’t endlessly harp on how lousy things were before. Instead, there are tears of joy, wonder, gratitude, and love for the fresh start they’re receiving. Discomfort and dismay may provide sparks that light the desire for change, but they're a lousy fuel source for enacting it. A fresh start involves three primal actions: bringing something forward, organizing it, and releasing something. Each needs careful attention. Love, wonder, and gratitude helps keep things roaring. When these ‘ends’ inform your ‘means,’ your awareness remains open to finding novel paths forward during the refresh process!” 

Al Bingham, e-RYT500, YACEP, FAFS – Yoga Teacher, Author

 5. Nurture Reflection

"At the threshold of a new beginning, it is important to stay open, curious, and honest. If I don’t want old patterns repeating themselves, I have to decide what to leave behind and how to show up. I love taking long walks and drives and having intimate conversations with myself. I reflect on what I love about this fresh start. Then I ask, what are my fears? What habits, behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes could undermine me? Am I ready to let them go? What’s next? As answers and insights bubble up, I grow more confident, clear, and excited about the journey ahead."

Yota Schneider – Life Coach, Retreat Facilitator, Blogger

While January is almost over, there will be more opportunities for fresh starts. What helps you make the most of a fresh start? Are there specific periods you are more energized than others? Which ideas resonate most with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

There are numerous sources you can use to create a vision for your New Year. Several weeks ago, I wrote about five ways to make the most of your fresh start. One idea was to select a Word of the Year, providing you with an overarching theme to bring clarity and focus to your year. Some 2022 word choices from my friends and colleagues include intentional, shine, slower, purpose, alignment, determination, consistency, integrity, growth, present, soar, and focus. Have you selected a 2022 word? My 2022 word is flourishing.

Choosing one word can be helpful, along with other possibilities. This past week, I had the opportunity to experiment with compiling one simple visual, a vision board, which incorporated all of my ideas onto a single page. I accomplished this by having some uninterrupted time and writing in my journal. I also participated in an evening retreat led by my friend and life coach Yota Schneider and a vision board creating session led by Executive Mom Nest founder Marcy Stout.

I hope you discover something in my process that will be helpful for you. 

3 Quick Ways to Create Your Vision for a Powerful Fresh Start

1. Ponder/Wander Time

When we think about creating a vision, plans, or goals, the keyword is ‘think.’ It’s essential to secure some quiet, undisturbed time for your mind to settle enough to feel and hear your heart and thoughts. I use meditation, yoga, walking, and showering as ways to calm my body and mind. In a relaxed state, my ideas flow. Even if I’m not ready to write or discuss them, ponderings begin percolating.

During Yota’s The Way Ahead retreat, I meditated, wrote, and discussed. When our evening together ended, I left with the confidence to take the time and space to create my path forward. Calm, patience, and curiosity will guide me.

2. Journaling Time

Throughout the year, I write in my personal and meditation journals. The meditation journal has daily entries, is typically about my thoughts on the meditations, and sometimes includes life challenges, successes, or discoveries. Writing in my personal journal is less frequent, but the entries are more extensive. They capture significant happenings, feelings, and thoughts throughout my year.

To prepare more thoroughly for 2022, I will reread my 2021 journal entries. I’ll be on the hunt for lessons and ah-has that will help me make sense of this past year and identify ideas I might want to work on or bring forward for this current year. 

“The quiet focus of other people working was magical.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

3. Vision Board Time

I’ve never been a vision board maker, which is sort of funny, being how visually oriented I am. However, this year, I was encouraged to make one during an Executive Mom Nest meeting. We had a choice of going to one of three Zoom breakout rooms. I selected the “Shhhh” room to work on our vision boards while everyone was muted. 

What a productive 45-minutes! I had no expectations but came prepared with some blank paper, markers, highlighter pens, my personal journal, and an idea to somehow capture the essence of what I envisioned for 2022. 

The quiet focus of other people working was magical. I kicked into hyper-focus mode and created a vision board, which included the following elements:

• The year

• My word of the year and a definition

• My intention/guiding principle for the year

• Lessons/discoveries/ah-has from 2021 – I didn’t list the actual discoveries. Instead, I wrote down the sources I wanted to review and created a second page to capture the information.

• Three significant areas I want to focus on (Well-Being, Relationships, Professional) along with goals for each area

While I still need to do my 2021 deep dive, with this vision board in view, I feel clear about my big picture and confident with the changes I’ve already set into motion. Instead of feeling confused, I feel excited and motivated to reflect and plan.

Have you created a vision board? What was your experience like? How did it influence your year? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

If you’re feeling stuck with creating your vision for the New Year, I’m here to help. Let’s schedule a virtual organizing session to make your 2022 the best year ever. Email or call me at linda@ohsoorganized.com or 914-271-5673.