Susan Fay West - Organize for a Fresh Start

Organize

FOR A Fresh Start

Embrace Your Next Chapter in Life

Susan Fay West

ORGANIZE FOR A FRESH START. Copyright 2011 by Susan Fay West. Manufactured in China. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Betterway Home, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45236. (800) 289-0963. First Edition.

Other fine Betterway Home books are available from your local bookstore and online suppliers. Visit our website at www.betterwayhome.com.

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ISBN-13: 978-1-4403-0852-9

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Edited by Jacqueline Musser; Designed by Clare Finney;
Production coordinated by Mark Griffin

Sue West lives on a lake with her lifelong friend, Donna, her Entlebucher Swiss Mountain dog, Sanford (born in the same year as her organizing business), a gaggle of geese, one lone lake turtle, and a few other animal friends. In a period of roughly eighteen months, she struggled through more than a few major life changes and transitions, and came out quite happy on the other side. Organizing was a key player along the way of course. And so it became her passion to assist others at midlife and beyond, to move on from change, taking the best along for the journey into the next chapter of life.

Sue owns Space4U, Organizing Services, LLC, independently. She is a Certified Organizer Coach and Certified Professional Organizer. Through organizing services, classes, and organizing coaching, Sue works with people in their second half of life to downsize, organize, and simplify their life, their belongings, and their time. Her specialty is supporting clients through change and transitions, such as downsizing, loss of a partner/spouse, health issues, adult ADHD diagnosis, caregiving, the empty-nest stage, pre-retirement, and into retirement.

She also holds specialty certificates in life transitions, ADHD, and chronic disorganization from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is currently pursuing her level three certification from the ICD. She has an MBA from Babson College, Massachusetts, and a BA from Smith College, Massachusetts.

To DMB, who asked, Are you happy?
On a snowy walk around the lake.
And when I answered that question, my fresh start began.

Youll read in the first chapter about my story, what led me to write this book, and why organizing is so important as we move through the transitions of life.

Here, I honor individuals who have shared their wisdom with me. They have gently pushed me to be the person I was meant to become as I moved through my transitions. And they have shown me what I have to give to those around me. Your inspiration, support, and belief in me and my abilities to get this book written was instrumental in sharing expertise with people Ive never met.

And to my readers, some of these are professionals you may want to seek out yourself.

To Donna, my biggest supporter from the beginning, believing I had more to offer than I even understood, and who believed in me unconditionally. You are a treasure of a unique kind.

To Roberta, who came up to the lake to give me a cooking lesson and suggested I check out those organizing shows on TV because Id be great at it.

To Denslow Brown, who realized coaching skills needed to come to the organizing industry and built The Coach Approach program and Organizer Coach Certification. As a coach and mentor, youve asked insightful and creative questions. Your friendship arrived at a perfect time in my life.

To Robin Warren, website designer and friend, who often enough complimented my writing and encouraged me to do more with it.

To my clients: You are amazing. You learn about yourselves. I learn from you. You share what you may not have shared with others. I am honored to support you through your transitions. You have made me better in my chosen career in the second chapter of my life.

To Jacqueline Musser, my book editor. Jackies been my book shepherd and editor, believing in the value of what I write about, believing in my writing abilities, gently delivering suggestions for improvement or clarity, and being so organized about it all! Most important, you allowed me to write and took care of everything else, which is exactly how I wanted to do this. I respect your talents tremendously.

To the Institute for Challenging Disorganization, an extraordinary resource for organizing professionals as well as for the public. This group really understands what organizing is about for people, and demonstrates that through its education, membership, and service to the public and our profession. Thank you for constantly raising the bar so we can be better and better for our clients.

To my cribbage crew: We all need support as we move through life changes. Wednesday nights, after school, for pizza and red wine and lots of life conversations was just what I needed as my life changed.

To the Enos family, who has shown me a different face of family: Im so thrilled you have been in my life; you dont have to be crazy to be in this family, but it sure doesnt hurt!

To my closest friends today: What would I do without you? You are my extended family. Your support and love shows me what friendship is really about.

To my grandmothers. Strong, independent, and wise women, they went to college in the days when women werent supposed to. Both inspired me in different ways, and still do today.

To my aunt Fay, who passed away this year. One of the most authentic, genuine people I have been blessed to know. Rebellious, funny, and unconditional in her loveall qualities I continue to aspire to make my own. Heaven is a lucky place.

To my family: You raised me with strength, independence, and a sense of humor. My curiosity for learning started with you. My adaptability and interest in connecting with people started with you. Thank you for being who you are.

YOUR LIFE IS IN TRANSITION NOW. While change is difficult, that place in between the old chapter and the new chapterthe before and the afteris even more difficult. Its a place of limbo where youre not through the changes and youre not quite into your new chapter.

Organizing is so helpful in dealing with lifes big events. Its not simply a nice to haveits an essential practice. The benefits of staying organized during and after major life changes are numerous.

• Organizing is cathartic and can help you process your emotions. As you go through your things, youre not only thinking about whether to keep or let go of items, youre thinking about the transition itself, the emotions, what youll do next, how youre managing.