About Disorganization
People who seek help getting organized might be facing a temporary setback when they usually have no difficulties with organizing. This is what organizers call “situationally disorganized.”
A divorce, illness or death in the family, or even a happy event like a marriage or the birth of a child, can throw you into an organizational tailspin. When these life events happen, the organizing systems that have been working well for years may no longer be effective. A professional organizer can help the situationally disorganized develop new systems that reflect current reality.
Some people have more deep-seated issues surrounding disorganization. Those who have been trying to get organized for a long time but can’t seem to do it on their own, and for whom disorganization has an impact on their quality of life on a daily basis, meet the definition of chronically disorganized, as put forth by the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization.
The chronically disorganized have special considerations when it comes to getting organized. If you feel you might be chronically disorganized, you can learn more on the chronic disorganization page.
If you’re a shop-a-holic who can’t seem to part with things, you might be a hoarder. Visit the page on hoarding for more information.
To see Janine’s favorite books about organizing—particularly those aimed at the chronically disorganized, visit the resources page.