North Salem’s Lisi Helps Clear the Clutter

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - Springtime is cleaning time. But where on earth do you start? Not to worry, North Salem’s Catherine Lisi of Lisi Solutions has some sound advice.

“First you have to ask yourself why you want to do it,” she says. “The answer might be, ‘I’m so stressed, I can’t find anything.’” The idea is to psych yourself up with all the benefits.

“Next, you need a goal. Narrow it down to a small thing, like a room or even a drawer. Otherwise it can be overwhelming. Figure out how much time you can commit, then schedule the time, and focus on it.”

It's not enough to just clean. If you want to get out of a messy environment, Lisi says, “You’ve got to change the behavior that got you there. Or you’ll end up back where you started.”

The services of Lisi Solutions stretch beyond keeping your socks organized. Lisi, who offers all types of personal assistance, has consulted with Fortune 500 companies as well as small business managers, estate agents, workers with home offices and people who need relocation assistance.

Most people will recognize themselves when Lisi says, “The biggest problem is that you need to make decisions. Accumulated papers represent decisions you haven’t made.” Encourage yourself. Think “one piece of paper at a time.”

Don’t become disheartened, she adds. “A lot of people are self-judgmental. You have to understand you’re not a bad person. Life just piles up on us. It’s OK. Remembering the benefits will keep you going.”

Beware of time wasters, such as trying to do more than one thing at a time, getting sidetracked, waiting until the last minute, failing to plan and not providing yourself with the right tools to get the job done.

Her list of time savers includes clustering similar projects; keeping files, supplies and a calendar close at hand; and being consistent in your actions.

For help, she says, you can get one-on-one coaching, attend workshops or hire an organization to take over stressful aspects of your life. 

Even if you hire someone occasionally, Lisi says, “You have to do your homework in between.”

Click here to follow Daily Voice North Salem and receive free news updates.