Do you share space with a loved one and find it challenging at times because you have very different organizing or time management styles? I have a number of women and men who call asking for organizing help, frustrated with their spouse/significant other’s habits. When I enter the situation, many times it’s tense because the “unorganized one” feels judged and harassed and the “organized one” can’t understand their love’s plight and seeming resistance to being “more organized”. The “organized one” has threatened, cajoled, pleaded, tossed stuff, and tried to organize their love’s space all without success. Can you relate? Whether you are the “organized one” or the “unorganized one”, take heart and keep reading so you can learn the language of Organized Love.
First, look for desired outcomes that you can share in common and avoid negative/edgy comments: If you have been in a relationship for any length of time, you might find the dirty laundry left on the floor annoying but saying “What’s wrong with you -can’t you ever just pick up after yourself?” rarely creates the desired change. You both need to look at the problem area and come to a shared vision of how you want the space and relationship to feel. Continue reading “Shared Life, Shared Space, Shared Schedules – Tips for Couples Getting Organized”