[productivity articles]

Clients Who Clutter

Jean John, Ph. D., R.D. interviews Sara Caputo of Radiant Organizing, Santa Barbara

Jean John: Certain clients may convey that disorganization, clutter, "the mess" is distressing to the point that the person feels that it stands in the way of normal functioning or self-growth. At times like this, the therapist may view the disorganization as the resistance to change, the obstacle on the path, or the problem itself. If the clutter is resistance, how do you work with that? Do you ever find out that the person really doesn't want "clean-up," because something else would have to be dealt with?

Sara: In my experience as a professional organizer, most clients are resistant to dealing with their clutter. I help people understand that organization starts in their minds. Therefore, we discuss at length what their clutter represents for them, how they have accumulated what they have, and what their past attempts have been at reducing their clutter. This allows people a safe place to start opening up about what has usually been shoved and stuffed into places where they don't want to go, both mentally and physically. Often clutter is used as a way to cover up painful emotions, and as a way to remain in control over their things. When we start working hands-on and making decisions about our items (what stays, what goes) there are often emotional breakdowns, as a result of what these things represent. It is the need to face these painful and repressed emotions that keeps people paralyzed around their "stuff." By dealing with these items at a comfortable pace, people are often able to start their process around liberating themselves from their past, which can be incredibly painful. I also refer clients out to therapists when I feel that they would benefit from deeper work where I am not trained.

Jean: If the clutter is an obstacle on the path to self-growth or achievement, is it possible to minimize the obstacle and help a client focus on what they want to achieve?

Sara: Yes, it is entirely possible to minimize the obstacles, but it in a respectful and timely manner that works for the client. Everyone moves at their own pace when facing their obstacles. My work focuses solely on helping people remove the roadblocks in their path, so they can see clearly and focus on what is most important in their lives. Often, people are not sure what is important to them anymore, because they cannot think clearly due to their accumulation of items and clutter over the years. It's magic when clients start to feel empowered to get rid of things that no longer represent who they are and what they believe, and begin to recognize that their accumulation is holding them back. That's the real internal work!

Jean: Since the therapist cannot do a home visit to actually see the "mess," it is difficult to visualize what this may look like in particular situations. Are there questions that could indicate severity?

Sara: It is important here to distinguish between being generally clutter challenged and more severe issues, such as hoarding, often a symptom of OCD or some other disorder. There is specific training that can better equip professional organizes to deal more directly with hoarding clients and The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization deal specifically with this population. Chronic disorganization is a disorder that requires a multi-level approach between a professional organizer that is certified in chronic disorganization, a therapist and often other medical personnel. It is imperative that organizers dealing with hoarding issues are educated and prepared on all levels to deal with these situations. Changing a hoarder's environment can do more harm than good, by not being prepared to deal with the psychological ramifications. However, there are questions that can be asked in general to gain a better sense of the person's environment for both populations.

1. How many surfaces are clear in your home?
2. What percentage of your home is filled with "stuff"?
3. Can you walk through each room without feeling unsafe?
4. Do you have any form of organization in your home? How do you decide which item goes where?
5. How does the problem affect your relationship with family members?
6. Photos are invaluable. If the client is asked to take photos of each room and shares those with the therapist two things are accomplished. First, the therapist can see the reality of the clutter and second, the client's motivation (or lack of motivation) is clear.

Jean: What do you think comes first, depression or clutter?

Sara: I think the two work hand-in-hand. Imagine sitting at your desk with piles, clutter, and zero surface area. How does that feel? I work with many people that tell me that the more clutter they accumulated, the more depressed they became. I remind them that our internal environment is a direct reflection of our external environment. On the other hand, clutter can be a manifestation of depression if the depressed person feels out of control. On some level, clutter is a control mechanism and a protective shield and this is magnified in people with depression.

Jean: Do you find that adults with Attention Deficit Disorder can be helped with some organizational structure?

Sara: Yes, and there is a very resourceful book by Judith Kolberg entitled ADD - Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life that should be read by anyone working with people struggling with ADD and disorganization. My experience with ADD has been that standard organizing techniques usually produce what we call "backsliding," which happens when systems are set up and then not utilized because they don't correspond to how the person naturally thinks and operates in the world. When taking ADD into consideration, the best practices are to focus on the distractedness, attention fluctuations, and stimulation issues. For all clients, systems should be tailored to fit their individual needs, but specifically for ADD clients, the systems and procedures must be very specific to their needs. After working with ADD clients hands-on, we've been able to set up very creative ways to compensate for their individual challenges.

Jean: What kinds of people or situations make the best referrals for the service you provide?

Sara: People in transition, people that struggle with making decisions, people that feel stuck or paralyzed and just feel that something is "off" with their systems. It is important to note that people need a reason to change. The best therapist and the most amazing professional organizer can work diligently with someone, but if there is not reason for change, such as moving, legal issues, marital/relationship issues, then - just like anything in life - maintaining these changes becomes increasingly difficult, especially if a support system is lacking. I work a lot with people in business who are struggling to work more efficiently and productively. Often their organizational systems, or lack thereof, are the root cause. As in any helping profession, the most gratifying clients are the people that are internally motivated to make changes and follow through to maintain those changes.

Jean: Relate your favorite job experience. That may be a success story, a funny experience, or a nightmare.

Sara: I downsized and packed up a four-bedroom Santa Barbara home for a woman that was moving to a studio apartment in Manhattan. She had boxes in her garage that she hadn't opened from her previous past three moves in the last 30 years! We got her down to just the bare essentials that would fit into her 500 square foot New York studio. Every client project is equally rewarding in its own way. I feel consistently honored and astonished that these people let me into the itty bitty corners of their world. I am so blessed to get to do what I do and help people on their own process as they become more of who they are meant to be, by letting go of the road blocks that stand in their way!

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