A Simple Reset

Sometimes, organizing isn’t about creating a perfect, long-term system — it’s just about resetting a space to make it functional again. Recently, I worked with a client who wanted to organize his daughter’s books. She’s getting older, and they wanted to make sure her books were age-appropriate while also refreshing the selection in their reading spaces. They had books in three locations: the playroom, next to Dad’s bed, and in her bedroom. The goal was to simply reset and bring some order back.

Overwhelm in the Sorting Process

To get started, I gathered all of the books and stacked them on the table so my client could go through them. But as soon as he saw the piles, I noticed him getting anxious. He started unstacking books, but it was difficult to categorize them because his eyes couldn’t focus with so much going on. It quickly became overwhelming.

I could tell that the cluttered visual was making it harder for him to make decisions, so I told him to take a 15-minute break. While he stepped away, I reorganized the books into neat rows, making sure every title was clearly visible. Instead of facing a chaotic stack, he could now walk down the rows and easily pull out what he wanted for each space.

Together, we assigned books to each space:

✔ Playroom

Books for fun and daytime reading.

✔ Next to Dad’s Bed

Books for bedtime stories.

✔ Her Room

Books she could explore independently.

Making It Easier For The Eyes

A Fresh, Functional Setup

Once he came back, the process was much smoother. He could now see every book at a glance and make quick decisions without feeling overwhelmed. By the end of the session, the books were back in their places, and the space felt refreshed. No complicated system—just a reset to make things work better for right now

Sometimes, organizing isn’t about perfection. It’s just about switching things up when a space starts to feel overwhelming.

If you’re feeling stuck and need a reset, I’m here to help!