ORGANIZING HACKS 101: GET YOURSELF A CHANDELIER

Here's my problem. Each morning, I find myself faced with pandemic clutter, followed by rushing anxiety and raging menopausal hormones. I like to think of myself as a clean, organized, intelligent and hardworking person, but lately, my OCD tendencies are dwindling. The dishes in the sink sit cozily in their own filth overnight, the bed remains unmade and the laundry is done more sparingly than ever before.

Thoughts that crossed my mind recently: If clothing was optional, I wouldn’t have to do laundry. If I could afford to order take out every day, I wouldn’t have to do dishes, and if I could live on a beach, then I wouldn’t have to make a bed. Perfect, right? So, here’s the plan: Join a nudist colony that lives on the beach that survives on take out. Oh yes. Life is good. A girl can dream, can't she?

For those of us who are, unfortunately, stuck within the forcibly clothed, bricks and mortar, shame-on-you-for-ordering-take-out society in which we reside, let’s all take a deep breath. Let’s gather our thoughts, come to our senses, and spring forward from our hibernation with a near-post-pandemic organization goal: Clean the closet. Why the closet? Because if you can clean a closet, you can do anything. But how? Turn up the volume!

No matter about my clutter causing anxiety or my hair-raising hormones; the answer is clear for both problems. Listen to Sia’s song, Unstoppable, and watch your productivity soar. Most people know how to organize and clean; what stops them is the lack of motivation or energy to do it. If you don’t have the energy and want to change that instantly, listen to Sia.

Sia might not be your favorite person right now since the release of her new movie, but you can’t deny that her songs not only move you, but make you move. Here’s an example:

WITHOUT waking up to Unstoppable by Sia: I wake up. Slowly roll out of bed. I find myself drudging through the day, doing only the absolutely necessary. Making my son breakfast, thinking to myself, he’s almost a teenager, he can pour milk in his own cereal bowl (although I secretly don’t mind feeding him. Woe be the day when he fixes his own breakfast. Wow, that’s a miserable thought. Great start to the day). What next? There’s no way I’m organizing the closet.

WITH waking up to Unstoppable by Sia: Time to wake up! Make the bed! Make a coffee, even though I don’t need it, because I have so much energy and today’s gonna be a great day! I’m unstoppable! Instead of cereal, “Honey! Pancakes, waffles, omelets and your parfait are served! Enjoy!” Today is the day that closet is getting organized!

I realize that not all people will resonate with this song and feel that same motivating power that I do when I listen to Unstoppable. For those folks who just want a surge of energy to get you into that task-completing, organizing mode, I have another solution: Chandelier by Sia.

If you are part of the over two billion views of Sia's Chandelier music video, then you know that it’s guaranteed to lift you up and carry you across the room. When all else fails, turn to Sia for motivation to get up and do what you know you are destined to do. Color code the clothes in your closet. Organize your shoes by height and donate those Toms you haven’t worn in two years. But what if you don’t know how to organize the closet? I’m here to help.

Step one: Turn on Chandelier by Sia.

Step two: Stand in front of your closet.

Step three: Repeat after me. “One, two, three, one, two, three clean. One, two, three, one, two, three clean. One, two, three, one, two, three clean. Hey closet, I’m gonna clean ya. I’m gonna clean all my closet today! My closet, I’ll clean!”

Step three: Play Chandelier on repeat while you are cleaning your closet.

Step four: Stop the song, stand back and look at that fabulous closet you just cleaned in record time.

Step five: Pour a drink, order sushi and cry a little. You deserve to celebrate.

After all, isn’t that what it’s all about? Feeling good? The best way to expand your goals and your dreams is to do so from a place that makes you feel stable and settled. Springing forward is not just about getting organized, but living in an organized space that makes you feel comfortable. Organizing doesn't have to be a chore. It can be fun, especially with Sia's songs.

It works. The next time you are struggling with finding the motivation to organize, reach for Sia. She’s always there and it’s impossible for her to let you down. Her songs make you feel like you’re literally swinging from a chandelier. There’s nothing more motivating than feeling on top of the world – feeling unstoppable. Good luck in your spring forward adventures. Until next time, when I’ll be discussing the benefits of listening to our queen and savior, Celine Dion.