“I know what I need to do, I just have to do it!”

As a professional organizer, I hear this all the time. When I tell people what I do, they say, “Oh, I can so use you!” or “What should I do about…?” So I say, “If you’d like, let’s schedule a consultation and we’ll figure out what you can do.”

Fast forward a few sessions, and I hear, “I could never have done this without you!” Hmm. Interesting. I wonder why that is.

Actually, I know why that is. We all have organizing projects that we’d like to get to “some day.” (Yes, even me!) We put off the project because it looks overwhelming, seems like it will take a long time, will be “boring,” and could be lonely. Ay, there’s the rub. It could be lonely.

People are, by nature, social creatures. We crave the company of others. We live in families and communities. To wit, the phenomenon of social networking has allowed us to expand our communities infinitely.

We are an interdependent lot. Our generations have elevated division of labor to an art form. We rely on one another for things we can’t or don’t know how to do ourselves. I happen to have a talent for organizing. If you ask me to perform cardiac surgery, well, the results may be less than satisfactory.

My point: do what you do best and delegate the rest. Even if you don’t want to delegate an entire organizing project to an outside party (after all, you don’t always want someone else deciding what to do with your grandmother’s heirlooms), just having someone else in your space can make the project go faster, get done, and be much more fun. Enter the Body Double.

What the heck is a Body Double?  

In movies, a Body Double stands in for the leading actor for a particular shot. In organizing, a Body Double keeps a client company and acts as a mirror and an anchor, sometimes just sitting and holding the space so they can stay focused on a task. This works especially well for clients with ADHD or children who need someone around in order to get their rooms cleaned up.

How do I choose a Body Double? 

I’m glad you asked. The client and the Body Double have to be a good fit. Here are some things to think about when choosing a Body Double.

• Who should the Body Double be?  They could be a family member, friend, neighbor, or professional organizer.
• What personal qualities should the Body Double have? It’s best if they are non-judgmental, patient, and sympathetic. They should feel comfortable with silence and inaction. This can be challenging for some people, so choose your Body Double wisely.
• What skills do you want your Body Double to have? Someone who is great at handling paperwork can be a huge help to someone who goes blind in the face of paper. A Body Double with financial skills can help pay bills while the client makes phone calls. You get the idea.
• What do you want the Body Double to do while you’re focusing on your organizing task?  This is key.  Having an understanding of expectations from both sides will create a solid client/Body Double relationship.  Should they sit quietly and just hold the space, or should they do one task while the client does another?  Each situation is unique, and the Body Double needs to be flexible.

People thrive on the company of other people.  The next time you’re faced with an organizing project or another seemingly onerous task, grab a (carefully chosen) buddy and make the “work” into more of a social event.  I can almost promise it will go faster, be more fun, and most importantly, get done.

PS: Remember to reward yourself at the end for a job well done (but not by going shopping).  We all need something to look forward to!