STYLE Savvy: From Stalling to Success

Lisa Hess shares how she used an accidental discovery to stop stalling and start moving. What tasks are you putting off?

I was stalling. There was a writing task I needed to work on. But, because it was overwhelming, I frittered away my available time doing less important tasks until I’d run out of time, resulting in the threat of my writing task being moved to the next day’s to-do list. 

Again. 

Luckily, that day, two white squares of paper on my ottoman came to my rescue. These two sheets from the page-a-day calendar my daughter had given me for Christmas were only about 5” x 5” — but, as it turns out, their size was an advantage. They were the kick-start I needed: a low-pressure avenue into the task I’d been avoiding.  

In less than ten minutes, I broke through my own resistance by filling those small, unassuming squares with words, taking the first steps to completing the onerous writing task that had been hanging over my head. 

Taking small steps is a key approach in organizing as well. So often, we think we need to dive in and make over a space. Then, things inevitably get worse before they get better and it’s hard not to become discouraged and overwhelmed. If we start with the organizing equivalent of two small squares of paper, we not only make progress, but we generate enthusiasm for future tasks as well, and the whole process begins to feel much less insurmountable. 

Where Do I Start? 

What are the organizing equivalents of those two small squares of paper? Here are a few tasks that can get the organizing ball rolling: 

• straightening out a single drawer 

• organizing a single shelf 

• bringing order to one section of an overloaded countertop 

• weeding out half a file drawer 

• culling a handful of files and putting them where they belong 

• clearing off the top of a bureau or desk 

• sorting and putting away a pile of anything: paper, clothing, toys, craft items  

• pulling out all the white (or any color) clothes in a single closet and deciding what to keep and what to toss or donate 

• getting rid of unused seasonal items while returning favorites to their storage spaces 

You get the idea.  

Task vs. Timer 

Still feeling overwhelmed? Set a timer. When it goes off, you can stop, even if the space needs more work. Just choose another day to set a timer and pick up where you left off.  

Getting organized can feel overwhelming but, in reality, it’s a task we can sneak up on one clear space at a time. 

Where will you start? 

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Copyright 2026 Lisa Hess
Images: Canva