University City Resident and Professional Organizer to Dish Out Advice at Upcoming Event

University City resident Jodi Granok has always been passionate about organizing, but it wasn’t until she got married and moved into her husband’s small house that her abilities at streamlining and sorting really became apparent.

“Organization was going to be necessary in order for the two of us to peacefully coexist,” said Granok, a professional organizer and speaker who is holding “Organizing 101: How to Make the Most Out of Your Spring Cleaning,” at the Webster Groves Recreation Complex May 5 from 7:00pm-8:30 p.m.

After sharing her success stories about her newly organized closets, bookshelves and cleaning schedules, family members and friends suggested Granok make a career out of organizing. That's when she formed her own company, Organizing Magic.  

For $20.00, attendees will learn such skills as how to organize any space in their homes; how to keep mail and paperwork organized; and effective time management skills.

“Many of my clients tell me that the biggest hurdle they face is that they don’t know where to get started, because the disorganization in their lives has them feeling completely overwhelmed,” Granok said. “Some people struggle a lot longer with being disorganized than they have to, because they feel like it is something they should be able to fix on their own, which is not always the case.”

Some of what keeps us in such a disorganized state is a product of the times we live in, according to the professional organizer.

“We have a lot more ‘stuff’ today than previous generations,” Granok said. “People buy, acquire and inherit ‘stuff,’ but struggle to understand that many items don’t need to be kept forever, and it is also okay to let things go. Sometimes people turn to buying organizing products to try and help manage what they have, but without an understanding of what to keep and what is no longer needed or important, those products only add to the clutter.”

One of the tasks Granok will address in her upcoming workshop is how to use a calendar or planner. She said the organizational activity goes beyond simply writing to-do notes.

“The problem a lot of people struggle with related to their calendars or planners is that they can’t seem to get everything done when it needs to be done,” Granok said. “Usually the issue is related to either not being able to prioritize effectively, or not knowing when to say ‘no’ when faced with over-commitment.”

Granok hopes that attendees of the May 5 workshop will come away with skills to maximize their time and minimize stress.

"We participate in a lot more activities than ever before, and that means we need to understand how to manage our time and get the most out of our day," she said.

The $20 registration for Granok’s workshop applies to residents and non-residents.