For the past few weeks, we’ve been sharing tips and strategies for making personal and office movies a bit easier. About a week ago, many of my friends and colleagues in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (where I used to call home) were given about 48 hours to move their entire offices to higher ground, as the rain from Minnesota and northern Iowa was headed down the Cedar River straight toward the heart of town.
If you had to move your entire office — furniture, files, everything — with only a couple days’ notice, would you be prepared?
If you’ve followed me for long, you’ve probably heard me talk about the 2008 flood in Cedar Rapids. At the time, it was of the five worst floods in U.S. history, and it was the worst flood ever to hit that particular region. It displaced thousands of people and dozens of businesses for months on end. Some businesses closed completely. This week, Cedar Rapids is experiencing another major flood. While the city, residents, and businesses were certainly more prepared than last time, life is still chaotic for those directly impacted. Many of my friends and colleagues moved their entire offices and furniture in two days’ time. Depending on the impact of the flood, they may be displaced for several weeks as cleanup efforts ensue.
It’s been incredible to watch how eight years of recovery and preparation are paying off for the community as it deals with the current flood. I talked through evacuation plans with one of my team members and one of my clients with an office located in the flood zone, and it once again validated the importance of disaster planning efforts and putting procedures in place to support unexpected events like this. It will be early next week before the flood waters recede to a reasonable level. But depending on the amount of damage, cleanup may take weeks — or even months!
Even if organization comes naturally for you, there will always be situations that throw you into what professional organizers call “situational disorganization.” It happens even to the most organized people. It occurs when life strikes unexpectedly, and you find yourself in a new situation that upsets the systems and habits you normally employ to stay on top of things. It may be a move, an illness, a change in workload, or a new job. It may be a flood — or worse! During these times, you can expect a certain amount of clutter, chaos, and disorganization to occur. It’s not permanent, but it can be disruptive and frustrating if you aren’t prepared for the effect it will have.
This is almost always the case with any type of move — planned or not!
While it may seem hard to believe, it is possible to stay organized during a move. This week, we’re giving you some tips and tricks on keeping yourself organized (and sane) before, during, and after a move on our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages.
When it comes right down to it, the more prepared you are in advance, the better the outcome you can expect – even when you encounter a few bumps along the way!
Supporting your administrative success,
Julie
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