The Assertiveness Training Guide for Organized Living
Lesson #2
Change Your Attitude about Caring for Other People's Stuff

Assertiveness training is necessary for organized living. These positive attitude tips will change your attitude about caring for other people's stuff and help improve your personal organization skills.

This lesson in how to be assertive and create better personal organization is based on the following right:

You have the right to abandon the responsibility of caring for other people's stuff (OPS)

It all starts when you change your attitude.

OK so maybe what you are storing is not as bad as the old car pictured here, but whatever it is, just because someone has entrusted their belongings to you does not mean that you need to be responsible for them if they are becoming a burden or occupying valuable real estate in your space.

If it is not yours, you have the right not to take care of it. You even have the right to change your mind about taking care of OPS!

After all when you first said yes you had no idea it would be around for this long!

How do You Get OPS?

It is amazing how OPS can sneak up on you!

Consider these scenarios:

the kids leave home but leave their stuff with you (and most of their clothing too)
your brother-in-law asks if he can park the truck canopy in your yard for a "few weeks"
your sister moves and cannot take all her stuff so she asks to leave a few boxes and extra pieces of furniture at your house.

You can prevent being responsible for other people's stuff if you learn how to say "NO"

Anything that someone else has left with your for storage is not important to them or they would be taking care of it on their own.

If you believe that you must look after OPS because they have trusted you to do so then you might like to change your attitude by adopting some new beliefs. Otherwise it will be hard to achieve control.

The Assertiveness Training Guide for Organized Living suggests that there are constraining beliefs that might prevent you from asserting your rights to abandon the care of OPS. These beliefs can be replaced with more affirming beliefs that will change your attitude to a positive one.

constraining beliefs	positive attitude tips
"If I get rid of OPS they might be mad at me".	"They might be mad but then again they might not, and I will make sure they have every opportunity to retrieve their belongings before I get rid of them."
"It must be important or they would not want to keep it."	"OPS that is not looked after by the other person can be neither important or wanted". "If I get rid of OPS they will be thankful that I got rid of it for them."
"They must think I am responsible and will take good care of it."	"I am responsible-- but only for my own stuff!"

You see - it is not that hard to change your attitude about OPS! With your new attitude you are now ready to take action.

Straight from the OMS assertiveness training guide here are some ideas for how to take action and get rid of OPS.

Call the other person and ask them how important these items are to them.

Suggest that items that are not looked after are either not wanted or not important.

Agree on a specific date for the item to be removed.

Investigate various removal services that might be needed to get rid of the OPS such as for removing old cars or charity pickups for donated items.

Call and set a date for removal of the OPS for the day after the other person has agreed to come and get it.

A few days before the agreed upon time call them and remind them “Just wanted to make sure we are still on for Thursday.

Tell them at that time that you have scheduled for removal of the item the next day, "Just in case you change your mind and do not want to pick this item up I have scheduled a removal truck for the next day."

If they do not show up you will know that the item will be gone the next day anyway! YEAH!!

Following these steps in the Assertiveness Training Guide for Organized Living can help you to get rid of other people's stuff, without feeling guilty!

Better yet say "No" if you really do not want to take care of OPS and you will not have to go through this exercise of getting rid of it.

Read more about Assertiveness

Read more about Positive Attitude Tips for Organized Living

Go to Assertiveness Training Guide for Organized Living Lesson #3. You have the right to say no, and not have to apologize for doing so.

Go to the Assertiveness Training Guide for Organized Living Lesson #4. You have the right to focus on one thing at a time.