Organizing Blogs by Professional Organizers
Discover organizing tips and simple creative solutions
to help you get organized.
Tag >> life organization
Posted by: Gail Gray in time management, organizing tips, organizing life, organizing homes, managing time, life priorities, life organization, how to organize, home organizing, home organization, disorganized, disorganization, de-clutter, Clutter Control, clearing the clutter on
Jul 24, 2009
How would you like to clear your mind from all the little distractions that get in your way? These everyday distractions can wreak havoc on your productivity. Wouldn't you love to have a machine that automatically made your life easier? Well, I have a little secret for you. You already own it! It is that thing in your head that weighs about 3 pounds. Your brain!
Wikipedia defines automatic as "Capable of operating without external control or intervention. Done out of habit or without conscious thought." There are certain things we can't avoid in life. We must wake, sleep, eat, bathe and dress everyday (now don't try and tell me you don't do at least three of these every day). There are also things that must take place on a weekly or monthly basis, like laundry, cleaning your home, personal grooming,
Creating a routine for your regular to do's will not only make your life easier, but will free space in that crazy brain of yours to actually think of more important things. I have so many clients feel they are ADD, regardless of whether they were every diagnosed or not. It is the crazy way we run through the day, feeling like we are spinning our wheels and not getting anything done. We are so distracted by what we have to do that we simply don't focus easily.
Create regular routines for your Home
- Laundry
- Changing sheets
- Dust
- Vacuum
- Bathrooms (yes the dreaded bathrooms)
- Empty Trash Cans
For your Errands
- Grocery Shopping
- Dry cleaning
- Bank
- Gas
- Library
- Discount Stores
For your Personal Grooming (whether you are a do it your selfer or you visit a spa/salon)
We've all heard the phrase "waste not, want not". It means that if we don't waste what we have, we will not be in need in the future. In general, I think this is a great rule to follow. The recent recession has caused a lot of us to rethink how we spend our time, money and efforts, and motivated us to reuse and recycle a lot more. But what happens when you take this philosophy too far? As I talk to my organizing clients about why they keep as much as they do, I often hear them say "It would be a shame to let anything go to waste". The irony here is that they are, in fact, wasting an awful lot by hanging on to so much stuff.
How many of us get paralyzed with the thought of tackling a project, because we do not have the perfect scheme, perfect supplies, perfect know-how. My philosophy is: Excellence, not Perfection.
Perfection is usually quite unattainable, but excellence, doing the best you can with the tools you have, is doable for everyone to their own degree.
When you are trying to organize your home and family, there is not necessarily a correct way of doing this. You have to figure out what works for your family, and you might even have to stumble through a few tries before you find the “perfect” solution.
Here are a few thoughts about finding what works for you:
Last weekend I participated in a Home Show. See my previous blog on the topic for the details. In a nutshell, I was feeling a bit frantic right before the show, and shared some of my own feelings about dealing with disorganization. I promised a follow up, so...
I would deem the show a success for my organizing business. It was great exposure for me, and I met a lot of people who are eager to get organized. I also learned a few things about home shows - things that can easily be applied to every day life, not just booths at conventions. So I'll keep my summary more generalized.
Be flexible. Life is good at throwing curve balls. Often, there isn't much you can do about that. You'll avoid a lot of stress and frustration if you learn to go with the flow. If your plans go awry, and you feel like it's the end of the world, ask yourself, "Will any of this matter tomorrow, next week, or next year"?
Most of us are now participating in some sort of in-home recycling effort. But what happens when your recyclables start to become clutter? Not everyone has the room or the incentive to keep up with recycling efforts. But because of green guilt, we let our milk jugs, soda cans and glass jars pile up until it's convenient to get rid of them the responsible way.
How much does your recycling plan affect your lifestyle? Does it get in your way? Have you changed how and what you purchase in an effort to be more environmentally responsible? I think a large percentage of our population, myself included, is baby-stepping into the "green" world. If it weren't for the small financial incentive from my city, I would probably be doing less. I have to pay 50 cents for every bag I put at the curb, so it behooves me to put as much as possible into the recycling bin they provide! I also get a few bucks a month from the cans I take to the local recycling center. I haul my glass in at the same time, although I get no compensation for that.
Oprah recently aired a re-peat of a program about organizing. It was called "Oprah's Messy House Tour", complete with goofy jingle. In this program, professional organizer Peter Walsh surprised people in their homes and helped them clean up their clutter. Many organizers have a lot of love for Peter Walsh, not just for what he can do with a cluttered space, but for the attention he brings to our profession. He also has the wonderful ability to explain to people what clutter really represents.
Peter emphasized in this program that the physical clutter in your home is often a reflection of the clutter that is present throughout your entire lifestyle. The apathy and sense of defeat with which people view their jobs and relationships shows up physically in their closets, kitchens, and home offices. When we don't respect our possessions, we show people that we don't respect ourselves.
Part of being organized is running an efficient household budget. Where are you spending your money? Could you be spending less? Here are a few easy ways to cut back on spending in your home. You don't even have to give up what you love. You just have to be more creative and do a little bit of planning.
Lose your landline. Maybe this one isn't so creative, as more and more people are going this route. If you have a cell phone and carry it with you all the time, why pay for a landline that isn't portable? If you feel you need to keep your landline and you have a DSL internet connection, consider switching to an IP phone service like Vonage. It's cheaper, comes with more features, and the sound quality is the same as or superior to a typical landline.
|
tags 
