We have all said these words at some point and there is inevitably a feeling of disappointment associated with it – disappointment from others as well as ourselves. Everyone wants a "Get out of Jail Free" card or a cheat code to make it all better. I have one for you – routine! Although routines are usually perceived as boring there is great value in routine. Essentially routine is planning. Many aspects of our lives are already part of our routine; taking out the trash, paying bills, even showering. These and other items require planning and since they happen repeatedly, they are routine. The more frequently you perform a routine, the less you will have to do. Sorting a month's worth of paper takes four times as long as sorting weekly. It is a simple technique that if used consistently, will give you excellent results.
Do you know where your time goes? Whether at work or at home we lose track of our time from sneaky little distractions. We also lose time to larger, more obvious distractions with the biggest being television. According to the A.C. Nielson Company, the average American watches more than four hours of television each day. That equates to twenty-eight hours per week or two-months of non-stop television in a year. At that rate, a 65 year old individual will have spent nine years of his or her life in front of the tv.
There is so much more to being organized than simply buying a collection of plastic containers for all of your treasures and junk. Sure, "things" are the biggest physical obstacle yet getting organized starts inside. In my work as a professional organizer I see many different people in equally as many different places emotionally regarding their belonging. The first step is to make the commitment to become more organized. This commitment is more than a weekend project, it is a lifelong decision – very similar to adopting a healthier way of eating. If we "organize" the garage because our spouse wrote it on our To-do List then it unlikely to stay that way. Our heart is not in it. Yet if we become overwhelmed by stacks of papers or end up with pests due to clutter, we are far more motivated to do it completely. Living an organized life – just as living a healthy life, can increase the quality of your life exponentially. You save a substantial amount of money by eliminating storage units, finding what you need instead of replacing what you are unable to find, and the cost of heating and cooling the clutter are to name a few. You will feel more relaxed and therefore enjoy more quality time with your friends and loved ones. It has also been said that living an organized life can decrease the effects of some diseases like fibromyalgia.
Is your New Year's resolution to get more organized? Getting organized and getting healthy are the two most popular resolutions and ironically they are extraordinarily similar. Both create a more healthy "you", both depend upon making changes to your current methods, and both require time, hard work, and dedication. Consider me your new personal trainer for getting organized this year! What will "Organized" look like to you when your project is complete? Will it be color-coded files or do you just want to be able to see your desk? What area of clutter is most critical for you? Is it your computer, kitchen, garage, pantry, closet? This is where you will begin. If you struggle with identifying one critical area because they are all so out of control, you should probably call me.
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