It's Time to Get Organized
Blog post by Karen Wright, Professional Organizer and Owner of Life Simplified LLC, Huntsville, AL.
The Importance of Time
“Lost time is never found again.”
Benjamin Franklin
Time is a scarce resource that cannot be recovered after it passes by. The best way to make the most of your time is by being intentional. Consciously choosing to be intentional is one thing, but channeling that intentionality through your actions is another thing altogether.
Procrastination and distractions are battles that we all face. The best way to face these challenges is to have a plan. You know yourself better than anyone. Whether it’s listening to music or a podcast, talking things out with a friend, or making written lists… find the best action you can take to help you refocus on being intentional.
Take the TIME to Get Organized
“For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.”
Benjamin Franklin
One of the best things you can do with your time is to get organized. Easier said than done, right? We know getting organized is a process that doesn’t happen overnight and can be overwhelming at times. Regardless of the process it takes to get organized, the benefits of getting organized are endless.
Before you begin getting organized, create a plan. Remember, having a plan helps you refocus and stay on track. Create a list of specific, actionable ways you plan to get organized.
To help you as you get organized, we created an acrostic for the word ‘time.’ We hope this small but powerful word will act as a reminder for you to be intentional.
T: Ten Minutes
That’s right! Set a goal for yourself of at least ten minutes a day spent organizing. It doesn’t seem like long, but it will add up over time.
Telling yourself you need to spend 10 minutes organizing is also much less daunting than telling yourself you need to organize an entire room. There may be certain high traffic areas in different rooms that you want to organize. Work a little at a time on areas high on your list to organize.
Lastly… remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day! It is going to take time for you to reach your organization goals, but the only way to reach your goals is by starting… no matter the time amount.
I: Insert Products
Products are your best friend when organizing! They help contain clutter and maximize space.
Often times, people have great intentions about establishing organization in their home, but every time they try to get organized, things go right back to being messy. Creating systems by using products is the answer to this problem.
Products are so easily customizable to fit the space in your home. They can also provide an added touch to the style within your home. Whether its baskets, bins, turntables, or tubs, inserting products is an important step of incorporating organization into your home.
Labels are also a necessity. They help everyone in your home find the items they are looking for. Also, if people can read where things go, they can help you clean up and maintain the organization in your home.
M: Maintain Goals
Creating and maintaining goals you set before yourself will empower you to accomplish even more. Be honest with yourself when creating goals. Evaluate your lifestyle and make your goals attainable. If the goals you set feel impossible to attain, you will never reach them. Setting realistic goals will improve your chance of success.
Another way to help you reach your goals is by sharing them with someone. Sometimes when we keep our goals to ourselves, we get overwhelmed and then stop working toward them. A spouse, relative, or friend will encourage you and help keep you accountable.
It is so easy to get discouraged and stop working toward reaching a goal. Remember to be determined and persevere… you’ve got this!
E: Establish Routines
The best way to maximize your time spent organizing is to establish routines. Otherwise, you may get discouraged when spaces become unorganized.
What if you spent a week organizing a room and then didn’t touch it for months. Would it be spotless? Or would everyday life have turned it into looking like a war zone? The clutter in our homes can so easily take over and leave us feeling overwhelmed. To counter this, do what is within your power to maintain the organization.
Establishing even the smallest routine can help fight the battle of clutter. Check out some ideas below:
Create the routine to clear the kitchen sink before bed. Waking up to a clear sink may help you feel like you are starting the day on a positive note.
Create the routine for you and your spouse to put on a song or podcast and spend the entirety of it picking up items that may have gotten out of place over the course of the day. Alternate who gets to choose what plays while you declutter.
Create a family routine to have your kids put their toys up before they go to bed. Make a game out of it, and reward the person who finishes first with getting to pick the bedtime story for that night.
How Will You Spend Your Time?
After reading this, we hope you feel encouraged to be intentional with your time. It is a precious commodity that needs to be spent wisely.
If you need some help planning out how to get started decluttering your home, check out our 30 Day Decluttering Challenge.
If you or someone you know needs help taking the time to get organized, contact us or call 256-316-1655 to schedule a consultation. Our team would love to help you like we have helped countless people across North Alabama simplify their lives.