HOME & GARDEN CONSUMER GUIDE
Making a New Year’s Resolution? Tips for Getting Organized in the New Year
Some people were born to organize. You know who they are. Their closets are filled with holiday gifts (bought in April), they know exactly how many cans of tuna are in their pantry, and they can find what they need in their home in less than a minute.
Does this describe you? If not, that’s OK. The new year is just around the corner and if getting your home and/or personal life organized is one of your goals for 2004 then read on. Being organized is a skill that can be learned and mastered over time. Here are some tips for ‘surviving’ the first few steps of your path to becoming organized:
Talk to your spouse/family/roommate and tell them you will be taking steps towards getting organized. Inform them that it is important to have their cooperation and physical/emotional support as you pursue this endeavor. List the benefits of being organized and emphasize how your being organized will help them lead a less harried and stressful life.
Tips for Organizing your Home
- Select one small area of your home that needs organizing (desk drawer, kitchen cabinet). Break down that organizing project into small and manageable tasks by listing all of the steps necessary to take in order to reach your organizing goal. Take your project one step at a time.
- Decide upon a set amount of time that you will spend organizing. In the beginning, it is best to start small—organizing in 15 minute increments a day. For instance, set a kitchen timer for 15 minutes and go through your sock drawer or your medicine cabinet. When the timer goes off, you can decide to complete the task or save it for another 15-minute block of time. As you become more comfortable with organizing and making decisions about your clutter, increase the time to 30 min or longer. Or, use your favorite CD as your timer and organize to the music. When the CD is done—so are you...
- Take breaks often. Trying to organize for hours on end will leave you frustrated, exhausted, and unable to appreciate the fruits of your labor. Organizing is a very physically and emotionally taxing activity. Step away from the task for a few minutes--watch TV, read the mail or call a friend. You’ll come back to your project refreshed and ready to accomplish your organizing goals.
Tips for Organizing Your Personal Life
- Select a paper or electronic planner/calendar for 2004. Using one will help you to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, and activities.
- Create goals for 2004 and think about the activities you need to engage in to reach those goals. Make reaching your goals a priority in your life by scheduling these activities in your calendar before all others.
- Simplify tasks so they become shorter and easier. Examples: Fill your pantry with non-perishables (requires fewer last-minute trips to the supermarket), create a mix-and-match wardrobe (saves time in the morning and money at the dry cleaner), create a packing list for traveling (print it out every time you travel instead of recreating it for every trip).
- Delegate tasks that are unpleasant or that take you away from reaching your goals. You don’t have to do it all...
Two ‘Don’ts’
- Don’t get discouraged. Whether it’s your home or your personal life you’re trying to organize, keep smilin’ and working towards your goal. It’s easy to throw in the towel when you don’t see immediate progress being made.
- Don’t forget to reward yourself for your accomplishments. After sorting through your file cabinet or purging your to-do list, take a few moments to sit, relax, and contemplate how far you’ve come since you made your resolution to get organized.
Best Wishes for an Organized New Year!
Article by Stacey Agin Murray, professional organizer and owner of Organized Artistry, LLC. Visit http://www.organizedartistry.com for your FREE e-list of 'Top Ten Tips for Organized Living.'