During presentations and while working with clients, I often hear the comment, “I bet your house is perfectly organized.” Well….it isn’t. My answer is: I have many systems in place, homes for things and I am wired to be organized, so although it is not “perfect” (which doesn’t exist and is impossible to define) my house works for me. I am human so sometimes I procrastinate. My tendency is to try to do a lot in one day, so this lends itself to often dropping stuff and dashing off to my next appointment.

 

What does “being organized” mean? For me, it means being able to find what I need when I need it.

What does “my house works” mean? I have defined homes for things. I eliminated a lot of excess stuff when we downsized. Quarterly, I assess areas of the house to get rid of things.

Where do messes show up for me? Office table, bathroom & kitchen counters. Any open horizontal surface is free game for me!

What does this mean for me? My schedule often dictates whether something gets put back in its proper home right away.

What do I do? I set a timer and put things back in their homes.

Here are some before and better shots!

When do I do this? Mostly within 24 hours. Or when the clutter annoys me. Or when I make the time.

 

I am lazy sometimes. I often don’t put things away when I first walk in the door. My framework is in place, which facilitates a quick clean up. I don’t believe in perfect. My preference is to have limited clutter lying around. Being curious about habits, self managing and paying attention to time are ways to work toward establishing better organization.

 

So what am I doing about my propensity to “try to do too much?” I am keeping a close eye on what I have identified as my priorities. I run a “new ask” through my priority filter and I am practicing saying “no.” I don’t always do this “perfectly” and I am getting better at it. My clients remind me that we only have so much time. It is important to be doing what you love, having no regrets and keeping life as simple and easy as possible.

 

How can Wholly Organized!® help you? We can evaluate your preferences, identify where you’d like improvement and together try some new strategies. I will help you to set up easy systems so that your belongings have homes. Knowing where things live is only part of the equation. Managing your habits, examining your schedule and identifying your preferences will also contribute to your success.   I often say, unless you have a butler, stuff doesn’t put itself away. So whether you struggle with decision-making, procrastination, or stuff exceeding your space, it’s worth it to have a conversation with a professional organizer to see what help is available.

 

Before you hire a professional organizer have an idea of what spaces or areas you want help with. What do you want the result to be? What is making you reach out now? What have you already tried to do to improve your situation?  Are you willing to invest time in yourself?  What is the clutter costing you?

 

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