(photo by Wonderlane on Unsplash)
I’ll admit upfront, that I’m not the most organized person. I have always enjoyed the concept in the beginning stages. I’ll come up with grand schemes on organizing a drawer, papers, or my clothes. Yet, after about a week, the drawer is a mess, papers are lost, and clothes are spread out on the floor.
Who wants to waste time searching for things; Time wasted at work looking through piles of paper folders or computer files. Spending twenty minutes looking for my favorite shirt, or my coworker’s phone number.
I have had a recurring theme in my dreams over the years. I would have plans to go out but I would never make it to the event because I’m stuck at home looking for something, or trying to pack but have too much stuff on the floor. By the time I find what I’m looking for or packed my bag, I’ve missed the event, train, or person.
I recently sold my parent’s home and my home. All that remains is in two storage units. If you ask me where something is, I can tell you if it’s in unit #1 or unit #2. But I still won’t find it quickly. And although I have two full size filing cabinets in unit #1, I still have to dig to find the documents I need.
I am ready to make organization a habit that sticks. And I will begin this process by creating a goal. Here it is…
I am easily and proactively organizing my belongings, electronic info, and ideas on a weekly basis.
For this goal, I will create tasks, such as:
Clean out email inbox.
Balance my checkbook.
Cut down storage unit space from two units to one unit, by donating, selling, or discarding things I longer use or want.
Organize remaining physical belongings in a way that allows for easy access and natural flow.
Create a filing system for paper documents, and working folders.
I will break these tasks into bite-sized pieces, performed in short-duration timeframes. In advance, I will block off time on my calendar to get these mini-tasks done. Slow and steady is the name of the game here. From a high-level perspective, I will break out my work time into two categories: catch-up, and new.
And organization would not be complete without bringing up a difficult topic. I will create a living will that states my desires in the event I become incapacitated. And I will create a will. In addition, I will store all of my important documents in a safe place, and share this location with a family member, close friend, or attorney. This will be a welcome time saver for my loved ones when the time comes.
Organization will become my good friend. Through these new habits, I will find things quickly and effortlessly, have more time for fun, and be more relaxed. How sweet it is!
What is one small step you can do to get more organized?
I’m so proud of you Marc, YOU GOT THIS! I know you just read my blog today (how perfect that we both wrote about similar topics!) and I recently started de-cluttering the entire house! I have a tip for you, take it slow and take breaks! Don’t over do and get burnt out. I felt so good when I completed a room, especially Lia’s Princess Room! I am now working on the garage, that is going to take some time but I’m not going to rush, I’ll take my time and get it done right. When we retired in 2018, everything from our sewing workroom ended up in the garage. I know you can do it, take baby steps and congratulate yourself over every accomplishments. Keep me posted and yell if you need any encouragement!
Martha, we are twins! Yes, how did we pick the same topic on the same day? Thanks for your thoughtful encouragement. I will definitely keep you posted.
I am not naturally organized, but every so often I have to take a day and straighten everything up and file paperwork so I can find things. My desk is messy, but not so messy I can’t find things. You have some good goals and practical steps there.
Heidi, I appreciate your thoughtful response and encouragement. Be well!
One thing I plan to do is donate some of my many books to the local library. I already have a will and a living will. The house is organized. I recently cleared out the garage, with more to do there on a rainy day! Same is true for my basement.
Kate, I hope to follow in your footsteps. Way to go on organizing your home. And your library would appreciate your book donation, for sure.
When did you take that picture of my office??
My filing system seems to be the same as you. Once upon a time (actually a long time ago after college), I was great with my filing system. Over the years, and fast forward to today, I got more into the idea of PILES of documents. I may not know where something is immediately, but I know I have it someplace!
Hi Paul! I snuck into your office when you weren’t looking, lol. As long as your filing process works for you… that’s all that matters. Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
Start small. Good idea. Remember the saying “how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
Jeri, thanks for the great reminder. Wishing you a fantastic day ahead.