Getting better at organizing takes practice

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If you wanted to learn to play the guitar, what would you do? Would you look into taking lessons? How often would you practice? Would you expect to get better with only a few attempts? My guess is that you’d tell yourself to practice, practice, practice. Well, organizing is a skill, just like playing the guitar. You’ll make progress and get better at it with practice. I’d recommend practicing organizing for at least 10 minutes every day.

For some ideas on how to practice and improve your organizing skills look at these articles:

home happy

Value space over stuff

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Our stuff has a value, but so does the space it occupies. Which is more important, space or stuff? I know it will  depend on the item, but as a general rule, I’d recommend placing a higher value on our spaces rather than on our stuff.

  • Let’s value clear kitchen counters that allow us the space to cook with and for our families, verses counters piled up with appliances, gadgets, mail, and groceries?
  • Let’s value a walk in closet that we can actually walk into and maintain with ease, verses a trendy new outfit every week.
  • Let’s value an uncluttered desk that fosters productivity, verses one piled high with papers, mail, office supplies and tech items.
box of books

Donate books

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Books are a great donation and accepted at many resale shops, like Goodwill, Savers, and Salvation Army. Some libraries may take them to resell also, but I recommend calling before bringing them to the library.

Depending on what type of books they are you can donate to senior centers, daycare centers, nursing homes, or hospitals, but again, call first to confirm their interest.

Here are three websites to check out:
More Than Words

Operation Paperback

Prison Book Program

One word of caution, no one really wants old text books or encyclopedias. An option is to offer them to theater companies who may like them for props.

Removing the word ‘why’

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Removing the word ‘why’ lets us focus on the solution instead of the problem.

It’s good to acknowledge the problem, but the goal is to find a solution. By asking ‘why we have this problem’ we’re looking at the past and things that can’t be changed. By removing the word why, we’re looking to the future with new ideas and possibilities.

Example:

Why do you think you’re not good at organizing?   vs.  How can you develop your organizing skills?

Why did this room get filled up with clutter?  vs.  What can you do about this clutter?

Why does the clutter keep coming back?  vs.  How can you prevent this clutter from coming back?

tiny house key

Creating new habits

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Use all your senses when creating new habits. Think about it. Speak about it. Write about it. Do it.

Example: Create new habit of putting things in their assigned spots when returning home from work.

  • Think about it = Where is the best assigned spot for my coat, purse, shoes, keys, sunglasses, work bag, lunch bag, mail, and anything else I brought home with me?
  • Speak about it = Ask for input from family and friends.
  • Write about it = Label where things go to reinforce new habit.
  • Do it = Practice everyday.