Delete and Delegate

It’s easy to get stuck thinking we have to take care of things ourselves. What would happen if we shifted our mindset? What if we asked yourselves, “Where can we delete and delegate?” Are there tasks that we can delete from our to-do-list? Are there responsibilities we can delegate? Try it and see what happens?

Examples:

  • Have someone else get stamps at the post office, return packages, or pick up prescriptions.
  • Delete product review request and surveys that have been in your inbox for months.
  • Have others wash, dry, and fold laundry.
  • Toss pledges and money solicitations that you’re not going to donate to within the next 3 months.
  • Use my list of 20 Organizing Projects Kids Can Do.

Be a choosy consumer

Buy what you need and use what you buy. This leads to less material possessions, which means that there is less to organize.

Goal achievement

Organizing is just like goal achievement. Practice these 4 principles to reach your 2023 organizing goals.

4 Ds to goal achievement

  1. Desire = what do you want to achieve
  2. Direction = plan how to get there
  3. Dedication = commit to your goal
  4. Discipline = work at it every day

 

Staying organized during the holidays

5 Helpful tips on how to stay organized during the holidays

  1. Write everything down. Make shopping list, to do list, mailing list, decorations list, meal list. Getting it out of your head really does help.
  2. Delegate tasks to others and allow them to do it their way. Examples are household chores, grocery shopping, trips to the post office.
  3. Simplify and reduce to save time. Bag gifts instead of wrapping them. Put up minimal decorations. Reduce your gift exchange list and your charitable donation list.
  4. Hire someone else to clean.
  5. Give experiences instead of things.

All or Nothing

Have you ever convinced yourself that you can’t start an organizing project, or any type of project because you wouldn’t be able to finish it. Do you tell yourself that it’s not worth starting if you can’t finish. This is an all or nothing attitude. The idea that we have to do the whole project gets in the way of us starting the project. Here are 5 easy steps to help jump-start any project.

  1. Write down what the very first step of the project is.
  2. Pick a day and time to start and put it on your calendar.
  3. Gather all the materials you’ll need.
  4. On project day, set a timer for 30 minutes and work on completing step one of your project.
  5. Repeat the process. You may need more time for step one, or you may be ready to move on to step 2,3,4… either way, you’ll be making progress.