5 Ways to Stay Organized
A few of my favourite books, organized on the shelves
For as long as I can remember, I have genuinely loved the act of organization. My parents began to notice when I was a toddler; I would set up dozens of bags in the living room and fill them with different items, categorizing each item as I bagged them. "Where's your sister's hairbrush?", my mum would shout down the stairs to me. "Right here!", I would respond, and walk directly to the bag I had placed it in, pull it out, and present it to my annoyed mother.
I'm pleased to inform you that I am not a bag lady today. I am, however, committed to organization. Although this slight neuroticism is part of my personality, efficient organization is a skill I have developed over the years, and one that benefits me in every area of my life. Below are five ways I stay organized, day in and day out.
1. Everything has its place: If it doesn't, I get rid of it. I'm cut throat when it comes to purging items and eliminating unnecessary aspects of my life. I have zero tolerance for clutter, so when something doesn't have a specific spot to live in, I contemplate whether or not it really deserves space in my life.
We are so much less tense when we're not surrounded by clutter, and yet consumerism teaches us that more is always better. False. Make a place for everything you own - whether tucked away in a drawer, or on display. I find it's better to keep my favourite items out, as it makes it harder to forget about things, and easier to constantly enjoy/wear/use the things I own, rather than simply letting them collect dust. Either way, make sure that each item in your home has a home of its own. At the end of the day, it'll be easy to put everything back in its place, and you won't be faced with the task of cleaning up rooms every few weeks.
2. Write daily to-do lists: Whether I take the time to write a list on paper, or type one up on my laptop or phone, to-do lists help me see what needs to be done, and identify priorities based on that list of items. I have daily, weekly and monthly to-do lists, and always make sure to integrate my monthly goals into these lists. This helps my abstract goals become tangible items on my to-do lists, and helps me make my dreams a reality...as cheesy as that sounds. Set goals for the next day, and include them on your to-do list for the next day. That way, when you wake up, you can begin making things happen right away.
3. Keeping my email inbox empty: I am a firm believer in a spotless email inbox. Of course, this isn't always possible, and during the work day, my inbox fills up, but keeping file folders for everything within my email account allows me to flag emails containing action items as they come in, and then unflag them and file them in their appropriate folder once I have completed those action items. At the end of the day, I go through the remainder of my emails in my inbox - usually somewhere between 1-5, and make the action items in those messages my top priorities for the next day. This holds me accountable to the action items that arrive via email, and motivates me to keep a tidy email inbox, which is much less stressful to look at first thing in the morning!
4. Picking out my outfit the night before: I'm a morning person. I love rising early, eating breakfast, and getting a head start on the day, but whenever I wait to pick out my outfit in the morning, I end up wearing something sub-par, uncomfortable or dirty. So before I go to bed at night, I decide on what to wear the following day. This makes my morning routine faster and more efficient, and honestly, I think it helps me fall asleep with a littlle more ease, at night.
5. Mentally walking through situations before they happen: This is something that can be done on a large or small scale. For example, on a larger scale, I tend to think through every step of an event or a trip before it happens, in order to consider everything I need to do to prepare beforehand and everything I need to bring with me. Spending extra time on walking through the details of situations before they happen, prevents me from forgetting things and failing to prepare fully. On a smaller scale, I tend to think about all the parts of my day, before leaving the house in the morning. This prevents me from forgetting my lunch, or getting stuck in stilletos at the end of the day with sore feet, having to walk home. I remember my lunch and a pair of flats, and I think of anything else I may need that day, before headng out in the AM.
Now it's your turn; how do you stay organized?