Do you ever feel claustrophobic, hemmed in by all the ‘stuff’ you own? Do you spend more time searching for the things you need than actually using them when you do find them? Or worse, find it easier to drive to the shops to buy another, even though you know you have two or more somewhere?
Taking the First Step
The first positive step to becoming more organized is to get rid of all the excessive, unused junk you have accumulated over the years. Clutter is a hindrance and a distraction to your ability to concentrate. Having more space and less distraction allows you to focus on the important things and you are able to work (and play) more efficiently.
A good way to begin this process is to concentrate on one room at a time. Write down all the items you think would make this room an ideal pleasant organized area to be in. Then make list of all the things that the room actually contains. Now is the time to organize and declutter, discard all the things in the room that are not on the ideal list.
Keep Only What Is Necessary
The more clutter you have the more disorganized you will be. People who live organized lives know it is important to keep only the things they really want and need. Fully utilizing everything you own gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment. When you have fewer things to maintain, your appreciation and enjoyment of them is more pronounced.
All areas of the rooms need to be decluttered. Once large items such as unwanted furniture have been removed, contents of shelves, drawers, and boxes need to be culled. Culling is easier if you make three piles. Make a pile of things to be kept (and later organized), a pile of things to be donated and the rest to be trashed.
Where to Dispose of Unwanted Goods
Secondhand stores, opportunity shops and recycling centers are always appreciative of receiving more goods. If you want to sell your excess goods you could have a garage sale or sell on the internet.
Don’t Procrastinate
The more time you take to begin decluttering the longer you will remain unorganized. Truly, there is no time like the present. Create a lifestyle that is less stressful and demanding of your time. Take control and begin the process as soon as possible. Putting in the effort to get things done now instead of later means you will receive the benefits that much sooner.
Create a Permanent Place for Everything
For things to remain tidy and uncluttered everything must be allotted its own place. Returning things to their proper place after use will save a lot of work and ensure you remain organized. If you find it difficult to do this, you will find labeling storage spaces makes it easier to remember where things go.
It is important your storage spaces don’t get cluttered. Items you use frequently need to be stored in a prominent accessible place. Things that are rarely used can be stored out of sight. A big part of successful de-cluttering is prioritizing. Things you know should take most of your attention should be prominent, those that distract less so.
Make a Habit of Decluttering Regularly
Staying organized doesn’t happen on its own, at least not at first. Like any good habit, it will become easier with constant application. For your organizational skills to become second nature you need to find the time each week to tidy up and to ensure everything has been returned to its proper place.
Making this reorganization a regular chore will result in long-lasting positive results. The freedom that is produced from living in an uncluttered environment knows no bounds.
Beware of Bargain Sales
Don’t let advertising sales lure you into buying goods you don’t need. It can be tempting to buy things just because they are cheap. The thought of ‘saving’ money is often hard to resist, but you will save much more by not buying it at all.
Organized people always have a list of things they need to acquire. By doing this they are able to save money at sales, as they only buy what is on their list. This stops them from restarting the accumulation process all over again.
Buying things just because they are cheap is a trap. These items only produce a clutter of goods you have no use for.
Lists are Important
Busy productive people don’t complicate their lives by trying to remember everything they need to without the aid of written reminders. These days the hand written lists and reminders have been replaced and modernized. The use of computers and smart phones have taken over, simplified and improved the procedure.
The Benefits
You become a happier more productive person when your life is free of the distraction of accumulated clutter. An organized life makes your goals easier to achieve. A neat tidy spacious environment to live and work in improves all areas of your life. The noticeable improvement in your outlook on life and the benefits to your health and wellbeing should not be underestimated.
