Aug 27

Organizing – One of Life’s Goals – Part 3

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Inspiration, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

Have you been following the previous blog posts in this Organizing Ones Life Series? If not, please take a moment to preview them as they do lead up to this one and the certainly get the ball rolling.

But lets talk for a moment about motivation. Why do you want to get organized? Are the walls closing in on you? Is it getting harder and harder to find things or keep your living / working spaces free of clutter? That’s definitely motivation – there’ s no question.

But lets also look at the benefits. The benefits you get from having an organized life pay off in more ways than just clean, tidy spaces.

Organizing – The Benefits Revealed

Have you ever stopped to wonder why you should organize things, whether in your home, office or life in general? Spend a little time organizing and you will quickly find out.

You will feel more relaxed. When you are having a moment of panic trying to find that document, you will surely wish that things were more organized as it is not much fun to have your stress level go through the roof.
It will give you more time for yourself. By having things organized you will save precious moments that can be instead devoted to efficiently working on your project or to yourself or your family.
You will be a better role model. Whether at home or work, having an organized environment will have the effect of showing that someone who is in charge of their environment has an easier time dealing with things.
You will create a nicer environment. It is much more pleasant to live in calm than in chaos.
It will be good for your health. Apart from just feeling better in general about your environment, an organized environment tends to be cleaner as you do not have so many hidden dust collectors.
You professional life will benefit. An organized office, in general, will give a much better impression to clients and the confidence to know that they are dealing with someone who has everything in order.
You may save money. Rather than having to go out and buy something that you are not sure whether or not you have, if you have things organized, you will know exactly what you have and what you need.
You will achieve more. Without obstacles impeding you due to disorganization, you will have a clearer outlook of what you want and more time to get there.

Motivated yet? Have any other motivators? Share your thoughts below. We love to hear from others who are truly living the reality of getting organized. If you can help inspire others with what motivates you – the world may very well be a better place.

Please share your insights below.

Aug 23

Love0

Organizing – One Of Life’s Goals – Part 2

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Inspiration, Organizing Paper Files No Comments

Last entry we addressed how to start organizing your life. It was a very simple start to what could be for some a very overwhelming process. Today (now that you are a little more prepared) we are going through 5 specific steps to take things to the next level.

Organizing – Outlining the Steps

With some simple steps in place, you can take the pain out of organizing.

Clear the clutter: Before you start organizing, formulate a plan as to what you are not going to need anymore and are willing to throw away. Old bills? Paperwork? Magazines that are two years old? Clothing that has been kept in your closet unworn? Tools that are rusty or damaged?
Stick to the plan: It is easy as you are going through what you want to keep and what you can throw away to say “Oh, I might need that.” Or “I know I have not used that in three years, but I might.” If you have not needed it over the past few years, chances are you are not going to need it any time soon. Exceptions, of course, being items such as legal documents, medical records, ID and items of real sentimental value, for example.
Develop your system: For paperwork are you going to set up a filing system or refine the one you have? For closets are you going to organize in sections – say, pants on one side, sweaters hanging or on shelves and/or sorted by colour? Whatever you decide, make sure that it will be easy to follow and maintain and the system is functional so that it works for you. Nothing worse than going to all the trouble to organize and then realize afterwards that you are not at all happy with the system you have devised.
Make the most out of the space you have with organizers: Have a particular nook that seems like wasted space? What about putting shelves or building a bookcase? Whether in a home or an office, using containers or baskets to corral items can be both functional and decorative. These items can also fit nicely into spaces that previously sat empty. Drawers are also a place where there can be much wasted space. Use a drawer organizer to put everything into compartments. Not only does it look better than a bunch of items just thrown in, but it makes it a lot easier to find whatever you need.
Once you have the plan and the tools you will need, take a deep breath and get started!

Don’t forget to throw things out! You cannot possibly keep everything. The general rule is – if you have not used it in 3 months or more – it’s TIME TO GO!

Have fun organizing.

Aug 20

Love0

Organizing – One of Life’s Goals – Part 1

By Sherry Borsheim Inspiration, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

Okay, so it’s time for some real life organization.

Not the most fun job in the world, although some people really relish it and throw themselves into the process with a joy that leaves the rest of us bewildered.

However, whether you like organizing or not, be it your office, your closet, your garage or your life’s to-do list, it is admittedly easier to find whatever you need when everything has been neatly put into compartments or specific sections.

First thing you have to do is to focus on the end result.

What is it you want to achieve? Do you want to know where all your office paperwork is so that when called to a meeting you can have everything put together in seconds, do you want to be able to quickly put together whatever it is you want to wear without having to embark on a hunting expedition, do you want to know where your tools are so the home project you want to work on does not take longer than it should?

Imagine how easy it would be if everything were exactly in the same place all the time. Imagine how much time you would save, not to mention the decrease in frustration.

Look at organizing the same way you would as mapping out your life’s goals.

Then just as you would plan your goals, plan the organization of whatever aspect is most pertinent to you in the moment. You do it one step at a time. In either case, you would not want to overwhelm yourself with taking on too much at once.

Once you get it in your mind that it is a process not requiring a tornado like effort, write down what you visualize as the end result and the step-by-step process to get there.

It will make things that much easier AND it will make sense!

Part 2 is just around the corner – so start here and come back for more in a few days.