Start with a small space and give yourself a deadline
Sue Becker
Come to Order
By Sue Becker | Columnist
Many people have great intentions to get organized, but just can’t seem to keep their momentum once they get started. And some people can’t get started at all, no matter how strongly they desire organizational bliss. Sound familiar?
Here are some tips to help you keep your motivation high while you organize your life.
Start with a small space
Organize a linen closet, medicine cabinet, or a drawer – a small space that will be fairly quick and easy and give you a sense of accomplishment. That will give you the confidence and motivation to move on to bigger areas.
Do it in small chunks
You don’t have to view organizing as an all or nothing proposition. Set a timer for 15 or 30 minutes and spend just that amount of time working your plan of attack. Before you have time to lose your motivation, it will be time to end the session.
Give yourself a deadline
I’m not talking about choosing a random date and saying, “Here’s when I need to have this done” (although if that works for you, go for it).
I’m talking about scheduling a party, inviting houseguests or holding an important meeting in your office. Maybe fear of what others will think of your clutter will motivate you to stick with your organizing plan.
Measure your progress
When you have a big goal, like getting an entire room organized, it can be motivating to measure small successes as you slowly progress towards your goal.
When paring down paper piles, for example, weigh your discard bag at the end of each session, with a goal that the bag from each session weighs more than the bag from the prior session. Or count how many bags of trash or donated items you have after each session, or measure how many inches of closet rod space or shelf space you’ve freed up. Before and after photos can also be a great way of measuring progress.
Make it fun
Play beat the clock by setting a timer – see how many shelves you can clean off, how many inches of paper you can plow through, or whether you can get the counter cleaned off before the timer goes off.
Play music you enjoy – whistle while you work
Make it a social event by having a friend or organizing professional work alongside you.
Be accountable to someone
Tell someone about your goal to get organized and ask them to help you stay on track.
Check in with them on your progress on a regular basis, and agree on what they should do if they don’t hear from you – how often should they gently remind you to check in with them?
Good luck with your organizing project – I’d love to hear how you keep yourself motivated.
Sue Becker is a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization who helps individuals and businesses discover the simplicity, harmony, and freedom of being organized and productive. She also speaks to companies and organizations about how to get organized and make the most of their time. Sue can be reached at www.PilesToSmiles.com or 630-373-7400.