Getting Organized – Beliefs and Practices That Will Prevent You From Achieving Organized Living
Jun.30, 2009 in
Organic Living
Beverly OMalley asked:
Getting organized seems to be a mantra these days. Everyone is wanting to be organized and asking “How to get organized?” There are entire stores devoted to selling storage baskets, containers and gadgets to help you get organized and even professional organizers to help you do it!
So what seems to be the problem? With all the interest in organized living why don’t you have your stuff organized by now?
Could it be that you have created barriers to getting organized by making making erroneous assumptions and operating with false beliefs about organized living and the process it takes to get you there?
How many of the following errors or assumptions are preventing your from getting organized?
procrastination – If you are delaying the management of the processes of daily life to a later time you are engaging in a dangerous belief for organized living. Getting organized requires timely decision making. Every delayed decision about where to place something or where to file a piece of paper creates potential clutter. buying organizing products that are pretty to look at and trendy - If you think that getting organized is simply about purchasing more things you will simply end up with a supply of pretty storage baskets and bins that you cannot use. Never purchase organizing products or supplies without first assessing your needs. Keeping everything just in case – just in case of what? If you have not put it to use, worn it, or otherwise used it within 6 months chances are you never will. Donate it, throw it away, or recycle! Not getting started because it is too overwhelming - Organizing your home space can seem overwhelming if you think about everything that needs to be done as one large project. Instead start small. Break the big project down into smaller projects like one drawer of your dresser, or only one drawer of the filing cabinet, or only one file folder. If that is what it takes to get started, then do it . The point is to get started even if you have to start small! storing delicate items improperly – some items that you want to keep should not be stored, they should be archived. Archiving means that they need to be stored under specific conditions that will preserve them. Paper, fabrics, and photographs can all be affected by moisture, sunlight and acids. Keeping such items in cardboard boxes for example can ruin them! Even the cedar in a cedar chest can stain delicate fabrics. If you want to keep an item as a special memory then give it the respect it deserves and take the time to research how to archive the item in a way that will make it last. Keep your memories safe! throwing everything away - getting organized does not mean that you are not allowed to keep anything! The purging process is a process of decision making that requires attention to specific questions so that you make sure you are only throwing away things that are not needed, wanted, or useful to you in your life. denying your own ability to keep your life organized – unless you have a real barrier to getting organized, such as attention deficit disorder (ADHD), or a psychiatric illness that affects your ability to organize your thoughts, you can learn how to get organized. It simply requires a positive attitude and a belief that organized living will bring benefits to you and those around you.
If any of these errors or assumptions are operational in your own life that could explain why you are having difficulty getting organized.
Getting organized seems to be a mantra these days. Everyone is wanting to be organized and asking “How to get organized?” There are entire stores devoted to selling storage baskets, containers and gadgets to help you get organized and even professional organizers to help you do it!
So what seems to be the problem? With all the interest in organized living why don’t you have your stuff organized by now?
Could it be that you have created barriers to getting organized by making making erroneous assumptions and operating with false beliefs about organized living and the process it takes to get you there?
How many of the following errors or assumptions are preventing your from getting organized?
procrastination – If you are delaying the management of the processes of daily life to a later time you are engaging in a dangerous belief for organized living. Getting organized requires timely decision making. Every delayed decision about where to place something or where to file a piece of paper creates potential clutter. buying organizing products that are pretty to look at and trendy - If you think that getting organized is simply about purchasing more things you will simply end up with a supply of pretty storage baskets and bins that you cannot use. Never purchase organizing products or supplies without first assessing your needs. Keeping everything just in case – just in case of what? If you have not put it to use, worn it, or otherwise used it within 6 months chances are you never will. Donate it, throw it away, or recycle! Not getting started because it is too overwhelming - Organizing your home space can seem overwhelming if you think about everything that needs to be done as one large project. Instead start small. Break the big project down into smaller projects like one drawer of your dresser, or only one drawer of the filing cabinet, or only one file folder. If that is what it takes to get started, then do it . The point is to get started even if you have to start small! storing delicate items improperly – some items that you want to keep should not be stored, they should be archived. Archiving means that they need to be stored under specific conditions that will preserve them. Paper, fabrics, and photographs can all be affected by moisture, sunlight and acids. Keeping such items in cardboard boxes for example can ruin them! Even the cedar in a cedar chest can stain delicate fabrics. If you want to keep an item as a special memory then give it the respect it deserves and take the time to research how to archive the item in a way that will make it last. Keep your memories safe! throwing everything away - getting organized does not mean that you are not allowed to keep anything! The purging process is a process of decision making that requires attention to specific questions so that you make sure you are only throwing away things that are not needed, wanted, or useful to you in your life. denying your own ability to keep your life organized – unless you have a real barrier to getting organized, such as attention deficit disorder (ADHD), or a psychiatric illness that affects your ability to organize your thoughts, you can learn how to get organized. It simply requires a positive attitude and a belief that organized living will bring benefits to you and those around you.
If any of these errors or assumptions are operational in your own life that could explain why you are having difficulty getting organized.
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