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Winter 2004 Edition
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Tips For Getting Organizing in 2004
By Stacey Agin Murray, Professional Organizer
Does
this describe you? If not, that’s OK. The new year is just around the
corner and if getting your home and/or personal life organized is one of
your goals for 2004 then read on. Being organized is a skill that can be
learned and mastered over time. Here are some tips for ‘surviving’ the
first few steps of your path to becoming organized: •
Talk to your spouse/family/roommate and tell them you will be taking steps
towards getting organized. Inform them that it is important to have their
cooperation and physical/emotional support as you pursue this endeavor.
List the benefits of being organized and emphasize how your being
organized will help them lead a less harried and stressful life. Tips for Organizing Your Home•
Select one small area of your home that needs organizing (desk drawer,
kitchen cabinet). Break down that organizing project into small and
manageable tasks by listing all of the steps necessary to take in order to
reach your organizing goal. Take your project one step at a time. •
Decide upon a set amount of time that you will spend organizing. In the
beginning, it is best to start small—organizing in 15 minute increments
a day. For instance, set a kitchen timer for 15 minutes and go through
your sock drawer or your medicine cabinet. When the timer goes off, you
can decide to complete the task or save it for another 15-minute block of
time. As you become more comfortable with organizing and making decisions
about your clutter, increase the time to 30 minutes or longer. Or, use your
favorite CD as your timer and organize to the music. When the CD is
done—so are you… •
Take breaks often. Trying to organize for hours on end will leave you
frustrated, exhausted, and unable to appreciate the fruits of your labor.
Organizing is a very physically and emotionally taxing activity. Step away
from the task for a few minutes--watch TV, read FairLawnNews.com, or call
a friend. You’ll come back to your project refreshed and ready to
accomplish your organizing goals. Tips for Organizing Your Personal Life•
Select a paper or electronic planner/calendar for 2004. Using one will
help you to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, and
upcoming •
Create goals for 2004 and think about the activities you need to engage in
to reach those goals. Make reaching your goals a priority in your life by
scheduling these activities in your calendar before all others. •
Simplify tasks so they become shorter and easier. Examples: fill your
pantry with non-perishables (requires fewer last-minute trips to ShopRite),
create a mix-and-match wardrobe (saves time in the morning), create a
packing list for traveling (print it out every time you travel instead of
recreating it for every trip) •
Delegate tasks that are unpleasant or that take you away from reaching
your goals. Check out the Fair Lawn Chamber of Commerce for small
businesses that can be of help to you. You don’t have to do it all… Two Don’ts
•
Don’t get discouraged. Whether it’s your home or your personal life
you’re trying to organize, keep smilin’ and working towards your goal.
It’s easy to throw in the towel when you don’t see immediate progress
being made •
Don’t forget to reward yourself for your organizing accomplishments.
After sorting through your file cabinet or purging your to-do list, take a
few moments to sit, relax, and contemplate how far you’ve come since you
made your resolution to get organized. Treat yourself to dinner at the New
Wave Café or take in a show at Grange Hall. You worked hard and you
deserve it! Best
Wishes for an Organized 2004!
See Stacey Agin Murray's Previous Columns Tips for Organizing Paper (Fall 2004) Getting Organized for Travel (Summer 2003) Spring Cleaning (April 2003) Get a Job! Tips for Organizing Your Resume (February 2003) Hey, Ma! The Mac-n-Cheese is Fuzzy (January 2003) Get Organized Week (October 2002) Organizing Your Photos (August 2002)
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