Why Don’t Things Stay Organized? - PART II

I mentioned yesterday that when things tend to get disorganized it may be due to the wrong ’system’.  If you are trying to force yourself into organization that doesn’t fit your natural tendencies its difficult to maintain.

Know Yourself 

As a professional organizer, the most successful projects are the ones where the client has been able to really get to the heart of what is working for them in their current system and what isn’t.  Many clients do not even consider their current situation a ’system’ but we have to give ourselves credit - we are moving through our lives in one way or another.  My role is to ask the tough questions, challenge the status quo, and show people how to refine their organizational systems.  Getting organized is more of a journey than a destination.  I cannot whip through someone’s project and just do it the way it would work for me.  I need them to explain how they’re using the space, and the items in it as well how they ENVISION using the space.   Successful organization is directly related to how honest we can get with ourselves about how we live and how much change we’re willing to make. 

Less Stuff 

What are we willing to do to stay organized?  I say it has to be easy or we won’t do it.  One way to make it easier is to simply have less stuff.  That’s why the initial sorting is a key component of a project.  There are basically three piles: save, toss, donate.  For many people this is the most difficult step since it involves getting rid of precious items.  I gently facilitate the weeding out process reminding the client that they are freeing up valuable space in their house and life. 

Habits 

Changes to the organizational system must somehow mirror your natural tendencies (the organized ones).  If I always want to drop my mail on the counter and it starts making a crazy pile my first step towards better organization is to put a basket there to catch the mail.  Then once I have created the habit of putting the mail in that basket I can move the basket to a new location. 

Tough Questions

1) What works well in your current system?

2) Are you ready to simplify (aka - get rid of your stuff)?

3) Are you ready to make small changes (or big ones) to maintain a new organizational system?

Get organized!  It’ll change your life!