Getting Organized is Worth the Effort

Whether you're mildly or wildly disorganized, if you want to get organized one thing is probably true: you don't want it to take you the rest of your life. And that's the way it should be because getting organized is, after all, just a means to an end. The end or goal is having more time to spend with the people you love; more energy for the things you want to do; more money in your pocket and less stress in your life.

Most people find it hard to get motivated to undertake something they think they're not good at or have no real interest in doing, even if they know it's in their interest in the long run. The best motivation I know for getting organized are the resulting benefits and rewards of being organized: reduced stress, increased productivity , and saved time and money.

Willie Sutton, the famous bank robber, was once asked why he robbed banks and he answered "Because that's where the money is". Sutton's goal of having money wasn't the problem. The problem was the way he went about reaching his goal. The lesson to be learned from Willie Sutton is that there are no shortcuts to achieving most worthwhile goals. If your goal is to be organized, the only way to reap the rewards that being organized can bring you is to make a commitment, roll up your sleeves and get going. If you need help, call in a friend, relative or neighbor who is willing and has the time and necessary skills. If you prefer the idea of being guided by an expert in the field, call in a Professional Organizer.

While there are no shortcuts to getting organized, there is a simple, reliable organizing method which, if properly applied, works each and every time no matter what. Next time, I will share this simple but highly effective method with you and explain how it works.

Until then, here are a few useful tips to get you organizing right now!

TIP #1 - CLUTTER: If the clutter around you has gotten out of control, try this: Everyday, get rid of one thing you no longer need, love or want. It can be something large, something small or anything in between. It doesn't matter what the item is; it can be anything. At the end of a week you'll have cleared out 7 unnecessary items, at the end of a month, 30. At the end of a year, 365 items will be gone!

TIP #2 - CLOTHES: If you're like most people, you wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time. Here's an easy way to tell if you're truly wearing all of your clothes: At the beginning of each new season, turn all the hangers in your closet so that the hook is facing towards you. When you return a garment to the closet, hang it so the hook is facing away from you. At the end of the season, look for the hangers that are not turned around and you'll be able to determine which items have not been worn. If your clothes are no longer in style, don't fit any more or you simply don't like them, you're unlikely to wear them again. Consider giving them away, donating them or consigning them to a resale shop. If a garment is permanently stained or torn beyond repair, throw it away.