8 Weeks to Better Living: Reorganize Your Life

Friday, March 30, 2012

Candita Clayton, GoLocal Lifestyle Expert

Picture your life as orderly as this kitchen cabinet... feel better?

We're at Week 5 of the 8 Weeks to Better Living Challenge. Together with the ladies at Social Women I hope that you have been able to make a goal and move toward achieving it. This week we are addressing organization. I realize, after 10 years in the organizing business that people, mostly women, never get tired of learning new things about organizing and trying to do it better. I’m no different. Developing best practices for organizing is always a work in progress.

Some thoughts for fine tuning your organizational machine.

Figure out what’s not working.

If you’re always late because you can never find the right clothing, you may want to start by organizing your closet. What system isn’t functioning well or holding you back? Is it paperwork, laundry, kid stuff? Start by asking yourself what is causing the most organizational distress and go from there.

The good news! A residual effect of organizing is better time management. Better time management means less stress and more done in the same amount of time. If you have a pressing project or deadline, set an appropriate amount of time aside to get it done. Turn off your phone, face book and twitter notifications. Most people that I suggest this to are surprised at how much quicker things get done when you give them all your attention. Multitasking is frequently the nemesis of organization and time management, sometimes making your project twice as long as necessary.

Set your organizing priorities.

Like many things in life including diet and exercise, organizing does not have to be an all or nothing proposition. Take it one system at a time. Let’s say you decide on tackling your mail system. A sound approach to this or any organizing project is to start by doing some research. There are dozens of websites that can elaborate on possible systems that have worked for others. Draw on the information that seems most right for you and dig in.

Organize, rinse, repeat.

Once you develop a system that works on one project, you can apply it over and over again or tweak as necessary. I use the same four steps for most of my organizing projects. Assess what’s not working, visualize how you want it to be, make a reasonable plan and purchase the tools or accessories needed. Oh and don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it. There is no shame in hiring an organizing professional. If you are stuck or just don’t know where to begin a professional can help you get it done fast.

Nature or nurture?

Trust me when I tell you that you don’t have to be born with organizing skills. This is a question I am asked all the time “Have you been like this your whole life?” Absolutely not. As a matter of fact I was pretty much flying by the seat of my pants until my second child was born. It was then that I realized that my life would be so much better with some good systems in place. I am here to tell you, if I can do it, so can you.

One thing about organizing I know for sure, it is a very satisfying process. In the quest to live better this is a very good place to start.

For more articles and videos on organizing and lots of other good stuff, visit me at www.CanditaClaytonLiveBetter.com

Candita Clayton is the founder of Your Life Organized and author of Clean Your Home Healthy. Visit her online, here.

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