Organize + Energize: The Instant Cure For Disorganization

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalWorcester Organizing Expert

Organizing your living space will do wonders for clearing mental clutter.

Are you overwhelmed? Do you feel that you are overwhelmed due to your disorganization? You want to get organized, but just the thought of tackling an entire room makes you stressed and anxious. You would rather be doing anything else at that moment.

I talk to many people that are disorganized and every one of them is overwhelmed. This feeling spills over to other areas of their lives because the visual and mental clutter sticks with them. They also tend to find themselves distracted because this type of visual and mental clutter can also be a distraction. We all know what happens when we are distracted...we decrease our productivity. Disorganization causes one big snowball effect. It is no wonder people are overwhelmed.

Start small

How do you get rid of this feeling of overwhelm? You have to start with small projects. If your entire home or office is disorganized, you can’t think about the whole picture. You have to break the project down into small pieces. Take a look at your disorganized space. Write down all the areas you want to tackle and then break that down into even smaller areas. Confused as to where to start or which room you should tackle first? Ask yourself the following questions:

•    Which room do you spend the most time in?
•    Which room causes you the most stress?
•    Which room would you like to spend more time in but can’t because it’s a disorganized mess?

Start with organizing a drawer. Pick a drawer in the room that you are working in. Empty the entire contents. Make a pile of items to keep, throw away or donate. Also make a pile of items to transfer to another room. Place a drawer organizer in the drawer. Choose one that fits what you need it to hold. Organizing a drawer is the best way to ease into a project.

Working with your hands for just a short while will help clear mental clutter. What are you waiting for? Make a plan to tackle a drawer this week. Make a mental note of how you feel after. I can guarantee you will be motivated and energized to take on another small project.

Stay focused

How long should you spend on a project?

Limit your project to 3 hours. Any longer than 3 hours and you will become overwhelmed, stressed, hungry, mentally drained and lose focus. Start fresh the next day. You will have a better outlook and will be refreshed and your mind will be clear to think about developing your organizing systems.

Being organized is something we can control. There are so many other outside forces that cause overwhelm and stress in our lives. Get this under control and let disorganization be one less thing that adds to your stress.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. Kristin has appeared on air on www.talkstreamradio.com and Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio. Her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Her CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start and is available at the locations listed here. She is also available for organizing workshops.