Getting Organized: New Year, New Habits
By Michele Blandino
It’s not too late. Really, it isn’t.
Just because we’re nearly one month into the new year, it’s not too late to begin making good on your promise to finally get organized.
When it comes to cleaning out closets, cabinets and drawers, many of us would rather be doing something else. The thought of having to make decisions of whether to keep or toss articles of clothing, important papers and other paraphernalia can be so overwhelming that we tend to put it off until things begin to spiral out of control.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
Getting organized is really quite a simple process. The key is to resist the urge to tackle everything at once; by concentrating on one task at a time, there’s a good chance that you can have your home organized by spring and that it will remain that way at least through the summer. Here’s how you can get started:
- Tackle the Biggest Mess First: What’s your home’s biggest problem area? Is it your closet? The kitchen counter? The basement? Choose the one area that needs the most attention and get started. Put aside clothes you haven’t worn in more than a year; throw out those catalogs you’ve been promising to look at for the last six months; and by all means, get all of those photos into albums or boxes.
- Slow and Steady: If even the idea of spending an entire day cleaning out your closet is enough to make you forget about the entire idea, then commit to spending only one hour at a time to the task. Chances are, you will become so engrossed in what you are doing that you will keep on going after the hour is up.
- Finish the Job, Then Move On: Concentrate on only one area at a time. If you are cleaning your closet, finish it before moving on to your basement. By trying to concentrate on more than one thing at a time, you increase the chances of becoming overwhelmed which can seriously affect your ability to complete the task.
- Maintenance: When you have finished, you can keep things in order by setting aside time each week to put things away. Whether it’s a Saturday morning or an evening during the week, regularly taking a little time to put things away will help to keep disorganization to a minimum and allow you to focus on an entirely different type of resolution next year!
