3 Ways to Get Organized

Nov 21
07:39

2014

Wendy Betterini

Wendy Betterini

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Being unorganized can lead to stress, overwork, and high levels of anxiety. Imagine how many more hours of work are spent by most people just finding the things they need to do their jobs! In addition, being unorganized and not having a game plan when it comes to completing projects can lead to unproductive activities and wasted time.

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Being unorganized can lead to stress,3 Ways to Get Organized Articles overwork, and high levels of anxiety.  Imagine how many more hours of work are spent by most people just finding the things they need to do their jobs!  In addition, being unorganized and not having a game plan when it comes to completing projects can lead to unproductive activities and wasted time.  

The good news is that it is not that hard to get yourself organized, and once you are your life are in order, it is even easier to keep it that way.  From our homes to our work, the three simple steps below can increase productivity, eliminate wasted time, and create a sense of accomplishment in our daily lives.  After all, there’s nothing worse than feeling as if you can’t catch up with your life because of simple things like mail piling up on the counter.

Use these three organization ideas to get you on your way to a more productive day:

1. Make a list:  To get organized, you must first decide what isn’t working for you.  Are your bills always late because you frequently misplace your mail?  Alternatively, do you have a hard time completing work on time because you are unsure of how to proceed in the best way possible?  The key to getting organized is list making.  Don’t joke, because even professional organizers have lists from which they work off.  

You need to make a list of things you want to be done immediately (pay bills, go to the bank, etc.) and things to be done within the next few weeks or months (such as deep cleaning the pantry).  Make a monthly list of which bills are due and on what date, crossing them off as they are paid.  There will be no excuses for missing a deadline.  Create a list of tasks due at work, so you can prioritize.  Also, make a separate list for each large task you need to complete; this way you can make sure to complete it proficiently without missing a step or causing unnecessary do-overs.  

2. Give everything its own place:  The second most important part of getting organized is actually putting things away and out of the way.  Get a special basket you put mail in, and be sure to throw the junk mail immediately.  Keep folders in a divider tray on your desk so you know where your important files are, and what needs to be dealt with immediately.  Put dirty laundry in the laundry room and not on the floor, and put clean laundry away in the closet and not stacked on a bed or couch.  

The key to keeping things where they belong is putting them there when you receive them, and putting them back after you use them.  That brings us to the third and final step to complete organization.  

3. Develop a routine or schedule:  Look over your lists daily so you don’t forget anything.  Make a commitment to go through mail each night before bed, and putting it where it belongs (i.e. filing cabinet, bill folder, etc.) instead of just placing it back into the mail basket.  Establish a once a day 15-minute cleaning routine that involves picking up everything off the floor.  Do it right before bed; there’s nothing better than waking up to a house you can walk through without tripping.

Once you have your organization plan in place, you have to keep at it.  Don’t let things pile up on the dining room table, or receipts pile up in your wallet.  By setting aside a certain day, or time of the day, to complete each of the tasks on your list, you’ll help ensure you’re always caught up with life and able to sit back without worry that something has been forgotten.

Many people are afraid to get out from the daily clutter they live in, in part because they are afraid of what they might find.  The truth is though, once your life is organized and things can be found and dealt with on a timely and productive manner, it makes going through our day that much easier.