Getting organized is a lot like losing weight. Slow and steady is the best way to make lasting changes. We want to see results fast, but when we expect ourselves to change so many habits at once, we set ourselves up for failure. The results won’t last and you’ll find yourself actually gaining clutter, whether it be on your dining room table or on your thighs.
Be nice to yourself. Pick just ONE thing to change first. Here are some ideas, but remember, only pick ONE:
- Assign a “home” for your keys and put them there as soon as you walk in the door.
- Sort your mail each day into these five categories: Bills, Action Items, To Read, To File, Trash
- Pack lunches the night before. Make sure the ice pack is in the freezer so you can pop it in the lunchbag in the morning.
- Wash the dishes each evening before you go to bed. Waking up to a clean kitchen is a wonderful way to start each day!
- Write every appointment in your planner as soon as it is scheduled. Carry your planner with you everywhere!
Whether your relatively organized or just beginning, it takes about a month to form a new habit. If you are really ready to make a lasting change, then check off each day on your calendar that you have successfully executed your new habit. After a month, celebrate! You deserve it!
Image by Danilo Ruzzuti
