Both endeavors are not an overnight process. Little choices and little changes add up to a lot… It’s choosing baked chips instead of fried; it’s eating just one cookie instead of two; it’s switching from sodas to sparkling water. It’s no different for organizing!
Lose those Clutter-Pounds from your home and your life by sowing these simple seeds of change, and before long, you too will reap the benefits of a streamlined environment:
- Don’t pass things by—pick them up now! So many times people step over something like a newspaper on the floor or a blanket that fell off the sofa. Make it second nature to handle those things as you see them.
- Think before you act—how can I consolidate my efforts? Before going up or down stairs, before running errands, before heading over to the office… always ask yourself how you can maximize that trip.
- Morning routine: Just “DEW” it. Have a morning routine to support the rest of your day. We recommend the “To DEW” List… Dishes, Eating, and Wash. Empty the dishwasher, decide what’s for dinner, and take the laundry to the next step.
- Have an evening routine that supports you in the morning. We recommend the three S’s: Start the dishwasher, Straighten up the house, and Set for tomorrow. Make it as easy as possible to leave the house on time by gathering up things you’ll need the next day.
- Stop yourself when you delay a decision. If you catch yourself saying, “I’ll put it here for now,” or “I will come back to that later,” STOP. Instead think about how you can finalize that decision now. Where will you put it? What is the next action?
- Unsubscribe to publications you’re not reading. We’ve worked with so many clients who took the daily newspaper subscription just because it was a good deal. In reality, they only have time to read it on the weekends and would be much happier with a weekend-only subscription. Is your reading material stacking up?
- Establish homes for the important things. Most people know where the milk is stored, and most people have an underwear drawer. Take this concept of having definite homes for your items and apply it to as much as possible in your environment.
Making change all at once is rarely as effective long-term. Take time to sow these small seeds of organization, and they will bear very rewarding and productive fruit as the years pass!
(This is abridged version of an article I wrote for Connections For Women— read the full version here.)
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Lorie, I like this post! I agree that creating a special home for things makes daily life flow more easily. Even little things like buttons and collar stays deserve their own special place, I’ve learned.
I’m intrigued by your idea of “Setting for Tomorrow.” I’m a morning person and an efficient dynamo in the a.m., but the evenings are a different story! Thanks for reminding me that if I take a few minutes at night to ‘get my ducks in a row,’ that I’ll have smoother day tomorrow.
~Dane
http://www.BionicButler.com
I can attest to the success of using the “Don’t pass things by—pick them up now!” tip.
Just this morning I put away dishes in the drying rack. They could have sat for the day (or two or three) but I took 2 minutes and put them away.
Little things make a big difference.
I like the formalization of the “DEW” and “SSS” rituals for morning and night. I have been incorporating them into my days. I also agree, picking things up as you go is critical. I follow the “2 minute rule” – if it takes 2 minutes or less, don’t put it on a list, just do it now. Picking up is definitely that way for me. I’d rather write “clean living room” on a list, but if I just spend a couple minutes, I can usually get the toys put away and the dirty glass into the kitchen.
I’ve heard it said that “A good day begins the night before”. For me, that means figuring out what I’m going to wear, laying out everything, and putting the items that will go with me in the morning (purse, briefcase, dry-cleaning, etc.) by the door. Waking up to a clean kitchen really helps, too.
Staging the night before is essential, esp. if you have small children! Set the breakfast table, lay out their clothes, and make their lunches the night before and your mornings are likely to be less hectic. If any emergency arises in the morning, you are better prepared to deal with them. I have also created a “task tote” in which I gather all the paperwork, etc. that I will need to run my errands the following day. Drycleaning slips, bank deposit slips (with the respective checks), Rx slips, and my to-do list for the day keep me on track and organized. One last tip: I have many facets to my life as a mom, small business owner, PTO president, CCD teacher, and trustee on the local education board. My to-do list was completely unorganized (and scary). I finally realized that creating separate “to-do” lists (contained in ONE memo or journal book) under each heading kept me better organized. (TO-DO HOME, TO-DO BUSINESS, TO-DO PTO, TO-DO CCD, TO-DO EDUCATION FDN.) So, when I need to see what I need to do for my PTO responsibilities, that list contains only PTO tasks (not the “pick up the drycleaning” task). Not only does this keep me organized, but also keeps me focused and able to prioritize accordingly. Good luck!
Great post Lorie! I have been a big offender of walking by things and later having to backtrack to pick up. I love the getting yourself set for the next day also. It really makes a big difference for the start of a productive day.
Genny Esterline
http://www.connectionsforwomen.com