What's Stopping You from Getting Organized?

My last post focused on the benefits of being organized. You can save time, save money, and be less stressed. Wouldn't we all like that?

Most everyone would answer yes. So what's stopping you? Here are some reasons why people don't get organized.

1) Lack of Time--We all seem to be so much busier than before. It seems every time we turn around, there's another place to drive the kids, another party to attend, another car that needs repair. This all takes away from taking care of the house. And getting things in order. And yet, being organized can save time. Try to set aside at least three hours for the first session to get started. Once you begin to see the benefits, you will be motivated to continue. Even if it's only ten-fifteen minutes each day, any little bit helps.

2) Incovenient Storage--Are the bins too heavy to lift? Do you have to pull five boxes off a stack of six to get to the bottom one? Is the closet shelf too high to reach? Analyze why your storage doesn't work for you. Then explore your options. Perhaps several smaller bins would work better than one large one. Or maybe sturdy industrial shelving can hold one or two boxes per shelf, thus eliminating stacking. Look at what's stored on those high closet shelves. Is it something you use often, like shoes or sweaters? If so, why not replace it with holiday or seasonal items?

3) No Designated Storage Space--This doesn't mean lack of storage space. It means that the items you haven't put away don't have a home. You can't put something away if you haven't designated a space for it. Once you know what you have to store, you can determine where things will go. This may not come until much later in the process, but once you have set it up, you'll have places to put things.

4) The Speed of Life--Everything is coming at you faster, thanks to technology. Unfortunately, this also means you are probably drowning in paperwork. If you can't slow things down, perhaps you can eliminate some of the contributors. Do you volunteer for more than one organization? Do you belong to more than one club? Do your children participate in more than one event/sport? Only you can slow things down by pulling back. Start to say 'no' and learn your limits.

5) It's just plain boring--Yes, organizing can be boring. Who wants to sift through stacks of papers when you can be out riding your bike? How about turning that around? If you had sorted those papers when they arrived in your house, you WOULD have time for that bike ride. Look to the end result to motivate yourself. Have a friend over if it would make it more fun. Especially when doing closets. Who knows, you may be able to give away your discards to someone who will use them.

Happy organizing!
Michelle