The Art of Organization: 7 Time Saving Tips
Organization is more important in your life than you may imagine. It helps clarify your thinking, it can reduce stress, it can increase your energy. Organization is so difficult for some people that they feel as if they’re just meant to be unorganized. The truth is, however, is that none of us are meant to be disorganized!
We’re a species that functions better when we have structure in our lives. Without structure, we live in utter chaos.
All is not lost, though, if you have trouble organizing things. Start small. Organizing only one aspect of your life helps you to begin on the rest of it. This chain reaction helps things fall into place the way they should.
Time Saving Tips to Organize Your Life
If you’re not already an organized person, the worst part about organizing your life is that it seems like it can take so much time. That’s one reason why so many people struggle to find an organization strategy. They feel like it will take too much time out of their day, and it feels overwhelming.
However, it doesn’t have to take much time at all. The strategy is to work it into your life in ways that create habits and don’t take so much time. Once your strategy is in place, it can actually save you time.
Here are some time saving tips to help you get organized:
1. Pace yourself. You don’t have to do everything all at once. Take care of one thing at a time. Focus only on clothes to start, or just papers. Alternately, focus on only one room at a time.
2. Set achievable goals. Make a schedule to do certain chores each day so that an entire day isn’t taken up by trying to do it all. For example laundry is on Wednesdays, or bathroom cleaning is Fridays.
Another way to set an achievable goals is to set a timer. Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes, and focus on one room. See how much you can get tidied and organized in that time.
3. Storage. Invest in some functional storage containers. There are also some nice storage boxes that are decorative, too. Fill them as needed and when convenient. Give each storage container a clear category or purpose, otherwise they could become catchalls for random items.
Keep a storage box handy in your closet. As you find things you don’t use or wear anymore, put them into the box for donations or sale.
4. Make a game out of it. Get the whole family in on it. This will save a lot of time if everyone pitches in.
Tell the kids if they help that you can have a special pizza night at the end of the week. Present them with a reward and they’ll work hard, saving you time and getting your home organized quickly.
5. Change habits. Changing some of your habits can make things easier on you.
Don’t let dishes pile up. Pick a time at the end of the day to wash them or do it in the mornings. That will save you time because it only takes a few minutes to wash a few dishes, instead of a heaping pile.
6. Make the entire family responsible. Give everyone in the house responsibilities so that things can become organized and stay that way.
Put up a chart on the refrigerator or on a wall that outlines the weekly responsibilities and who’s supposed to do each chore. Once your kids reach an appropriate age, it’s no longer just your responsibility to clean their room. Get them to take ownership of their own space and tasks.
7. Use racks and shelves. Make a place for everything so that everything has its own place.
- Use a spice rack for your spices.
- Invest in shoe organizers for the closets.
- Hang stuffed animal hammocks in the kids’ bedrooms.
The Importance of Organization
The importance of organization cannot be underestimated because it carries over into other aspects of your life. Without it, it’s hard to see clearly what’s going on around you.
When your life is organized, you can better point out the solution. You can also feel better about yourself and your environment. Plus, you’ll be able to find more time to do things you actually enjoy.
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