Where to start when everything needs organization?

by Paula

Hi Tracy!

You have a lot of great tips to share here at your site, but the more I read, the more frustrated I get! It feels as if everything is complete chaos in our house - the wardrobes, dealing with papers, stress, clutter - you name it. I don't know where to start, hence I'm getting nowhere!

Can you give me some tips on how to begin organizing things... A list, what to prioritise... something?

It would be a great help!

Thanks!

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Where to start when everything needs organization?

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May 16, 2008
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Great Question Paula! NEW
by: Tracy

Paula, your problem is not at all uncommon. It is very easy to become overwhelmed when it seems that everything around you is in a state of chaos. The best way to combat chaos without getting overwhelmed is with very small baby steps.

If you set your goals too high and are unable to accomplish them you wind up feeling frustrated and you will give up.

If you set small, easy to accomplish goals you will feel a sense of fulfillment each time you accomplish a goal. That fulfillment will lead to the motivation you need to do more.

All of those small accomplishments will add up to big results.

So instead of setting out to clean an entire cluttered room, take one small task at a time. On the first day set the goal of picking up all of the books off the floor. On the second day set the goal of gathering all of the laundry off the floor. On the third day set the goal of gathering the papers into a box to be sorted later as a separate goal.

You do not have to do it all in one day. Do as much as you feel comfortable with, as long as you focus on only one small goal at a time.

Each time you accomplish a goal, stop to observe the progress that small step has made and feel good about what you have done.

Start with tasks that effect your everyday life. For example: If your pantry is a mess, you would want to organize that before you organize, say, your book collection. You need to find food in your pantry to eat every day. You do not need to find a book every day.

Prioritize your organization tasks by the impact they will have on your everyday life.

As long as you accomplish at least one small organization goal each and every day you are on the road to success.

May 17, 2008
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Thanks Tracy! NEW
by: Anonymous

You're right of course, and I'll try to start getting organized one step at the time.... Starting with our kids' clothes, because that's really driving me mad!

/Paula

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