We are well into the New Year and if getting organized is one of your goals, don’t let organizing “myths” deter you. If you are tired of your cluttered home/office, missing appointments and feeling “stuck,” and want peace of mind and less stress, let’s attack some myths about organizing.
Myth One: Being organized equals throwing everything out.
Reality: Getting organized to regain control in your life is a process not an event. It requires setting clear goals about what you want in life, your possessions and use of time. When goals are clearly established, sorting through stuff and making decisions about what to keep, and how to best spend time becomes easy. Organized and productive people choose their activities and keep only those items that help them reach their goals. Those possessions and activities that don’t lead to achieving goals actually become a drag on your progress. They become easy to eliminate when identified. Example: several years ago you purchased a rear projection television for the family to spend time together watching movies. Holiday sales this year were so good you decided to upgrade your television. Does keeping both television sets fit into your new organizational goals? Probably not, and, it is a decision you will make based on those goals.
Myth Two: Getting organized is expensive.
Reality: Getting organized does not “require” spending money. Depending on the type of organizing project, creativity may be more important than money. Most organizational systems can be created from items you already have if you have the skills needed for the organizing process. Even when you choose to bring in a professional to teach the skills or help create customized organizing systems, studies show that the return on any monetary investment is fast and the reduced stress, peace of mind and more time for fun make that money spent in the process a good investment. The most costly mistake made is buying a bunch of storage containers that are the wrong size for items and won’t fit where they need to be stored. The process requires determining what will be kept and where, then select the storage units based on actual need. You may find you don’t need additional organizing supplies.
Next month we will continue “debunking” common organizing myths.
Barbara Ricketts is a Certified Professional Organizer (CPO). If you need professional assistance to get organized, contact her at MessDoctor@Mac.com or call 661-263-0124.