Happy Monday! I’m continuing my goal setting series. I think I will call this series Motivational Mondays!
Last week I told you I divided my goals into 3 areas-home, fitness and business. Let’s start with home. In order for me to accomplish all of my other goals more smoothly, I have got to start with my home and my home office. Last week I talked about how your goals should be measurable. I think the goal of keeping a nice home is the most hard to be measurable. I guess you can say “by this date I will have my closet cleaned out” but then it gets messy again. Keeping a home is an ongoing thing, so I guess this area is the least measurable but you can still break it down and constantly maintain. I have lots of ideas to help you!
I am being open with you all-this is my biggest struggle-organization! Some of you may think I am organized, and in a lot of ways I am. I think I am both right and left brain. I majored in accounting, so many things in my life have to be perfectly balanced. But then I have this artsy side, and it is a mess! Some rooms in our home are fine and some are a disaster! Like my closet! And it eats at me! So I am working on it. I have recently cleaned out my office, feels so good. So today I am going to talk about my goal to organize my home.
Do you have any of these problems- Spending too much time looking for something? Buying things that you already have but can’t find them or forgot you had them? Waking up in the middle of the night just wondering how you will get it all done? I have been striving for order and peace, and am slowly getting there. I believe when we have the clutter cleared away both physically and mentally, we have more room to be creative and feel more free.
Resources to help you get organized
Flylady.net is a great website founded by Marla Cilley. I actually have followed the site for years, but not down to the tee. But I do several things Marla suggests. One thing that really helps is setting a timer for 15 minutes. Sometimes I will look at a mess and get so overwhelmed, I don’t even want to start. She says, just tell yourself you will work on it for 15 minutes. It is amazing what you can get done in 15 minutes! Sometimes the task you have been procrastinating doesn’t even take 15 minutes but you have thought about it for days instead of just doing it! Also, once the timer goes off, you may be really getting into it, so it is ok to keep setting it for another 15 minutes! And you can take breaks! I still do this today-even did it to start writing this blog entry. Set my timer to make myself get started! And now I can’t seem to stop.
Another Flylady technique is having an evening and morning routine. Flylady is big on having a clean kitchen sink. So every night I get the dishes loaded and the sinks clean. I love waking up to a clean kitchen, makes me so happy! I always set the coffeemaker the night before so my coffee is ready when I wake up, love it! She also suggests (and I don’t always do but should) that you lay out your clothes the night before so you have that all decided. My morning routine is to start with a quiet time for me, help my son get out the door for school, unload the dishwasher and work out. If I don’t work out in the morning, it usually doesn’t happen.
Another resource I have mentioned before is the book “The Power of Less“, by Leo Baubata. One idea he had is to focus on a new habit for 30 days. He stressed to only choose one habit at a time to keep you focused. To help me with my home organization my new habit for March is going to be declutter for 15 minutes a day for 30 days. It can be a drawer, my car, closet, whatever.
Ok, I keep thinking about my closet, because it is not done yet. One technique I have used for every room is to get 3 boxes or bags when attacking a room. Assign each box or bag as Throw Away, Give Away and Put Away (in another room). When I get started I set the timer and go. The Put Away box is for things to go in another room but I am not allowed to go in the other room until the timer goes off, because then I will get distracted in there (oh, can you tell I am ADD?). As for the other two boxes-I am getting so much better at throwing and giving away. Too much stuff is just overwhelming. Less really is more. I like making other people happy with things I don’t need.
Another resource to get organized is to enlist help from friends, family or a professional. Some people actually think it is fun to help others organize! My sister was great one year when she came to visit-she went through my closet and made me get rid of lots of stuff, including all my Christmas sweaters! (This was at least 5 years ago, I know they have been out of style for a while! It was hard to part with those Michael Simon sweaters for some strange reason). Sisters, at least my sister, are great at being brutally honest. I also know of 2 professional organizers, if you are in Tulsa, that have helped me tremendously with both my home and business. They are Michelle Lehman, owner of www.organizingsolutions.info and Katie Campbell at campbellcckc@att.net.
I just read all of this to my husband (the neat engineer, totally opposite of me-opposites attract!) and he said “Organization is simply a methodology, a process, a way of life”! Well, yea, for some people- I am still trying to get there!
I hope that by sharing my struggles and successes, I will help others.
Next Monday I will talk about health and fitness goals.
Any organization ideas that work for you all? Any new habits you want to do for March?
Pam Gordineer says
I am right there with you. I have been cleaning out things and organizing since January 1! I agree it is totally an ongoing process. I thought once I got my closet clean I would feel better…I did for a short time but now it’s messy again. So here I go again. I think it will take me a whole year to get organized!…lol…but once I organize something it gets messy again fast. So now I feel a little worn out from doing things over and over again. Especially having 2 kids that I am trying to train to be neat. I cleaned up the whole house this weekend and it was so nice and I sat down and then my son spit up raspberry crysalite on the nice clean carpet. So out comes the steam cleaner. I enjoyed reading your blog and it gave me a second wind I need for today. You have such a happy approach to everything you do. I need to try and whistle while I work and maybe that will help the process. If anyone else has little ones let me know how you do it. What are some helpful ways to juggle it all. I hope I don’t sound too negative but I think it’s good for conversation and to get help from great friends. We all have challenges and I look forward to getting strength and giving it when needed.
Debbie says
Pam, you don’t sound negative! I don’t think I have ever seen you negative. You are so much fun to be around. It is hard with little kids! I would say it gets better, but my boys are still on the messy side at 16 and 20 but we are trying! Thanks for commenting and I am looking forward to everyone’s ideas!
Tammy Houghton says
Debbie,
Leo’s book has helped me alot.. i am reading it for the second time. One of the things that helps me keep my closet organized is that if i bring 3 new things in.. 3 old things have to go out. I go to Echo shops on Lewis(a resale shop) once a month when i go to my eyebrow lady. I have a set place in closet that i put the items i am taking. Helps me keep my closet organized and tidy. Moving to a ranch house has also been a plus in keeping myself organized. I agree with you.. Less is MORE!!
Debbie says
Love this idea, need to do it, about the new in and old out! And thank you for recommending the book The Power of Less to me! It is life changing and something I need to read over and over!
Roxanne Melker says
Hey there Debbie! Excellent motivation … and just what I needed. I’m going to set a 15 minute a day goal … for the minimum time spent RE-organizing. It seems like ORGANIZATION is the theme of my life. I’m always doing it … and with less and less success it seems. I think you hit the nail on the head when you talk about CONSISTENCY … working on it a little each day. Thank you for confessing to be a little on the messy side as well as someone with a penchant for neatness. I can relate and I think that most of us can. We just need a little encouragement to keep at it … because it’s such a worthy pursuit … one that blesses our family as well!!!
Debbie says
REorganizing and consistency, so true! Ok, I am doing the 15 minutes a day starting tomorrow. It would be fun if others joined and we told each other what our habit is! Hmm, may have to put this on facebook too!
Tawni Herburger says
I wish someone would write a book on the most effective way to keep organized w/ laundry! Ha! Great blog honey 🙂 Keep up the great work!
Debbie says
Actually Flylady does talk a lot about laundry, but mine still manages to pile up! (maybe because I am not doing what she says, I need to go look!) I have a friend who has a laundry day and get its it all done in one day. She is way more organized than me! I do think I would feel a lot better if I didn’t see those piles!
Beth Vitali says
I love your blog! So helpful. My problem is laundry also, well, everything really. I once saw a comment that your home is a reflection of your inner chaos – so I am a mess!!! This is very helpful Debbie, so keep blogging.
Debbie says
Thanks Beth! Uh oh, may be in trouble with that inner chaos! lol! Always striving to be better! I am loving this blogging! It is so much fun and I love it when people leave comments! Thanks!
Sandra Gosser says
Hey there Debbie!! I so know about procrastination…it’s a way of life for me & can be draining. I also do the, “look around & get overwhelmed” feeling that discourages me to get started. I love the idea of the 15 minute timer…will have to try it soon on my “junk” drawer! What has also helped me since Logan has been born is having family come over just to help me “Spring” clean….it has kept things from piling up & helped my sanity!
Debbie says
The “junk drawer” is a great place to start! When we moved, we had the contents of one of our junk drawers in a box. Five years went by and we had never used it so we decided to throw it way! We do have a junk drawer now in the kitchen that we do use, just need to stay on top of. I love the idea of enlisting family to help you clean-it is challenging with a little one!