Do you really really need to get organized right now? You bet you do! We all do, right? You’ve all seen those articles about how you need to get organized, but you have to get a bunch of equipment, or hire someone, or do something silly to get there. So stop playing that video game for a minute and listen up! We’re here to help!
Choose an area to organize
This might be your break room, office, or kitchen. Choose the area that bothers you the most–that way you’ll see the most progress and have the most momentum. If you’re also thinking of changing the color of your home or office, you might want to revisit: What Happened to Those Color of the Year Predictions? But don’t get sidetracked with thoughts of color palettes just yet.
Make that area small enough
If organizing an entire room is overwhelming, make it smaller. After all, you eat an elephant one bite at a time, or so the saying goes. So instead of an entire room, make it a drawer. Or one shelf in a bookshelf. You might want to get some inspiration from a place like This Old House (How to Organize Tool Storage Drawers).
Don’t procrastinate
You can do anything for 15 minutes, and when you’re done, you’ll feel better. So get started and don’t give yourself time to make excuses. Don’t overthink it because it’s not rocket science! If you’re still stuck, here’s Harvard Business Review’s article on procrastination. And how to overcome it. But again, don’t go down any rabbit holes. We’re here to organize!
Be ruthless
Keep in mind that if you have any doubts about whether to toss something, throw it out. Think about times you’ve organized in the past and whether you ever missed any of the stuff you got rid of. Well, maybe don’t throw out that original Stradivarius violin just yet. But seriously–you’re not going to miss 99.99% of what you recycle.
Make labels
Some ideas for labels are: TOSS, KEEP, RECYCLE, and GIVE AWAY. You can use Post-it notes or big sheets of paper. They don’t have to look beautiful! Put these on bags or boxes so you can see what’s going where.
Get the right tools but don’t let it stop you
You may need baskets, file folders, or markers later, but don’t let that stop you from organizing. Getting started is your key to success. You can always pick up the perfect tools later, once you’ve built some momentum.
Put your stuff in piles
Sort through the area you decided on and put everything in one of the labelled piles. Make more labels if you need more. Don’t make it too complicated! Set an alarm for 15 minutes if that helps you. Now sort everything.
Immediately move it out
Once you’ve sorted your area, get that stuff out of there! Toss it, recycle it, give it away, or whatever. Do not crack open that champagne until the stuff is out of the office or house. Piling it next to the front door doesn’t count! Put it in the car and take it away!
Don’t look back
Unless it’s a valuable family heirloom, chances are you can replace it if you need it later. If you need help getting rid of heirlooms, you might want to hire a Professional Organizer. Or get a neighborhood kid to help you organize and take things away.
Plan your next session
Does getting organized feel good? You bet it does! So don’t lose that momentum. Put another organizing session on your calendar. Do it right now! That’s all there is to it.
Can window film help you be more organized?
Yes, it can! Window film helps remove clutter. Give us a call and we can steer you into the right choice. We’d love to help you choose the best film for your home or building. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the San Mateo Peninsula and Marin–and have expanded into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.
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