“Getting Organized” can add many benefits to your life. You are trading disorder and chaos for freedom! Freedom to enjoy what is most important to you. However, in my experience, I have seen mistakes made in the process that can actually hinder how successful your “Getting Organized” journey can be.
Here are the 5 Biggest Mistakes in “Getting Organized”:
1) Buying Organizing Product First – People see the sale, they read an article, they get inspired and they buy organizing product. Don’t get me wrong, I love organizing products too, however if this is the first step you choose to do in your process, you will waste time and money! First, you must go through your things and know what you are keeping. Only then do you really know what you need. Measure your space and really think about the function of the organizing product. Buying product is one of the last steps in getting organized.
2) Not Really Making Decisions – An organized person is a decision maker. This is not an easy thing to do. When you are sorting through your things, you are making decisions on what is staying and what is going; however for many of us, these are decisions we have avoided for a long time. A big mistake I see with clients, is they continue to avoid making decisions by moving items around from room to room without letting go of anything. In order to really “get organized” you must make decisions, not just move things around.
3) Making the System too Complicated – If you make your organizing systems too complicated, you will not maintain them. For example, if your filing system has too many categories and subcategories, you will not find the paper you need. The definition of being organized is finding what you need, when you need it. Keep your systems simple and easy for long-term success. The less steps the better.
4) Giving Up Too Soon – “Getting Organized” is a process not a one-time event. It is a lifestyle change, so be patient with your self. Change does not happen over night. Take one day at a time, and break your organizing projects into smaller pieces. Remember why you started the process in the first place and keep moving forward. Be proud of your accomplishments and don’t give up. If you backslide, forgive yourself, and start again.
5) Multi-Tasking – Our society teaches us that multi-tasking is this great skill to have. In reality it can actually make us less effective. If you want to see faster results in your organizing projects, focus on one space at a time. This area can be as small as a shelf. Avoid going from room to room. This will only add frustration and you will not see your results as quickly. Limit your distractions, set a timer, do what you need to do, focus on the one space from start to finish.
I hope you will learn from these mistakes and find much success in your organizing efforts!
Happy Organizing!
