THE SECRET TO STAYING ORGANIZED? KEEP IT SIMPLE AND LIGHT, BUT NOT PERFECT

I was talking with an acquaintance the other day; she asked me how my organizing business was going and then asked “So are you one of those people who like to have everything just so?”  I told her that I am not a perfectionist if that is what you are asking. But I do like to be able to find things when I need them.” So if having everything “just so” means having a specific place for everything I own, and being able to find things easily when I need them, than yes I am one of "those people".  But if you are asking me if I am particular about having everything perfect, this is definitely not me.  I like things to be simple, not perfect.

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I actually have become an organized person out of necessity, due to my ADHD and the fact that I have a low tolerance for juggling tasks and remembering things. I get flustered easily, and my short attention span makes me forgetful and flighty. I need to keep things really simple for myself in order to keep all my ducks in a row, lest I forget a duck. When I was in college and living with several roommates they found it quite amusing to tease me about the fact that I could not leave our dorm room without returning at least once to grab whatever I forgot. My car keys, purse, books, sometimes I had to return twice...it was embarrassing.

I learned early on that everything in my life needs to have a permanent home in order for me to keep track of things. Though my home is not perfectly organized all of the time, we can keep it looking fairly presentable without much effort simply because we have less stuff and everything has a home.  In addition to having a home for everything, like items are stored together.  That’s pretty much it, it is a simple system; Less stuff, everything has a place, like items together.  Since everyone in my family knows where everything belongs, things are usually put back when we are done using them.  Nobody does this perfectly either, and as you might guess, some family members are better at it than others. But we have established the habit of doing it most of the time, which goes a long way in maintaining order overall.

I like to get things done with the least amount of effort possible, so when complicated tasks are presented to me, my mind automatically starts figuring out how to simplify the job at hand.  This comes in handy when getting things done. I'm always looking for ways to consolidate errands, or save a step when cleaning. I much prefer simple organizational systems to complicated ones because they are easier to maintain and use. When it comes to my schedule, I keep that as simple as possible too.  This may mean having to say no when I am asked to take on too much, but it is important that I do this for the sake of my sanity since I get overwhelmed so easily.  I limit my involvement to the things that are most important to me, keeping my priorities in check, like family time.

I don’t spend a lot of energy fussing over and making sure everything is in perfect order at home. I do make a strong effort to frequently get rid of things that we are no longer using, and this is really the biggest secret to staying on top of keeping order in our house. Being organized has less to do with trying to achieve perfection, and more to do with keeping things simple, lightening the load, and establishing and sticking to helpful habits and routines. We should always ask ourselves the same question when we are overwhelmed with household tasks, with staying organized or with adding things to our calendar; How can I make this easier for myself so that I can minimize my stress and feel more peaceful at  home? 

Written By Laura Coufal
Clean & Clutter Free Professional Organizing Services
 

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