Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Let's Talk : Organization

I am 100% one of those people who cannot function without a to-do list, a shopping list and a date planner, to name a few. I literally have to pencil in making a phone call or writing an email if I actually expect to do it. If my house is not clean, my mind is a mess. If something's not in it's place, I'll probably never see it again. You get the idea. 

So imagine my horror when I married someone who has never even seen a day planner. Well, that might be a little bit of a stretch, but not by much. I spend more time helping my husband find where he left his car keys then I do making a 3-course meal. I mean, the man would lose his head if it wasn't attached to his body. When I asked him why he can't just be more organized, he explained it's not that he doesn't want to, he just doesn't know how. I've been creating lists since I was old enough to write so to me this was such a crazy explanation, but one that totally makes sense. Much like my struggle to start a healthy lifestyle, many people have no idea how to be organized. I thought I'd share a few of my tips on how I keep my life on track, without losing my mind in the process.

First off, set a routine. Start slowly and work your way up. If you find that every day you have things that need to get done, such as writing emails, making phone calls or simply eating breakfast, make a schedule. Sure, this may seem silly, but if every day you had a set time of when you wrote a paper or ate your breakfast, it would most definitely get done. I like to write emails while drinking coffee, that way I can still get what I need to done while fitting it into my regular schedule. Multitask where you can, and reserve the time you need to focus for just that. Also, write out a schedule day by day, and tweak it until it works for you. Once you've set up something you can stick to, then you can use it for an extended period of time. And remember, things change, life changes, and its okay for you to adjust your schedule when you need to. Being too much of a stickler can also make life difficult. (Just ask my husband.) 

For me, part of the comfort of home is that it's comfortable but functional. As if I haven't said it enough, I like everything to have a place. My keys go on the key hanger every night. That way, in the morning, I know exactly where to find them. My jewelry goes in a jewelry dish, my shoes go in their designated spot, etc. Now, this isn't to say I don't ever come home and kick my shoes off under the table and forget where they are two months later, but it is so much easier to stay organized when things have their place. This isn't to say you can't change things up, rearrange furniture and find different ways to store things, because those are the things that will help you continue to stay organized as your life and tastes change. When I was a teen I stored all my makeup in a Caboodle. Obviously that's not really my style now but as I've grown older I've found ways to be organized that fit my life better. 

The goal is to start simple and to find what works for you!

I hope these tips helped and I want to know some of your secrets for staying organized.

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