Most of us tend to think of being organized as having everything neatly stored away out of sight, with not a wisp of dust on any visible surface and not a single dirty dish lurking in our kitchen sink. As much as we might like that idea, keeping up such a standard would be nearly impossible unless we spent all day, every day cleaning!
Instead, I like to think of organization as simply keeping my living space and workspace orderly yet comfortable, while being able to find what I need, when I need it. That sure opens up a lot of possibilities, doesn’t it?
First, it frees us from the need to follow a rigid plan or overwork ourselves trying to control a constant flow of “stuff.” Let’s face it; our lives are not static. Trying to keep our homes static is an impossible goal. There will always be dishes in the process of being dirtied. There will always be laundry that is in the process of being worn, dirtied, or washed. Beds will be slept in. Books will be read. Paperwork will come in and go out. There is no way to get around this!
By acknowledging and accepting this, we relieve ourselves of a whole bunch of stress and anguish. There is no point in trying to keep our homes in a constant state of perfection because there is no such thing.
Secondly, once we realize this and really get it, we begin to see organization as an ongoing process, rather than a stationary end result. We learn to keep working at it daily, weekly, monthly and beyond. We begin relaxing our attachment to things we think we “need” and we begin prioritizing the things we bring into and keep in our homes.
Finally, we learn that keeping our belongings organized doesn’t mean we have to alphabetize our books by author and create a complex index system to locate them. We don’t have to sort our socks by color or label each tiny spice bottle in our kitchen cabinets.
We simply have to create a workable system that helps us find what we need, when we need it. That can be as simple as grouping like items together or buying some new organizational bins or shelves to better store what we have.
If you’ve been trying to get organized because you believe it will make your life run like a well-oiled machine, think again! Instead, see organization as a daily habit that will make your life a bit more peaceful and harmonious. Sure, your home will look nicer if you keep it neat and orderly, but no one will call the clutter police if your drinking glasses are not perfectly aligned according to size and shape.
Relax your ideas of what organization means, and suddenly you’ll find yourself having a lot more fun with it! If you make it a fun and enjoyable process, you’ll be much more likely to stick with it and make it a permanent part of your daily life.
Posted by Maureen |
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