Chaos Into Order
by Maria Garcia
Get organized NOW! Newsletter
We live in a very fast-paced world. The stresses of work and our social lives can leave us feeling overwhelmed and disorganized. However, a disorganized life is often just a culmination of a number of bad habits that can be remedied.
Making a few small changes can dramatically change your life from one of chaos to one of order. Choose just a few or try all twenty. Just remember that it takes twenty-one consecutive repetitions before forming a new habit. So be patient and persistent in your attempts.
1. Chaos: Dropping your mail on the kitchen table, and going through it once it's piled high
Order: Sorting through your mail each day, immediately recycling, filing, shredding, etc. as needed
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2. Chaos: Cleaning the entire house when it's trashed
Order: Cleaning a little bit each day and tidying up every night
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3. Chaos: Leaving piles around the house/office that you intend on cleaning up later
Order: Putting things away as soon as you're done with them. Everything in your home or office should have a place. When you're done using it, put it away immediately.
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4. Chaos: Tossing your keys or cell phone on the nearest table or counter, hoping to remember where they are next time you need them
Order: Emptying your pockets onto a tray near the doorway. Have a designated place for your keys, purse, ID, cash, cell phone, etc. so you don't waste precious time searching for them.
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5. Chaos: Letting the laundry pile up for a few days
Order: Doing a load of laundry every day or two and putting the folded clothes away immediately
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6. Chaos: Rushing around in the morning trying to get lunches made and bags packed
Order: Getting everything ready the night before. Bags can be packed and placed near the door. Lunches can be prepared and left in the fridge so all you have to do is put them in lunch bags in the morning.
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7. Chaos: Having an overstuffed closet because you 'hope to fit into it again' or 'the style may come back'
Order: Getting rid of anything you haven't worn in at least two years. For now the clothes are just taking up precious space. Once you reach your goals, celebrate by buying yourself new clothes. And remember that when those styles come back, they always have a new twist and will make your current closet look dated and not so in.
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8. Chaos: Tossing dirty clothes on the bathroom or bedroom floor
Order: Immediately tossing dirty clothes in the hamper (Having one for lights and one for darks simplifies the laundry sorting later as well)
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9. Chaos: Trying on 5 different outfits in the morning before finding something to wear
Order: Laying out your clothes the night before. Try on as many outfits as you need to and then put the rejects away. Have your clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. all laying out before you go to sleep to simplify your morning routine.
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10 Chaos: Wondering when your husband's hunting trip is or if everyone else's schedule allows for you to be out of the house to get that much needed haircut
Order: Having one family calendar that includes appointments, activities, etc. for every family member. This can be a large paper calendar or an online calendar that everyone can access and add to.
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11. Chaos: Scrounging around the pantry at 5:00, wondering what you're going to make for supper
Order: Planning your meals a week (or even a month) at a time so you always know what you're making and can be confident you have everything you need
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12. Chaos: Going grocery shopping hoping you'll find enough food to last the week
Order: Writing down a list before going and sticking to it. (It'll save you lots of time and money.)
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13. Chaos: Managing your checking account only by checking the balance at the ATM
Order: Writing your checks, debits, withdraws, etc. in your check register immediately and balancing you account according to the bank statement at least once a month.
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14. Chaos: Putting a phone message on the kitchen table hoping your roommate will find it
Order: Creating a message center where everyone knows to check for new messages when they get home
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15. Chaos: Littering the back seat of your car with empty wrappers and old banana peels
Order: Keeping a small trash container or plastic bags in your car to collect the daily garbage you accumulate and empty it into a large home trash container at the end of the day or week.
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16. Chaos: Checking your email every few hours
Order: Scheduling two 15-30 minute email checks per day
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17. Chaos: Reading every email you receive
Order: Skimming the subject lines and deleting anything you know you don't need. Then responding to messages that can be answered in a sentence or two before getting to the ones that are more time consuming
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18. Chaos: Cleaning up everyone's messes and doing all the chores yourself
Order: Creating a chore chart and ensuring each family member is responsible for pitching in and cleaning up their own messes
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19. Chaos: Searching the mall parking lot for not only someone to jumpstart your car, but someone who has the jumper cables as well
Order: Storing a car emergency kit in your trunk (include items like a flashlight, jumper cables, water, antifreeze, blankets, road flares, tools, etc.) and knowing how to use them
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20. Chaos: Hoping all your family members will know how to safely get out of the house in case of a fire
Order: Drawing up a home floor plan with all the exits marked and holding practice fire drills until everyone knows the procedures in case of an emergency
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