By Maria Gracia, GET ORGANIZED NOW! Newsletter
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Organizing Habits That Can Make a Big Difference
Do you wonder if it is ever possible to get organized and stay organized? Believe it or not, it is possible. It really is as simple as forming and keeping good habits. Once these simple habits are part of your daily routine, it will be much easier to get organized and stay organized. It only takes 21 days to form a new habit. Join along as we being forming habits that can make a big difference.
1. Get rid of the evidence. The easiest habit to form is one that will make a very big difference: getting rid of the evidence. For example, let's say you've just made yourself a sandwich. Simply put everything away that you used to make your sandwich. Get the bread back to the breadbox, perishables back to the fridge, flatware to the dishwasher, and so on. When you have finished eating your sandwich, bring your plate to dishwasher and napkin to the trash (or washer if you use cloth). No evidence remains that you had a sandwich. This practice will help eliminate a lot of messes around the house!
2. Pick it up and put it away. Don't sit something down to deal with later. Later usually doesn't show up very soon. When you have something in your hands, go ahead and deal with it then and there. Put it where it belongs. In truth, it may be simpler at the moment to set something down and deal with it later. Get in the habit now of picking it up (whatever it may be) and putting it away the second you're done with it.
3. Nightly pickup. Let's face it. After working a full day, coming home and cleaning the whole house just isn't the most attractive option we can come up with. However, we can do something that will make a big difference. Get in the habit of spending 15 minutes before bed each night picking up and straightening up. It will make a huge difference in your outlook in the morning when you don't have a mess staring you in the face. If you do this every night, even your weekly cleaning activities will be less demanding, because you haven't left a week's worth of messes to deal with on the weekend.
4. Involve the family. The reality is that every member of the family plays an important role in maintaining an organized home. Hold a family meeting to decide as a family which chores will be done by each family member. If the members of your family have a say in chore division, they are much more likely to take ownership and do a good job, especially if they know going in that the division of chores can be re-negotiated at future family meetings. Make it a habit to hold a weekly family meeting. They're a great habit to get into, ensure communication, and can make a big difference.
5. One In-One Out. Have you finally gotten to the point of being decluttered and having what you love and use organized? The easiest way to keep the level of stuff you have to maintain minimal is to make sure that for every one thing you bring into your home, one thing goes out--either to donations, trash or recycle. By getting into this habit, and faithfully following through on it, you are much less likely to be overwhelmed by the level of stuff in the future.
6. Medications and supplement inventory: Keep a list of all medications and supplements that each member of your family is taking, including over-the-counter medications and supplements. Keeping track of these in a spreadsheet on the computer is an easy way to keep it updated. Once you have this list compiled, make sure that your doctor and pharmacist each get a copy of the list. Keep it updated so that they always have the most current listing. This will help your doctor and your pharmacist be aware of any possible drug interactions, keeping you safer.
7. First aid kits. Do you have easily accessible first aid kits, or do you scramble to find even a simple band aid? First aid kits are inexpensive, well-stocked and available at drug stores, warehouse stores, and department stores. Buy one for your home, one for each of your vehicles and keep a purse-sized one in your purse or briefcase for easy access. You will be prepared for almost any emergency.
8. Accurate record keeping. We've all faced different times when we've scrambled to find all of the paperwork we might need for something, whether it's disputing a refused claim with our health insurance, providing insurance copies, and even the dreaded tax audit. By keeping accurate and detailed records you will confidently be able to provide what is needed, no matter the situation. For your own peace of mind it pays to get into the habit of keeping accurate and detailed records.
9. Regular family fire drills. Does your family have an escape plan that everyone knows in case of an emergency? It could be the one thing that makes the biggest difference to your family's safety. Make an escape plan that everyone in your family can understand--even the youngest member of your family who can understand pictures. But don't stop with just having a plan. Hold regular fire drills to make certain that everyone knows exactly what to do in case of a real emergency.
10. Keep a tool box handy: Keep a toolbox in a place where everyone knows not only where to go to get a tool, but where to go to put it back when they are finished with it. By keeping a toolbox handy, you'll have the correct tool for the job. After all, it's much easier to pound a nail with a hammer than a shoe, or screw in a screw with a screwdriver rather than a butter knife. Just get into the habit of putting the tools back in the tool box as soon as you finish with them.
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