neat Tip Of the Week
Children's clothing is much smaller, use smaller hangers to maximize space
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by Clare Kumar
There’s no question, this is definitely a time where women have more choices than ever before. And while that is truly wonderful and must be celebrated, it actually carries with it immense responsibility: responsibility to know ourselves, to stop and listen to our inner voices, to recognize and not fall prey to the “shoulds” that our life becomes filled with.
It takes careful listening to get in touch with what’s important to us.
It takes courage to choose a path based on what’s important, and
it takes conviction to hold true to what’s important in the face of constant distraction.
What does this have to do with organizing? Well, organizing is really about figuring out how to make things fit in our lives so that we can achieve what we want, improve daily life and so that when we look back upon our lives we can take pride in the choices we have made.
I work with people to organize space, stuff, information and time. It’s about making things fit in the most comfortable, easy to use, and inspiring way, taking into account the resources of space, energy – both physical and mental, and of course time – the most precious resource of all.
Here are three important steps on the path to making choices you’ll be proud of:
1. Define what’s important.
That means figuring out what we are meant to be spending our time on, investing our space in, and organizing our stuff for. It’s about getting in touch with what really fulfills you.
With a clear vision, you will have our own guide to help you decide what fits and what doesn’t. Ask yourself if an activity is in line with the vision – if yes, make room in your calendar. If no, equip yourself with the language and confidence to say no. The same applies to possessions. If it’s going to contribute to an important goal, find a way to acquire it. If not, appreciate it for what it is – take a photo even, and move on. Your vision is your guide to know what to say no to and what to embrace.
2. Know how you like to operate.
Once you’ve defined what is important you need to understand how you like to operate. You are unique and the way you may like to do something may differ from those around you. Some people are more visual than others and need to see everything before them to keep track of it. Some respond well to audio cues such as taped messages or alarm reminders. You may have heard about “pilers” – people who prefer to pile papers in stacks - versus filers – those who have no trouble investing time to place papers in file folders.
Know what works for you and spend some time making sure the systems you have in place reflect that. Complicated or awkward processes can sabotage your success. Good organizing resources and professionals will provide examples for all types of people to help guarantee success. So remember if a system isn’t working for you, it may not be you, it may just be that the system isn’t right for you.
3. Build good habits.
So you’ve got your vision. You know how you like to operate. You’ve applied energy and know how, but things quickly fall apart. How do you stay organized? Recognize you must develop good habits to maintain the order. And habits take time to build. If you are trying to change something, try tracking your behaviour every day for 21 days. It could be something as simple as leaving your purse or keys in the same place every day so you no longer have to hunt for them. Note not only whether you accomplished the task or not, but how you actually felt about it. Simply being aware of your actions and how you feel about them gives them greater attention and improves chances of success.
Organizing is never over. As our life changes, we need different systems, so be prepared to think about it strategically from time to time. As they say, you can spend money to make money. You can also spend time to make time.
So, think about what are you choosing to make space and time for. Imagine, twenty years from now, talking to your loved ones about this period in your life. Will you be proud about the choices you’ve made? If so, congratulations! If not, take some time to think about what’s important. Then the have-it-all woman can really have it all….which is not so much about having everything, but having the right few things and giving them the attention they deserve.
What choices have you had to make? Send your story to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
