How is it that we can be organized fanatics at work, school and when planning upcoming activities and vacations but our homes becomes subject to messes, clutter and items without a place? Our motivation to stay organized outside of the home is often governed by an outside source such as a boss, teacher or maybe a coach. We become experts at writing things down, planning ahead and making sure we are on time. So how do we motivate ourselves at home to be an organization enthusiast?
You will have to establish guidelines for yourself. It’s going to take discipline and consistency to keep your home in the pristine condition you’ve become accustomed to at work. Fortunately, you’re already used to following some form of guidelines and now have the freedom to create your own. Here are some guidelines that may help:
Guidelines:
Find someone that will hold you accountable- It might be a best friend, spouse or neighbor. The key to finding someone to hold you accountable is to choose someone that lives around you or comes over often that you will feel motivated to get stuff done.
Keep Track of to-do-lists- When you write things down you will be able to remember other things around the home you may have otherwise neglected. Push yourself by give yourself a dead-line. Without it, your to-do-list could potentially continue to fill up with things you haven’t accomplished yet.
Set Aside Time- You already set aside time for everything else, make it a habit to pick-up stray items in the living room or kitchen for an allotted amount of time each day. This can be anywhere from 10 min to an hour. By consistently picking up, you will form a positive habit over time and maybe even burn a few calories.
Evaluate Your Progress- It’s important to see what has worked and what could have been done better. Take a look around your home at the end of each week and determine if a significant amount of progress has been made. If not, reevaluate your strategy and start again. Organization is wonderful because if one method doesn’t work for you, there are dozens more to try!
Use Your Resources- When life gives you help, make them work. Chance are that you have a family, roommates or friends in your home at any given time. . It might be a good idea to enlist some extra help to organize areas of the home you wouldn’t be able to make a dent in without some extra hands. The goal is to be productive and make progress, so don’t be afraid or too stubborn to ask for or accept their help.
Today there are a lot of tools at your disposal to form personal guidelines and get organized. Here are a few general tools that can be used on your electronic devices:
Apps- The app store is a great place to find exactly what you need to set daily reminders, take notes and find methods thathave been used to help others get organized.
The Internet- Searching the web for organizational tips and solutions can be beneficial. There are images, videos and products that can turn a cluttered home into an awe-inspiring, organized, living space.
Remember that whatever plan you chose to create and follow should be achievable. Reasonable goals will help you accomplish more at home than a complex and unrealistic plan. Enjoy these organization tips as you apply them to yourself.
