Stop making common organizational mistakes and get organized faster and easier than I can. Learn from your mistakes first. which one are you making now?
Knowing what not to do in life is sometimes the most effective way to get things done, and so is being organized.
With that in mind, I thought I’d write down a list of things I wish I knew never to do before I started the organizing process.
I hope this helps you avoid making the same mistakes I made along the way and get you sorted out a little faster.
After all, organizing yourself and your home shouldn’t be hard, it should be easier.
Learning from other people’s mistakes and experiences is key to saving time, money and energy. Let’s get started!
Mistake #1 – Underestimating the amount of time it takes to get organized
You may have read articles like “Get Organized in 7 Days.”
It is wonderful!
But let me ask you a question. Do you believe the article “Lose all the weight you want to lose in a week”?
Of course not.
You may lose a lot of weight on a drastic diet, but Keeping it off is another matter entirely.
It’s the same with tidying up.
(Unfortunately) there is no miraculous date and time when we can say that we finally got it all sorted out. This is an ongoing process of creating life habits.
But don’t let that put you off.
Much like losing weight, you want to change your ongoing routine so that new eating habits will easily fit into your life and become less and less difficult to maintain.
Eventually the word diet will be forgotten and you will just be making better food choices every day.
Incorporate this into your organization, and over time, you’ll find that tasks that were previously labor-intensive become automatic.
Your home runs smoother and your time management improves. It’s a way of life and not something that can be fixed quickly.
Basically, if someone says something that’s supposed to be true, it’s probably true.
Nothing in life is given for free. You have to make an effort. But it’s worth it.
Mistake #2 – Organization is up to you.
When it comes to organization, most people draw a line in the sand when they get fed up with the state of their homes and their lives.
They are ready to start things differently and have a lot of enthusiasm.
This is fantastic.
but What about the people you live/work with/socialize with?
Those people may be happy to continue with the current situation.
They may resent the change and start working against you every step of the way.
What about a friend who loves to whine with you about their home and how it’s out of control, a kid who likes to leave all their toys all over the house, or a partner with an innate hoarding habit? .
Some people don’t like the fact that you’re trying to improve their life, and they’re skeptical.
Of course, this will be difficult for you. So, knowing this up front will save you a lot of stress and energy, trust me!
I always sit down with people who might be affected by what you organize (work colleagues, family members, friends, etc.) and ask them what you want to do and how it will affect them. I encourage you to discuss whether to give or not to give.
If people can understand why you want to do this and why you need to do it, they’re much more likely to endorse and support what you’re doing, and they’re much more likely to continue. It will be easy.
Mistake #3 – Wanting to be 100% organized
Trying to achieve perfection will only make you feel inadequate all the time. and who wants it.
I’m a “recovering perfectionist” and I know firsthand how terrifying it is to always try to be 100%.
When you decide to get organized, you often have an idea of a Superwoman or Superman in your mind.
You think that from that day on, every part of your life will fall into place and start ticking like clockwork.
Just not.
For example, I consider myself well-organized, but when an emergency arises I run around like a headless chicken, when I get sick and I’m out of shape for a while until I’m back on track, when I’m on vacation Some days I go out. Something happened while I was away that needed to be organized.
Something happens in life and you can’t stop it!
I would love to point this out to you, you can be as organized as you can be.
there is no right or wrong. No area needs to be perfectly organized. Work is always in progress, as needs change as they change. Just focus on what you need now that will help you save time and energy. And/or money – and you’ll be on the right track.
Mistake #4 – Not Understanding Yourself
To build a system in your life or home that really works for you, you need to understand yourself and the others who use it.
Just getting a system from someone else is very good and certainly a good starting point, but often you will need to tweak the system to make it work best for you.
Also, the caveat here is that it’s important to understand why you want to be organized in the first place. Then you will have a clear purpose towards which you can strive.
If you don’t understand this, you can’t know when you’ll get there.
By being honest with yourself, you will be able to live the wonderful life that is right for you.
Mistake #5 – Trying to do everything at once.
It took many years to reach the position it has today.
You created the life you live now, and in the process gave yourself the habits, systems, and ways of life that underlie everything you do now.
It takes effort to change them. To make it stick, you have to really want to change it.
Just like you need to lose weight slowly and steadily to maintain your weight, you need to organize yourself one step at a time.
The important thing to remember here is to start where it probably hurts the most.
Think about what causes you the most distress on a day-to-day level (whether you’re wasting time looking for the right clothes to wear every day, or you keep losing your keys or diary so you can’t get to the front door). You may need to be more organized in your wardrobe because you are wasting a lot of cabinets) I am always late for appointments etc…) Whatever it is for you, tackle this first before moving on to the next Please finish it immediately.
If that helps, make a plan for what to do and in what order. That way, you can check off the work you’ve done and feel a real sense of accomplishment.
Mistake #6 – Thinking you need too many tools and items to be organized
When people get organized, they think they need to spend a lot of money on new technology and storage.
It’s tempting to buy a lot of beautiful boxes, folders, stationery, etc. in the hope that they’ll be somewhat organized just by keeping them around the house, but it’s just going to be even more messy and even more tidy than before. may become.
A better way to do things is to first understand the area you’re organizing, and when the system is working well, get the products and items that help make that system look and work better. to start doing.
I hope that following my ADORE process will help you get the right things at the right time and help you successfully complete your organizing project.
Have you already suffered from these mistakes?
I hope this post saves you a few hours of organizing…
