“Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.”
– Oprah Winfrey
Confessions of a Clutterholic - Lois Morton
A hilarious song about clutter we can all relate to. (You may need to lower the volume on your computer speakers).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5kbjYkFR58
Have you resolved to finally get organized in 2012?
When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions we all get stuck, rebel, and often throw in the towel. While the top three resolutions are about eating healthy, exercise and not smoking, getting organized is a close fourth.
Small steps
• Get in touch with the “why,” and the “how” will work itself out. Why do you want to be organized? The stronger your reasons, the more motivation you’ll have. Is it so you can walk easily throughout your home? Is it about being more productive so you can increase your income? Or so you can finally quit losing things in your own home? Or stop paying late fees on bills, etc. Being disorganized is stressful.
• Make a commitment. Organization is a process, not an event. It requires daily maintenance. You don’t brush your teeth once and say “there, now they are clean.”
• Small steps lead to big results. You’ve heard me say it. It’s the Japanese principle of Kaizen, a way of life in which every aspect of our life deserves to be continuously improved through gradual changes. Small and gentle improvements are the way to go.
• Keep your eye on the prize. If you want a Zen room, work on it bit by bit. Every improvement, however small, sparks a pleasurable response in your brain-ways, and reinforces your new decluttering habit.
Creative process
• Develop routines to keep you organized without thinking. Morning routine: stretch, make the bed, tidy the house, make breakfast, wash the dishes, etc. Your routine will start your day off right. Some prefer to tidy the house before bed. Find what works for you.
• New habits take time to set in. It’s never a straight path. It’s a journey with twists and turns along the way. Some backsliding is inevitable. The important thing is if you fall off the horse, get right back on.
• Believe in change as a creative process. Reset your brain toward embracing change rather than resisting it and, as the Chinese fortune cookie promises, you’ll experience many rewards.
To get it done, just start ...
If you are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin, work with a professional. It’s hard going it alone and much more fun with a guide. To finally make your way though the clutter, call on me. Let’s make all your resolutions happen.
