How To Get Organized When You Don't Know Where To Start
Steps for Starting to Get Organized When You Feel Stuck.
Starting is ALWAYS the hardest part of any project. But once you do, decision-making becomes easier and you get a little momentum to push you through.
So, where do you start when everything feels overwhelming, one area leads to the next and the next, and you feel like you have to do the whole damn house in one go?
Maybe you wait for a 4-day weekend or vacation to tackle this project. But when that time comes, you’re too tired and overwhelmed to do anything about it and revert to watching Netflix instead.
Sound familiar?
Let’s get you unstuck.
Start Here - Get Unstuck - Get Organized
Clear Vision
Before you even start, figure out what you want to accomplish and why.
What is your desired result?
In project management, we always start with the end in mind and work our way backwards.
Organizing your kitchen or decluttering your kid’s bedroom is no different.
So dig a little deeper and answer these few questions:
1. What is bugging me about this space?
2. Why do I want to tackle this? What’s my motivation?
3. What do I want it to look like, and feel like once it’s done?
4. How will this improve my life or situation?
Prioritise
As the saying goes: if everything is important, nothing is!
So pick one space, one cupboard, one box and focus on that to start.
Here is where NOT to start:
· Don’t start with sentimental items;
· Don’t start with other people’s clutter;
· Don’t start with an entire room (divide your project into smaller chunks);
· Don’t start by buying more stuff to organize your stuff.
Set a Sustainable Pace
What do we want? To be Organized! When do we want it? NOW!
Unfortunately, this is more of a marathon than a sprint! And it’s better to do a bit every day than wait to tackle something in one go, and never finish because you bit more than you could chew.
Commit to organizing or decluttering for just a few minutes a day and see how much you accomplish in one month (I bet you will surprise yourself).
Resiste Perfection
Trying to do something perfectly the first time can be paralyzing. You get into your head on how things “should“ be and end up doing nothing about it.
So forget the picture-perfect Pinterest storage solution, and go for functionality instead. Consider how you live, what’s your current lifestyle (not your ideal one) and make things work for you.
Even when I work with clients, I don’t strive for perfection. I know things will evolve. Only when you’ve lived with something for a while, can you know if it’s the right organizing setup for you.
Things can always be made pretty later when you have honed your organizing skills.
Accept (temporary) Messiness
Getting organized might take a while.
You may have to unlearn behaviours, try different systems and practice a little so it becomes second nature. And that will most likely create more mess, but it’s only temporary.
If you accept that in advance, you will not get discouraged mid-way through and give up.
Be Ruthless (with your stuff)
Let me say this plainly.
You don’t have to keep something that you don’t love or never use, simply because:
· Someone gave it to you;
· It was expensive;
· It may have potential resale value;
· It’s still in good condition;
· Just in case.
Just get rid of it, pass it on, and let it go!
Be Kind (to yourself)
Disorganization doesn’t usually happen in a vacuum. It’s built on old habits, circumstances, and life events.
So extend yourself some grace wherever you are on this journey. Shame or guilt have no place here.
Here is your mantra: I am present, calm and capable. I make progress every day towards my vision.
Start Small
Starting small goes well with setting a sustainable pace. It’s a powerful trick to gather momentum and never burn yourself out.
You want to be here at the end when you’ve reached your vision, and you’re enjoying your organized life.
Break down any organizing project you decide to take on into smaller individual parts. It will make it manageable.
Declutter First
THIS is the simplest (and most boring) tip to get organized.
Question everything and get rid of the extra as much as possible.
Decluttering first means never having to take care of that clutter ever again, and only organizing what you use, need and love.
In reality, it doesn’t matter where you start, as long as you do and it makes sense to you.
Start organizing your pantry, your closet, or by setting up a system to sort your mail. It makes no difference.
The important thing is for you to make ONE decision and take ONE TINY action. The rest will follow.
Take 3 minutes to decide where you will start. Commit to working on this project this week.
Want to outsource some of the decision-making? Book a session with me ;)
