Let’s face it, not everyone loves organizing. In fact that very word is an anxiety trigger for some.

Hey, stay with me, I come bearing a solution to this headache. It really doesn’t matter what stage you are in in mastering organization.

I am obsessed with organization but I don’t feel like it all the time.

These basics I am about to share with you always do the trick for me and get me back in that groove.

 

So then, what is organizing about?

I simply define it as creating order that makes it easy for you to maneuver in your personal space, mind and so much more.

 

With that out of the way let’s look at the meat of our reading- How to make organization doable.

 

 

1. Return things to their place before going to bed

 

I start with this because it’s a fresh habit for me, especially with clearing dishes from the table after meals.

Oh yes! For some reason, it does not come naturally to me but slowly I am finding my ground.

Kudos if you are acing this one.

Make an effort also to fold throw-blankets and put them back to where they belong.

If there is a board game on the table, maybe from hosting a friend’s dinner, clear that too so that you can wake up to a fresh house the next day.

This point kind of focuses on the living room because that’s where we spend most of our time before going to bed.

However, the kitchen and the other rooms should not be forgotten.

The hack for that is to return things to their storage when done with them, things like spice jars after preparing a meal.

They don’t have to be left lying on the kitchen counter.

All this makes work so much easier for you the next morning.

Don’t you agree?

 

 

2. Organize in sections and time allocations (to avoid feeling drained)

 

Hey, remember the point is to make organization doable.

I acknowledge the fact that some people have crazy days that leave them just a few extra minutes on their hands.

Here is what to do.

Distribute your organization, maybe across the week and sections. For instance

–          Office drawers – Mondays 2-2:20 pm

–          Kitchen drawers – Wednesdays 3-3:20 pm

–          Fridge- Fridays 3-3:20 pm

–          Bedroom closets – Sundays 3- 3:30 pm

 

You get the drill. The purpose of this is to make you enjoy the process and not to let it overwhelm you.

Isn’t true that most of us push organizing to the weekend because we have plenty of time then?

But you see that will rob you of your resting time. Weekends are for chilling, trying new recipes, and just a little bit of cleaning.

Okay, a deep cleaning once in a while.

If you are a remote worker, good for you because you can use that 20 min to organize a drawer or two.

If you think about it it’s killing two birds with one stone because you can use it as a break too from work.

 

 

3. Organize your bag and transfer items to it the night before

 

Dear lady learner, this is for you.

I know this because I go through it. When you change purses in a hurry it’s easy to forget some important things in the previous purse.

And how annoying it is looking for something in your bag thinking you carried it. Urghh!

We change purses to fit an outfit and to match the occasion, and what goes into the bag depends on these as well as the size of the bag.

To settle this issue once and for all, do the switch the night before especially if you have an early morning.

I promise it gets you organized in the mind too.

 

 

4. Fold clothes immediately dry (set a 20-minute timer for it)

 

Folding clothes can be exhausting, oh yes I know. The effort! Gosh!

And to think it doesn’t take a second to unfold it. How unfair, right?

Anyway, one trick I am adopting with folding clothes is setting a timer for it. It all depends on the time you have on your hands and the load of clothes.

I recommend 20 min because 30 min would sound like half an hour…lol, and I’d hate to think I’ve spent that much time folding clothes.

 

 

5. Create a monthly meal menu then rotate menus

 

In all honesty, I recommend this because I have heard others testify that menus work for them.

I have a menu that I am still trying to make work. It’s tricky for me because of factors like time, resources, and availability of some ingredients.

I need to do better on this because the point of having a menu is to rid you the stress of thinking about what to cook every day.

If you change your menu for four months, it means that you’ll have four menus to rotate.

However, don’t let this stop you from creating a monthly menu if you have the grace for it.

The former suggestion is for anyone who might be busy and with no capacity to think about a menu every month.

 

 

6. On your office table, have only the essentials

 

 

 

 

Can I get a big ol’ nod if you don’t do well with clutter;)

Same!

Clutter just stresses me up.

A tidy desk helps with mental clarity. You think better and your productivity heightens.

Get in the habit of having only what you need on your table; a computer setup, a notebook, a pen, and a calendar.

Clear the rest of your working space and organize it in drawers.

There is something beautiful about having an orderly desk.

 

 

7. Organize your documents in folders on your computer for easy accessibility

 

Unpleasant desktops have documents all over your screen, it becomes so hard to find something.

Consider the physical folders and the purpose they serve. Imagine if all the documents they carry are combined into a huge pile.

It becomes like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Make use of the folder option in your computer and make it ‘user-friendly’ …lol.

 

 

8. List down everyone you need to call during the day in a notebook

 

This is very useful in clearing your mental space.

Some names of people you should call just disappear from your mind and that’s it.

The best thing I have found to help is noting them down whenever I remember.

It gives you more mental room because you don’t have to remember the names at all times.

This is why a notebook is an important accessory for your office space.

 

 

9. To-do list, to-do list, to-do list

 

Don’t we all love this topic!

The reason the to-do list topic is timeless is because it’s a big thing. To-do lists create order.

I love having them. I started doing it way early in life I can’t recall how old I was.

It just keeps morphing into different ways of writing them as I become older and wiser.

My recommendation is to have the top 3 for the day and add 2-3 bonus items. I learned the Top-3 concept from an amazing YouTuber.

The top 3 are your priority and if done in good time, go ahead to tackle the bonus items.

In case you don’t complete the bonus items, transfer them to the next day’s top 3.

The hack will keep you from jumping from one task to the other with no order. Remember the word is order.

 

 

 

10. Have bookmarks for your books

 

Let’s end with a fun one.

How can I forget my fellow readers? A bookmark is so important.

Don’t just flip through pages trying to remember where you left off. It does not make you look put together.

A bookmark also comes through when you lend your book to someone so that they will not leave dog ears on your book.

 

***

 

Of the 10 hacks, which one did you resonate with more?

 

Xx;)