Whether it is the coming of spring, the arrival of a new baby, a new job, new responsibilities at work, or any other reason your life is getting busier, staying organized is crucial for continuing to live a healthy, simple, and happy life. Over the past few months as our blog has grown, I have started growing my health coaching business, and Josh has been working hard on woodworking projects, life has just seemed so busy. At first it seemed overwhelming, but we quickly sat down with each other to figure out how we can help each other tackle the overwhelm, continue pursuing our dreams and goals, and stay organized on a daily basis.
Today we want to share our secrets with you. We are no where near perfect with staying organized, but these few tips have saved us a lot of heartache and arguments.
1. Step back and assess your daily life
Take some time tonight and sit down with your spouse and write out all the things that need to be done on a daily basis. We mean EVERYTHING. So, write down showering, brushing your teeth, eating a healthy breakfast, checking your email, etc. Then talk about what makes these things feel rushed, hurried, and disorganized and what can be done to organize.
2. Be consistent and infuse routines
We are not saying you have to stick to a strict regimen here, but you are going to have to figure out a routine, be consistent with it, make adjustments as you discover what works and does not work for you. Instead of checking your e-mail 10 times a day whenever you think about it, check it only 2-3 times per day at set times and do the same with social media, which is SUCH a time sucker for so many of us.
3. Pick only ONE method for storage
Keep ONE email account, make ONE area for snail mail that needs to be attended to, only ONE to-do list, and ONE calendar. Simplifying these things into one will remove margin for error.
4. Clean up after yourself
Mom was right all those years ago when she told you to pick up your toys, wash off your dishes, and put your dirty clothes in the laundry basket. Take 5-10 minutes every single day to pick up. It can seem like such a daunting task at the end of a busy day, we know, but it is SO important for starting tomorrow off on the right foot.
5. Toss as many things as possible at the end of the day
The more that goes in the garbage at the end of the day, the less clutter your home will accumulate. This has been our motto since we started on the journey of simplifying. Rather than making a pile of junk mail to toss or potentially go through, put it in the garbage TODAY. If you see something laying around the house and think to yourself I should really throw that away, do it NOW instead of waiting another 6 months. The simpler you life, the easier it is to organize.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on Simply Sheard. It has been republished here with permission.
