Social Distancing: A Good Time to (Finally) Get Organized!
By Heather Carlson ~
Since COVID-19 aka Coronavirus, became a household name, I’ve seen some rather creative humor. You know things like “After years of wanting to thoroughly clean my house, but lacking the time, this week I discovered that wasn’t the reason.” It’s funny, but there probably IS some truth to it.
So, how can you combat cabin fever and boredom without getting mired and overwhelmed with those dreaded “to do list items,” even when you just don’t want to? Then answer: one bite at a time.
My father is full of bizarre sayings, but one that I find I utter a lot is “Eat the Elephant one bite at a time.” When organizing, it can be easy to get distracted or let the project snowball into a full overhaul of every nook and cranny of not only the room you start out in, but your house. While that might sound great at the onset, it won’t be too long before you lose steam. And trust me, you don’t want to run out of gas with ALL of your belongings scattered all over the place. To ensure success, be sure to think about the following BEFORE embarking on your organizing journey.
Define:
- …a time: Giving yourself a defined amount of time will not only give you a light at the end of the tunnel, but will help keep you focused, as well.
- …a space: Unless you have the endurance of an ultra-marathon runner, keep it simple and build up. Maybe start with a drawer or cupboard and work your way up to closets.
Understand:
- …you are doing this for yourself: Trying to organize someone else’s stuff is like teaching a pig to dance. It frustrates you and annoys the pig! (Thanks, Dad) Seriously though, unless asked, keep to organizing your own things.
- …your personal expectations. Maybe you’d like your whole home to be picture perfect, maybe you’re looking to expand your usable space or maybe you really just want to tackle that junk drawer because nothing else will fit in it. In any case, know what YOU want out of your efforts.
- …your limits. My clients are often surprised with how long it takes me to organize a pantry or linen closet. Know that, as with most home projects, this will probably take you longer than you expect. When you start getting tired, frustrated or find yourself shoving things back in, walk away.
It’s ok to take a break – chances are, you have the time.
Heather Carlson is the founder of Life Restructured, LLC an Arvada, CO based company, providing professional organization services focusing on functional organization of time, money and of course space. Life Restructured, LLC helps clients at all stages of life, from a first home to and through retirement. She personally understands that the struggle is real.
