The New Rules for Getting Organized
Where did all this stuff come from? It just seems to keep coming. When it comes to staying organized, we can say two things:
• Rule 1: The act of living attracts belongings. Some of these belongings are important and useful, so we seek them out. Others just seem to show up on their own. Since things keep coming in, it means that things also need to keep going out-preferably at about the same rate.
• Rule 2: The act of living creates chaos. We need to regularly put back what got taken out, clean occasionally, and replace what gets used up. This is a perpetual process.
Let's talk about the point of being organized, about why it matters. The goal is to be able to find the right thing at the right time, so you can do what you need to do, and hopefully move on to better things. You don't want to spend more time getting organized than you save by being organized (i.e., no obsessive-compulsiveness here).
Keep in mind that keeping your belongings organized goes hand in hand with keeping your tasks organized. Usually guys who are struggling with one are also struggling with the other. So getting your stuff organized should help you more efficiently move through your to do list.
Here are eight rules for getting organized-and more important, staying organized.
1. Lighten the Load
Whenever I'm talking to someone who's disorganized, my first suggestion is to get rid of as much as you can before you try to organize what's left. It's far more difficult to get organized when you have more stuff than space. So the first step is to make a sweep through it all and make some hard choices to get rid of what you don't really need.
Some things will make the cut; others won't. The key is to make smart choices. You may have to make several passes through it all, getting rid of a little more each time, until you get down to a manageable level. This process probably won't be fun, but it's necessary.
2. Just Dump It Now
There is all manner of interesting stuff out there, from emails and websites to magazines and stuff for projects. There's way more than any of us will ever be able to get to in a lifetime. So if you don't think that there is a very good chance that you will actually use the item, pitch it now, rather than letting it loiter and get in the way.
3. It Only Counts If You Can Find It
One of the big reasons why people wind up with too much stuff is that they keep too many things just in case they might need it. Unfortunately, owning something doesn't count for much if you can't find it when it would actually be helpful to have it. So when you're considering keeping something, ask yourself whether you will be likely to find it at the relevant moment. If not, pitch it.
Some men keep lots of paperwork, like old utility bills, just in case they need them later. If you ever do, remember that you can always request copies for a small fee, so it may be better to just toss them.
4. Set a High Standard
We live in an age of plenty. The challenge is to keep all the stuff in our lives to a manageable level. This means actively restricting the flow of new objects into your world, such as mail, email, magazines, newspapers, and things you buy. Before giving anything a space in your world, think about whether it has earned that place-does it add enough value to your life, compared to everything else you already have?
Unfortunately, some of this stuff comes in all by itself without us seeking it out, so you need to actually expend energy to keep it out. It's like bailing an old, leaky boat-you try your best to plug the holes, but there will always be some bailing to do. But the less that comes in, the less you have to deal with.
5. Keep it Moving
Once something enters your life, there will come a time when it needs to move along. (Say goodbye to most of those old CDs.) Some things may not last a day, like that catalogue that gets a quick flip-through while you're watching TV.
To stay on top of it all, you need to make time on a regular basis to go through your stuff and get rid of the items that have become unnecessary. The occasional big purge is helpful, but along the way, get rid of those old things that are lying around taking up space. It may feel like you don't have time to sort through things on a regular basis, but you ultimately don't have time not to, since you will waste more time from the inefficiency that comes from being disorganized. This applies as much to tangible items as it does to digital items like emails, recorded TV shows, etc.
6. Set It Up Right to Begin With
It's a lot easier to stay organized if you have good systems and a convenient home for everything. Often things don't get put away because they don't have a good place to go. Sometimes they do have a place but it's out of the way or not easily accessible, so the items get put aside to be put away later. (Yeah, right.)
The easier it is to do something, the more likely you are to do it. So make it as easy as possible. Spend some time to create an effective organizational system. If this isn't one of your strengths, then find a friend or family member who can work with you to create that system. Then bite the bullet and make yourself follow it.
7. Automate As Much As Possible
Being disorganized can cost you money if you lose bills and pay them late. So try to set up as much as possible to pay through auto-debits. You may not want your biggest bills going through unnoticed (and maybe overdraw your account), but certainly your smaller bills like cell phone or utilities could work well. Better yet, put them on a credit card so lots of small payments become consolidated into one, making for fewer to enter into your check register. (You use that thing, right?) For your bigger bills, set them up for online banking so you can fire off a payment with just a few clicks.
These systems take an initial investment of time, but hopefully pay back quickly as you save time with each transaction. You may also save money on late fees.
8. Strive for Good Enough
As I said before, the goal of being organized is to make things functional and efficient so you have more time for more rewarding activities. We're not striving here for a Better Homes & Gardens photo shoot. Just good enough. Focus first on what will make your day run more smoothly and with less stress.
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About the Author
Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA, is a psychologist specializing in diagnosing and treating children, teens, and adults with ADHD, anxiety, and depression. He is the current Vice President of the Attention Deficit Disorder Association and author of More Attention, Less Deficit: Success Strategies for Adults with ADHD. Ari lives with his wife and two year old son in West Chester, PA. Check out his website.
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