Do you procrastinate, and put off the daily organizing tasks that you need to accomplish because it’s just not fun doing them? 

I do so with the dishes after a meal. I hate washing dishes, and I don’t have a dishwashing machine. So, for a couple of days, the dishes pile up in the sink. It’s not a pretty site to see them sitting there with the food sticking to the plates, pots and silverware.

Sometimes it’s easier to ignore what needs doing until the next day, or the next day, or…… If, like me you care about your home, and really dislike the clutter (eg: dishes in sink) I bet you’re thinking, how can I find pleasure in doing so?

How do you make this enjoyable? Perhaps, listen to your favorite music to energize and inspire you, reward yourself with a pedicure or manicure, or sit down and read a favorite magazine once the task is done. Or, once you have had some fun getting organized, call a friend you enjoy talking to and brag about your accomplishment.

If you practice making these organizing tasks a fun project and take care of them regularly (making them a habit) you will feel really good when you get up in the morning and the sink is clear of dishes, or the clothes in your bedroom are hanging in the closet instead of piled on the floor.

Try some of my suggestions to make organizing fun. Do you have some other ideas?  Let me know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To change your organizing habits means that you must make them enjoyable.

 

 

Too often a daily routine seems too . . . routine. However, routines are necessary. They develop a daily normalcy and in doing so keep us on track. The trick is finding pleasure in the necessary routines of life. If you are not the type of person who loves a beautifully organized bookshelf or kitchen cabinet, how is it possible to find the pleasure in the routine of organizing?

Creating a daily organizing routine requires some perseverance to start. You take pride in your home, and maintaining an organized space reflects that pride to others and yourself. Imagine how good it will feel to wake up in the morning and step into your tidy kitchen rather than one with dishes in the sink and food on the counters, or to have friends unexpectedly stop to admire your beautiful apartment rather than being embarrassed to invite them in for a visit.

To change your mindset on organizing requires that you make daily tasks within your routine enjoyable. Start by thinking positively about the organization task at hand. For example, turn on your favorite music to get you moving and energized, or reward yourself after organizing with an at-home manicure or face mask. Soon, you’ll internalize these feelings of enjoyment, reinforcing your organizing habit. By thinking positively and pleasurably about organizing, your brain rewires to associate organizing with positive emotions. Imagine that.

1. Organize every day. Set aside just fifteen minutes each day to organize. Do this first thing in the morning, right when you get home from work, or right before bed. Choose the time that works best for your schedule, and stick with it. Make this time YOUR time.
2. Prioritize where you organize. Organize the areas in your home or office that are used most regularly and/or fall into disarray most quickly. This could be the entryway, the kitchen, or the room in which your family spends the most time.
3. Practice purging. Remove all the items that don’t belong in any given space. Place items in their proper room, and throw away, give away, or donate the items you no longer need. Finish the room by refolding blankets, straightening chairs, and repositioning pillows.