Back to Organizing Strategies Index Organizing Strategies

Getting Organized -

Where To Start

by Maria Gracia Updated March 4, 2024 Join our newsletter to be notified when new content is added to our website. Have you always wanted to get organized, but keep putting it off? Perhaps you're not sure where to begin? Or maybe you're feeling overwhelmed? Is it possible that you feel you don't have enough time? Here are a few ideas to get you started: 1. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Dream, for a moment, about how wonderful life is going to be when your environment is clutter free and organized. Focus on the dream--not the effort. 2. Start somewhere. Not sure where to start? It really doesn't matter. The important thing is that you start somewhere. Just by getting started, you're halfway there! 3. What’s bothering you the most? This is usually the best place to begin. If you hate that pile of papers on your desk, start there. If you're getting stressed because you can't fit another item on the kitchen counter, than you've found the perfect starting point. 4. Focus on a little bit at a time. Rather than thinking about the huge project ahead, break that project up into manageable tasks. For instance, if you want to organize the boxes in your attic, you might consider going through one box per day until it's all complete. 5. Ask someone to bug you. Tell a family member or friend what you plan to organize and by what date. Then, ask that person to nudge you a few days before to see if you've done it yet. A little bit of outside motivation is often an enormous help! 6. Bribe yourself. Make something you love to do, dependant on the completion of today's task. If you promise yourself that you will not watch your favorite television program tonight unless you work for 15 minutes on organizing your paper piles, you're sure to get that small task finished. Back to Organizing Strategies Index