update on my journey to a more organized life

A while back I wrote here about needing a way to organize my though so that at night when I am trying to sleep I could get there faster. I thought maybe if I could get all my ideas down on paper with some problem salving pushed in there maybe my sleepless nights would be a thing of the past. Well I am here to say that was a complete failure.

I must also say that I still don’t know if it would work if I gave it a shot but I could not get into it, oh and you should have heard some of my excuses. First I had to go out and buy a cute new notebook (because we all know there is no form of paper in my house) to put my thoughts in well that never got done, I never thought about it when I went to the store. (I know I should have wrote it down lol)

Every night I would put the kids in the bed and think now lets do it and then I would think nah I want to just forget about worrying for a few hours and watch TV thinking I would do it latter. Well later never got here and before I knew what happened it was midnight and I had to get into bed.

But I have been doing one thing to try and help myself and that is get into a routine during the day in the hope that if I feel like I am getting things done during the day then there will be less things to worry about at night. I have also been making myself get up a little earlier in the mornings but it has been super hard to beat the kids up.

Anyway, even though what I tried this time was a big bust, I will keep trying and maybe next time it will stick. 

 

-Becca

Journey to a more organized life

Yesterday Charmaine talked about chaos and organization here this is something that I have a lot of issues with.  Not as much in my home but in my mind *don’t get me wrong my home is a mess but it is not as distracting to me as my thoughts*

I have so many ideas of things that I want to do or try, it just gets jumbled up and I end up not getting anything done. Even while sitting here trying to write this post my mind is racing about all the other things that I could write about or could be doing. It gets so bad that I can not get to sleep at night. I just can’t get my mind to slow down.

So my thoughts are where I am going to start my journey to a better organized life. Now I just have to figure out how to slow down my overexcited mind.

After a few days of research I have found a few ideas of what I can do to try and slow this mind down. The first thing I am going try is every evening after my kiddos go to bed I will write down everything that I am thinking about, or worrying about and write down one thing that will help me stop thinking about it. I will try to write down a solution to the problem, or one thing that will get my thinking into an action.

I guess we will see how it goes. If you have any ideas about what I could try please leave a comment below this tired mama is willing to try anything.

-Becca

Adios Chaos

 

Chaos - a total lack of organization or order

Wow! Don’t we all have a little bit of CHAOS in our homes? From a whole room full of it, to just a closet. There is a feeling of “ughhhh” every time you see it, and the overwhelming thought of “I just can’t get organized”.

I am here to tell you that YOU can do it! One of the easiest things for me to do is throw stuff away. I have no hesitation or second thoughts. I actually enjoy throwing things away. I do a happy dance and everything. lol But I realize that there are a lot of people that just can’t let go of things.

If you have a desire to get organized, I have a few personal tips that you can use. In a few steps you can be well on your way to having a chaos-free home.

1. Get rid of extras

De-clutter before you organize. Start with a BIG trash bag and lots of patience. I admit it can feel overwhelming at first, but just take a deep breath; then take your time. If it helps, do a little bit everyday. No need to try to tackle it all at once.

Ask yourself these two questions to determine if you should keep an item.

1. Do I really, really LOVE this?

2. Do I really NEED this?

If your answer is no, or maybe, then get rid of it! Take it to Goodwill, have a yard sale or just throw it away.

We tend to keep all kinds of stuff thinking that “one day” we are going to use it or need it, and we end up with piles of unused clutter. At the end of the day, we can’t find anything. Months or years go by and we don’t even know what we have. So, I say if you didn’t even remember you had it, and you lived fine without it, then let it go. Of course, there are sentimental items that don‘t fit any criteria, such as pictures, special memories, your kids’ school art, cards, etc. If it’s very special to you, then it should stay.

2. Organize and Store

Everything must have a place. Start by separating your things and categorizing them, then decide how and where to store them in a place which is practical for you. You can use things that you already have at home, such as plastic containers, drawers, a flower pot , tin cans, mason jars or shoe boxes! Use labels to help you remember where everything goes. Utilize your shed, attic or garage for the long-term storage items that do not need to be kept handy.

Remember, it doesn’t have to be flawless; just make it your personal preference. The only right way to organize is how you want it. Different people have different styles and needs. Do what works for you!!

3. Maintain/Prevent

When you are finished, look around. Enjoy the “Oh, it’s finally done, and I am feeling so good about myself” moment. Cherish it, and don’t forget it.

It’s really easy to let things get out of hand, again. So stick with it, maintain the order, try your best to put those scissors back in the drawer, and promise yourself to try not to keep every empty box, sale paper, etc.

Strive to make it your routine to always put things back where they belong. And remember… you don’t need to keep EVERYTHING!

I hope these tips can help you. If you have any tips that you can share, feel free to comment!