How to Make Your Life More Organized

Find out the Reasons for Disorganization

To deal with a problem, you have to start off by identifying the root cause. Ask yourself why you’re unable to get things together and achieve all your goals. Is it lack of motivation or lack of know-how? Do some soul searching and list down the things that are holding you back, and then make a conscious decision to change them.

Keep a Diary

Writing down things-to-do is a good start to getting organized. Do not assume that you will remember everything you need to do off head. How many times has someone reminded you of something important only to realize that you totally forgot about it? You can use a physical diary or use computer or mobile phone apps. Become your own personal aide by listing down the most important items and dates. This will help you to prioritize. Writing down what needs to be done helps you to recall names, events, and projects. You should plan out your activities starting with the most urgent.

Avoid Procrastination

Cultivate a positive attitude about starting and completing all tasks. Remember if you can think it, you can achieve it. Motivate yourself every day to complete all you’ve set out to do. If you procrastinate, work will pile up and create more pressure for you. Wake up every day with a plan of what you are going to do and how. Before you go to sleep, have a plan for the next day in place.

Start Your Day on the Right Note

There’s no better motivation for getting organized than starting off your day on the right note. Wake up early, eat breakfast, take a shower and get dressed. Do everything you would do if you were getting prepared to go to work at the office. Not only will your mind be set and ready to go, you will also be setting yourself up for success.

Focus and Have Clear Plans

It is easier to stick to a plan if you have a goal. Focus on your goal because it will act as a source of motivation. Break down yearly plans into monthly, weekly and daily achievable tasks. Once you break down the dates and tasks, you become a task-oriented worker. This helps you to manage other areas of your life too.

Time Management

You have to manage your time to be more effective. One of techniques you can use to manage your time is the Eisenhower principle. The principle requires that you categorize everything by its level of importance and urgency. Once you identify something that needs to be done, it will fall into the category of ‘not urgent’ or ‘urgent’, and ‘not important’ or ‘important’. Prioritize those activities that fall in the ‘urgent’ and ‘important’ category. Doing things that are ‘urgent’ and ‘not important’ is a waste of time.

Delegate and Teamwork

Avoid the temptation of doing everything by yourself. Teamwork is a great way to handle work. Before you delegate, indicate your expected outcome then find people to accomplish it. If you have people working under you, allocate roles to ease the burden on your side. In order to accomplish the tasks, give adequate support and monitor progress. If you are responsible for large projects, form a competent team and design roles for each level or segment.

Declutter

Sorting the mess at home starts with getting rid of unwanted items in the house. Clean up your house by removing the unwanted or unused items. All rooms in the home tend to have clutter. Clean the drawers, closet, wardrobes and cupboard. Check the bathrooms and toilet too. You can hire professional cleaners to help you clear the mess so that you can concentrate on other things. After the cleaning, you still need to maintain a clean and orderly home so learn how to put everything in its rightful place after use. Train your children to keep toys and their clothes in the right place. Make it a family routine to make things easier for you.

Organize Your Finances

Have a budget so every single penny that you make is accounted for. You can get software applications to help you organize your finances. The software should have a checklist for bills, income and expenditures. If you share the budget with your spouse, you can prepare and share it in advance in order to meet targets. Sometimes it is better to have different accounts for personal finance and household items. Avoid living on credit because it costs more and you are likely to find it hard keeping track of your expenses.

Have Storage Space

The reason why most people have disorganized homes is due to lack of adequate storage space. Keeping small clothing items like socks and undergarments in separate drawers is one way how to organize your life at home. Arrange your clothes putting shirts and tops together, and bottoms and skirts in a separate place. Take note of colors and put same colors together. Kitchen items, toys and shoes need storage compartments. You can get creative or find someone to install some of the storage places.

Record Important Dates

Home management is more than just cleaning the home. You need to remember important dates and events in the family. Note down reminders of birthdays, school dates, anniversaries, holidays and planned events in your diary. Jot down ideas of what you plan to do and steps towards achieving this. For example, if you are planning for Christmas or Easter, start saving early for gifts.