The Traps
It’s all too common to find yourself stumped when it comes to organizing. You want to keep things neatly stored in your home and prevent stuff from taking over every countertop and table you own. Still, you look around hopelessly at all of the things you want to take care of, but feel no energy or desire to really deal with the clutter. You sit down to stream a few shows about organizing so you gain motivation. Everyone makes organizing look so easy. As you snack on a bag of chips, you can’t help thinking they must be born with this mysterious (and amazing) gift to be able to make sense of the chaos. You know you don’t have this “organizing gene”, so you log onto the web to get the cute containers you saw featured in the episode. When they arrive, you’re confident you’ll be able to finally fix this mess.
Lies!!!!! All lies!!!!!
Let me be the first to assure you that this does not have to be your experience. If it has been your experience before, we are going to start you on a new road right now. The scenario above describes a lot of what people get tripped up by when starting to get organized. Let’s begin with identifying the traps.
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You believe getting organized is hopeless.
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You lack motivation to get organized.
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Other people are born with the skill to keep their spaces tidy and you don’t have it.
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A new container will solve all your clutter problems.
All of this is not true. Keep reading for ways to overcome these myths and help yourself tidy up.
Myth 1: Getting organized is hopeless.
The picture to the right is a mess, that’s true. Lots of people have spaces which are disorderly in their homes and workplaces. It’s really very common in today’s society. The truth is we have a lot of stuff and live a fast paced life. We’re on the go! This combo of having things and being busy can make it seems like getting organized is hopeless. This is a myth.
It is possible to get organized and it doesn’t need to take a ton of time or money to do it. When I look at this office, I see some major issues which jump out at me.
The two biggest problems in this room are:
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There is no file system for paperwork.
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A lot of CDs are scattered, which tells me there is no central storage area for them.
There are easy solutions for these issues. Basic file folders and labels are all you need to create a paper management system. Plus, there’s a lot of space under the desk. A small file cabinet could be placed there and act as a home for all of the loose papers. Creating a simple filing system will decrease the clutter in this room by about 30%. What a huge accomplishment!
Getting an inexpensive CD case is another easy solution for all the random disks scattered about. Giving the CDs a specific place to return to after they are used will clear up another 10% of the clutter pictured above. This is another great win when attempting to make this room more calm and inviting to work in.
The big thing to remember is you can get organized. When you look at your space, think about what will provide the best, easiest results. Keep cleaning up as simple as possible. Solutions don’t need to be expensive or time consuming to work. Actually, the simplest, least expensive options are usually the ones we are able to maintain using for the long term.
It’s time to change your mindset and realize there is hope! Simple solutions bring big results.
Myth 2: You lack motivation.
As I said above, we live busy lives. We have places to go, commitments to keep, and we tend to fill every moment we have with a “to-do”. At the end of the day, it’s common to want to sit down and relax. This doesn’t mean your not motivated. It means you did a lot and you want to take a break, a well deserved break.
After working a 60 hour week, you tell yourself you’re not motivated to straighten up your home. You think you can find motivation outside of yourself to help you start to tackle the mess which has accumulated in your space. Not true!
This is a myth.
Looking around at the clutter and not wanting to deal with it is common, but it’s not because you lack motivation. It’s because clutter increases stress and anxiety while draining your energy. So, if you are already tired from the busy week you had, the clutter is going to drain any energy you have left causing you to plop on the couch and binge watch lots of TV.
Instead of beating yourself up and telling yourself you need to find motivation, try this simple technique. Stand in your space and look at the clutter. Say out loud, “I see the clutter in my space. I know it’s draining my energy. I’ve worked very hard this week. I deserve the time to recharge. I’m going to spend the next 15 minutes reclaiming my space because this will help me feel better. When I’m done, I’m going to treat myself to something special.”
This meditation or statement is very powerful. It switches your mindset to realize that neatening up your space equates to taking care of yourself. Straightening up is worthwhile and you have the power to do it within yourself. Nothing outside of you is going to make you want to get organized. Reading books, skimming magazines, and streaming shows may give you some good ideas, but they are not going to give you a special power to get your space back under control. The power is inside of you. You just need to tap into it.
Myth 3: Some people are born with the “organizing gene”.
Organizing is a skill. Like any other skill, it can be taught, learned, and improved. The idea that some people are born knowing how to organize is a complete myth.
The truth is your experiences shape you. If you grew up in a home which was cluttered and disorganized, you will probably live in a home which is cluttered and disorganized. You’re familiar with it and it’s comfortable. You did not learn how to live in an organized space. Also, you may have grown up with a housekeeper or other assistant who did all of the behind the scenes work necessary to keep things orderly. If you did not learn from this person, you may leave home unprepared to manage your things.
It’s never too late to learn how to organize yourself. Like any other skill, it may come easily or take time to get comfortable with. Giving yourself some grace as you learn new techniques and form new habits to improve your tidiness is the best gift you can give yourself. Don’t give up! You can change your space and your lifestyle.
Myth 4: Containers solve organizing problems.
Companies spend millions of dollars on marketing to make you believe containers will solve storage issues. Containers do not solve organizing problems by themselves. Take a look at the pantry pictured here. Food has been transferred to specific jars, but it’s not really easy to see everything stored here. All of the food is placed randomly on the shelves. You’ll still need to search for the ingredients you need when cooking. Nothing has been made easier with the addition of these containers.
If containers solved storage problems, then there would be one specific container on the market to apply as the absolute fix to your issue. We know there are dozens of different containers available to store the same item. They vary in style, size, shape, material, etc. This is because containers can be useful when used properly, but they are not the solution in themselves.
In many instances, you can neaten a space without a special container. *Mind blown.
It’s true, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to keep things orderly. Getting rid of what you don’t need and giving the things you use a space to “live” will turn most messy areas into tidier ones.
The organizing and storage business is a multi-million dollar industry. Don’t buy into the hype that you can’t get organized. You can change your space (and your life) with a little time and the desire to start making changes.
More Solutions For You
Here’s more to help you on your organizing journey:
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