Getting Organized? It's Your Choice

There is no one surefire way to get organized. We all have things we love to do and things we hate to do. The difference between the people who live an organized lifestyle, and those who don't, is the result of choices they make on a daily basis.

Yes, getting organized comes down to making choices. For instance, when my children were small I would drop everything for a day out with them. I was doing housework when I heard an ad on the radio for an item I needed at a great price.

I called my sister to tell her that there was a sale on something I needed. I suggested we take all the kids downtown and splurge on lunch in the Paddlewheel Restaurant at the Bay (a big department store in Canada).

When she said she had to get her ironing done, I told her, "Well leave it, you can do it when you get home," but she wouldn't budge. She stayed home and did her ironing. My philosophy was (and still is), and I told her, "Well, fifty years from now who is going to know or care if you did your ironing today?"

I asked if I could come and get her daughter and take her with us, so I did and we had a nice lunch and a great time.

So, was my sister's house cleaner than mine? No, she was a packrat so there used to be a lot of clutter. It is not even fifty years later yet and who cares if she ironed that day? It was a choice she made, it was important to her at the time. I had a choice, too. I chose to leave the housework and go out with the children.

So there is no right and wrong choice here. Mine was right for me, and hers was right for her.

Every time you make the simplest decision you have to make a choice. Making choices can be overwhelming for some people and they put it off. It may seem easier to avoid making any kind of decision. So what happens then?

Your kitchen is a mess, and you have a choice. You can clean it up right now and have time to relax after, or you can sit at the computer, or read a book, or go out, or do none of those things. Even by doing nothing you have made a choice. When people are tired, depressed or upset it is difficult to make wise choices.

So how do we make a good choice? Well, first you have to have enough information to make an informed choice. It's the old pro and con thing.

Taking the problem of cleaning the kitchen, we could work it out like this:

Problem: The kitchen is a mess but I don't feel like cleaning it. (I'm too tired or I'd rather do something else right now.)
 
Ask: What is the worst thing that can happen if I don't do the kitchen right now?
 
Maybe: My kids and husband will be home soon and it is harder to make supper if the kitchen is a mess. I don't want to hear remarks about how I don't do anything all day either.
 
So that might tip the balance to getting at the work in the kitchen, but wait. On the other hand.....
 
Maybe: I have to read a book report for a class I am taking and if I don't read it now before everyone comes home then I will never get time to do it before this evening.

So which option needs your attention right now? What do you take into consideration to reach your best choice for the problem?

1. How will I feel if I don't read the book report and have nothing to say at the meeting? (I might have to stay home.)
    
2. How will I feel if I read the report but the house is a mess when everyone gets home? (I might have to put everyone to work while suffering the remarks.)

 
Just One Solution:

• I will feel better if I quickly get the dishes into the dishwasher (or soaking in the sink in hot water).
   
•  I'll sit down then and read my book report and by the time I am finished with that I can wipe up the counters and sweep the floor. That way, at least when everyone comes in, the kitchen will look half decent. If I throw on a pot of water to boil it will look like I am right on the job. :)
   
  Yep, the old boiling water trick. You can lay around all day and rush for ten minutes to make it look like you are busy. (We will save this trick for days when you just can't seem to get it together.) We WILL NOT make a habit of this.
   

Every day you have choices to make. You can choose to be organized and start taking steps to becoming more organized or, you can choose to put it off for another day.

Either way it IS your choice.
 

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© 2005 Judy Brown
Judy Brown is a freelance writer and Professional Organizer who teaches online workshops and provides writing services for small business owners and hands-on organizing services in BC Canada. Visit her website at
OrganizedForever.com.