Organising 101 - a simple guide to creating order
Our move to Jersey went so smoothly and I've spent the last week unpacking, organising and what I like to call 'nesting'... making our new house feel like home. And I've loved every minute of it! Call me weird, but I love unpacking!
There is something magical about giving every thing a new place - organising my stuff makes me feel like I'm organising my life too! But you don't have to wait for a move to do this.
Sometimes when you feel stuck or a bit overwhelmed, the best way of moving forward to is put order around you. It's incredible what a difference it can make to your mindset and your ability to get moving again.
So how do you go about it? Try this simple five-step approach (Organising 101!):
1. Put everything you want to organise in front of you. Say you're organising your desk - put all the books, files, supplies, papers, everything down so you can see it all. Empty the shelves and drawers. Don't get distracted by other things - just focus on one thing to organise at a time.
2. Now that you know what you're dealing with, go through everything and only keep what you need or what you love. Throw or recycle the rest - be brutal. If you haven't used it in the last 12 months, chances are you won't use it at all so get rid of it! It's just cluttering your life.
3. Ask yourself what you use or need on a daily basis. These are the things that should be in easy reach so set them aside for now.
4. Sort the rest of the things by category and ask yourself what is the best way of keeping them tidy (files in file holders, supplies in a box, etc..). You don't have to run out and buy loads of stuff for this. Look around you and get creative with what you have! For example, I use 'Converse' boxes for so many things - they're slim and the perfect size! Another example you see in the photo is my polka dot penholder - it's actually a milk jug, but I love it and as it's on my desk I get to see it all the time!
Just a few tips - don't be afraid of making sub-categories. For example, in my files, I have one for yoga sequences, one for work, one for things I want to try, etc... Also make sure to label everything, especially if you're putting things in boxes.
5. Clean your desk (or whatever it is you're organising) and then put things you only need occasionally towards the back. The front should have things you use more often. And finally put all the things you use on a daily basis in easy reach (on the desk top if you're organising your desk).
It really is that simple!
On a side note, think about having a 'gratitude jar'. You can see mine on my desk in the photo. Every time I feel grateful for something, I write it down on a piece of paper and pop it into the jar. Whenever I need a little pick me up, I reach in and grab a few. Just being reminded about all the wonderful things in my life makes me feel incredibly good… and just by doing that I'm attracting even more wonderful things into my life.
Happy organising :-)
