Habits of Highly Organized People

If you weren't born organized, you still can be! Try on these habits of highly organized people:

1. Spend a few minutes now to save an hour later. Taking 5 minutes to empty the dishwasher now, saves you having to deal with a time-consuming and often icky tower of dirty dishes on the countertop later. Practicing maintenance minutes is giving a gift to your future self.

2. Have less stuff. It sounds so obvious because it's true. Regularly purging your belongings leaves less stuff to clutter up your space and less things to create disorder in your life. Schedule in an hour every weekend to tackle one category of items. Start with the easy things to get rid of, make an "I don't know yet" pile for the more difficult decisions, and notice your momentum increase over time. Load donatables and recycling in the trunk of your vehicle and include drop off as part of the task to accomplish before your hour is up!

3. Delegate. Whether its a children's chore list or part of your family's daily routine, delegating tasks such as setting the table and emptying the dishwasher go a long way in staying organized. Just like an entrepreneur values their time by assigning tasks to an assistant or outsourcing to an expert, so can you focus on doing what you do best, and ask for help with the rest.

4. Write things down. Carry around a small notebook, install a chalkboard or download a calendar app if you don't already have one. It's wonderful when you can manage your day without a to-do list, but its a surefire way to add needless anxiety when you have a long list and time limitations. And try sharing your online calendar with family members or assistants so everyone is on the same page and can schedule around priorities.

5. Take breaks for self care. Drink a tall glass of water, draw yourself a candlelit bath, get up from your desk for a breath of fresh air and nature walk, say aloud all the things you are grateful for, play your favorite dance tune and rock out to those lyrics. All these acts of self care keep you healthy and strong so you can give your full attention to all the other things in your full life.

6. Make the most of wall space and keep things off the floor. Buy the shelf, dresser, or cabinet you've been considering. Or consider repurposing one from another part of your home. Add bins and labels and now everything has a home and place to be stored at the end of the day. It's feeling better in here already.

7. Set limitations and priorities. Whether its how you spend your time or how much space you allow your collection of shoes to cover, setting limitations is key to living a simpler less-cluttered life. How do you know how much time and space to allot to tasks, things, people and causes in your life? Make a list of your priorties. Ask yourself what is important in your life and why. It will be way easier to say no when you have decided what means the most to you.

8. Sort electronic files. Your email inbox deserves the same care as other organized pieces of your life. Create a filing system to archive old emails and keep your inbox clear for new messages and items still requiring action.

9. Adjust shelves. A seemingly silly thing ends our list of habits of organized people. Taking the time to adjust shelves in your kitchen for example, makes for easily accessible dishes and saves time and hassle when

This is of course not a complete list but we hope these tips help you add more organization to your day.

- Paula Blundell

Offering Professional Home Organizing in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada