10 Clutter Habits To Break

By Elvie Look 

Even though I am a bit (just a tich) of a neat freak and love being organized, you may be shocked to know that I do not get up in the morning and wonder "hmm, what can I organize today?" I really don't think about it at all because organizing has become a "habit," and a habit is when you do something without even realizing or thinking about it.

Getting organized is really about developing good habits. I've shared about some of those habits in my articles 10 Baby Steps To Getting And Staying Organized and Best And Worst Habits Of An Organizing Junkie. For example, a good habit is to never walk by garbage or dirty dishes without picking it up.

But there is more needed to be successful in keeping an organized and clean home.

Let me illustrate it this way:
How successful would you be at losing weight if you ate healthy food ALONG with junk food? If you enjoyed a wonderful spring salad and herbal tea along with a greasy burger and fries?

Or, while teaching your children the good habit of saying "Please" and "Thank you," would you disregard their bad habit of belching at the table, or interrupting you when you are talking to someone?

You get my point. You need to develop good habits ALONG with "unlearning" or "breaking" some bad habits. You won't be successful unless you work on BOTH.

Bad Habits To Break:

1. Eating anywhere in the house and leaving your tracks
2. Not putting away tools after using them
3. Ignoring the mail
4. Leaving dishes in the sink or on the counter
5. Dropping clothes on the floor
6. Not making your bed
7. Taking the last and not replenishing
8. Keeping something that is broken or you no longer use "just in case"
9. Leaving projects unfinished
10. Procrastinating

Ok, so we know change is necessary, but that is easier said than done. Habits don't change overnight, so let's look as some practical ways to make this doable.

How To Change Your Habits:

• Pick and admit one bad habit you have that is contributing to your situation. Recognition and admission is half the battle. And notice I suggested only "one." If you try to work on all of your bad habits, it may be too much and you will give up. That's not what we want, so let's just work on one at a time.
• Make things convenient to help break that habit. For example, if you always drop your clothes on the floor, then do two things - install a clothes hook right where you are dropping them, on behind the door, and put a clothes hamper for dirty clothes there. Now you have no excuse for them being on the floor, if you are wearing them again, they go on the hook, if they are dirty, they go into the hamper.
• Enlist help from your family. If you leave dirty dishes on the counter, then get the family to all help. You can even set the timer for 15 minutes, and get everyone involved to help do the dishes for just 15 minutes. Having the timer makes it seem like a short time, they can spare 15 minutes, plus you are teaching them some good habits.
• Reward yourself. If you are struggling with making your bed every day, then allow yourself one day a week when you don't have to make it. Give yourself a "cheat" day or a "day off." Now you can play that day, and not feel guilty, but back on track the next day.
• Put your Tasks into bite-sized pieces. If you have the bad habit of procrastinating, then perhaps the tasks need to be broken down into smaller ones. For example: if you want to organize your garage but just can't get started, then break it down into small chunks. Such as - clear out all the garbage in the garage. Now that task isn't so overwhelming and makes it doable. When the garbage is cleaned out, then move onto another small task such as take all the recyclables to the depot. Then you can purge tools you are not using. Just look at ways to break it into smaller tasks.
• Put it in writing. To help you with dropping your bad habits - put up a message to remind you, either on your fridge, your bulletin board, your screen saver on your computer. Just a little visual to keep you on track.
• Remember your goal. Think about getting to where you want to be in life. You don't want to be stuck in the same rut you are now, you want to move forward, you want to be more organized, on top of things, you don't want to feel overwhelmed or like a failure anymore. Visualize your new life, and you will get there.

The Wrap Up

One key way to breaking a bad habit is to replace it them with a good habit, a specific task. One little task each day. You don't need to do this on your own. Let me help you, let me inspire you each day with one little organizing tip. Just doing one thing a day makes a world of difference. Don't wait, one tip a day into your inbox will help you get organized even if you failed in the past. Start The Journey NOW! Go to http://elviesessentials.com/oneaday

Elvie Look: Your Professional Organizing Coach who is helping people get organized with her easy tips and suggestions. These systems help the busy mom, businessman or woman,  entrepreneur or student learn the keys to organizing in simple, actionable and manageable steps. She teaches how to get organized and maintain your organized space while carrying on your normal busy life. She is the author of "21 Steps From Chaos To Calm and "One-A-Day" Tips "http://elviesessentials.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elvie_Look
 

Feeling Stressed? Here Are Three Reasons Why Organization For the Home Can Reduce Stress

By Wendy Mitchell 

With the current state of the economy, odds are you are at least somewhat stressed about the current state of your job. Add in the cost of everything going up in price, and you are probably feeling stressed all the time and just need a safe and comfortable place to relax at the end of the day. If you are like the rest of us, your home may not be full of clutter and not as well organized as you would hope it could be. This clutter can actually add to your stress levels without you even knowing it. Whether it be the frustration because you can not find a specific item when you need it, or yet another late fee on one of your bills because it got lost in the pile of stuff on the counter only to be found after the due date had passed. While organizing your home may be the last thing on your list of things you want to do, here are three reasons why organizing your home can actually help reduce your stress levels, allowing you to live a healthier, stress free life.

First, you actually have time to relax. Do you actually remember the last time you were able to sit down and actually not have to think or do anything for at least a short amount of time? When your home is a disorganized mess, you never seem to get a chance to relax until its time to go to bed. Whether you are on a quest for one of your kid's lost items of clothing, or the important warranty paperwork you knew you had when something major breaks, odds are you never really get a chance to sit down and relax. When everything has its place in your home, you have time to relax and regenerate your mood so you are ready to tackle the next day's task full of energy.

Second, organization can reduce you bill paying stress. Once you are organized you will know exactly what bills are due and when. This reduces your fears that your credit score will suffer due to another late payment or more fees because you were not able to get your payment in on time. When your bills are organized, it is impossible for anything to slip through the cracks and this organization actually puts you in control of your finances. Since money is the most common stressor in everyone's life, organizing your finances really can help reduce your stress levels because it puts you in control, which eliminates the stress that can be caused by the fear of the unknown.

Lastly, you will actually save money. When your home is organized, you know everything that is in it and can create a list of only the things you need to buy. Odds are at least once in the recent future you have purchased an item at the grocery store that you thought you were out of and needed, only to get home and find out that you actually had three in the closet. You most likely did not know you had those items already on hand because they were put away in a different location that you did not think to check before you left the house. When your home is organized, everything has its place and you will always know what you have and what you need. This eliminates the purchasing of duplicates which can actually end up saving you tons of money in the long run.

For More On Organization For The Home and How It Could Reduce Your Stress CLICK HERE!

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Cleaning Clutter in the Garage So it Can Be Used As it Was Intended

By Wendy Mitchell 

If you are having a hard time remembering the last time you were actually able to park your car in the garage you may have come to the realization that you need to implement some form of organization for the home. Whether your garage has become the dumping ground for useless junk or your husband just has too many tools and toys that he just can not live without, there are some key tips that can help you organize your garage so it can be used for what it was intended.

Do an analysis of the clutter. Before you even think about purchasing any items to help store all the stuff in your garage, you will need to determine what needs to be kept and what has to go. In reality this should be a family affair since the pile that has formed in the garage was not created by one person alone. Take a weekend and start going through everything and determine what will be kept, tossed or donated. Once that is done you will have a better idea of what you need to make a home for.

Assess your storage needed. Now that you have purged everything that your family no longer needs, you now need to make an assessment of the best way to store all the remaining stuff. Depending on the type of stuff you need to store you may either need to purchase cabinets for all your husband's tools, or maybe plastic containers for other stuff. Either way you should determine what your storage needs are before you go to the store. Going in with a game plan will help you purchase only what you need and not waste money on stuff that you do not.

Do not let the family return to old habits. Since you have spent a fair amount of time organizing your garage so you can actually park your car in it again, you will want to make sure it stays organized. While old habits can be hard to break, you will want to make sure your family does not fall into the old routine of using the garage as a dumping ground. If something new needs to be added, make an assessment of the best way to store it and make sure you take care of it as soon as you can. This eliminates the chance of an organized space turning into a disorganized mess.

These are just a few of the key tips that can help you transform your garage from major clutter, to organized success. Make sure to be honest with yourself and only keep what you need and you will be back to using your garage as it was intended.

Get Started Today Cleaning Clutter Around Your House With These Simple Tips at ORGANIZATION-FOR-THE-HOME

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wendy_Mitchell
 

Easy Organization Steps to Cleaning Clutter in Your Basement

By Wendy Mitchell 

If you have plans on utilizing your basement for more than just the dumping ground for all the stuff that you could not seem to find a home for, then you are probably contemplating organizing your basement. Whether you are looking to finish part of it for family use, or just need to bring some order to your basement, odds are you are considering some form of organization for the home. While organizing the ever growing pile of stuff in your basement may seem like a daunting task, there are three key tips that can help you make sure everything has its place.

First, take the time to sort through what you need to organize. Since your basement has become the dumping ground for a variety of items, you will need to make a thorough analysis of what you need to keep and what you can do without. Like any process that requires the possibility of throwing things away, you need to be honest with yourself with the stuff you plan to keep. Is it something that you may possibly use in the next few months or does it hold some sort of sentimental value to a member of your family. Once you know specifically what items you need to find storage for, organizing those items in the proper location becomes so much easier.

Second, analyze your storage needs. Now that you know what you need to store, you need to determine the best way to store them. If you have a lot of small items that need to be found quickly than clear plastic containers may be your best bet, or maybe free standing cabinets will work better for you. Either way you need to have some type of idea as to what type of storage will work best for you before you visit your local home improvement store. With so many different options, you want to make sure you have an idea in mind, otherwise you can end up spending hundreds on tools that you may never need or may not have the room for in your home.

Lastly, keep on top of it. Since you have more than likely spent at least a few weekends organizing your basement, odds are you would like to keep it that way. Whenever you have something new that needs to be stored in the basement, make a quick analysis of the best way to store it and go out and purchase the right organization tool that can handle it. If you are vigilant about your storage needs your basement will always stay neat and organized no matter what you need to store in it.

Get Started Today With Great Tips On Tackling Cleaning Clutter In Your Home at Organization for the Home

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wendy_Mitchell
 

Simple Steps to Cleaning Clutter on Your Kitchen Table So That a Family Dinner is Possible

By Wendy Mitchell 

If you are like me then odds are the majority of the clutter in your home resides on your kitchen table. While this is most commonly the place were you may enjoy meals with the family, it may also be the dumping location for mail and anything else that may not have a set place in your home. Here are some key tips that can help you keep your kitchen table clutter free so it can be used for only the tasks as it was intended.

First, designate a specific area in your home for mail. Unless you are someone who sorts through the mail as soon as it comes in the door, you will need to have a set area for the mail to be dropped at. Whether it is an organization box that hangs on the wall in your kitchen or a basket near the door, you need to have one place for all the mail to go. Just remember that it will need to be sorted through on a daily basis so bill can be placed in their designated area and junk mail can be filed accordingly so as to prevent clutter from occurring in other areas of your home.

Second, find a home for the unknowns. Odds are you have at least one or two items sitting on your table that have no home of their own. Items with no home are the second largest cause of clutter because these items tend to sit in one area for an extended period of time because we do not know what to do with them. Take the time to find a home for the item in question so it is gone from the table. Every item that has a home is one less item that can cause clutter on your table.

Lastly, start recycling. More than likely the last thing that still resides on your kitchen table is all the newspapers that you either purchased or have delivered to you on a daily or weekly basis. Newspapers are the most common form of clutter because the pile seems to grow nearly overnight and finding a place to put them usually ends up forming more clutter just in a different location. Start recycling your newspapers and any other paper goods that your home uses. This way you can designate a specific are in your home for papers only and once a week the pile will be taken care of. You can either drop them at the curb for garbage pickup or drop them of at your nearest recycling center. Either way you have a plan for the newspapers which eliminates another cause of clutter in your home.

Cleaning Clutter From Your Home Is The Key To Living A Stress Free Life. Get Started Today ORGANIZATION FOR THE HOME

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wendy_Mitchell

An Organized Office is a Productive Office

By: Corrie Petersen

Have you ever had a day where you took one look at your office and walked right back out? Maybe your office is so bad that you’ve moved it to the family room. Either way, this is not good. The whole purpose of an office is so you have a place to work that is quite and one that you can call your own.

Did you know that studies show people who have clean offices work better and feel better? If you think about it, it’s true. When your office is organized and clean you will work more efficiently and you will feel less stress.

There are a number of things you can do to your office to make it more organized and work more efficiently for you. Of course all of this depends on the space and equipment you have in your office. Some of these things may work for you and some may not. Use what works for you and make sense to you.

File folders work really well for things that are the same or if you have a lot of paper for one person. If you have a drawer in your desk, you can use this, but if you have more files than what will fit in there, you will want to get a two or four drawer cabinet. If this is the case, put the files you use the most in the drawer of your desk and put the rest in your file cabinet.

On your desk, you will want only the things you are working on that day or week. If you have more, you will feel cluttered and you won’t have room to work. One thing that you can use that will keep your desk clear is a desktop file folder sorter. You can use this for paper as well as folders. It comes in very handy because they don’t take up a lot of room, but they store a lot of paper.

You should also get a desktop supply organizer. Depending on the size, they will hold paper clips, pens, pencils, scissors, and a small sticky note pad. Some may even have enough room to hold your tape dispenser, a stapler, and a note pad. Decide which one will work for your needs and space before you make the purchase. You may find it’s easier to have these things tucked away in a drawer rather than your desk.

Personal effects are always nice to have, but you don’t want too many. You should consider hanging pictures on the wall instead of your desk. This will save space, but will still allow you the comfort of having them with you.

An organized office is a productive office and that’s what business is all about. When you are productive you feel great about what you do. An organized office will have a helping hand in this situation. When you follow these tips, you will have an organized office and one that you will want to work in on a daily basis.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant business. She enjoys helping others reach their goals and dreams. Check out her website at www.virtualfreedom4you.com.

4 Tips for Organizing Your Home so You Can Work More Efficiently

By: Corrie Petersen

When you work more efficiently you get more done in a day and you won’t stress about things. One of the best ways to make that happen is to organize your home. There are a number of ways to make this work, but it’s important you get it done so you work your business efficiently and effectively.

Here are a few suggestions for you to consider putting into action in your own home.

1. Clean your home from top to bottom making sure everything has a home and that it makes sense where you put it. Don’t put your toilet paper in the kitchen or your towels in the bedroom. It’s important to put things in your home close to the place you’ll use them at the most.

2. Create chore lists for the family. When they know what needs to be done they won’t bother you with questions about what needs to be done. One thing to consider is creating a list for each room of the home and taping it in a place where each person can see it easily. A cabinet or wall is a thought.

3. Take one day a week and clean your home thoroughly. Then do a quick pick up each day so it doesn’t take a lot of time to clean on that day you choose. Involve the entire family so you’re not the only one cleaning the house.

4. When you work a home business it’s important to have your own space. While that space is important you need to keep it organized and personal home items free. Don’t store the kids’ toys in your office, but at the same time it’s important to keep your business items in your office and not in another part of the house.

An organized home makes for an efficient family. It’s like a well oiled piece of machinery, it works smoothly and efficiently and the same goes for your home. When it’s organized and in order you won’t have problems knowing what to do and how to do it. You won’t have to worry or stress when you spend all day cleaning only to find out you forgot something.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant business and she's the owner of WAHM-Articles.com. She is married and has two teenagers. She loves spending time with her family. Catch up with everything she has going on when you click here to read her mommy blog.