Who the Hell Are You to Tell Me How to Organize?
I'm no one. I'm not a professional organizer, though I've toyed with the idea. I've never organized anyone famous, written a book about organizing, nor stared on a TV series about house cleaning. I'm just someone who really likes to clean and organize. My life and work are very organized. I once read a statistic that the average person spends 4 years of his life looking for misplaced things. I'm sure that, like most statistics, is a total fabrication, but even if it's 1/10th correct, it's scary. I spend almost no time looking for things, despite living in a postage stamp sized apartment with no garage or basement and little storage. My morning routine goes smoothly, I can find everything I need to get ready, my socks match and my clothes are clean and wrinkle-free. My keys are always in the same spot and my bag is ready with everything I need. My checkbook is balanced and my bills are paid on time. I don't stress at tax time about finding needed documents. I've organized for friends and bosses, I've organized every office I've worked in. The response has always been great, and productivity only goes up. Those are my only qualifications.
Why should I get organized?
So your life is easier and better, so you aren't embarrassed when people come over, so you don't waste money buying stuff you already own and can't find. Organizing just makes everything run more efficiently.
Why isn't everyone already organized, then?
Some people have tried and failed, because they've tried a "one size fits all" approach, such as "touch each item only once" or "throw out everything you haven't used in a year" Those approaches might work for some people, but not it will leave others frustrated and ready to give up. Some people start organizing with a quick burst of energy, they try to attack every problem area at once and run out of energy, or spending a fortune on containers and systems that don't work for them, leaving them bitter against organization in general. Some people think they just don't have the "talent" to get organized. Some think they don't have the time, not considering how much time being disorganized costs them. Some people see their disorder as a badge of honor. Others are still resisting their parents telling them to clean their room. Creative-types think being organized will stifle their creativity. Perfectionist-types create elaborate systems they can never maintain, or tell themselves since it'll never be perfect, they may as well not do it.
But each of these problems have solutions. You CAN get organized and make your life easier and more stress-free.
Why should I get organized?
So your life is easier and better, so you aren't embarrassed when people come over, so you don't waste money buying stuff you already own and can't find. Organizing just makes everything run more efficiently.
Why isn't everyone already organized, then?
Some people have tried and failed, because they've tried a "one size fits all" approach, such as "touch each item only once" or "throw out everything you haven't used in a year" Those approaches might work for some people, but not it will leave others frustrated and ready to give up. Some people start organizing with a quick burst of energy, they try to attack every problem area at once and run out of energy, or spending a fortune on containers and systems that don't work for them, leaving them bitter against organization in general. Some people think they just don't have the "talent" to get organized. Some think they don't have the time, not considering how much time being disorganized costs them. Some people see their disorder as a badge of honor. Others are still resisting their parents telling them to clean their room. Creative-types think being organized will stifle their creativity. Perfectionist-types create elaborate systems they can never maintain, or tell themselves since it'll never be perfect, they may as well not do it.
But each of these problems have solutions. You CAN get organized and make your life easier and more stress-free.