Organize + Energize: Stop Resisting Change & Get Organized At Work
Kristin MacRae, GoLocalProv Organizing Expert
Organize + Energize: Stop Resisting Change & Get Organized At Work
It’s not that scary.
What is the worst thing that could happen to you if you got organized? Let’s see, you aren’t going to die and the process is quite painless. Do you panic when you get taken out of your comfort zone? Are you happy doing the same thing, the same way that you’ve been doing it for the past 20 years? If you are disorganized, are you happy and see no reason to change? It may be difficult for you to see the benefits until you actually make changes and live it.
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Jot down all of the reasons why you don’t want to change. What do they look like on paper? What is holding you back from getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new? What if I told you that you’d have more free time, less stress, and you’d be more efficient and productive and your co-workers and superiors would have more confidence in you? When you are organized, you will open up yourself to opportunities that you never imagined. Imagine having extra hours in your day. Executives waste six weeks per year searching for lost documents. What could you do with an extra six weeks?
The fear of the unknown.
Maybe you want to change but you just can’t wrap your head around the process of getting organized. You can’t imagine what it would be like to take everything out of your filing drawers and empty your entire desk and then change the way you function. The thought of it is so overwhelming and stressful that you’d just rather continue working the way you have because it’s just easier that way
What if your job could become easier once you got organized? Wouldn’t you say, sign me up, I’m in? Unless you like tackling a task in six steps versus two, then by all means continue with how you function.
Is your disorganization hindering you from moving forward onto greater opportunities in your office? You won’t believe how freeing it will be to get organized. The possibilities are endless once you clear the clutter, get organized and streamline processes and procedures.
There is a quote by David Tolin, PhD, “You are only as good as the system you are working with.” How are your systems working for you? Do you have efficient processes and systems in place? Maybe it’s time for a change. Get out of your comfort zone, be open to change and live on the organized side.
10 Minute Organizing Projects
Spices
As you take all of the spices out of the cabinet, check for expiration dates and smell for potency. Categorize and itemize your spices to how you utilize them. Contain them in a spice rack that fits the space where they are kept. Don’t purchase a spice rack until you are finished organizing. You want to measure the space and make sure the rack fits and holds all of your spices. There are a variety of spice racks out there. Choose the one that best suits what you need it to hold.
Makeup
How many items do you touch in the morning to find what you need? You want to be as efficient as possible in the morning and having your makeup organized will be a big time saver. Do you have difficulty deciding what to keep or toss? When is it time to throw away makeup? Aline Sarkis, a Providence, RI-based makeup artist, states lipstick can be used for 2 years or until it starts to smell like a crayon. Mascara is good for 2-3 months. Eye shadow is good for 2 years and foundation is good for 1-2 years. Aline also states that some makeup and skincare will be marked with an expiration date of 6-12 months. Begin counting once you start using the product
Women: Purse
Depending on the size of your purse, and what you keep in your purse, this may take you a little longer than 10 minutes. Empty the entire contents of the purse on a table. Declutter, categorize, and itemize the contents. Break this process down and take it one category at a time. Develop a system going forward so the inside of your purse doesn’t look like a cyclone hit it. Contain receipts, gift cards, money, and makeup.
Men: Wallet
It’s time to empty all of the receipts out of your wallet. Do you also store receipts and random items in your car? While you are tackling this project, head over to your vehicle and declutter the center console and glove compartment.
Underwear drawer
If you aren’t using drawer organizers, you should start now. They are very inexpensive and will maximize the space in the drawer. How many of you wear the same item over and over again? With drawer organizers in place, you will be able to see everything you own and can categorize and itemize. Nothing will ever get pushed to the bottom of the drawer again.
Under the bathroom sink
If you haven’t taken everything out of this area in awhile, you may find some scary items under the sink. Empty the contents, itemize, and categorize. Throw away anything that you can’t recognize. Contain items in containers that fit the space like a puzzle. Once again, utilizing containers will maximize the space and allow you to store more items. Develop a simple system where you can locate items and locate them quickly.
Pets
Ninety percent of my clients have a pet. It’s time to organize their belongings. Medicine, leashes, bandanas, clothes, dishes, food, etc. Take this time to also organize any paper work related to your pet. Set up a filing system for your pet. Keep their medical records, rabies and vaccination information categorized in these files.
Junk drawer
Nobody says you can’t have a junk drawer. Junk drawers can be organized. You just have to think about if you need everything in this drawer and if there is a better place to store the items. Remember, store like items together. If you have tools in the junk drawer, maybe you should keep them with the tools in the basement.
Office supply drawer
So many people have office supply drawers that are out of control. Money is wasted on purchasing duplicate office supplies. It’s very difficult to figure out what you need to purchase if items are scattered all over the office and are disorganized.
Top of your office desk
If you can’t see the top of your desk, take this time to focus on this area and categorize and itemize what is there. Do you have a working filing system in place? If so, once your desk is cleared, make a habit of filing once a day or a couple of times a week. If your system isn’t working for you, it may be time for you to re-evaluate your system and make it work for the way you function.
