One thing that helps many people to get organized is a routine. At first, you might find it boring and hard to incorporate into your day. But with a little practice, this habit can make your life a little bit easier.
Here are seven habits that might help you to start.
Waking up routine
Whatever system you use to wake yourself up is not going to work if you have a negative attitude about waking up. You have to change the way you think and feel in the morning. Saying, “I’m just not a morning person,” is not very helpful or motivational.
Make your bed
Kick the sheet and blanket and open a window to air your bed and bedroom. After a few minutes, make your bed. While making your bed, water can be boiled for your coffee or any other beverage you drink. Splash your face with cold water, a sure recipe for waking up.
Laundry rules
Not many people enjoy washing clothes. Because it requires so many steps from start to finish, some of us tend to avoid this chore. Choose a day and time to start the laundry. Also, you can put clothes in the washer before you go to bed. Wake up a little bit early to dry, fold and put away.
Grocery shopping
Form a habit to plan your meals for a week. Always double the recipe so you don’t have to cook every day. Spaghetti and meatballs always taste better the next day. With cold weather coming, cook more soups and stews.
Preparing the vegetables for the next day’s meal is very helpful. You can chop onions, peel potatoes or slice tomatoes ahead of time. If you have children, ask them to help you.
Keep calendar close
Enter the dates and times of any appointments, yours or your family’s. Make sure this is accessible for everyone to see and add to it. Display a weekly or monthly plan on a printed or whiteboard calendar. You can use different colours for each person. No matter what system you use, make sure everybody understands how it works.
Plan your next day
Take a moment to check your planner. This is the time to find out what items are needed for the morning. If you have children, ask them to choose their clothes for the next day.
The more preparation you do the night before, the smoother your mornings will be. Put anything you don’t want to forget near the front door, ready to go.
Before going to bed
Take a quick look around your living and eating areas. Is everything where it should be? Empty trash containers, wash and dry the dishes, wipe down all surfaces and transport anything out of place to its home.
If your home is clutter-free, it will take no longer than 10 minutes to tidy up. It’s easier to get organized if your home is downsized.
Life coach Ranka Burzan owns a professional organizing company based in the qathet region and has written several books on reducing clutter and becoming more organized. For information, go to solutionsorganizing.com.
