Having an organized life is about having more time for yourself which enables you to live a more balanced life. In a recent study people who described their homes as cluttered were more fatigued, depressed, and had higher levels of cortisol than those who felt their environment was peaceful.
Clutter creates stress for the brain and as a result it can affect your ability to focus. Being organized helps you to make better choices with healthy eating, exercise and it naturally improves a more restful sleep. Here are tips to organize your life:
Organize Your Home - Start small, one room at a time. Begin with clutter by going through items in a room and toss or donate things that are not being used or things that you don't love. Throw out expired food, donate cloths that haven't been worn in a year, dispose of expired medication and half-empty toiletries. Go through drawers and closets and neatly place like objects together. Put hooks and shelves on the wall and make use of storage baskets.
Organize Your Finances -Set up scheduled payments with bill pay through your bank so the payment will automatically be sent each month. If you are not comfortable with the auto payment process place bills to be paid in a tray and record the dates on your calendar or phone. Use a labeling machine to easily identify items and place important papers such as homeowners insurance, appliance warranties etc. in a binder or labeled file.
Organize Your Letters and Email - Set aside a few minutes a day to clear out your email inbox and reply to emails. Delete all emails after responding or completing a task. Daily sort the mail, discard junk mail and place bills and coupons in a tray.
Use a Planner - A planner is essential to getting your thoughts together. Record important dates such as birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, travel and outings with friends and family.
Organize Your Personal Life - Schedule time for working out, meditating or praying, hair appointments and social outings. Keeping yourself busy with "me time" is one of the best ways to improved mental and physical health. Sometimes we forget to call an old friend and set up a get together time but if you are weekly planning social outings and writing it on your planner it will become a habit that will reap a multitude of positive reward.
Use a To-Do List - Write down all the things that you want to accomplish each day and cross off each item once it has been completed. Prioritize your list with the most important tasks at the top of the list. Up date the list daily so that you wake up each morning with an action plan in mind. People who have short-terms goals and plans that record their progress are more likely to stick with achieving their objectives.
Spend Ten Minutes A Day - By spending just a few minutes each day staying on top of your organization, picking up, tidying up, and most important, PUTTING IT AWAY, you will be able to keep it that way!
Set Up a Rotation System - Each time you buy new items remove and donate like items. Have a box where you can place items to be donated in, easy to toss and remove. If you are buying clothing remove the same if not more items to the donation box. If you are buying kitchen items, home decor, books, pretty much anything, remove and donate the same number of items. This simple task will keep you organized and clutter free.
Consult Atlanta's most trusted source for quality Home Care assistance, Easy Living Services. We have supported Atlanta families in their efforts to keep loved ones fulfilled and safe at home since 1994. Need help getting organized and clutter free? We have staff that can help you sort, remove and organize your space. Call us at 770-442-8664