Organized For Life

Questions come my way all the time regarding my God-given nature to be organized. It has been said that I stayed under the proverbial "organized spout" too long when I was being created. In fact, at one point in my career I had the unofficial title, "Minister of Organization."

However, when a person takes the time to ask me about organization I take their question seriously. If a person is asking about being more organized I know they are considering changes in their life. Changes that could give them more time to spend with their families, time to spend developing the career that they have only dreamed of, or changes that will make them enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror, changes that could be difficult and terrifying.

Below are some very practical ideas that you can apply to your life. I have spent my lifetime gathering these ideas, not only gathering but also applying them successfully in my own life.

Understand that you might not be a neat freak. As stated above, I was born organized. My parents never punished me by making me clean my room. The only way that they could have would have been for me to mess it up first and then clean it. Don't allow the pressure of someone's neatness make you feel bad about yourself. When you see their neat and clean home, office, automobile, or sock drawer remember they could be a big mess on the inside.

Begin with a list. Things often seem less overwhelming if you put them in their proper perspective. Make a list of what you'd like to organize and break it down into manageable tasks. Remember how you eat an elephant, one bite at a time.

Get your equipment in order. Well labeled boxes, drawers, family calendars, old plastic storage containers, and more can be used to store and help establish a routine in your life. Be creative. Can you use an old flowerpot to store miscellaneous pencils and pens by the phone? Can you stash old checkbooks in a labeled shoebox and store them in the closet instead of your desk drawer? There are an abundance of inexpensive organizers on the market today. If you find yourself lacking the proper equipment at home, make a list of your needs and shop around. Having the proper equipment for the job will make less work for you in the long run. Less work equals more fun!

Create a plan. Now that you have a list and all the tools needed, create a plan of action. Make a priorities list. You don't have to do it all in one weekend. Make a plan and stick to it.

Get rid of the junk. That is a blunt way of saying, "If you haven't used it in a year consider throwing it away." Keep in mind that the more things you have, the more you have to take care of. Is your closet filled with clothes that never leave the hanger? Maybe now is a good time to make a donation to your local Salvation Army or church clothing closet. Do you have a storage area packed with boxes that you haven't seen in years? If you haven't used something in over a year, you probably never will. Hold a thrift sale. Give it away. Junk it.

Make a place for everything. If you're not really sure where batteries go, how will you put them away? In the junk drawer again? Make certain that everything has a place to be stored. Lose the junk drawer and use boxes and labeled envelopes to store miscellaneous items. You'll eliminate clutter if you make space now for everything.

Use F.A.T. bins. When I help people organize their life I suggest they set up helpful bins for all the things that they deal with in a day's time. Three of the bins I suggest are: Action (a bin that should be emptied at the end of the day), File It (a bin full of items to be filed by the end of the week), and Trash (a can to be emptied as often as needed with items that are not filed in other bins).

If you apply the F.A.T system it's not necessary to spend every weekend cleaning, you will naturally take care of simple tasks regularly. Do a quick pickup everyday. Is your kitchen table or desk piled high with today's mail, current projects, and miscellaneous items? Make it a rule that the table or desk gets cleaned off every day. Take fifteen minutes somewhere in the day to just put things away. Don't make a chore of it. Fifteen minutes will give you enough time to remove clutter before it gets out of hand.

Do a little each day. Make a list of daily chores that you can do each day. Is the Laundromat packed on weekends? Why not go for an hour on Monday night instead? Do you spend more time than necessary waiting in line shopping for groceries before the weekend? Pick a different day. Stores are less busy during early weekday evenings. By doing one task a day, rather than trying to accomplish them all in one weekend, cleanup and organization isn't as painful.

Take time to relax. Since cleaning up is work, it often gets put off until it's a huge project. Do a little each day and then, stop. Rest, relax, and enjoy your clutter free home. Reward yourself when you get the job done. I have a friend that recently rewarded herself with a new car!

Know how to say, "No." You must realize that you cannot do everything, and if you allow your schedule to become too full you will not accomplish tasks at your highest potential. Being focused on what you want in your life (and your day) will help you say no to many would-be distractions.

I would be glad to become your "Organized For Life" coach. Coaching you to your potential is success in my book. Feel free to contact me at jeff@jeffearlywine.com or check out the website link below.

Footprints and Monuments is a free monthly leadership and motivational e-newsletter. No names receiving this e-newsletter are sold or distributed to any other source. You are encouraged to forward this monthly article to anyone in your address book. To un-subscribe please reply back with "Un-subscribe" in the subject field.

About The Author

Jeff Earlywine

jeff@jeffearlywine.com

whole house cleaning Highland Park ..

In The News:

Joe A. from Shelton, Connecticut, lost $228,000 to ZAP Solutions cryptocurrency investment scam after his divorce, highlighting rising online fraud.

AI-powered autonomous trucks from Waabi and Volvo target U.S. freight driver shortage with Level 4 self-driving technology and NVIDIA computing platform integration.

Survive flight disruptions with expert travel tips: Book early morning flights, download airline apps and know your refund rights during service cuts.

Apple's iOS 26.1 update delivers major security fixes, performance boosts and enhanced privacy controls for your iPhone. Discover why updating now protects your data.

Russian hackers use fake CAPTCHA tests to spread dangerous malware targeting governments and journalists. Learn how to protect yourself from these deceptive attacks.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Miami-Dade debuts America's first autonomous police SUV with AI cameras, drone deployment and real-time crime detection in groundbreaking law enforcement pilot.

Bank impostor scams cost Americans $2.9 billion as criminals use AI voices and caller ID spoofing to steal life savings. Learn nine essential fraud protection tips.

Foreign-owned apps secretly harvest personal data from seniors, making them prime targets for scams. Learn how to protect your privacy and stop data brokers today.

Sens. Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal introduce bipartisan GUARD Act to protect minors from AI chatbots through mandatory age verification and disclosure requirements.

Ghost-tapping scammers exploit wireless technology to drain accounts through small transactions, but RFID-blocking wallets and transaction alerts can protect you.

French pilot project demonstrates wireless charging roads that can deliver over 300 kilowatts of power to EVs while driving, potentially eliminating range anxiety.

YouTube's Ghost Network spreads information-stealing malware through thousands of fake videos offering cracked software, using compromised accounts and fake engagement.

Protect your privacy by disabling your smart TV microphone. Most TVs have hidden mics that listen even when voice commands are off. Learn quick steps to stop unwanted audio capture.

SessionReaper vulnerability hits Magento and Adobe Commerce stores, compromising 250+ sites in one day. Hackers steal data and hijack shopping sessions.

Master essential parental controls and digital safety tools to protect your kids online. Learn screen time limits, location settings and privacy controls every parent needs.

Cybersecurity expert shares six essential steps to protect against dark web threats, including data removal services, password managers and antivirus software.

NVIDIA GPU space mission could revolutionize cloud services by enabling orbital data centers that make apps, games and AI tools faster and more efficient.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Microsoft warns Windows 10 users face serious security risks as 90% of ransomware attacks target unsupported systems. Learn why upgrading to Windows 11 is crucial.

Nike unveils Project Amplify, revolutionary motorized shoes developed with Dephy that add powered assistance to every step for runners and walkers.

Cybersecurity experts warn about one of the largest credential compilations ever found, urging users to check "Have I Been Pwned" and change passwords immediately.

Quick iPhone and Android battery optimization techniques help your device stay powered all day by turning off hidden features that secretly drain power in the background.

Kodiak Driver autonomous truck achieves perfect 98 safety score, matching top human fleets in groundbreaking AI evaluation by Nauto's VERA system.

New 401k catch-up contribution rules in 2026 will change taxes for high earners over 50. Learn how scammers exploit these changes and protect your retirement savings.

Organized For Life

Get Organized - Organization