03
May

Top Ten Excuses That Stop You from Becoming Organized (cont)

….continued

4. There is just too much to deal with. 

This thought process will keep us from reaching goals when we continue to think that we have to do it all by ourselves.  Be willing to ask for help from a family member, friend or neighbor makes us weak.  Really, why can’t we do this by ourselves?  In reality, not asking for help allows us to keep our mind weak and stuck in the same rut.  Make up your mind to be realistic.  Release the stress and ask for help.

 
5. I’m very sentimental. I cannot get rid of anything.

Perhaps you are finding that you are having a hard time parting with belongings. Going through personal memories and belongings and making decisions to eliminate some of them can be difficult.  This is probably what has lead to the piles of clutter that you are now experiencing.  The clutter adds stress which is why it is important to make the decision to donate, give-away or toss items.  Begin by determining what items are the most important to you and let go of the rest.  To keep memories alive, try taking a picture of them and starting a scrapbook
6. Someday I will get to it.

This is what I hear the most. The main reason that we don’t get “round to it” is because we just don’t know where to start.  A Professional Organizer can help you get the process “started” so that you can move forward.  An Organizer will also help you determine why you keep so much and will be able to put together a Plan of Action that you can work on by yourself. 
7. I can’t deal with all of this paper.

Dealing with paper is a huge cause of stress for families.  Having a filing system set up that you can utilize on a daily basis is important.  It is also important that everyone in your family or office can use the system.  One thing that most of my clients have found helpful is to have a portable file box and some of these basic files set up in it:  Hot Action (items that need attention immediately), Warm Action (items that need attention within the next week), To File, To Read, To Do.  The other recommendation that works well is to keep a shredder and a trash can close by where you open the mail.  Take just a few minutes to handle your paper every night and watch the results.

Tune in next week for more Top Ten Organizing Excuses and How To Avoid Them…