Some short and sweet suggestions for mini habits we can follow to keep our stuff manageable.
1. When you come home for the day, hang your keys on a hook near the door you always use. Do it before you set anything else down.
2. Put your purse/pocketbook on the doorknob of the door you always use.
3. Take off your shoes when you enter the house and keep them near the door you always use. If you have little ones at home, give them a basket, basin or other container for corralling their shoes. You might save yourself some indoor cleanup by waiting until the mud dries on their shoes, then shaking the shoes outside to replenish the dirt in your garden. This would make a nice evening chore for children, too.
4. Empty your dishwasher ASAP so new, dirty dishes can vacate your nice, clean countertops.
5. Make your bed before you leave your bedroom in the morning. I bet you’ll do it in a hurry. (Thanks to Casserine for this tip)
6. If you need to take something with you when you leave home, set your keys on the item as a reminder.
7. Before you hit the pillow at night, review your plans for the next day:
Need gym clothes?
Need a healthy snack for your evening meeting after work?
How about taking a book to read between meetings or carpooling in the afternoon?
Yep, you can put most items with your car keys to remind yourself to take them along.
8. On Sunday night, or another night of the week, pull out your calendar and review your coming week. Maybe you need to plan for:
Special meals. How about doubling a recipe for a friend or your freezer?
Extra snacks you will want to bring along for yourself or your family when you have lots of after work or after school activities.
Cards to send this week (and postage).
Gifts to buy for upcoming events (and wrapping paper/ribbon).
Note: Some people plan their “week ahead” on Wednesday. They feel it gives them a real jump start on their week.
9. If you’re attacking a major mess in your home, spend 5-15 minutes a day on it rather than saving up an hour or two to devote to that spot during the week. It’s possible that you’ll really have 5 minutes a day and your mini successes will energize you to keep on keepin’ on.
Question for group members living around Richmond: At the end of our online group coaching series, would you be interested in having a one-time get together to “show and tell” some organizing systems we’ve found helpful—especially for paper organization and perhaps other areas? I think this would occur in late June. Let Karen and Georgia know what you are interested in.
1. When you come home for the day, hang your keys on a hook near the door you always use. Do it before you set anything else down.
2. Put your purse/pocketbook on the doorknob of the door you always use.
3. Take off your shoes when you enter the house and keep them near the door you always use. If you have little ones at home, give them a basket, basin or other container for corralling their shoes. You might save yourself some indoor cleanup by waiting until the mud dries on their shoes, then shaking the shoes outside to replenish the dirt in your garden. This would make a nice evening chore for children, too.
4. Empty your dishwasher ASAP so new, dirty dishes can vacate your nice, clean countertops.
5. Make your bed before you leave your bedroom in the morning. I bet you’ll do it in a hurry. (Thanks to Casserine for this tip)
6. If you need to take something with you when you leave home, set your keys on the item as a reminder.
7. Before you hit the pillow at night, review your plans for the next day:
Need gym clothes?
Need a healthy snack for your evening meeting after work?
How about taking a book to read between meetings or carpooling in the afternoon?
Yep, you can put most items with your car keys to remind yourself to take them along.
8. On Sunday night, or another night of the week, pull out your calendar and review your coming week. Maybe you need to plan for:
Special meals. How about doubling a recipe for a friend or your freezer?
Extra snacks you will want to bring along for yourself or your family when you have lots of after work or after school activities.
Cards to send this week (and postage).
Gifts to buy for upcoming events (and wrapping paper/ribbon).
Note: Some people plan their “week ahead” on Wednesday. They feel it gives them a real jump start on their week.
9. If you’re attacking a major mess in your home, spend 5-15 minutes a day on it rather than saving up an hour or two to devote to that spot during the week. It’s possible that you’ll really have 5 minutes a day and your mini successes will energize you to keep on keepin’ on.
Question for group members living around Richmond: At the end of our online group coaching series, would you be interested in having a one-time get together to “show and tell” some organizing systems we’ve found helpful—especially for paper organization and perhaps other areas? I think this would occur in late June. Let Karen and Georgia know what you are interested in.
