Organizing for Women

Organizing for Women

As a Professional Organizer, I find that one of the biggest organizational challenges facing women today is “letting go”. This goes for several areas of our lives. Whether it’s dozens of 10 year old magazines, old Christmas cards, clothes you can’t fit into (and are out of style anyway) or just things that “I might need later” we have a hard time letting go. This makes it very difficult for us to be confident (or even comfortable) in our own homes.

In America we have a terrible tendency to connect TRUE peace, our true joy and confidence with our things. All your stuff can be taken away in a day by a flood or a bad economy. Your TRUE peace, joy and confidence come from knowing your purpose, and can’t be taken away.

Why is it important in today’s society to be organized in your everyday life? Because we make daily decisions that impact the rest of our lives, and the lives of those we love. When we are scattered in our homes, scattered in our thoughts we make poor choices. Sometimes we aren’t even paying attention when we make a choice! Sure, science may call it cause and effect but quite frankly it is sowing and reaping and has been the law of the land since the beginning of time. It IS all about getting what you plant, more of what you plant, and getting it later than when you planted it.

When you choose to put your car keys in a different spot each time, you CHOOSE to get frustrated later. When you choose to put bills down “wherever” you have made a decision to pay late fees later: Aggravation, frustration, self doubt, incompetence… same, more, later.

It works the same for us as it does for little Susie or Johnny sitting in front of the television for hours at a time. Just like with the above, it may seem okay in the moment, but you will reap the harvest of self doubt, self pity and depression LATER. The sole purpose of television commercials (don’t even get me started on the programming!) is to make you feel bad about yourself until you buy what they are selling. The seeds of “you are not good enough” with these unrealistic expectations take root deep within. And the harvest is… the most prescriptions for antidepressants in this Country, mostly for women.

My motto is purposeful placement – of everything from my car keys to my mail to my papers to my thoughts and even to my family. And it should be the mantra of every women because as women we are responsible (whether we do it on purpose of not) of raising the next generation. This is our PURPOSE. Being more purposeful means thinking before we put something down, thinking about what we say, do and watch on television. It even means being more thoughtful in what we think about! Yes, purposeful placement, of everything!

So my top organizational tips for women would be these:

1. Get some help. If you have children in your home that don’t have set chores you are doing them a disservice. You are taking away their confidence by not giving them their purpose in the family. And on a side note, it raises spoiled brats.

2. Use a planner. These are the best tools to aid in confidence, because you won’t miss appointments or deadlines! And even better is that you get to look back - and look ahead - to see where you are spending your time! Is your time reflective of what you say is important to you?

3. Have a home for everything in your home (or office) – whether you are mother of a 16 year old, the President of a company, or both, you don’t want to come off like you don’t know what is going on. Anything scattered is worth very little. Even a million dollars thrown in the wind doesn’t equal much! All papers are best suited to be filed. Keep keys in same spot every time. Have a system in place for mail and keep only what you need. If you haven’t used (or worn) it in the last year, chances are you won’t. And there are others who may never be able to have if you don’t donate.

4. However, the biggest key to organizing your home or your family is this knowledge: You have a purpose because you were created by a very purposeful Designer. You are not important by how much temporary stuff you have. As a Christian Professional Organizer I know of what I speak, I have lived it both ways. By understanding that my purpose is to glorify God by serving you I don’t fall prey to the targeted marketing that tells me I am of little value after a certain age. And neither should you!