There are many layers and details to the organizing process. It's not all about purging or organizing. Many steps can easily stop you in your tracks from moving to complete your organizing project. These nine steps will bring you back into focus and take you forward to finish the incomplete organizing projects. Are you ready to finish that project you stopped putting off? Try these steps and watch how they will give you the strength to finish. Let's begin.
How to complete your incomplete organizing projects
Eliminate or reduce your distractions.
Turn off the TV, your smartphone, and your computer. Stay focused on only working with one item at a time. If you feel the need to have some noise while doing your organizing project, try classical music (Beethoven), Jazz, or any music with no words instead
. This tip helps minimize your distractions and helps increase your focus.
Remember less stuff equals less organizing.
When working through your stuff, if you feel you are keeping too much stuff, remind yourself less stuff will give you the freedom you so desire. After all, why are you organizing if you don't want more freedom from your stuff?
Use time wisely and only work at the assigned time.
Add appointments to your calendar that states exactly what you want to purge or organize in the process for that particular length of time. By being accurate with the tasks you want to accomplish, it will allow you to stay on target. If the work takes several days, split the tasks up into several 1-2 hour time slots. Detail what you need to do for each appointment. Use an alarm on your calendar to make sure you do not forget what needs to be done and stop when your time is up. Going over on time will just get you feel exhausted and more likely to get overwhelmed. Pace yourself, and you will reduce stress and get rid of the clutter.
Have a person stay with you while you organize.
Hire a Professional Organizer in your area, ask a friend or family member to spend time with you while going through the process. Make sure it is a person who has decluttered before. You don't want someone who doesn't often declutter because they may guilt you into keeping stuff that you don't want or need. Just the fact a person is there with you, you will make your time more productive because you don't want to feel like you are wasting their time as well.
If you get discouraged or doubt you can do it, know that it is OK.
We all get discouraged. If you get overwhelmed, take a step back and revisit the process you already completed. Take a deep breath and keep moving forward in the process. Write down what you are struggling with and then move on to something else.
Keep track of the transformation of the space.
Take before photos of the space. Don't look at them. Just take them. After each session of work, take another picture. Then, look at the before picture, then the after picture. Examine how it makes you feel. Do you love what you did? Is there any regret? Are there any words that come up through the process? Write it down. The next time you work on the space, take another before picture and then an after picture. Do this process every time you finish organizing to give you the motivation to move forward the next time.
Don't buy new organizing supplies.
Organizing supplies should only be purchased if you don't have an item to use for your organizing project. Look first around your home and see if other items can be used into this area. Spending money that you don't have may stop you from finishing the project so take this thought off the table.
Get out of your head.
We tend to have memories of all the items in our home, especially the items from trips, life events, and childhood. The key with these items to determine the cause of the attachment. Is it that you love the piece? Does the article represent something you lost or value? Does it bring back memories of sadness? Does it bring back memories of happiness? All these memories will stop you from letting go of an item. So, instead determine what you want to do if you feel like you are thinking too much about a particular item and can't get rid of it. You can take a picture of the object. You can decide I don't want to remember this and let the item go. You can also keep the item and repurpose it for use in another area. But the key is to use the item not just move it from one area to the other.
Regular and consistent work to accomplish the task.
When we don't work on a project for a while, we tend to forget the reason we are doing the organizing project. So, to keep us focused and not distracted, doing the project consistently will keep you from stalling.
These steps can be used to combat the procrastination that happens when you get frustrated or overwhelmed in an organizing project. Not all the steps have to be used at once. You can pick and choose the order you try. There's no particular order required. Whichever order of these steps you wish to use is your prerogative.
As a result of taking these steps, you will have transformed your space from a disorganized space to an organized well-functioning space. Let's continue the conversation. When you get frustrated in an organizing process, what do you do to get yourself back on track?
I wish I thought of taking before and after pictures. The kids are grown and gone and we are cleaning out their old bedrooms. We've made a lot of progress but there is so much more to do. I have to keep reminding my husband how much we've done. This is great advice. Thanks !
Take pictures any part of the process is great! I like to take a before image right before I start every project and then take an after picture when I leave the room. I have also forgotten to do this and kick myself that I didn't take a before picture. I have to tell myself that's OK. No doubt, you did a phenomenal job! Keep it up! Thanks for commenting.
I'm all about the before and after photos! It's so easy to forget how things were before you started a project. Also, I suggest a #10, or maybe #9b: Re-evaluate whether or not you even want to finish the project. There are any number of reasons why it might have stalled out. These are awesome tips for getting it finished.....but you don't have to finish it. You can ditch it, or change it, or delegate it.
Great point, Hazel. Even "letting go of the to-do project" is a decision. =)
Best comment was to take pictures of the items that are sentimental especially kids artwork, now grand kids and all cards from them that I saved. I can put the pictures on computer discs and look at them anytime and remember the feelings without boxes of cards and artwork.
I love this list.. every item on it is so helpful! I really like the idea of having be with you. That "body doubling" idea really helps you stay focused. Plus, that other person may encourage you to open a box you would have avoided on your own and deal with something you might otherwise avoid.
Great tips! I particularly like the one about not working with someone who has never decluttered... It's so easy to think of reasons to keep an item. Working with an unbiased professional makes the decluttering process easier as they will not guilt you into keeping something.