September to me is like starting a new year almost more so than January. I think with the kids starting back to school tomorrow and the routines commencing again, its like a fresh start. Why not start off the “year” with an organizing goal. Its a great time to get organized. Sandra over at A Diary of a SAHM is doing it and even better she is starting with baby steps. Her first goal….her wallet and then her purse. What a great place to start!! Susan over at By Grace is also doing it and she is doing it in 15 minute time slots. Awesome!
The secret to organizing success is feeling and experiencing the organizing euphoria that you get when you accomplish an area that has been cluttering your physical and mental space.
Pure and simple. It is a great feeling! Start with a small task and work up. Take pride in your accomplishments and the feeling that comes with being organized. You can do it!
I love that Sandra is starting with her wallet. I really do. We all have one…we all use it regularly…they usually aren’t that big and it shouldn’t take too much time to organize. A cluttered wallet can lead to frustration when you need to find something and can’t….we then drag ourselves down with negative talk. “I know I had it here somewhere…..I just had it…..darn what could I have done with it”. You then mentally trace your steps back….over and over again. Who needs it? Who has the time? Instead take that wallet of yours and dump the contents out. Right now, I dare you. Dump it on the floor, bed, wherever you are and start sorting. Put all your receipts together. Put all the coins together, bills, credit cards, debit cards, coupons, business cards, scraps….gosh knows whatever else you might have in there. Sort it out and put back only the bare necessities….do away with everything else. Dump some of that spare change that has been weighing you down into a piggy bank. File or turf old receipts, put all your coupons together in one section. Now slowly close that wallet up….yep its actually gonna close this time. There, doesn’t that feel good….are you feeling the bliss yet? You will the next time you go to the store and you are able to find exactly what you need when you need it. Move onto your purse. A bigger job, a little more time but believe me the high only gets better with each task. The bigger the task the bigger the high…..and you want to know another secret….its contagious. Suddenly you find yourself looking for more tasks just so you can feel that high again…..oh ya it’s good….experience it for yourself and tell me all about it!
Are you addicted yet?
Annie says
So are you saying I should take out the appointment cards from the OBGYN I went to when I was pregnant 4 years ago??? Hmmmm…that just might be an idea…okay I just haven’t been able to part with them…I guess I’ll put them in her baby book or something!!
org junkie says
I thought I might get some crazy “what’s in your wallet” stories but I think that one might take the cake Annie! Well that and Sandra’s bowling scores..lol! So yes out they must go….I’m so proud of you. Laura
Susan says
Thanks for the mention! I know I need to get into my wallet and purse and see what I can find in there – No-Man’s Land! Literally. My husband says he might lose a finger in there! 😉
Lisanne says
I don’t have a wallet, but I clean out my purse every once in a while. I don’t have anything old or “strange” in there, thank goodness! 🙂 I do have a lot of receipts, though, that I need to give to my husband [he enters them into Quicken]. Maybe I’ll clean out my purse today. 🙂
Jenny says
My wallet is okay, although it’s not too organized. My purse….I need to get on top of that!
I think I might do that this afternoon…thanks for motivating me!
mom of 2 says
starting small is a great idea!! I know I get overwhelmed when a task is too big…so rather than try to tackle the whole thing I try to break it up into smaller, more managable tasks. That makes it so much easier for me!!
momrn2 says
I did this with my wallet just last week. Success!!
I tried with my luggage *ahem…purse*…. not so much success. Part of the problem is I had to buy a new purse. That means everything has to find a new spot… and I have so much in there… well, I just haven’t learned it’s new spot yet.
Julie Julie Bo Boolie says
Ok OK.. wallet is on the list for today 🙂 And yes I’m totally feeling it!
Anonymous says
Ah, my respite! I have found the Mothership! I am so relieved to find people who are as OCD as I am. I am one of those women who cleans when she is sad, frustrated, bored or just plain pissed-off. the only time my house isn’t clean is when I am happy. Then I flit around on cloud nine not giving a crap about anything.
As for the wallet thing…
I clean out my wallet once a week. I actually have a plastic conatiner I dump my “stuff” into when I change purses throughout the week and I organize it all over a glass of wine Friday evening or sometime during the weekend. I put all of my reciepts in an envelope to reconcile with my account, the appointment cards get stapled on their month to the calendar on the fridge, the recipes and articles go in a file I have for recipes and articles to refer to. It saves my time and sanity!
charlies says
the wallet, was something i wanted to avoid, but this past christmas season i heard about this site called leveragecard.com that manages all my gift cards and rewards points. now i just walk around with my credit and debit cards and cash, and i keep all that other stuff at home, in another wallet, my leverage wallet.