The following is a guest post about how this one step could be the answer to your disorganization from regular contributor, Kristin at The Gold Project.
Are you one step away from being organized? This is a question I have asked myself several times over the past week. It never crossed my mind until last week when I saw a box of Lucky Charms sitting on the counter right beside the pantry. I did not place the box there. Someone else in my family did. But, the point is I have done this many times in the past. It would have literally taken two steps to place the cereal box in the pantry, but the person chose the easy route by leaving it on the counter right in front of where it actually stays. Of course, I put the box in the pantry, but that is where this blog post was created.
I am guilty of this too, unless I stop and really evaluate what I am doing. Leaving my toothbrush on the counter. Sitting trash on the counter above the trash can because I do not want to take the time to change out the trash bag. Claiming I am putting something up by placing it in the room where it is supposed to go. All of these things are a step away from being fully organized. The max time that each task would take is approximately a couple of minutes. And, those minutes add up. And, those tasks add up. Then, the next time you look around, your house is unorganized and the stress begins to build. Or, the stress begins to build for me. My brain can not function with clutter all around.
So, to keep myself from getting to this point, I am trying to be more observant. And, I am trying to tell myself that those few steps I think I am saving will only add up to big things in the end. And, those big things require more time, more energy, and more stress. I would rather completely pick up as I go than spend an entire day trying to play catch-up. Who wants to spend their day off completing tasks that could’ve been maintained throughout the week?
My purpose in sharing this post is for awareness. Y’all may be doing the exact same things I have mentioned, but never realized it. So, I hope by sharing my laziness that it might help you too.
Do you tend to do these things? Are you one step away from being organized, but fall short? I would love for you to share your opinion and thoughts with us.
My name is Kristin and I am a middle school career education teacher by day and a mommy/wife/blogger by night. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have two loving children. We recently made a life-changing move to Arkansas, so our new house is always under construction. I get excitement out of finding new creative, functional, and cute ways to organize things! I also enjoy writing and documenting life as it happens. So, I put these loves together and created The Gold Project. With the help of my husband, I am attempting to turn our house into a home. So, check out this special place of mine and take this journey with me!
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Check out Laura’s free PUPA printable for some accountability staying on track with Picking Up, Putting Away!! It’s really not just for the holidays 🙂
Barbi K. says
Lots of truth here, and if everything has a place , easier to put away, if you know where it goes. Good habits to form.
Carol Darden says
This is good! Another thing to do is always have something in your hand when you leave a room. when you go from one room to another, look around, see if there’s something in the room you’re in that belongs in the room you’re going to, take and put it where it belongs. This has reduced some of the clutter around the house 🙂
Amy says
Yes! It’s so true. It’s the “I’ll do it later/tomorrow” mentality. I find that happening so often. This post was a great wake up call. Thank you!
CTY says
Great post! It is funny–there are many aspects of my life that are ultra organized and other areas that a several steps from being organized. You have motivated me to adopt one problem spot and focus on it. I will make that my new organized project and only when it becomes habit will I look for another.