How to meet your organisational goals

Professional organisers help clients at different stages on their organising journeys. In this post, owner of Hertfordshire-based Blissfully Organised Tracy Ross shares some of her tips to help you achieve your decluttering and organising goals this year.

It’s not just the stuff

When we talk about decluttering, the focus is usually on the physical stuff taking up our space. However, there are other types of clutter in our lives which can also take our energy and time.

Time: Our time is precious, and it is easy to feel stressed when it feels as if we don’t have enough time to do what we want, and need, to do. First, make a list of your key priorities and then review these priorities against how you are actually spending your time. Can you edit out things that don’t fit in? Be careful not to over commit yourself.

Distractions: Electronics and their constant alerts distract your attention and impact your ability to focus. Managing your computer files and photos across multiple gadgets, keeping up with emails, searching for data and remembering updates and backups all take up your time and quickly become “digital clutter” if not managed well.

Routines and habits: Small changes to our daily habits add up to big results. Be aware of the habits and routines that are creating clutter or zapping your time. For example, do you put things away when you have finished with them? Are you wasting time on social media? Do you hit the snooze button too many times each morning?

Limiting beliefs: Take a good look at your routines and your mindset… what is stopping you from achieving your goals?

 Achieving your organisational goals: My Top 5 Tips

1. Schedule your sessions: Carve out small blocks of time for decluttering and organising, adding them to your diary to keep the time free. For example, you could set a timer for 15 minutes to work on a specific area, without distractions.
2. Value your space: Visualise how you would like to enjoy the space that you have. What would make you feel relaxed and happy?
3. Stop the inflow: Be careful about what you are bringing into your home. Try to stop buying new items when you are actively decluttering, or employ a “one-in-two-out” strategy.
4. Celebrate your successes: Decluttering and organising takes time, especially if you are working through lots of paperwork or memorabilia. It’s important to reflect on what you have achieved so far, and to reward yourself for your progress.
5. Ditch the guilt: Don’t be afraid to let things go. You don’t need to keep things out of guilt or obligation. Recycling the things that you no longer need reduces their environmental impact, whilst freeing up space in your home.

Finally, with all the above tips, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Asking for help can be hard but, even if you know what you need to do, working with someone else gives support, guidance and motivation. Which will speed up the process and make it a more positive experience.

If you would like support to help you with your decluttering and organising project,
you can find your local professional organiser on the APDO website.