It was the Fall of 2015 and I was juggling a lot of responsibilities. I was back at work after taking 6 years off-ish. I was also volunteering in multiple positions. Still, I needed to get my house in order.
I noticed there was a problem when the laundry baskets were exploding with clean clothes. They didn't seem to put themselves back in hangers and closets so the floor became the place to find clean clothes.
My paper clutter was out of control but safely stored under the kitchen island. No one could see it but I knew it was there and it was bothering me. What to do?
Well, we did hire help for a little bit. I quickly realize that while that is a blessing, the cost was too high for us and my lovely helpers do not live at our house so they could not organize it for us.
I was mad when my husband told me I was lacking an organization system that works. I really was pissed but he was right.
I looked all over the internet trying to find some method that worked for me. Most methods were either too expensive, unrealistic or too demanding. Still, something needed to be done.
I learned that part of productivity lies in the fact that I needed to be honest with my time. Around 50 hours of my week were committed to work and volunteering commitments. I tried to convince myself that my house was just not going to get organized because I wasn't there long enough to do it. That did not work...
I finally found inspiration in someone that like me, was never really jumping for joy at the sight of a room ready to be dusted. I found her in a Podcast called "A slob comes clean" and I enjoyed listening to all of her tips. I also decided that while her tips work for her, I needed to find something that gave me results.
I learned that no matter how tired I was, I needed to carve some time for organizing my home. One day I decided to set my cell phone timer for 45 minutes and really work at organizing a space. I made sure I had a bottle of water nearby, some trash bags and a great podcast to listen to (thank you Merry Ministries Podcast!). At the end of the 45 minutes, I took a 15-minute break. During that time, I "rewarded" myself for working so hard for 45 minutes. I had a cup of tea or I just browsed through social media. If I had another hour available for organizing, I started that process all over again.
Friends, it's been 2 years since I started using this 45-minute Organization Method and it has freed me from clutter and plain messy living. No more looking for clean clothes in the floor!
How did I unlock the mystery of productivity?
1. I was honest with my time. Because I was committed to working outside the home I could not take on a whole weekend for organizing a space. My organization time needed to be shorter.
2. I found a method that worked for me. I gathered inspiration from professional organizers, professional maids and anyone else out there giving sound advice. I adapted their methods to my reality.
3. I repeat the process as needed. My home will not be on a magazine cover nor it will be a museum. Things get messy daily because we live here. I have made peace with the fact that my organization method needs to be repeated often.
Friend, if you are super busy and you can afford it, hire help or ask for help. I have asked for friends to watch my kids while I worked on organization projects. I have also hired help and I am grateful because I am blessing someone who is blessing me. If things are completely out of control and you don't know where to start: start with food and laundry. Trust me, you want to follow this advice because it will help you as it has helped me.
If like me, you have to do the work yourself, find something that works for you and your family.
Remember that no matter where you are in life, be honest with your time, find a method that works for you and be at peace with repeating the process over and over again.
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