In The Wizard of Oz, Glinda the Good Witch sings in a sweet, gentle voice, “Come out, come out, wherever you are.” Then, from behind the rocks and out of the bushes, where there seemed to be nobody, a fascinating array of Munchkins emerge, each with their own special talents, personality, and charm.
This scene always reminds me of my work as a professional organizer and time management coach — going into the tangled messes people have built around themselves, finding the unique individual hiding shyly inside and calling them forth — so they can give full, open expression to who they are.
January is National Get Organized Month, and this year it is the beginning of a brand new decade — a wonderful chance for reflection and a fresh start. For me, the theme of 2020 is Clarity (just think 20/20 vision). It’s about being clear on who you are, what you want, and what makes you happy. And creating the space and time to make it happen by getting organized.
Organizing is the process by which we create clarity and liberate ourselves to achieve our goals, unencumbered. When we are organized, our homes, offices, and schedules reflect and encourage who we are, what we want, and where we are going. 2020 seems a fitting year to do that, so we can each make our most unique contribution.
Are you ready?
So, how do you know if you are ready to get organized? Surprisingly, the answer lies not in the quantity of the piles. It doesn’t even lie in how long you’ve been disorganized. The answer lies solely in what you can see on the other side of the clutter. As long as your eyes are focused on the mess itself, you are unlikely to solve any organizing problem. Breakthrough occurs when you suddenly see something on the other side of the clutter that you desperately, vividly want.
To solve your organizing dilemmas, you need to look past the mess to your motivation. Write down what you expect to achieve by eliminating the clutter from your life once and for all. Is it quality time with your family? Is it the promotion you’ve been hoping for? Is it a more active social life? Then transfer your motivation to a notecard, or the notes app or screen saver of your smart phone. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and ready to abandon your organizing efforts, a quick glance will give you impetus to see your intention through to completion.
Where should you start?
Inventory the areas in your life that are holding you back from being your most authentic self — is it your closets, pantry, family room, your morning routine or your tendency to run late? Pick two or three causing you the most stress, and then invest energy and brainpower fixing those.
It takes time and focus to build organizing systems. For that reason, don’t attempt to organize everything at once. First focus only on the hotspots — things that will deliver the most clarity, calm and time won back. Throughout the year, I’ll post blogs on ways to organize a variety of projects from space, to time to projects and habits.
Organizing is not a mysterious talent; it is a simple skill that anyone can learn. And it’s not about getting rid of things. Organizing is about identifying what is important to you, and giving yourself access to it. When you focus on what’s important, the rest just melts away.
How do you know when you’re done?
My 30 years as a professional organizer have taught me that you cannot tell by looking at a space whether it is organized or not. Being organized has less to do with the way an environment looks than how effectively it functions. If you can find what you need when you need it and feel unencumbered in achieving your goals, then you are well organized. So once you feel your space, system or schedule is supporting you in achieving one of your goals on the other side of the clutter… claim it a victory. Stop noodling with the system, and get out there and live your life.
The process of getting organized is the process of giving yourself permission — to be your own Glinda who says, hey come on out — and share your unique and wonderful self with the world. As you master the three steps, you’ll find that organizing is a liberating process; an empowering, nurturing, exhilarating journey. Beyond the clutter, I promise you’ll find the space and the time for the fulfillment of your every dream.