Ten Easy Organizing Tips

TEN EASY-TO-DO
ORGANIZING TIPS
Organizing your life and creating habits doesn't have to be a major overhaul, it can be simple steps that you perform everyday that can make a difference. Here are a few of my favorites that help to make my life easier:
1. Every time you fill your car up with gas, take the time to empty the trash out of your car and use the trash container beside the gas pump.
2. Every room needs to have a waste basket and this includes the master closet and even the laundry room (to throw away price tags and drycleaner bags).
3. Anything that needs to go out the door with you in the morning(stuff for the office, items to be returned, etc.) place beside the door you exit the house from or next to your purse/briefcase as a reminder.
4. Make it a habit to set your agenda for the day first thing in the morning before you do anything else…this way you are ready to take on the day before life has a chance to interrupt! If you are more of a night person, then plan your next day the night before.
5. If you find yourself avoiding a particular task, do some reflecting and have a little talk with yourself, forgive yourself for avoiding it and promise to make it a priority byscheduling it into your day.
6. Find the right planner system for you…there’s a plethora of planners available so if the first one doesn’t work for you, don’t let yourself believe you aren’t capable of using one, try tweaking it to make it work for you or find one that does.
7. Keep the passwords and use
ames for your online accounts in an address book- list alphabetically by account name with the web site address. Or use www.roboform.com, an online site that stores passwords.
8. When you travel, use Ziploc bags for your electronics. Label the bag with the name of the adaptor, etc. so that when you pack for the return the empty bag will serve as a reminder to retrieve the adaptor.
9. The end of the season is a good time to weed out any clothes that you did not wear or did not particularly care for. Also, take an inventory of what item of clothing is missing from your incoming season wardrobe and make a list so that you can shop smartly.
10. Use a turntable (Lazy Susan) in your cabinet to store your medicine on and mini baskets to store loose boxy items.

Another strategy that I use for myself and my ADHD clients, is to try and be more aware/conscience of your actions through self-talk. Catch yourself not completing a task and talk to yourself about what is going on in your mind to cause you to not follow through. It’s sometimes fun and interesting to learn what our real reasons might be for not completing certain tasks. It helps to better understand yourself and to learn how you function and what to avoid the next time.