Baby Steps to Getting Organized in the New Year

Happy New Year and Happy Organizing!

There is so much information how setting broad goals isn't the way to go, to meet New Year's resolutions. If you truly want to make change, the way to go is to set small, specific goals that are doable and realistic that move you towards achieving your broader goals. Resolutions are about change and making any kind of change, especially if it requires forming a new habit, is challenging.

I read an article a few days ago about Jim Webster, a chef and food journalist, who lost 60 lbs by wearing his Fitbit faithfully, and not eating for 12 hours after his last meal of the day. As a chef, he is around food all the time and needs to test what he is making, which can wreck havoc on any weight loss plan. He realized, in his line of work, to achieve his weight loss goal he couldn't follow a rigid diet plan, but he could focus on what he could do, walk more, watch what he eats and not eat after a specific time. He found success and continues with this lifestyle.

Many people realize the importance of organization and define getting organized as one of their New Year's resolutions. The problem is getting organized is a broad goal and can be too daunting especially if there is a backlog of clutter. Once normal life resumes post holidays, those great intentions sometimes fall by the wayside. A better way may be to focus on one small organizing task, like a junk drawer, or entry way table that won't take a lot of time to get in shape, but will still give the emotional lift and sense of accomplishment that something was done towards your goal of getting organized.

As I went to reach for a water bottle yesterday and an avalanche of water bottles fell out of my pantry, I realized my 10 minute project was identified for me. The problem was easy to diagnosis - too many water bottles. We have a home for the water bottles, however it had gotten messy and several of the bottles couldn't fit so they were haphazardly thrown in the storage container. It took 10 minutes for me to take the storage container out, weed out the bottles we don't use, take out the travel coffee cups (moved them to the mug cabinet), and now all of the water bottles with lids fit neatly in the storage container in our pantry. You would have thought I achieved something so wonderful by the lift and sense of accomplishment I felt.

I truly believe that in short, regular scheduled time increments goals can get accomplished. I'll keep you posted on other 10-minute organizing blitzes I accomplish. Here's to getting it done this year!