Are you ready for organizational dominos Step 2? Step 1 was getting started – in decluttering and organizing; and understanding that organization is different than housework. It is putting systems in place that will support you and will last for more than a day or a week and give you foundation.
Step 2 is how long will this take? I need you to give me more time. If we could do it in a weekend, I would let you know. If we could do it in a month, I would let you know. Even if it was your full time job, we couldn’t do it in that short amount of time…there’s just too much to do. It’s going to take one to three years. I know you don’t like that answer but this is not new information, and this is not a marketing scheme. If anything, it’s an anti-marketing scheme.
It takes a MINIMUM of one year to get organized. Part of why it takes a minimum of one year is because you just finished December. If you’re starting brand new now in January, do you remember what all you did in the beginning of December? Thanksgiving? Halloween? There are things that you did seasonally that you don’t remember right now as you’re organizing in January. There is a seasonality to organizing your physical spaces.
Year One
During your first year of organizing, your only job is to do 15 minute tasks every single day. Keep doing those 15 minute tasks every single day in every space until it’s completely organized. A completely organized space has only 2 requirements.
- When you walk into that space, it isn’t “talking back” to you. The space isn’t demanding your attention.
- There are no more decisions to be made. There’s no more thinking about what you’re doing (or need to do) in that space.
Year Two
By the end of your first year, you’ve been through all the seasons and your house will be pretty much organized. So in year two – you’re going to go through your house AGAIN because now you can declutter more, add some organizational systems, make it prettier, etc. You’re going to get into the cadence of reflecting on the last 4 months and then planning for the next 4 months. You’re going to create better systems, better cadences, start using the Sunday Basket® and The Paper Solution® Binders (if you haven’t already).
Year Three
You are living an organized life in your home and in your work, and you identify as an organized person. Unexpected events happen in your life, but they don’t become all consuming. You’re better able to handle the complexity. You’re going to be able to flex with the unexpected events because your house is under control, your work is under control, and you really do have work-life balance. You know the visible and invisible work that needs to be done in both, and you’ve set up systems in both that are supporting you so that when the unexpected happens – you’re the one that can bounce right back and still maintain your goals.
You know where all your time goes, where all your money goes, where all your intention goes, where your energy goes. You know you have capacity to do MORE. Why?
Because YOU. ARE. ORGANIZED.
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