I am a professional organizer. And I am going to admit something to you that might seem quite odd. I hate the term organized. Okay, maybe hate is a strong word. I don’t hate helping you get organized. And of course, I like to be organized. I love the results of what “organized” means!
But the word itself can take on a different connotation when the definition isn’t truly understood.
And it is actually a word that is quite misunderstood.
Therefore the power of “being organized” as a way to help you create a life you love can get diminished in the misunderstanding.
You hear the word organized and you think of things like perfection. Which of course has nothing to do with organization. Or you hear the word organized and feel overwhelmed probably because to many people, getting organized is a big mountain to climb. It can feel like “too much to do”. And that misrepresentation leads you to feel as though organization itself is impossible to achieve. It leaves your desires to feel sane – daily – or fulfilled in your life more thoroughly – hanging in the wind.
The truth is you are the architect of your life. And you have the ability to build it to match all of what you visualize for your life.
Being organized, is a key factor in helping you attain that. It brings freedom – to your heart and home. And that freedom opens you up to create anything your little heart desires.
Let’s define what being organized means in my book. If any of these components of my definition resonate, feel free to embrace the word, and its meaning, and get moving on living a life you love.
1. You know what you have.
It’s not enough to put things away. You need to have a good grip on what you are putting away. And why. Do you truly like, need, and use all that you are keeping? If you answer yes to all three, you are on your way to being organized.
2. You know where things go.
Everything has to have a home. And it should be a logical home that makes sense for what you are keeping. When the “home” makes sense, you are more likely to return things to their rightful place (which is part of staying organized). When it doesn’t make sense, you are more likely to leave things out, stacked up and cluttered. You gain a sense of control over your space when things have a home because you have taken the frustration and stress out of looking for what you need.
3. The home for things isn’t stuffed.
When the home for things isn’t stuffed you can easily get to what you like, need – a byproduct of being organized. Nothing is overwhelmed – not your space or your head. The cabinets, closets, counters, and drawers close easily and you can see clearly what you have. And since you know why you are keeping things you feel a sense of calm in these spaces. Calm in any circumstance brings clarity – a necessary component of creating your life.
4. You see “organized” as a state of being.
Organization is certainly a tool to bring calm and less stress to your life. But it is also a way of life – a state of being that allows you to move fluidly through life – despite the obstacles put in your way. This state of being isn’t something you arrive at once, rather something you consistently and consciously make an effort to maintain. The feeling of organization comes from you. How you feel in your space – or how you want to feel in your space – is what determines whether you need to shift your way of life.
Being organized is a commitment to living life without the constraints and the weight of excess and the meaningless. Leaving you with space – in your thoughts and your home – to create fully and purposefully.
