The first step to organizing anything

The first step to organizing anything is a bit elementary. So often the first question I hear when someone wants advice on organizing is “Where do I start?”  They are surprised when the answer isn’t more novel, but rather simple.

The first step to organizing is vision.

Not my vision.

Yours. As in the vision for your space, and your life.

Vision is the first and most important tenet of getting organized.

To clarify, you don’t need to have a big vision.  In fact, it is sometimes best if isn’t too large. But often you hear that word – vision – and think quite broadly and that can derail your efforts to start.

Three ways to create a vision and one big reason why it is imperative to do so.

1. Don’t skip this imperative step.

A vision is the most important step in getting organized. It does two important things. It allows you to see what you want. And it helps you make decisions easier on what should stay in the space, and what should not. So when you are in the throws of letting go and perhaps finding decluttering difficult, your vision becomes a north star to guide you and help you decide.

You shouldn’t start a project without a vision.

2. Craft it with questions

Your vision is simply a picture of how you want your space to look.  And it should have some weight to it.  This means you have to dig a bit to get to the truth of your vision so you can determine how you want to feel in the [small] space you are looking to declutter and organize.

Create your vision by asking:

“How do I want this space to look?”

“How do I want to feel in this space?

“How do I see myself operating in this space?”

You have to know, first, how you want to feel and what you want to accomplish in any space.

Once you’ve thought about and answered the questions to give you a better idea of how you want to feel, you can start the work of removing what doesn’t inform that vision. You can lighten your load of what doesn’t serve a purpose so that what does serve a purpose can rise to the surface. How you want to feel gives your vision more purpose.  That kind of determination will help you let go more easily.

3. “See” it.

One of the easier ways to keep your vision crystal clear is to create a visual tool to “see” your vision more concretely. Add in some real fun by visually designing the vision. Create a vision board – old-school-style – with magazines, glue sticks, and poster board. Cut out pictures and words that evoke the feeling you wish to attain with your vision. Or, create a Pinterest Board to give you ideas for decorating, design, and organization.  They can also get you excited to do the work needed to achieve that look and feel.

Your job in creating this visual to pay attention to how these pictures make you feel.

Doesn’t this picture, and the colors in it, make you feel calm, like you could be productive and inspired?

When you make your vision come to life in these ways you give yourself something concrete to focus on. Doing this before you start is a wonderful motivator and guide to keep you on track and moving towards your dreams.

If you need help creating your vision set up your free 30-minute phone consultation with me.

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Ready to declutter? Learn the three things you must do to get started!