How to Get Organized and Stay Organized - Strategy 4 Right Size

Have you asked this question or thought it?

How can I get organized when I’m so busy?

This is a very valid concern and one that I had too. I used to carve out entire weekends or take days off of work just so that I could get organized. The problem with this is that since I felt like I had carved out all this time I could get a ton done. And it was inevitable that I would bite off more than I could chew. I’d get to the end of the day or weekend and find that I wasn’t finished. Or worse yet, I would get stuck part way through or feel completely overwhelmed at the size of the task and simply give up! I would never finish.

If carving out huge blocks of time in your schedule to get organized is NOT something that will work for you, then right sizing your project will be a game changer!

As someone who is or feels like they’re just starting their home organizing journey you want to be set up for lasting home organizing solutions, right?  In order to make that happen you’ll have to do something different than you’ve done before or what society tells us.

Instead of carving out huge blocks of time where you feel pressured to get it all done, you can right size your projects throughout your entire home organizing journey.

In this post I’ll share with you what right sizing means, why you must do so and how to figure out the right size project to start with. 

Let’s start with what it means to right size your home organizing project.

Right sizing means that you break down each area of your home into manageable chunks. Each chunk can be done from start to finish in one setting. Right sizing works WITH your schedule instead of completely upending it for days. Right sizing is a simple concept and simple equals sustainable. That’s what it means to right size your project, but let's also talk about what right sizing is NOT. It’s not a cop out. It’s not taking the easy way out. Just because you aren’t making massive adjustments to your schedule and vowing to do an entire room all in one day does not mean you're doing it wrong.

Why do you want to right size your project?

When you right size your project, you are able to start and finish. This means that you’ll build momentum. That momentum will motivate you and allow you to keep moving throughout your home. You’ll gain confidence in what you’re doing which means you’ll spend less time overall because you’ll be getting it done instead of just worrying about when you can take time off again. The overwhelm and pressure basically melt away.

Let me give you an example. Typically we talk about organizing a space, such as our office. But how much time would it take to organize your entire office? A full day, weekend? Who knows for sure what all you’re going to come across! Instead of trying to get your entire office done all at once which can be extremely overwhelming, you right size the project by organizing just your desk or just one drawer in your desk.

Again, the goal is to not only start, but finish as well. That means that you’ve sorted through all the things, made decisions, organized it all and put measures in place to keep it that way. I’ll be breaking down each of the steps - sort, organize and sustain - in upcoming posts. 

Now that you know what right sizing is and why you want to do so, let’s determine the right size project for you to get started with. There are a few things to consider.  First, your actual schedule. If you have 10 minutes, that works. You can get a right sized chunk started, organized and set up to stay organized in that 10 minute block of time. I know you’re like what. No way. Not possible, but it is. I’ve done it! Your entire home or room in your home can’t be done in 10 minutes, but a portion of it can. A drawer, a shelf, think small. So, again, start with how much time you actually have in your schedule today or tomorrow. Select an area in your home you’d like to tackle, then break down that area into a small enough chunk that you can get it done. The last thing to consider in selecting your right sized home organizing project is who should be included in helping. You want to include those that utilize the space too. This is important because when you put measures in place to keep it organized (that’s strategy 8, Sustain) you need to know how the space is used.

If you’re feeling as though this won’t work for you, I’d recommend going back and reading the last 4 posts. I’ve summarized all 8 strategies that help you get off the hamster wheel of home organizing. That’s where you wind up organizing the same spaces over and over and over again. Then in each of the last 3 posts I break down in detail Strategy 1, Home Organizing Vision. Strategy 2, Home Organizing Plan and Strategy 3, Decision Strategy. Each of these strategies can be utilized by themselves, but they work best when done together and in order. 

You can dive deeper into right sizing your first home organizing project with me by your side. Sign up for The Secrets to Lasting Home Organization today.

Join me next week as we dive into strategy 5, Pictures. I share what pictures to take, why to take them and how you can manage them to optimize their effect on your home organizing journey.