Chances are, you wish you were a little more organized at home. It's an ongoing journey for me. If you came to my house, you would see a lived-in--not pristine--home. There are spots where it appears we've gotten a handle on organization, but there are just as many that need de-cluttering and order. So why am I writing a book, with two friends, on getting organized at home?
We're writing this book because we know that a majority of families, and women in particular, struggle with juggling all their responsibilities. Many are interested in finding ways to streamline their homes, reduce stress, and be able to find their keys! As writers, we are on the same journey as many of these women, and we each have our strengths and challenges when it comes to being organized. We write from a shared level, not the dust free ivory tower commanding, "Do what we do."
We hope to have the book available by the end of the year, and may even release parts of it sooner. But here is a sneak peak to the 12 insights we will be sharing.
Getting organized at home is an act of worship. Our first priority is our relationship with God. We honor Him when we work on bringing our lives and homes into order and balance.
Getting organized allows us to serve others more easily. When we are organized and our home is generally presentable, we are in a much better position to spontaneously reach out to someone in need (i.e. provide a place to stay or a meal) and in particular, create a refuge for our families where they can safely recharge.
Getting organized is a matter of progress, not perfection. This is a key concept. We look to the "finally done" goal only to have something else pop up to be done. Instead, we should enjoy the journey of making improvements.
Getting organized relates to our personality and body rhythms. You do your best organizing when your energy level is up. If you are a creative personality, you don't have to try to have everything in a specific place like a more detailed individual may want.
Getting organized reflects on our our emotions and history. We carry memories, and yes, even baggage from our past in relation to how we keep our homes. This can include modeling after other relatives, positive or negative comments we've received from others (i.e. "I never taught you that way,") or expectations such as how a holiday "always goes." These must be considered as we develop our unique "getting organized" plan.
Getting organized corresponds to our relationships. If more than one person lives in the home, the relationship will have an impact on how the home is maintained. We have to learn to adjust to the personalities of our spouses, roommates, and children. One student was delighted to take a guest room for her own creative space, freeing up the home office entirely for her "everything in its place" husband. It was positive for them individually AND for their marriage!
Getting organized requires workable systems. You have to develop routines that work for YOUR family. For example, look at the traffic patterns in your home. Does everyone drop their coats on the floor by the garage door? You may need to put up some coat hooks there.
Getting organized requires flexibility. Once you have systems set up, you need to allow for adaptation. You could have a week that is slammed full and thus you won't be able to go to the recycle bin that Friday. That's okay! You'll just have a little more to recycle next Friday!
Getting organized is helped by strategic teamwork. Find fun and rewarding ways to get the others in your household involved in getting organized.
Getting organized requires pruning and purging. Yes, you will have to get rid of some things, but you'll breath easier when your clothes aren't stuffed together.
Getting organized means we will have to be aware of obstacles. We each have things that tend to trip us up and need to develop a strategy to handle those obstacles. For example, if you receive a phone call every morning from a particular person, and morning is your best time to clean up, get an earpiece or let the call go to voice mail. Call back when you are finished.
Getting organized requires maintenance. Once a system is in place, you will have to maintain it reasonably well, or you will fall back into traps. This is similar to being aware of obstacles, but it also is some simple plans to keep things going smoothly. An example of this would be to have a policy that when you buy a new piece of clothing, you get rid of two others. This allows you to maintain adequate space and continue purging.
There is no perfect way to maintain order and be organized all the time. Sometimes, the most organized people are the most tense and stressed out because of their fear of falling behind. You have to find what works within the unique created you that God made. It's a journey you'll be on for a lifetime, but it's worth taking the trip.
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