When is the Best time to organize?
There are two times of the year when peoples attention turns to organizing the home. The first is the New Year. For many the intention is to kick off the New Year right by finally getting a handle on the clutter that has accumulated. For you do-it-yourselfers the media provides a plethora of information and helpful advice for getting organized.
The kids are gone – time to reclaim the house!
The second time of year that I see a surge in people seeking my help is when the kids go back to school. It’s a time when moms (or dads) like to reclaim the home and return it to its former organized glory. Face it, kids are messy. Even neat kids leave messes. When the summer is over, moms (and dads) are ready to bring the fun to an end and get busy getting organized.
So when is the best time to get organized? That depends on your motivation. Really – that’s the bottom line. If you are not ready, you will not put in the effort that is really needed – ESPECIALLY if you are doing it on your own. When you are doing the job yourself you need to have the willingness to see the job through before you begin. Otherwise the result could be an even bigger mess than when you began; and that is never a good thing. That is de-motivating. So step one to getting organized is to be committed!
Another factor in determining if it is the right time, is time.
Plan for several uninterrupted hours work!
Plan to spend several uninterrupted hours to make a real impact and complete what you started. When I am working with clients, I schedule 4 hour work sessions because it usually takes that long to get a space sorted and put back together. So if you only have an hour, and you want to get your whole closet reorganized, it won’t be enough.
We already determined that an important factor in getting organized is motivation. Some days we just wake up totally motivated, and want to make excellent use of that energy
before it is gone. That’s great; I say go for it! Keep a few things in mind before embarking on your organizing journey.
Be realistic: How much time do you have today? How long will your energy last? If you determine that you realistically have 2 good solid hours, and you want to get your master closet organized, you should plan to work on only part of it. Choose an area and focus on just that. Then on another day when you have a solid uninterrupted chunk of time, you can work on another part of it. It’s better to get some satisfaction by completing part of the closet, than being disappointed by not living up to the unrealistic expectation of getting the whole closet organized.
Coffee is a cup of motivation!
If you plan to get help from an organizer, anytime is a good time. Just know that in the first 3 months of the New Year, you will want to give her more than a days notice – as she will probably be busy with other clients who are realizing their New Year’s resolutions. No matter when you meet with her, you will still need to carve out a chunk of time in your schedule, but the good news is, you will get a whole lot more done with her than you would get done on your own. You will get the entire closet completed and have the satisfaction of a job well done. For many of my clients it is worth it to hire me just so that it is finally DONE and off the TO DO list.
Sometimes, a good friend is helpful, but beware that it can prolong the process if you can’t remain focused – just plan realistically and accordingly!
If you had only 2 hours, what part of your house would you focus on?
About the Author:
Maureen Guzman is a certified professional organizer who lives in Katy, TX and helps people all over the Houston area from Fulshear to Cypress to Memorial to West U. She and her team are passionate about gently helping people make choices to improve their lives through decluttering and organizing.