image003Getting organized. Are there any other words that cause more angst or heart palpitations when they’re spoken? (All you “Monica Geller-Bing” types can probably skip this article. You’d probably write it better, anyway.)

Maybe that’s why they decided to dedicate an entire month to the task. Fun Fact: The first “Get Organized Month” was in 2005 and was started by – surprise – the National Association of Professional Organizers. Actually, it says something about us as a society that such an organization needs to exist in the first place. But we digress.

In truth, research shows that people waste as much as an hour a day, on average, looking for things they’ve misplaced. That means that many of us waste as much as 15 days every year because of disorganization. Clearly then, it would pay for us to get more organized – because time is the one commodity none of us can ever recover.

So enough dilly-dallying! Procrastination now goes out the window as we present to you our best guesses about how to begin the daunting process of getting home and work environments in order. And if you have some more suggestions you’d like to toss onto the pile, let us have ’em. We’ll be sure to add them to our “To-Do” list . . . as soon as we find it.

1. Identify the Benefits That Getting Organized Will Bring You

Starting with that 15 days we just carelessly toss away every year. Yikes! And that’s only the beginning. Being organized contributes to a higher quality of life, too. Organized people experience lower stress, a greater sense of control, and even higher pay (although we think this is somehow sneakily connected to those 15 days again).

But in truth, you’ll have more time to do the things in life that matter most to you – like spending quality time with friends and children, enjoying hobbies, and gloating about your Organized Life to those of your friends who didn’t follow our suggestions. And don’t forget about that stress level. (Think of the money you’ll save on Xanax.)

2. Decide What Needs Organizing

Which area of your life is the most chaotic? Is it your desk at work? Is it the stack of mail, bills, or reading material that has taken over your dining room? What things are you always looking for? (For that matter, what things have you still not been able to find yet? Haha! Just kidding on that one.)

What we’re trying to say with this step is: Identify the area of your life that is causing you the greatest amount of stress. Start there. Start only there.

3. What Tools Do You Need?

If this is something you’ve never ever tried before – there’s no shame in getting help. No, we don’t mean a therapist (which in truth, you probably already see because you’re so stressed out about being DIS-organized). We’re referring to the plethora of great organizing books available. And yes! This part means you can procrastinate a little bit longer while hopping onto Amazon.com to read book reviews.

But actually, these books (or even many online articles you can peruse for free) can help you identify a process for getting organized and give you tips and solutions to get started. Want us to break down and tell you “The Trick” to the whole process? Breaking it down into manageable pieces. (Yes, just like all those other things in life where we have to learn to do that.)

Once you’ve figured out what needs organizing, it’s even okay to spend a little time online to find suggestions or images showing how other people solved the same storage or organization dilemmas – and that will help you create a list of what you need to get the job done right. All we recommend is – if you’re going to steal, do it like an artist. Find the easiest, best, or most appealing method that will inspire you to keep it in shape once it’s done.

4. Dedicate (and Schedule) Time To Work On This Project.

Unless you’re going to take a week or so off to dedicate that time to getting it all done in one fell swoop, it’s best to: a) Tackle it in segments; and b) Dedicate a set period of time to work on it. (daily, weekly – whatever works with your schedule)

You may be thinking that’s a bit of a risk. After all, there’s no guarantee that once you walk away from this project you’ll ever come back to it. Right?

Oh – but wait. We already determined the reasons WHY you want to get organized – and to put it gently: It’s all about YOU. Your time, your energy, your frustration, your anxiety. So sure, you can walk away and never look back. But in the back of your mind, you’ll know. And you’ll be back. Just like Arnold.

And so you should return! Because it’s a new year, and anything’s possible. After all, setting a schedule to return and dedicate 30 minutes, an hour, or an afternoon towards getting this one single area of your life in order will be a piece of cake. (It’s not like we’re asking you to go to the gym every day! And by the way, we think “Organizing With Cake” is a great name for a blog.) Happy organizing!

New Home Resource helps current and future homeowners with all of their Las Vegas real estate needs. Whether your preference is for a newly-built home from a local builder, or a resale property in just the right location, a New Home Resource Realtor® is here to find the perfect property for you. Please contact a New Home Resource Realtor® today at 702-365-1000 or at www.newhomeresource.com. Broker Joanna Piette, and agents Denise Moreno Thrasher, Jessica O’Brien, Evelyn ‘Beng’ Kern, Lance Partin and Kathy Paterniti are all here to help!