Here is one of life's paradoxes. Have you noticed that those people who are the most productive and seem to be able to schedule spare time at short notice, are almost always the tidiest?  It's true, being organized does make life easier.

It may not be that much of a big deal if there's a small amount of clutter around you, occasionally. However, clutter is a symptom of being unorganized. Being unorganized is a habit. So is rationalizing or making excuses about being too busy.

Do you find that you never seem to have the time to pick up after yourself (and badly trained others) and that by the time you attempt to have a clean-up, the sight of your clutter exhausts you even more?

I confess that during the past 9 months this has certainly been my feeling as I look at all the boxes piled in various rooms waiting for the time I can move back into my house properly and unpack them.

Recently we emptied the container that has held much of my possessions for the past 9 months and brought all the boxes into the house.  However, since the trim had not been finished as scheduled, I just had to pile them into the centre of my living room.

The trim is now done, so I will order my bookcases and then begin to put my books back onto the shelves, set up my fireplace/tv stand, set up my new Christmas tree and get ready for Christmas.

However, I still have a problem in that my bathroom (upstairs) needs to be replaced, so that will be happening in the next couple of weeks.

Unfortunately clutter can easily accumulate over time and can be super stressful to look at. Piles of different things and countless to-do lists are a real drag on the psyche. This can affect not just our day to day schedule, but all aspects of our life, both work and play.

It’s easy to say “To relieve yourself from the stress of being disordered, there is a simple solution. Be organized”. However, like most things in life, simple does not mean easy. It takes time and a changed mindset to put in the extra effort of getting organized and staying organized.  This will eventually reduce stress levels and will make you feel more accomplished and in control, but it takes work if you are not a person who is highly organized.

I can tell you from experience that living in a cluttered environment and being unorganized is circular – each feeds off the other.   When I let things pile up on my desk, I sometimes can’t seem to get started on writing my blogs or emails or anything else.

I’ve read that to improve, it’s important to break the cycle by forming better habits. “Getting rid of all areas of clutter can help you make healthier decisions in life, and also make your relationships easier and more rewarding.”  Yes, I believe this to be true.  So, if you are like me you may need to read some of the following tips.

It is energy-draining when your house is a mess, as where you start and end your day has a big effect on your outlook. Don't get distracted by micros – there is no need for in-depth organizing. The important part is to put everything in its proper place. Determining the one correct place for each item, and returning it there every time is the biggest problem solver in de-cluttering.

Setting boundaries for yourself and others is one key to becoming more organized. Knowing you have preset limits can help decrease your stress level. Don't automatically say “yes” to requests for help from others. Evaluate each request before responding. Protect your time.  Remember every time you say yes to someone you are saying no to yourself and your time.

Planning your day ahead of time greatly helps in reducing your stress level. This will alleviate feelings of being rushed all the time. Take time at the end of the day to organize your plans for tomorrow. If you do this, you will feel far more relaxed and in control.  This is especially true for work.  If you write down your main tasks for the next day before you finish work, you will be more prepared to start work right away in the morning.  I write everything in my Day Timer, if it isn't in there, it doesn't happen.

Being proactive with your problems is part of being organized. Unaddressed problems accumulate, and your emotional clutter is probably affecting you more than anything else. Solve the issues that you can, then pay attention to different stressors in your life, and work to manage and eliminate them.   Something else to remember when you are stressed is to BREATHE.   Most of the time when we are stressed we will find that we are breathing from our chest.   It’s important to take a couple of deep belly breaths to recenter ourselves.

If you're more organized, you will feel in control, instead of feeling you are being swept along by the events of the day. And any choices made while not under pressure will result in better decision making.

” Being systematic creates clarity of mind. This makes us feel more energetic and eager to do what needs to be done instead of avoiding it.

” You have the chance to do more of what you want if you are organized. One of the best things about being organized is that it creates time for the things you want to do, whether at home or work.

” Your personal life is more satisfying when you can achieve your goals. It gives you a powerful sense of accomplishment and empowerment.

” It helps you to be more productive in your job, which will give you a greater opportunity for career growth. You will have more productive time for higher-priority tasks.

It doesn't take too much effort to get better organized, and if you do, you will save yourself a lot of time, stress, and heartache. Getting started is always the hardest part!

I am looking forward to getting back into my house and becoming more organized and therefore more productive in the new year.

To a great week

Fran