5 Reasons to Start Organising Now!
Look I understand.
Mess, spontaneity = fun. Tidying up, organising = work.
I hear you. I even agree with you.
However, if you are reading this you probably have an inkling that being disorganised is no fun either. And that really provides the main motivation for getting organised – because the alternative can leave you feeling like your life has been turned upside down and no one likes to feel that way.
So if you feel like the scales have tipped over and you are on the disorganised end of the scale and you need some motivation, read on because here are some compelling reasons why you should get organised:
1. Less stress
Looking for something as you are leaving your house, cooking something for dinner, getting the kids ready, trying to find a pen when you are on a phone call – whatever it may be – the little things build up to create a whole lot of unnecessary stress in your life. Stress trying to find something you need. Stress making simple decisions in life such as what to wear, what to cook etc. Stress figuring out who is responsible for what around the house.
All this stress stems from a disorganised home, a home that lacks the systems needed to keep a sense of order in place. Organisation will greatly reduce the level of stress you feel.
2. Save time
All those stressful moments mentioned above are a real time suck – they are little moments in time but they hit at the worst time (as you are leaving the house, moments before dinner is expected on the table, when you are in the middle of a business call etc.) and if there are a number of those moments during the day it can add up. Organise and you spend less time looking around for things and less time making simple decisions.
Organising also saves you the time you would ordinarily spend shopping. How many times have you done a run to Bunnings or Kmart or the grocery store just to end up buying something you already had but could not find? Once your space is properly organised, these moments are essentially eliminated and you are no longer wasting time shopping for things you already have.
And I have found that when people are organised, they tend to take better care of the things they have. This also contributes to less time shopping for replacement products.
So while organising itself takes time, it will end up giving you back your time in so many different ways.
3. Save money
Connected to the above point is the fact that you end up saving money. If you are no longer going out to buy things you already have and you are taking better care of what you do have, you can end up saving a heap of money.
This is particularly true when it comes to clothing. How many times have you stared at a cupboard full of clothing and thought “I have nothing to wear”. It’s not that you don’t have any flattering and comfortable clothes to wear, it’s just that your space is so disorganised and the wardrobe is cluttered with so much junk that you just can’t see the beautiful, well thought out purchases you have on hand. So off to the shops you go, spending hundreds of dollars on clothes even though you have a cupboard full of clothing. Organising can address this issue.
4. Improved self-esteem
Perhaps this doesn’t apply to everyone but to some, a clean and ordered home is something to be proud of. Having a clutter-free space can feel welcoming and inviting to yourself and those around you. And there is no reason why this shouldn’t be a source of pride and provide the motivation you need to get organised.
And given that organisation can reduce stress and give you back your time, it can also mean that you can turn your attention to things that matter in your life, things that increase your feeling of self-worth. Whether that be more time with family and friends to more time to creating and doing the things you love, organising and having a system in place to stay organised gives you back time, which in turn can lead to situations that improve how you feel in life.
5. Reduce your impact on the environment
And lastly, one reason I found really motivated me to get organised was that I started to see that organisation helped me to reduce my impact on the environment. No longer throwing away expired pantry items, cheap items of clothing, toiletries that can no longer be used or donating expensive items of clothing that I never liked or needed – this stops when your space is organised.
I found this to be particularly true when it comes to the kitchen – the pantry space can just get cluttered with so many different items. Invariably there would be multiples of the same thing. Items get forgotten, expire and eventually get thrown away. Organising the pantry, grouping like items together and ensuring each item has a place means items are not lost and the purchase of multiple items ceases. Putting a meal planning system in place to ensure items are used up before they expire ensures they do not get thrown into landfill unnecessarily.
I do sometimes wonder, in the whole scheme of things what does a little bit of reduced waste from one person really matter? Honestly, I know it doesn’t change the world. But that’s not the point. For me, its a mindset aligned with a value that speaks to me – minimising our use of the planet’s resources and limiting the impact on our natural environment.
This may not be a compelling reason for everyone but I can say for myself, knowing I am producing less waste and being more mindful with my purchasing decisions adds to the general sense of well being and satisfaction that an organised home gives.
If this is something you also value, I strongly encourage you to get your space organised as it really does make a difference.
xx Tahsin
