5 Habits of Habitually Organized People
And How to Incorporate Them Today
Ever wonder how some people seem always to have it together? Well, I do, too, and I’m a professional organizer! Our lives are far from perfect, but we have systems for when life gets messy. Here are some psychology-based habits that will put you on the path of habitual organization.
The Path of Least Resistance
I was an equestrian, and warm-up was always a walk around the area. It was hardly leisurely because we were constantly training in every movement. Inevediablity when we’d reach the corners, my mare would always try to cut the corner to save a few steps. I’d have to be in the habit of using the outside rein and inside the leg. If you’re an equestrian, you know, you know.
And that’s how we humans are. I have a system for receipts, for example. One envelope is for business receipts, and the other is for personal receipts. Yet, I put them on my kitchen island whenever I pull them out of my wallet or shopping bag. Why? Because that is the path of least resistance. So then, I have to gather them from the island and put them in their respective envelopes. That’s creating two steps instead of one where I place them in their respective envelopes. See what I’m getting at?
How to Get Out of Bad Habits Into Habitually Good Ones
Mindfulness - This is the foundation of habit-building and achieving goals. Whether you realize it or not, there is a goal behind every action you take. If you’re thirsty, your goal is to get something to drink. What you choose as a drink will indicate what your health goals are. If you’re trying to lose weight or be more healthy and choose a sugary drink, you’re behaving contrary to your goals. Slowing down your mind to make a conscious decision will result in a better outcome than an impulsive choice.
Morning Routine - A morning routine will set the stage for the rest of your day. Have you heard the quote, “Lose an hour in the morning, and you’ll spend all day looking for it”? Giving yourself extra time in the morning to avoid that frantic rush out the door will help reduce stress and anxiety. My non-negotiables are emptying the dishwasher, loading the breakfast dishes, and making the bed.
Evening Routine - Evening routines work in tandem with your morning routines. If your evening routine sucks, chances are that will disrupt your morning. Resetting your household will enable you to wake up to a clean slate. Clean up dirty dishes, pick up shoes and random items, prepare your lunch if you take it with you, and do whatever you can to make the morning rush unrushed. Every time I tell myself I’ll do it in the morning because I’m exhausted, I live to regret it. Set a time to get ready for bed so you don’t feel too tired to do a reset.
Put Away vs Put Down - Creating a habit of putting things away instead of setting them on a service will save you time in the long run. I have clients who can’t understand why everything ends up everywhere after their cleaning person leaves. That’s because your cleaning person is moving things out of the way and not creating a system. Create a sustainable system for your contents and maintain a daily habit to keep up with it.
Creating Systems - This backs up what I said in item 4 above. Decluttering is one thing, and organizing is another. Setting up a sustainable system is key to staying organized. Clients tell me they tell their kids to put their stuff away, but they don’t know where away is. I also have clients that when I walk into their homes, all surfaces are clean, and everything looks neat until you open up drawer or closet. They are jam-packed with stuff, and retrieving anything is a chore. Organizing is more than pretty baskets - it’s a strategy for household management.
Consistent decluttering, creating an organized system, and maintaining the system will keep you habitually organized. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the process, download our FREE Orginal Declutter Flowchart and Companion Guide at the link in our Instagram here!