Does your life run like clockwork?
As a former engineer I’m all about systems and problem-solving. And as a student of fine arts, and a certified interior re-designer, I’m all about making things look nice. But as a professional organizer, function ALWAYS takes precedence over form. Who cares how pretty your laundry hamper is, if your dirty clothes are still lying on the floor? Who cares how neat and tidy your office looks, if you can’t find your stapler when you need it?
What is a system? A system is a methodical way of doing something that produces consistent results. So, you may have systems in place, but are they still working for you? Even the best system needs to be reviewed periodically, and adjusted as necessary.
Let me share with you the six basic organizing systems I think everyone should have in place for effective daily living. By “effective daily living” I mean your house is not cluttered to the point where you are embarrassed to have friends over; you get important tasks done on time; and you are able to enjoy your life without the stress that results from NOT having systems that work for you and your family.
1. Laundry
2. Dishes
3. Staging Area
4. Flow of Paper
5. Flow of Things
6. Getting Stuff Done
Which of these systems do you already have in place? Which ones are working for you, and which ones aren’t? Try asking yourself these questions to fine tune your systems:
1. WHO is affected? WHO will do it?
2. WHAT needs to be done? WHAT tools are needed?
3. WHEN and HOW OFTEN should it be done?
4. WHERE will we do it? WHERE will we store our tools?
5. WHY do we need this system?
You may notice I haven’t included this question: HOW? That’s because there are many ways to accomplish good results. When working with clients my job is to find a system that works for them, not to force them to do what works for me.
Now let’s take a closer look at each system… (Next up: Laundry)
Copyright 2010 by Hazel Thornton, Organized For Life.
Social media links directly to this page are encouraged!
Please contact me for other types of reprint permission.
Return to main blog page to subscribe, search, etc.
Tags: family, organizing system
May 3, 2012 at 10:44 am |
When it comes to daily and weekly routines, my husband and I are a great team: we each know our jobs and schedule when it comes to dishes, laundry, mail, and pet care, and have designated spots for nearly everything. It’s a bit more challenging to deal with occasional tasks, like taking unwanted items to the donation centre or shopping for stuff other than groceries. Do you have any suggestions for ensuring those things get done?
May 3, 2012 at 5:14 pm |
Hi Janet, great question! Those occasional tasks need to be scheduled too, or at least considered on a regular basis. So you could have a running errand list and add donations and shopping as you recognize the need. Or, you could make a re-usable weekly checklist that includes donations and shopping, and simply cross them off if they don’t need to be done that week. My personal trigger for taking donations is if my donation bin gets full. Then I put it in the car and work it into my other errands. Do you think any of these ideas would work for you?