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 Restoring
Order to Your Home
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CBN.com –Over
the next few weeks we are discovering how we
became so disorganized in the first place. If
you’ve been unsuccessful in your organizing
efforts and are trying to figure out “How did I
get here?” this series is for you!
If you want to get organized and stay that way,
you have to dig down deep. It’s kind of like
weeding…sure, you can chop the tops off the weeds
if you’re sick of looking at them, but doing so
will only result in their rapid return. If you
want to rid the soil of your life of
disorganization, you will have to pull out your
disorder by the root. Only then will you create
order and sustain lasting change.
Last week we covered “situational
disorganization:” when life events precipitate our
disorganization. This week we will explore
“habitual disorganization:” when our habits are
wreaking havoc in our space and lives.
Habitual Disorganization
Some of the clients I’ve worked with have
needed help re-directing their behavior. Some are
stashers. Some are stackers. Others are pilers,
spreaders, suffers, and hiders. You name it, I’ve
seen it. There are a million bad organizing
habits, and we’ve all indulged them from time to
time.
Instead of unloading the dishwasher, we leave
our dishes in the sink, hoping someone else will
unload. Rather than facing the paper pile-up, we
shut our office door so we can’t see the mess. We
knowingly overbook our schedule because we can’t
say no. We resist using a calendar and important
events and appointments fall through the cracks.
We all have our own unique collection of bad
habits that lead to disorganization. We are the
habitually disorganized.
Habitual disorganization does not mean that we
are forever cursed and stuck with chaos in our
life. Rather, it means that we have created our
own state of disorganization with our collection
of bad habits. We can also remain in our chaos,
using our bad habits as a reason for why we can’t
get out. Whether we are dealing with space, time,
paper, information, or tasks, we all have our own
set of patterns that may sabotage our order. By
our own hand, we become victims of
disorganization.
Two of the most common and destructive bad
habits I see my clients practicing are task
dodging and over-scheduling.
Task Dodging
Are you a task dodger? Do you procrastinate and
put things off for later completion? If so, this
bad habit can cause a variety of problems in your
space and time management. Letting the laundry
grow into an overwhelming mountain can impact your
wardrobe and your daily routine. If all your
clothes are dirty you will have a hard time
getting ready in the morning. You may choose not
to attend certain events if you don’t have the
proper attire. If you are out of clean socks, you
may neglect your daily exercise routine. In
extreme cases, I’ve seen some folks go out and buy
new clothes rather than keeping up with their
laundry. Procrastination is a habit that must be
broken in order for you to experience orderly
living.
Over-Scheduling
Another common bad habit that causes
disorganization is over-scheduling your life.
Well-intentioned mothers allow their children to
sign up for a multiplicity of clubs and sports.
Some want to give their children every chance to
succeed and to stand out from other children. Some
want their children to have a better chance at
winning scholarships due to their roster of
activities and athletic abilities. Others simply
would like to give their children opportunities
they never had.
As a result of over-scheduling, the family
practically lives in the car, shuttling back and
forth between activities. Since the
over-programmed family doesn’t have time for meals
at home, everyone consumes a fast food diet
because it is quick and easy. As a result, they
begin feeling crummy and lethargic. Since everyone
is on the go, it becomes harder to keep up with
chores at home, like bill paying and
housecleaning. The very activities that were
intended to enrich the lives of the children end
up taking over everyone’s schedule. While it is
difficult to set priorities and boundaries for
yourself and for your children, doing so will
create more balance and sanity for the family.
Over-scheduling may seem harmless, but it is a bad
habit that snowballs and can negatively impact
your lifestyle.
Now the Good News
The good news is that you can begin to identify
any bad habits that you’ve developed that are
contributing to your disorganization.
Acknowledging those habits is the first step to
restoring order. If you don’t identify your bad
habits in the process of organizing, your efforts
won’t make a lasting impact. As you engage in your
organizing process, you can then proactively work
to eliminate those bad habits. When you extricate
yourself from self-defeating habits you can truly
be liberated from disorder.
Read How Did I Get So Disorganized, Part 1
Adapted from:
Restoring Order™ copyright © 2006 by Vicki Norris
(available now at
www.RestoringOrder.com and in July 2007as
Reclaim Your Life™. Copyright © 2007). Published
by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR. Used by
permission.
About the Author: Vicki Norris is
an expert organizer, business owner, speaker,
television personality, and author who inspires
people to live out their priorities. Norris is a
regular on HGTV’s nationally syndicated Mission:
Organization, and is a recurrent source and
contributor to national lifestyle publications
including Quick & Simple magazine, Better Homes &
Gardens, and Real Simple magazine. Norris is also
author of Restoring Order™ to Your Home, a
room-by-room household organizing guide. |
