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Get expert advice on getting organized.
Ask Vicki
a question to receive help in
restoring order to your life. |
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 Restoring
Order to Your Home
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CBN.com –
Are you disillusioned by the efforts you’ve made
in the past to get organized? Are you ready for
lasting change? If so, I hope you’ll enjoy this
new series “Getting Organized for Good.”
Let’s begin with the heart of the matter.
Getting organized really won’t do very much for
you (nor will it last) if don’t understand why
you’re doing it. “What’s that?” you say?
“Shouldn’t I get organized in order to achieve a
beautiful home, streamlined office, and
color-coded files?” While all these may in fact be
outcomes of your organizing efforts, my
experience reveals that these outcomes won’t last
very long unless you have a greater purpose
for getting organized
In my view, you should get organized for one
most important reason: to make room for your life
priorities.
A priority is not the same thing as a goal. A
goal is finite and measureable; it’s something you
can check of a list. A priority is a guiding life
value; it’s something that you continually strive
towards. Some people tell me their priorities are
to have a good marriage, to be an engaged parent,
or to enjoy deep friendships. Others note
professional priorities like contributing to
something meaningful with their work.
I have found no more compelling catalyst for
getting—and staying—organized than our own
priorities. If you can identify your own
priorities, you can use them to motivate yourself
to get organized! The first secret to achieve
lasting change I want to share with you is
The Priority Principle: to create
sustainable order, we must first identify and live
according to our true priorities.
Let’s see how The Priority Principle works in
everyday life comparing a goal versus a priority:
1. GOAL: Suppose you believe
your “priority” is to achieve a beautiful, orderly
playroom for your children (which is really just a
goal, not a priority). So, you organize the room,
select the most beautiful furniture you can find,
obtain lots of matching plastic bins, and paint
the walls a lovely color. You even commission a
mural on the wall. Much to your dismay, the
playroom dissolves into chaos only one week after
you’ve finished all your “organizing” efforts. In
my book, this was not authentic organizing.
This was “beautifying” at its best.
2. PRIORITY: Now, let’s say
that your true priority is being an engaged parent
(an actual priority). So, you set about organizing
your children’s playroom and you engage them in
the process. You ask them what they love to do,
and you set up play areas around their interests.
You both enjoying reading together, so you
establish a “library” area with a bookshelf and
bean bags and you even schedule a nightly time to
read books together. You talk with your children
about the importance of caring for their space and
you help them learn how to honor their belongings
and clean up after themselves. In the end, you may
not have a playroom ready for a magazine cover,
but you are far more likely to a) gain enjoyment
from the space and b) teach your children
invaluable self-management skills and c) achieve
lasting order since you built the space around
your true priority: being an engaged parent.
Obviously, organizing around your priorities
takes a little more time than tidying up your
space. It involves knowing yourself and building
systems that support your life. Frankly, this is
the nexus of why I personally enjoy organizing so
much; it’s really about building your environment
and processes around your life so that they
empower you to live the abundant life you were
meant to live. So often, we shortchange ourselves
when we short-circuit true organizing by
substituting “tidying” for the real thing.
By embracing The Priority Principle, your
organizing efforts will actually clear the way
(and time) for you to invest in your priorities.
Instead of spending time looking for things, you
can invest time with your children.
Instead of wasting money on late fees, you can
invest your treasure in your family and
kingdom activities.
My disorganized clients tell me that living in
chaos siphons their energy, focus, resources, and
potential. They are tired of living reactively,
instead of living the proactive, fulfilled life
they desire. If you have ever felt like this, try
activating The Priority Principle in your life.
Figure out your true priorities and use them as a
catalyst for getting organized. In almost a decade
of professional organizing experience, I can tell
you that—more than anything else—organizing can
help you make room in your life for the things
that truly matter.
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. |
