How do you stay organized?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’m horrible. I can’t get organized. I’m forgetful. I’m easily distracted. For example I’ll go to open a program on my computer and by the time it opens, I’ll have forgotten what I opened it for. I mean it’s just disgusting. And today it came to a head and caused an upset between me and a friend, I slacked on several things - one of which directly affected her birthday vacations and such.

And so I’m seeking a new solution.

I’ve tried the palm pilots. I’ve tried just a normal pad. I’ve tried the bunch of 3x5 cards. I’ve just tried all sorts of stuff with no great luck. Can anyone else give me some ideas of ways to keep myself organized?

I’m in need of a way to keep an organized to-do list basically.

2

Forget it, just scribble things on your hand, either you do them, or they wear off anyway.

3

First thing:

There is no later. There is only now. Never put something down until you are finished with it. If you can’t do it now, leave it where you can’t avoid it, but don’t even touch it.

This applies to bills, dishes, letters, every single thing in your life. When you go to the mail box, take your check book, and stamps with you. Write the checks, and put the stamps on the return envelopes, and put them back into the mail box right then.

That is just one example. Ruthlessness is the only key. If you lack the organizational skills to make and execute plans reliably, you must execute the tasks without plans. Rinse dishes as you finish with them. Wash them every time there are enough in the dishwasher to justify it, and don’t be stingy about how many is enough.

Not much fun and it implies a very low evaluation for self reliability. Be honest, it might well be a very accurate assessment. So, don’t lie to yourself or anyone else. “No, I can’t promise to do it next week. We can do it now, though.” Or “Well, I can’t really be sure, why don’t you call me next week, and if I can, we will do it then.”

After a few years, you will have gotten a bit more organized, simply by having fewer things to organize.

Tris

“As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand.” ~ Josh Billings ~

4

It depends on what type of person you are, as to what is the best method of organization.

For me, there are several methods which work best.

  1. Throw it out! If you don’t need it within the next couple of days, throw it out. Do NOT look at something and think, “One day I *might * need this.” You won’t. And, if you do, and you’ve thrown it out, then you will know someone who has it and will let you borrow it.

  2. Act on it now–not in a few minutes, not in a hour, not tomorrow, not next week–do it NOW. If this means you take 10, 20, 30 minutes, or two hours, then do it now.

  3. Be prepared. If you have a form that needs to be filled out for a kids field trip, then fill it out now and put it in the backpack. However, if you don’t have a pen, can’t find the form, backpack is MIA, etc., it makes a job that will take a few seconds endless. If you have something that needs to be mailed, but don’t have stamps, then it will probably get lost before it gets mailed. Buy birthday cards in batches. Address them, stamp them, and sign them the MONTH OF the birthday. Mail them. No one minds getting a birthday card two weeks early–early sure beats late.

  4. Develop good habits. Stand (not sit) next to the trashcan and go through your mail to pitch any junk mail. (You will NOT look at it later, and you know it.) Pack your lunch when you’re putting away dinner leftovers. Clean the kitchen right after dinner. Throw a tub of laundry in the washing machine before your TV show begins, then set a timer to go off when the load will be finished, and on commercial, get out of your chair to put the clothes into the dryer. Take out the trash before you go to bed. Have a specific place for recycleables.

  5. Make a list if that helps. You may not get everything on your list completed, but at least you’ll have a reference.

  6. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted. Phone rings? Let it ring. Your show on television? Turn off the TV. Came across an old photo of dear Auntie Dolly when she was a Rockette and involved with the Don Mafia? Let it go.

These are all things that help me. Good luck with your organization quest. I’ve heard that it take approximately 30 days to develop a habit, and 90 days to break one. Of course, some of us go cold turkey, but regardless of which way you choose, organization is possible to learn and practice.

–signed Most Organized Single Mother of Three