“Jesus answered, “‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.’” John 11:9-11
Have you ever asked, “Why is it so hard to get organized?” I used to ask that question all the time. I remember having that conversation with the Lord one day as I was trying to organize my closet. I was so frustrated and confused that I cried out, “LORD, WHY IS THIS SO HARD!” The Lord spoke to my heart that day. “Pray,” He said. So, I did. What happened next was amazing.
Over the course of several days the Lord began to shed light on every obstacle that was preventing me from getting organized. These revelations were exciting. I now understood why getting organized had been so hard for me. I had never applied the right solutions because I had never properly diagnosed my obstacles. Once I understood what was holding me back, getting organized was no longer elusive. What a relief!
If you want to find the right solution to any problem, you must first know its cause. For example, if you went to the doctor with an upset stomach, wouldn’t you expect him to examine you, ask lots of questions and possibly runs some tests? What would you do if instead he immediately prescribed a medication? Wouldn’t you be afraid that he might have misdiagnosed your illness? A wise man once said, “Prescription before diagnosis is malpractice.” The same holds true with organizing.
Most disorganized people try to apply organizing solutions without ever stopping to consider the cause of their problems. They buy containers to put their things in without understanding what their needs are or how their situation got out of control in the first place. Containers may make things look organized at first, but guess what happens after a short while? Things return to the same disorganized mess. Why? Because quick fixes never address the root of the problem. In order to properly address your problem you must properly diagnose which obstacles are at the root of your problem.
Over the years I have come to recognize that most obstacles fall into three categories: Mechanical, Situational and Internal.
The best place to start your diagnosis is to check for your Mechanical Obstacles. Once you have identified and fixed them, getting organized is a simple process. Additionally, if you have Situational or Internal Obstacles, fixing the Mechanical Obstacles first will bring the later to light so that you can address them more easily.
As you read through each of the following obstacles be honest with yourself, but not condemning. This exercise is meant to help you become aware of what has been holding you back so that you can find the proper solutions. It is not meant to make you feel guilty. If you are like most disorganized people, you’ve spent a lot of time beating yourself up over this, which has discouraged you and made you feel like giving up. The best thing you can do is to turn your energy toward getting to the root of your problem and finding a cure.
Using the information below, make a list of the obstacles you identify as preventing you from getting organized along with any “light bulb” realizations that come to you. This information will serve as a springboard for creating solutions that will transform your home and life.
Mechanical Obstacles
Mechanical obstacles are obstacles that revolve around the way you have structured a space, your time or a process. These obstacles are very simple to fix. All that is required is tweaking things until they work for you.
1. Homeless Belongings
Your belongings are “homeless” because they do not have a designated place to be put. Because they are homeless you end up putting them in any available location in hopes that you will be able to find a home for them later. As time goes by they get buried under other homeless items and now you have piles of homeless items everywhere. You can’t find anything because everything blends into a sea of clutter.
If this sounds familiar, the solution for you is to take some time to asses each item and assign it to a permanent, functional home. That way you will know exactly where to find an item and where to put it away.
2. Difficult to Use
You have designated a home for your things but getting to were they belong is too difficult. For example, you may avoid doing your filing because there is a box or piece of furniture in front of the filing cabinet. Or perhaps your children don’t put their toys away because they play with their toys in the front room but the toy box is upstairs in their room.
If it is too difficult to put something away you will avoid doing it. What ends up happening is that instead of putting an item away, you put it down in a “temporary” place thinking that eventually you will get around to putting it away. That’s a sure fire way to develop piles around the house.
The solution to this problem is to remove anything that is obstructing access to the storage area or relocate the storage area to a place that is near where the item is being used.
3. Not Enough Storage
Are all your cupboards, cabinets and closets stuffed? If so, you may have more belongings than you have places to store them. You have three options. You can choose to reduce some of your excess items, add more storage, or redesign your space so that it is utilized to its maximum potential.
4. Complicated System
I once bought an expensive, pre-made filing system. It looked like it was going to be the answer to my filing nightmare. In the end it proved to be a big mistake because it was too complicated to implement. I began to worry that I wouldn’t find important papers once they were filed in one of the countless folder choices I had at my disposal. Within a week I had abandoned the system.
Think about the systems you have set up in your own home. Have they been so complex that you have put things away only to realize that you can’t remember where you put them? If so, you are probably suffering from a complicated organizing system.
5. Memory Joggers
Do you leave things out such as bills to pay, prescriptions to be refilled and coupons to be redeemed so that you can remember to take care of them later? The only problem with operating this way is that the more items that are left out to jog your memory, the more they begin to blend into one another. Pretty soon everything gets swallowed up by the clutter.
6. Disconnected
Getting organized seems like a good idea but you feel disconnected from the process because the organizing systems you’ve tried in the past were utilitarian and ugly. Let me encourage you to create organizing systems that are aesthetically pleasing to you. If you love the way your system looks, you will be more inclined to use and maintain it because it brings you joy. Don’t discount the emotional value of a beautifully designed organizing system.
Situational Obstacles
Are you discouraged because your situation is preventing you from getting completely organized? Sometimes we face obstacles that are beyond our control and that puts a limit on how organized we can become. Sometimes we can’t change our circumstances and we have to do our best to work within the limited choices we have available. Other times, we can mitigate or eliminate a problem by simply making different choices.
1. The Super Mom
Some women have more responsibilities on their plate than they can handle. As a result these “Super Moms” never have time to get organized because they are just too busy.
Here are just a few examples of the tasks that Super Moms do on a daily basis: work outside the home, work at home, homeschool, volunteer, go to school, take care of aging parents, clean the house, do the laundry, make meals, do the shopping, take children to sports events and after school activities, and the list goes on and on. It is no wonder they never get organized. They don’t have time to even breathe.
If this sounds like you, here is what you can do to take control of your situation and turn things around. Start by taking an inventory of how you spend your time. On a piece of paper write down all the tasks you do each day and make a note of how long it takes you to complete each task. On another piece of paper write down all the tasks you needed to do but did not have the time to do along with your best estimate of how long it would have taken to complete them. Do this for a period of one week. At the end of the week you will have a clear picture of exactly how you spend your time.
Review your lists and make notes about which responsibilities you should consider letting go of, where you should cut back and what tasks you can delegate.
Here are some questions that may help:
- Can I delegate some household chores to family members or hire someone to help?
- Are my own expectations of how “clean” my home needs to be keeping me from getting other things done?
- Is my volunteering keeping me from properly taking care of my home and family?
- Do my children need to be participating in more than one extra curricular activity at a time?
- Can I get some additional assistance for my aging parents from another family member or an agency?
- Is this the right time in my life to go back to school? Should I put it off until my other responsibilities lessen?
2. Multitasking Meltdown
We are a busy generation. In an effort to keep up with the demands of life we are constantly trying to fit as much as possible into every waking moment. We often find ourselves doing several things at once. This is known as multitasking. Multitasking can be a great way to get a lot of things done in a short amount of time, but making it a way of life leads to Multitasking Meltdown. This is where we have so much going on at once, that we begin to make mistakes and forget things simply because our life has spun out of control.
With all the technology available to us today it is easy to overdo the multitasking. Have you ever seen a woman putting on her makeup while driving? Now that’s scary!
You may have engaged in multitasking without realizing it. See if any of these scenarios sound familiar. Have you ever tried to make dinner while listening to the TV and helping your kids with homework? How about trying to carry on a phone conversation while checking your email? Or have you tried to balance your checkbook, while watching your child’s baseball game and sending tweets out on Twitter?
If any of this hits home, the best thing to do is to step back and analyze whether doing several tasks at one time has caused more problems than it has solved. What has been the cost of trying to do too much at one time? Have you made a lot of costly mistakes? Have you been so distracted that you forgot to do other things?
It is okay not to multitask, especially when careful attention or thought is needed. Just because you can multitask doesn’t mean you should.
3. Life Changes
Every time you experience a change in your life you go through a period where the organizational systems you had in place no longer fit your needs. There is no way around this because your circumstance has changed and you are now faced with a new reality that will require a new organizational system.
Here is a list of life changes that will affect the way you organize.
- Getting married
- Getting divorced
- Having a baby
- A death in the family
- Moving
- Remodeling your home
- A New job
- A Career change
- Starting to work at home
- Quitting work
- Going back to work
- Going back to school
- Starting to homeschool
- Children moving out
- Retiring
When you go through a life change, give yourself some grace as you settle into your new situation. It is best to take some time and get familiar with your new situation before you try to get organized.
I had to do this when we moved into our new home and immediately began a huge renovation project. At first I was frustrated because every time I tried to get organized things would be disrupted or have to be revamped. I finally decided to set up some temporary systems until I could get a clear picture of what we would ultimately need.
If possible, wait until you get settled in your new situation. It will be easier for you to see what your family’s true needs are and what your priorities should be. You won’t be spinning your wheels and you’ll be able to create systems that best fit this new time in your life.
4. Unhelpful Family Members
When you have a family member whose habits are constantly derailing your efforts to get and stay organized, it can be very discouraging. The best way to handle this situation is to make sure that the systems you have in place are easy to use and easy to maintain. It is very possible that this family member is struggling because the system you set up does not align with their way of thinking. Work with them to make modifications or changes to the system that will make it easier for them to use it.
Secondly, did you take into account the needs of all the people that will use the system you created? If you set up an area for your children to hang their coats and backpacks, but it is too high for the younger ones to reach, guess where the coats and backpacks will land; the floor, of course. So put yourself in the shoes of each person who will use the system. Make sure that it fits everyone’s needs.
Last but not least, help family members take ownership of using and maintaining the systems that have been set up. Assign duties, set expectations and outline consequences. Help them to understand how important it is to have items returned to their proper home and what the consequences are if they are not. Talk with them about the cost of being disorganized and how their lack of compliance is affecting the rest of the family.
5. Maximum Capacity
Is your home so stuffed that if you tried to add one more item your house would explode? If this sounds familiar, you may have reached your home’s maximum storage capacity. This is not to be confused with Mechanical Obstacle number three, Not Enough Storage. In this case you have done all you can to pare down what you own to only the things you need, use and love. You have also utilized your storage space as efficiently as possible. At this point you are simply out of space.
You could move to a bigger home or pay for offsite storage. But if you can’t do either of these, you’ll need to institute the following rule to keep things from getting out of control: before anything new comes into your home something else has to go.
Internal Obstacles
If you have identified all your Mechanical Obstacles and Situational Obstacles, but there still seems to be an elusive barrier preventing you from becoming organized, you may have one or more Internal Obstacles.
Internal Obstacles are emotional and psychological barriers that prevent you from becoming organized. Being aware of them is the key to overcoming them.
1. The Collector
Are your collections taking over the house? Does the thought of getting rid of things fill you with anxiety? Do you cringe at the thought of decluttering your home? If you derive a sense of comfort from knowing that you are surrounded by an abundance of possessions, this could be your obstacle.
The emotional need to be surrounded by many possessions can usually be traced back to a time in your life when important needs were not met. If basic necessities, such as food, clothing and shelter or possibly a stable, loving environment were not provided, you may be trying to compensate for that lack of security by accumulating large quantities of possessions so that you feel secure.
If you didn’t grow up under circumstances like this but you still feel the need to accumulate things, you may have adopted this mindset from a parent or other adult figure in your life. This happened to me. My parents lived through the Great Depression and were afraid to let go of things because they “might need them someday.” It was a long time before I realized that I was modeling that same behavior. In fact, I still struggle with it when it comes to food. I have always had a large pantry. My mother instilled in me the habit of stocking up on canned and dry goods because food was scarce during her childhood.
If accumulating large quantities of things is something you struggle with, you are going to be surprised at what I am about to tell you. Having an abundance of possessions is not a sin. Being blessed with abundance is a gift of God.
“Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work-this is a gift of God.” Ecclesiastes 5:19
What is a sin is when your possessions become the source from which you draw your security. Your security should come from trusting in the Lord to provide for you. When you get your security from your possessions that is called idolatry.
“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?” Ezekiel 14:3
The good news is that I am not going to tell you to start throwing things out. I bet you are relieved! The reason I am not going to tell you to do that is because it won’t help you overcome this obstacle. The only way to overcome this obstacle is to attack it at the root.
Here is what I suggest you do. Spend some time reflecting on the past events of your life and try to identify what it was that triggered this behavior. If this is too painful to do, which can sometimes be the case if there were some traumatic event(s) that happened, you may need to seek the assistance of a Christian counselor.
Once you have identified the root cause, lay it before the Lord and ask Him to help you to overcome it.
The next thing I want you to do is concentrate on learning to be content with what the Lord has given you. Whether you have a little or a lot, you must learn to do everything through Him who gives you strength or you will return to the same behavior when another traumatic event happens in your life. Learn to turn to Him in prayer for all your needs.
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13
Here is a practical suggestion that you can implement. When you get to the reduction phase of this program, instead of eliminating things, I want you to group like items together (consolidate). Once you start designating homes for everything you will see exactly how much excess you have. If you can get rid of things at that point, that’s great. However, if you are really struggling with it, try letting go of things “a little at a time”. Keep this thought in mind as you let go of a possession that has become an idol: with every toss you are strengthening your faith in God as your provider. Let go of your excess and trust in God to take care of all your needs.
2. The Fixer
Some people have homes and lives that are constantly in chaos. They gravitate toward living this way because they derive fulfillment from the process of fixing things.
While these people are gifted at solving problems, they have trouble finding and sticking with an organizing system. Their need to fix things causes them to become dissatisfied with their current organizing system and they abandon it in favor of something better. Consequently, they never use an organizing system long enough to reap its benefits. Their homes are disorganized because they are always looking for that elusive, perfect answer.
If you think this is you, instead of continually abandoning and replacing your organizing systems, follow through on the ones you create in this program and put your talent and energy into something more meaningful. Don’t waste your time on reorganizing your space over and over again. Instead, use the extra time you gain to be a blessing to others. Volunteer at a crisis nursery, serve at a local women’s shelter or help out at church. Do something that will make a difference in the lives of others.
3. The Plate-Spinner
Do you find yourself overwhelmed and going in different directions? Do you thrive on having a lot of projects going on at one time? Do you have numerous unfinished projects? If this sounds like you, you may be a Plate-Spinner.
Plate-Spinners are people that love life and want to enjoy as much of it as possible. With great enthusiasm they dive into things before they understand the amount of time and responsibility that is involved. They tend to be involved in several projects or organizations at one time. As a result they are spinning so many “plates” that their life is literally “spinning” out of control.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying life. Jesus came so that we may “have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Where we run into trouble is when we are not realistic about how much we can handle at one time.
I know many women who smoothly handle a family, home, career, volunteer work and a hobby. They are able to get a lot done because they choose to do only those things that they know they can realistically accomplish.
My friend Kathy is a homeschooling mom of two. She has a home-based business and leads a Cub Scout pack. Kathy also enjoys gardening. She is working on becoming a master gardener though her local cooperative extension.
Kathy loves trying new things and she likes to be busy all the time. She knows that she has a tendency to start a lot of projects but has a hard time finishing them. In light of this, at the beginning of each year she plans out what she can realistically handle.
She looks at the projects she wants to complete and evaluates the time and resources each require. She then compares them to her predefined and prioritized list of values and prayerfully decides what will go onto her list of goals for the coming year.
By evaluating and setting goals that she can realistically achieve, Kathy is no longer overwhelmed. She knows exactly what she wants to accomplish and she has a plan to make it happen.
If you are like Kathy, may I suggest that you follow her example? List out what you want to accomplish. Then, prioritize your list according to what is most important to you. Choose to do one or two things this year and come up with a timeline for the rest.
Achieving a few important goals is much more rewarding than the anxious feeling you get from being scattered in a million different directions.
4. The Avoider
Getting organized allows you to be productive and achieve your goals. Sometimes, when a person is afraid of the success that comes with being organized, they use disorganization as a self-imposed limitation to avoid that success.
If you are afraid of success and how it can change your life, then you may be using your disorganization as a way to avoid reaching your full potential.
Fear is a subject on which many books have been written. It is a deep subject that I couldn’t possible cover here. However, I do want to make a few points and share some ideas that may help you.
Breaking through the barrier of fear is challenging. This first thing you must do is acknowledge your fear of success.
Next, ask yourself why you are afraid. I know this sounds simplistic, but in order to overcome your fear you must get to the root of the problem.
Think back through your life. What happened that caused you to fear success? Was there an incident or a person that has convinced you that you couldn’t be successful or that you had no right to be successful? Oftentimes just knowing what has been holding you back can give you the strength to change things.
Here is something else I want you to think about… God loves you and wants you to succeed.
Romans 8:31-32 says…
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
That is the blessing that awaits you IF you let go of your fear.
I also want to remind you that He is with you and will help you.
“The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:19
Lastly, when you do step out and start getting organized, do it slowly so that you can get used to each accomplishment you make. That way you won’t be tempted to revert to your old self-sabotaging way of doing things. Small steps, a little at a time, will help you to get comfortable with the “new you.”
5. The Concealer
Clutter can become a barrier between a person and the outside world; much like an overweight person uses their weight as a way to avoid relationships. If your home is so full of clutter that you can’t let anyone in, consider that you may be using clutter as a barrier to keep yourself concealed from the outside world.
A person who is a Concealer can trace their need to “hide” to a traumatic event, illness or a difficult personal loss. Whatever the cause, they now subconsciously use their cluttered home to insulate themselves from the outside world in order to avoid being hurt.
Overcoming hurt, like overcoming fear, is a challenging thing to do. If you find this proposition too difficult to do alone, you may want to consider getting counseling to help you work through the emotional harm you have experienced.
Once you are ready to get organized, my advice is to organize one small area at a time. Go slowly and let yourself get used to that newly organized space. Once you are comfortable with that change, go organize another space. Make sure that you give yourself adequate time to get used to the change. Don’t rush into things. Allow yourself ample time to work through any feelings that may accompany the changes you have made. If you backslide a few times, give yourself some grace, pick yourself up and keep going.
When you feel like hiding, here are some scriptures that you can go to for comfort.
“Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you.” Psalm 143:9
“For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:5
Look to the Lord for what you need.
“God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 68:6
“In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.” Psalm 31:20
6. The Creative
Many people that are creative, “right brain” types have a love/hate relationship with getting organized. On one hand they are afraid of getting organized because they think that the structure it brings will stifle their creativity. On the other hand they know that without being organized they are not reaching their full, creative potential.
As a very right-brained person, I can tell you that being organized affords you more freedom to create than you ever thought possible. When your environment is organized and you have systems in place for maintaining things, there are no obstacles to impede your creativity or productivity.
If you are a Creative, the key to organizing your space is to make it easy to use, visually appealing and beautiful. Organize things so that they are easily accessible and feed your creativity. Let your organizing systems reflect the creative way you think, work and live.
7. The Rejecter
The Rejecter is someone who doesn’t put much effort into organizing their home because they just don’t like where they live. It could be because of the location, the size or way it makes them feel. Maybe it’s too hot, too cold, too dark, too noisy or just plain ugly; you get the idea. For whatever reason their home is not what they want it to be so they don’t give organizing it any effort. Does this sound like you? If so, you may be a Rejecter.
If you don’t like your environment and moving isn’t an option, make the most out of the situation by making your home as beautiful as you can. Paint the walls in colors that inspire you. Put up some artwork and photos. Put your mark on your space.
If you decorate your space with the things you love you will begin to feel differently about your surroundings and therefore be more apt to put effort into setting up and maintain an organizing system.
8. The Sentimentalist
Letting go of objects that are no longer useful but have sentimental value can be emotionally difficult for some people. Consequently they have massive amounts of clutter in their home.
Keeping items that bring back fond memories of an earlier time in your life such as trips you may have taken, your childhood, your college days, a past career, or things that belonged to your parents or other family members is acceptable. The key is to hold onto the memories without keeping every single memento. Have rules about the quality and quantity of what you keep. Choose the best items that represent this time in your life and let go of the rest.
If giving up sentimental items is so painful that is prevents you from organizing the rest of your home, try putting these items in a box and put them to the basement, attic or a storage facility. Anywhere that is safe and out of the way. By doing this you will gain control over your clutter until you are emotionally ready to let go of some of your mementos.
9. The Perfectionist
Another common struggle that people have with getting organized is that they put off dealing with their clutter until they have sufficient time to do the job perfectly. Consequently, they never get around to doing anything at all and the clutter overtakes their home. If this sounds like you, you may be a Perfectionist.
Working hard and doing your best are virtuous traits. However, when pushed to the extreme, these traits can turn into perfectionism and become a detriment to you and your family.
If your drive for perfection has prevented you from making any progress on organizing your home, you need to take a step back and ask yourself if waiting until you have the time to do things perfectly has been a good choice. As you look around at the clutter in your home, consider how it has affected you and your family.
If you are ever going to get organized you have to give yourself permission to “not to do everything perfectly”. Yes, I know it is hard to do. Everything inside of you is probably screaming, “But aren’t I supposed to always do my best for God?” Yes, you are, but if you take it to the extreme, it stops being about God and begins being all about you.
When you set such impossible standards for yourself you are not going to be as productive as you could be. Crossing every “T” and dotting every “I” should not be your goal. You need to be conscientious without demanding perfection from yourself.
Here is the antidote to perfectionism: do something. That’s right. Do something, however small and imperfect it may be, do something to get started. Don’t worry about your home looking like a work in progress. People will understand far better than you think they will. Most people can relate to your struggle with clutter and getting organized. There are not many people that are “born” with the gift of being an organized person.
Additionally, if perfectionism has you searching for the “perfect” organizing solution, try picking one and giving it a try for at least six months. At the end of the six months, evaluate whether it is working for you. If it is, great! If not, try altering it or select a new one. The key is to stick with it and not get caught up in looking for perfection.
Last, but not least, stop relying on your perfectionism to make you strong. When you let go of your perfectionism you allow the Lord to do great things with your life. In weakness you are strong because it is then that He can mold you into the person He wants you to become. Let yourself become weak. His power works through weakness…
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Now that you have identified which obstacles have held you back from getting organized, and most importantly what to do about them, now you can move on to getting organized. You are no longer boxed in by past failures. The past is behind you. Your slate is clean. Let’s get started.
© 2006 – 2010 Blair Massey. All rights reserved.
