As a young, carefree student, I developed a delicate talent for leaving things lying around the house. Dirty dishes in the sink, mountains of clothes making up my not-so-chic ‘floordrobe’, and odd bits of paper and unpaid bills lay neglected on my table. Generally, my excuses were things like I’m too busy, too tired, too consumed by anything but getting organised. By the time the weekend rolled around, I could stand it no longer. My Saturdays would be spent tidying, cleaning, and restoring some level of decorum in my apartment, before repeating the entire cycle again come Monday morning! My midweek laziness was costing me half of my weekend - but I couldn’t break my bad habits.

I like to say, mess is an inevitable consequence of an amazing creation. Ever had an evening playing Masterchef, created a killer three course menu, and been left with no mess? Probably not. The same goes for your home and work life. Think your desk will be clutter-free while you build your empire and kick your goals? Bingo. Of course not - but there are some techniques you can employ to keep your organisational skills in check, and the benefits will go beyond your desk drawers. A neat life leads to a neat mind.

How can I get more organised?

Top Tip #1 - Don’t wait until it multiplies out of control and gets totally overwhelming.

“Where do I start? It'll take forever to sort out!”

Stop.

It doesn’t have to get out of control. Small changes to your daily routine can avoid chaos building up behind the scenes.

As soon as you notice mini messes building up, take charge. Dedicate a few minutes at the end of each day to get your bearings, draw things to a close and organise the next step. Know where things need to be, and how to pick the project back up as and when you need to.

Top Tip #2 - Have an ‘away’ place.

Working on a project? Allocate a drawer, folder, box or shelf for that work - and everything associated with it. Apply the same logic to your kitchen, office and bedroom. Make sure everything has a place, and get into the habit of putting things back when they’re finished with. Having a chair or rack in your bedroom can help keep mid-use clothes from being relegated to the floor - but don’t use it as an excuse to pile everything up!

If you're mess is already getting out of control and overwhelming, sit tight, I'll be sharing next week about some options to get back on top of it. If you can't wait that long or if you're getting stuck on the best way to set up your storage from Tip #2, check out some of the ways I can help by booking in a free call with me here.

Is it time to claim back your weekends and evenings?