Below is an excerpt from my upcoming ebook Organized Fast with Systems that Last™. In the book I share my 7 step formula for organizing success. Step 5 is Celebrate! If you are working on an organizing project or plan to tackle one soon, leave a comment below and let us know how you will celebrate your success.
Step 5: Celebrate – You Deserve It!
The fifth step in getting Organized Fast with Systems that Last™ is to celebrate! Organizing can be exhilarating because the immediate, tangible results are so gratifying. Organizing, especially if you struggle in this area, can also be exhausting. If you have been faithfully following the 7 step formula I’ve outlined in this book, by the 5th step you have completed all of the hands on work. This is a BIG deal. That is why, the fifth step in the organized fast with systems that last™ 7 step formula is to celebrate!
Organizing and decluttering can affect you on an emotional, mental and physical level. Below are three compelling reasons to encourage you to take that time for yourself at the end of your organizing session.
Organizing can be, and often is an emotional process especially when decluttering. You are excavating layers of stuff, possibly layers of your life. Each item has a story – how you got it, what it means to you, how it makes you feel. Take for example gifts you received from a friend or family member that has since passed away or your child’s earliest drawings, journals you’ve kept over the years or that large box of cards you’ve accumulated. I have a client whose husband was a playwright. He has since passed away. “I wore this vintage Halston dress to the premier of his first play” she said. “What do I do with it?” It’s a great question! Organizing and decluttering involve a lot of decision making. This leads us to the 2nd element which is the mental energy involved in organizing and decluttering.
Organizing requires a lot of decisions, so it can be mentally draining. You will need to make decisions on what to keep, what to toss, what to donate and to whom? Some other questions are do I love it, is it still useful, will I use it again, can it be fixed, is it worth fixing, will I actually fix it, can I sell it, is it worth anything, will it come back in style, should I keep it just in case?
Delayed decision-making has been identified by the organizing industry as the #1 cause of clutter. The decisions you need to make during the decluttering process may be ones you have been putting off. This is another layer why the decluttering process can be particularly draining.
In addition to the emotional and mental effort that organizing and decluttering can take there is of course the more obvious physical element to it. Organizing can be physically exhausting, especially if you are doing a large decluttering project. You may find yourself lifting, pulling, reaching, climbing, crawling, cleaning, bending, kneeling, or sitting cross-legged on the floor. Whew!
As I mentioned earlier, organizing is a BIG deal. Although completing your organizing project can be exhilarating, the emotional, mental and physical elements can be exhausting. By the time you are at the 5th step in the organized fast with systems that last™ 7 step formula you will have completed the hands on organizing and I applaud you!
Make sure to celebrate and honor your success and take some down time to relax. You deserve it!
Are you working on an organizing project now? Leave a comment below and let us know how you will celebrate your organizing success!