How I did it: With any task that we procrastinate on setting a deadline date is the most important thing. THIS is the day no matter what that I will ____.!

With that in mind, organization begins with the what you are trying to organized.  Your closet, bill box, house, or life...

• If it's a specific task like having a place for you bills find a box.  An old shoe box, one you buy from a store, plastic or cardboard does not matter. Now decorate it.! 
• Whatever creativity, supplies, or inspiration you may have from your or the neighbors kids crayons/paints, to Christmas wrapping paper. The limit is you. Craft stores, discount stores, hardware stores sell paint in liquid, spray forms and even glue comes in colored versions. Following all product instructions and in well ventilated areas or outside make the outside of the container look a festive and happy as your hearts desire. If necessary glue colored paper or use drawer liner to cover the inside & outside if you like.  After done & dry "This" is where all important mail bills etc go and then Every WEEK on a designated day go through the box and order what you have by deadline. Writing the due by and mail or pay by date on the outside helps to keep you in order. Then its easy to transfer to your Calender to keep track.

If your closet is the culprit: you will need:

• 1 full day, 3 boxes, a marking pen, hangers, trash bags, paper, tape, containers for shoes & belts.

Begin by taking everything OUT of your closet. Sweep or vacuum if needed.

Using 4 hangers put a piece of paper and mark for the seasons: summer fall winter spring, then mark each box Keep Donate Trash

Item by item sort each into the sections and hang all your hanging items sorted and group by season and color and then turn the hanger and hang them backwards (pass the hanger to the back of the closet behind the rod). Do Not spend more than a minute deciding on an item. If in doubt keep and there is a way to fix that later. Put everything you are going to keep in the closet hung up or folded in it's place. The trash & donate boxes are self explanatory but the keep box is for everything that does not belong in the closet or if the item needs to be repaired. When a box is full transfer to a trash bag labeled with pen & paper and place bag in designated corner and continue. Now your closet is clean and orderly, FEEL BETTER?

When you have worn an item and put it back after cleaning hang it as you normally would from the front.
At the end of the season if you have not worn an item - and you will know because the hanger will still be backwards - Donate - or Sell it. Then shift or rotate the current season of clothes to the front and the outgoing season to the back.

• For Your house

Start as you would for the closet, 1 room a day.  Sort items into groups on the floor or in boxes and after your done remove the items if they do not belong.  If possible rearrange furniture so that the room flows, add decorations - hang the pictures you've been meaning to etc. Keep baskets or boxes with lids to keep clutter at bay. The best plan to keep things organized is to first plan. Decide to put things away right away or that minimum no more than 2 days pass and the room is de-cluttered.

• For your life

You have to decide what you want, then write it down. Make a list, This site can really help. Put your list in order, and time-line dates to begin or be completed by and be realistic. If your expectations are too high you will not reach your goal.

Lessons & tips: To accomplish anything you first must be HONEST with your self.  What you want to change or fix can't be changed or fixed until you understand or ADMIT why it is there first. Dr Phil says you can't change something you don't acknowledge exists.

Q  "what's the best way to eat an elephant"?

A   One bite at a time.

If your messy because you don't care, when you finally do care you'll have to first admit that you didn't.  Then find new habits to replace the old ones. If your depressed, get help - a doctor, a friend, for me Books are my lifeline. They can inspire, inform, challenge, and ignite your passions and be a catalyst for change. If your unhappy, why are you unhappy - and it can not be because of someone else - or the lack of someone else. Happiness comes from within not from things or people. Happiness is a choice. Choose to wake up and BE happy, find happiness in at least 1 thing everyday. Seek out in you - your passions in life.
And if all else fails "fake it till you make." Tell yourself you are happy and one day you will be,

Resources: This is only a start.

The Happiness Project
Tony Robbins
Dr Phil
Oprah
your own SELF Love ...
Books books books.

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Jan 16, 2010, 12:35PM PST | 0 comments | 2 cheers