Creating systems takes time but in the end, it will save you time and money. Do you fight the need to create systems? One of the most underrated but incredibly effective ways to optimize both your time and finances is through the art of organization. The idea of creating systems can feel overwhelming, but just doing it takes less work and mental strength than worrying about it.
Declutter & Edit
The first step to organization is to declutter and edit your space. There are so many ways to declutter. If decluttering isn’t natural for you then start small like your sock drawer, junk drawer, or shelf in your closet. Thinking you have to do it all at once will feel overwhelming which leads to frustration which is a small step before quitting. You can set a goal to edit your closet but do it over time. Or you can set a goal to declutter and edit every space in your bedroom.
Pick one small space and set a goal to make it better. Let unnecessary items go to the universe let them bless the lives of someone else. If they are used and not something someone could enjoy or appreciate pitch it. Our homes are filled with stuff. We have too much stuff, we are drowning in stuff. How many pairs of jeans do we need? How many socks are necessary to get us from one wash day to the next? How much makeup do we need? How many items are taking up space in our homes, not serving a purpose filling our minds and homes with clutter?
Your home is a reflection of what’s going on inside your head and your heart. If life feels out of control, start taking control in your immediate environment. Don’t get me wrong if you have a house filled with adorable littles with toys and crayons everywhere don’t feel like it all has to go. But do your kids have so much stuff that they don’t play with anything? Do they dump out a bin and only play with one toy? Are there a plethora of toys in every room of the house? Start by throwing away all the broken toys or the ones missing pieces.
Is there something that is no longer played with, give it to someone who could enjoy it? If you have a hard time letting go, put things in a box and see if it’s missed. I would rotate my kid’s toys. Put some toys away in a box, and let your kids enjoy what they have. Do your kids pull everything out but not play with any of it? Remove some toys, and after a few months switch out what you put away with other toys that were out. It leaves you with fewer items to pick up and it’s like Christmas when something new comes out of the box. They find more joy in something ‘new’ than if it continues to be in their hands, not enjoyed just taking up space.
Time Management and Productivity
Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. There is only one way for us to add more time to the day. Doing something today that will save you time tomorrow. It doesn’t have to be a big thing but you can save time tomorrow by locating your child’s shoes tonight. Making the lunches. Setting out your workout clothes, shoes, and vitamins. Not only does it save time tomorrow it also reduces chaos and saves hurt feelings.
You are way more productive when your blood pressure isn’t rising because you’re quickly trying to get out the door and can’t find shoes, water bottles, or homework. Planning saves time and makes you more productive because you are functioning on a higher level. It also feels so much better when we tap into our prefrontal cortex as opposed to being driven by our lower brains which are designed to keep us safe and conserve energy.
Pantry Organization
Having an organized pantry saves so much time and money. Getting an organized pantry takes a little planning, trial and error, and time. But you will get that time back and more day after day when you no longer spend time looking for something you’re sure you bought.
Don’t expect perfection. Shoot for 70% and make adjustments as needed. If you wait until you can get it perfect you will never start. Imagine yourself having 70% more calm and peace, who doesn’t want that?
There is a short course that gives in-depth help for creating an organized pantry. Organized to Optimized: How organization saves you time and money. Check it out here.
Here are the simple steps to organize your pantry.
Step 1: Edit, throw out all expired and will never use food.
Step 2: Group like items
Step 3: Find storage solutions, bins, baskets, lazy susans, and canned storage.
Step 4: Place large items and empty bins in your pantry so you can see spacing.
Step 5: Stack canned items (labels forward for a beautiful aesthetic) or put them in a storage holder
Step 6: Fill bins and baskets with similar items
Step 7: Enjoy what you’ve created
You are on the way to saving time and money.
Organization Saves Money
The initial investment might seem like a lot, especially if you’re trying to do it all at once. Buying a few things at a time won’t feel like quite the hit to your bank account. You will save time by not over-purchasing. There will be less waste. Fewer trips to the store because you forgot or misplaced something.
You can easily see what you have so when there is a sale you know whether you need the items or not. Less throwing out items because you’ve over-purchased or losing items because your pantry, makeup drawer, or closet is chaotic.
Organization Saves Time
You save so much time when there is peace in your heart and home as opposed to chaos. Chaos comes at a cost, mostly showing up in a way that doesn’t serve us.
It also saves time because you can easily find items. An organized pantry makes writing a grocery list quick and easy. Less frustration. When you have an organized space you can easily direct a loved one to an item they need. You won’t need to stop what you are doing to go on the hunt for something that is missing. Fewer last-minute trips to the store to pick up something you’ve forgotten.
The Power of Organization
Doing something today that will save you time tomorrow is a beautiful gift. A gift you can give yourself and your family over and over again. You will feel more alive and proud when you do something that serves you. You will feel the weight of frustration and chaos lift from your heart.
The word systems kept me stuck for a very long time, unable to wrap my head around doing one more thing. Systems don’t need to be big things, small steps add up to big changes. Small shifts in the way we do things and how we think about things will bring big results.
