article written for Examiner.com
When I am organized I feel like I am more in control of my life. I actually like helping other people organize their homes, yet in my own life I still can’t (so to speak) see the clearing through the trees. I decided to get some insight from a guru of organization, Mikki Lesowitz Soliday, owner and founder of the professional organizing service Divine Order. Mikki has a great sense of humor, but when it comes to organization, well let’s put it this way, her license plate reads, “Organize.”
Mikki’s home is by no means minimalist, but it is immediately apparent that every item is arranged with purpose. “ I have created systems in every area of my life to manage what I have and what comes in,” she says, “It gives me the freedom to spend more time with my family and do the things that I love.” Coming up with a system to organize our belongings can seem daunting, but Mikki advises starting small; one room, one closet, one drawer, one pile at a time. The feeling of relief and accomplishment in conquering one small project invariably gets the process in motion.
Organization is often about making decisions; being selective and making choices about what to keep and what to let go of. What is the point in holding on to things we no longer need, use or love? Mikki believes that things only have value if we can find them. Being organized means that we can find things when we need them, not a week or two later. It means that we don’t re-buy things we forgot we had, nor do we waste time rummaging around on virtual treasure hunts.
The biggest obstacle in organization is often the daily stream of: junk mail, bills, newspapers, catalogues, magazines, pills, keys, etc. The objective is to give these things a place to land or a home where they belong so that they don’t turn into piles and manifest more clutter. Having convenient, logical and attractive places to keep our things helps us to better manage our busy lives. “But,” Mikki says, “ in order for any system to be effective it must work for the individual or family or it will not be maintained.”
Start by labeling some boxes: keep, donate and sell. Throw away the obvious. Group like items together and put them in labeled and appropriately sized containers until they can find a home. The container store offers great storage solutions for every thinkable item.
Like anything we do that’s worthwhile, getting organized is a process that takes time. When we establish an effective way to manage our possessions and the daily influx of things, everyday tasks become easier to accomplish, and ultimately we free up our time as well as our mind.
