Organizing Tip for August 

The first week of August is “National Simplify Your Life Week”.  We all tend to live complicated and busy lives and could use simplification of one or more areas. I encourage you to take time this week or throughout the month to make an effort to pare down aspects of your life. Here are a few things to consider as you strive to live a simpler life:

• De-clutter your space. Reduce the amount of your possessions. We have so much that we don’t need or use. Every item you own comes with responsibilities to house and maintain it. Letting go of the extra stuff frees and simplifies your life.

• Take a look at what is on your calendar, and rethink the commitments you have. Are you part of a group that’s no longer important to you? Can you delegate some of the responsibilities? Remember that by saying “yes” to a commitment, it means you are saying “no” to something else.

• Remember the “1 in, 1 out” rule. For every item you bring into your home, whether clothing, decoration or house wares, you should remove another item. There are people and places that would benefit greatly from your “discards”.

• Limit the amount of TV and computer time in your life. There are so many other things in life to enjoy. Give yourself a time limit and set a timer to prevent yourself from getting sucked in without realizing how much time you have spent on these activities.

• Write a clear to-do list.  Always start your items with an action verb and make the tasks small enough to handle. When heading out the door, make an errands list to help you avoid making several trips and wasting time.

• Ease the stress of bill paying by using automatic bill pay.  This will save you time and ensure the bills are paid on time. Consolidate the number of credit cards and banks you use.

• Remember that every minute of your day or every inch of your home does not need to be occupied with something.  Allow yourself time to relax and open space in your home to enjoy.

As you aim towards a simpler life, be patient with yourself as you push forward, taking one small step at a time. Remember, a simplified life is an organized one.

 © August 2011 Beth Giles