Getting motivated to begin an organization and decluttering project can be one of the toughest challenges you will face in your organizational journey. If you aren’t motivated to get the job done, you may never even begin. And if you can’t get started, you’ll never complete the project. It’s a vicious cycle. The first step to getting started is to be motivated.
So, how do you get motivated? Motivation comes from within. It is intrinsic. However, there are a few tips
you can use to boost your motivation and get you going on the path to organization success.
Know your why for getting motivated to get organized.
Why do you want to declutter and organize? Are the in-laws coming for the holidays? Are you tired of looking for items over and over? Do you want to save time and money by knowing what you have so you don’t over purchase or under purchase? To start: know why you want to get organized.
Shift your mindset.
Be positive. You can do this. Organization is a learned skill. No one is born knowing how to organize. Take small steps by breaking down the project into even smaller pieces. Write down each task and mark them off as you go along. Seeing small accomplishments along the way will be very satisfying and will keep you going.
Envision what you want from the space.
Are you looking to make over the space into something new, or are you simply wanting to make the space usable for its original intent? If you need to, create a vision board. Clip pictures from magazines or create a Pinterest Board with photos and ideas of how you want your space to look when finished.
Avoid outside distractions when getting motivated to get organized.
Turn off your phone. Leave the laptop in the office. Hire a babysitter for a few hours, if needed. Focus on the project at hand.
Get everyone who uses the space involved.
If your organization project is a community space, such as your family room, include everyone in the family to help. Yes, include the entire family. The more buy-in you have from those who share the space, the more they will understand your process and want to help keep it clean and tidy.
Getting motivated with an Accountability Partner.
Invite a friend over, but not just any friend. A friend that will keep you on task and help you to make decisions. This works particularly well if you are organizing and decluttering your closet. A friend who can be honest about what looks good on you can be a valuable asset when you can’t decide what to keep or what to donate or sell. Just be sure the friend you invite isn’t one who is going to distract you. When your project is complete, you can then do the same for your friend. It’s a win-win for both of you.
Reward yourself for completing various tasks in the space.
It might seem silly, but remember when your kids were little, and you rewarded them with M n M’s for doing something? Do the same for yourself. Maybe not with M n M’s, but with maybe with something else. You can reward yourself with a special cup of tea, or a scoop of ice cream after you’ve finished a particularly tough section. You can even reward yourself with something bigger, like a pedicure or a massage when you’ve completed the entire project.
Make it part of your routine.
If you have a particularly large project that won’t be completed in just one day, schedule it on your calendar. Make it a part of your routine each day, at the same time every day, for the same duration each day until the project is complete.
Play upbeat music.
Crank up the tunes. Play songs you can sing and dance too as you go about decluttering. Time flies when you are having fun. Right?
Make it fun.
Play games with yourself. It could be something as simple as shooting baskets with items you are going to
donate. Or if you are working with others on the project, you can award 2 points for each item that goes in the donate box and 1 point for each item that goes in the trash. See who scores the most in 10 minutes.
Here’s to getting motivated to get organized, and RESETTING your life!
Roberta
Organization isn’t about perfection; it’s about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money, and improving your overall quality of life.”
– CHRISTINA SCALISE
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