Are You Improving? Ten Little Ideas to Be More Organized

September is National Self-Improvement Month. What are you currently doing to improve yourself?

I have a friend/mentor who tries a new self-improvement habit every 30 days, a new focus for each month. He sees how much it improves his life or not, and if it's good, he keeps doing it. I love this idea!

Here are some small habits that you can try for a month to improve yourself in the organizing realm:

• Putting your purse, keys, wallet, briefcase, phones, etc. down in one place right when you come in the door.
• Taking everything in from the car each evening when you get home and putting it away.
• Running the dishwasher each night and emptying it each morning (assuming it's full, of course).
• Planning menus each Sunday and actually following the plan.
• Checking the laundry each morning at breakfast time and moving it to the next stage.
• Ending each day with a clean desk and having your top 3 priorities set for tomorrow.
• Doing the big important thing for your morning first before getting "sucked in" with e-mail or calls.
• Doing "Clutter Patrol" of the common areas of the house before bed.
• Clearing kitchen counters each day.
• Hitting your inbox target number every day or at least every Friday afternoon. (Mine is 20... some people like to get to "Inbox Zero"-- what is YOUR number?)

What will you try for the next 30 days? And don't worry, you don't have to start on "The Perfect Day." It doesn't have to be the 1st of the month or a Sunday or Monday. Just start...

Share in the comments what you're doing to improve yourself, organizing-wise or not! Me-- I am drinking at least 2 cups of (decaf) green tea per day for general good health and cancer prevention.

Follow me on Twitter for my Daily #ClutterTweetTip: www.twitter.com/clutterdiet, and see our weekly #ClutterVideoTip on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/clutterdiet

Comments

[Struggler]

My inbox target is basically, a number small enough to fit on the screen without having to scroll. But 3-5 is even better!
We are only 2 people in my house, so the dishwasher and laundry are happily not too big a deal. Clutter patrol is a great idea, though!

[Michele Connolly, Get Organized Wizard]

I like these 10 ideas, Lorie, especially doing the 'big important thing' first.

I now have a morning routine and an evening routine where I try to make a habit out of the regular tasks just like the ones you suggest here. The more things that are habitual, the easier it is to stay organized!

Michele :)

[Lorie Marrero]

I love this idea, @Struggler, that the inbox target is whatever fits on your screen without scrolling. I guess that is why I like 20, now that you mention it! That just proves my assertion that organizing is so much about gaining visibility-- to your stuff, your tasks, your papers, etc.

Would be interesting to know what people think who have larger screens. :)

- Lorie

[Cherie]

Whoo Hoo! My personal email is down to zero for the first time ever! Work email is a bit more challenging. I may need to make this a goal on the boards for next week.

What am I doing for me? I purchased an electronic cigarette last week, and I think I'm finally developing a preference for it. Must sound weird to the non-smokers, but for someone who is constantly trying to quit with no success it seems like this might just be the pacifier I need.

[Barb Stoops]

Nothing new here for me. Been doing those things for years. They work!