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Then, the items should be prioritized, with the most important things transferred to a daily action list.
Augustine suggests looking at the daily list each night, determining how long the top priority items should take, and building the necessary time into the next day for just those things, even as few as two or three. And cross them off the list as they get done to savior that sense of completion.
Augustine brings bags and bags of stuff to her workshops, covering tables with an array of file folders, calendars, date books, planners and other organizing materials. There are so many on the market, the choices can be confusing. But Augustine tells her audiences they don't need to spend huge amounts of money to declutter and get organized.
A coil-bound notebook or binder with divider tabs can work just as well for some people as fancy Pam Pilots and day timer. It's a matter of experimenting with a few methods and finding out what works best.
"People get caught up in big elaborate systems, but a lot of them have bells and whistles you'll never use," says Augustine, who may just be the perfect weapon for spring cleaning season.
"My methods will work for anybody who applies the. They're all affordable and doable, and even if you go away with one strategy, you're further ahead than you were.
"People are sick of hearing themselves say 'Someday I'm going to get around that.' They're tired of feeling bombarded with negative thoughts about themselves.
"Their minds are boggled. They're ready to streamline their lives, but they need the tools and that's what I given them. So many people are just managing to get by from day to day. They're ready to streamline their lives, but they need the tools and that's what I give them. So many people are just managing to get by from day to day. They're surviving, but my goal is to get them thriving."
Strategies for getting organized
- Consider decluttering a new hobby, like sewing or stamp collecting.
- Never say "I'm too busy" when someone or something imposes on your time. Take a positive angle instead and respond with "I have a full life right now."
- Keep an ongoing list of things you need and record them in a notebook divided into "drugstore," "hardware," "grocery" and other categories. Take the page with you when you're heading that way.
- No more sticky notes. They're fine temporarily, but make sure the reminders get transferred to a master list that won't vanish.
- Use an envelope-style folder divided into months to keep time-sensitive items like birthday cards, doctors' appointment notices, flight tickets, tax bills etc.
- Store warranties, instruction manuals and receipts for appliances and other major purchases in clear protective pages in a binder.
- Store warranties, instruction manuals and receipts for appliances and other major purchases in clear protective pages in a binder.
- Have a "slush file" (or drawer or box) in which to keep the things you don't know what to do with just yet.
- Cross things off the lists as they get done. It feels good.
- Give yourself credit for the things you've managed to get done, instead of stewing over all that remains to be done.
- Get friendly with Rubbermaid, Ikea and other storage unit manufacturers. The products are affordable, indestructable and very useful for getting organized.
- When the children leave home, send all their boxes of artwork and baby clothes with them.
- Make use of wasted space - Augustine keeps a gift wrap centre under her bed,, with paper, bows, ribbons, scissors, tape and note cards stashed in shallow plastic containers.
- Don't try to do it all at once. Spend 15 minutes a day decluttering a drawer or shelf and soon good habits will develop.
- Budget time for fun and leisure, too. A family games night or a walk with the dog are just as important as a tidy closet.
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