Do you go from Listerine-clean in the office to big-blue-alley-dumpster when you head home? It's time to see what your place really looks like under all that mess!
It's easy to be organised at work, right? If you're in a job you've been doing for a while, chances are you have systems and ways to keep the cogs turning. And, of course, there's always that super-motivating factor of other people relying on you to get the job done.
So, then, why is it that so many of us tend to our work chores with ease and perfection, but when it comes to our personal lives, our wardrobes are busting at the hinges, there are piles of books and CDs on the floor, the bank's calling because of missed credit card payments, and the Volkswagen you used to actually drive looks like a secondhand clothing shop?
"A lot of women are really onto it in the office and then they struggle to stay organised and deal with basic paperwork at home," says professional organiser with kikki.K (kikki-k.co.nz) Stacey Davidson, who runs regular workshops that teach people how to streamline their paper trail. Here she shares her top tips:
1. Find space and use it well
Make sure all your belongings have a designated home — clothes in the wardrobe, books and CDs on a shelf, paperwork in a folder — and that you have enough room in those places to fit all of your things. If you start experiencing overflow, either make more space or throw some stuff out.
2. Try to limit the emotional attachment
We're not saying that you should be ruthless and throw out your grandmother's favourite old bag that she gave to you for your birthday, but if you're holding onto the bright purple taffeta dress you wore to your first school formal, then it's time to let go.
3. Make time now to save time later
"At work we're very good at applying practical organisational skills," says Davidson, "Like time management and allocating time to process paperwork. We tend to not do that in our home life, so we don't actually get a chance to look over these important details.
It's really about prioritising and doing it regularly, so that you stay on top of things and it never becomes a chore. If you can put aside some time on a weekly basis, just purely for handling the administration of daily life, it'll end up probably only taking you five to 10 minutes."
4. Let your to-do list work for you. prioritise!
"I'm a to-do list girl," admits Davidson. "I believe that they have their place, but I also think it's about being deliberate about the use of your time. The key thing about a to-do list is that you've got to be able to prioritise, because they can get completely out of control, and then your life becomes a to-do list.
Decide what the top three tasks are on this list, that when done are going to give you the most mental space. Also schedule in some play time."
5. Ease the workload
"A lot of us are really interested in lightening the load and living our lives a little more consolidated and a bit more streamlined," Davidson says. She believes we can exist with less clutter in our lives by throwing out old items, whenever you buy something new.
For example, if you purchase a new pair of winter boots, she suggests that you get rid of the ones you bought last season because the reality is that you're probably never going to wear them again. Makes sense to us.
6. Make it part of your routine
Getting yourself into a habit of doing tasks is the best way of making sure things don't become drastic. For example, "I've actually got a plastic bag in my wardrobe," explains Davidson.
"And when I come across an article of clothing that I don't wear anymore, or when I replace it with something from the new season, I automatically put it in that bag, and when it gets full it goes straight to the Red Cross. So it's kind of like integrating that into how you live, constantly looking for things that you can shed as you go along."
7. Set yourself some goals (and rewards)
In the current financial climate, having a few cash rewards is a pretty nice bonus, so think of things in dollar terms. Paying bills on time means no late fees.
If you haven't been making the due dates, take some time to add up the amount you've paid in late fees just on your credit card last year. Worked out the figure? Is it equal to a new pair of shoes? Your gym membership? A holiday? Enough said!
Cleared out a bunch of stuff recently? Sell it on eBay. "Come up with one thing that you really want —a new pair of boots, a designer bag or a trip to see a friend overseas," says Davidson. "Put the money you make from selling the items directly towards that goal."
