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Excuses not to get organized

“If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.” – Ryan Blair

Entering my 19th year as an organizing consultant, I’ve heard many excuses for not getting organized. Some are legitimate reasons. Others are excuses from people who would clearly benefit from better organization at home/work.

Here are 6 top excuses. Let’s use Anne as our fictitious excuse expert.

  1.  I’m overwhelmed

Me:  What’s causing the overwhelm?

Anne:  The house is completely cluttered, I can’t find anything and I’m totally stressed out.

Me:  How long have you lived this way?

Anne:  As long as I can remember.

Me:  Would you like my help to get it done – once and for all?

Anne:  No, I can do it myself.

2.  I don’t have time

Me:  Did you know disorganization wastes, on average, 1 hour per day, or 6 weeks a year? Once organized, you’d effectively get back the wasted time.

Anne:  I didn’t know that.

Me:  If getting organized is important to you, you make time, just like making time to exercise.

Anne:  I don’t have time.

3.  I have piles of stuff everywhere and I’m embarrassed when people visit

Me:  What do you do when you invite guests over?

Anne:  I put everything in bags, put the bags in the bedroom and shut the door.

Me:  What’s your goal?

Anne:  To have an organized house and set a good example for my kids.

Me:  Would you like to schedule a session?

Anne:  No, it’s not a priority.

4.  I‘m sentimental and have a hard time letting things go

Me:  Do you like those things?

Anne:  No.

Me:  Will you use those things?

Anne:  No.

Me:  Can you let go of those things?

Anne:  No.

5.  I’m visual – I leave things out or I’ll forget about them, but I hate the clutter

Me:  After a while, don’t those things become part of the landscape and you forget anyway?

Anne:  Yes.

Me:  You know where to find mugs when you want coffee, right?

Anne:  Yes.

Me:  You don’t have systems you can trust. I can show you how to manage things without adding clutter.

Anne:  I need to see the things.

6.  They were gifts so I have to keep them

Me:  Instead of keeping things in boxes in the basement, how about using or displaying them?

Anne:  I don’t like them.

Me:  You’d get needed storage space.

Anne:  When people who gave me these things visit, I want to display them.

Me:  Have you ever remembered to do that?

Anne:  No.

The busiest holiday season of the year starts this week. Being organized is a must-have survival skill every day and extra-important during busy times. Are you ready?

 

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