Organize + Energize: Disorganized? 5 Emotions You Will Experience

Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Kristin MacRae, GoLocalWorcester Organizing Expert

Do you ever feel like there isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel? Be positive, it’s there; you just have to gather your thoughts and put a plan into motion and maybe get some help with the process. You probably hate all of the emotions that go along with being disorganized. Eventually, you will hit a breaking point and you will know it’s time to make a change.  

Being disorganized will bring on many negative emotions, which can be turned around as soon as you realize they are connected to the way you are living, whether it is at work or home.

Here are 5 emotions you may be experiencing due to your disorganization:

1. Stress. Physical clutter and mental clutter will cause stress. This will cause you to lose focus, get distracted and decrease your productivity levels. To work on your stress levels, just focus on decluttering. Don’t worry about getting organized yet, just declutter.  

2. Overwhelmed. You want to get organized, but the entire process is too overwhelming. You tend to shut down in the middle of your project.  Break your project into small tasks. Have a plan and set a time limit before you even physically start your project.

3. Anxious. Just the thought of getting organized sends you into a tailspin. You may have a panic attack, feel dizzy and uneasy.  Sometimes you want to snap your fingers, close your eyes and wake up and have it all be gone.  Think about a bedroom that is disorganized. Your bedroom is a place of serenity. Staring at disorganization and clutter before bed and when you wake will truly add to your anxiety.

4. Stuck. You want to get organized, but you don’t know where to begin. You may have grown up in a disorganized home and your organizational skill set was never developed. Your work and home life may be suffering because you are lacking the skill set. If you are stuck, it may be time to bring in a professional that can transfer that skill set to you and help you with this process.

5. Exhausted. You feel like you are running a mile a minute in a hundred different directions. You are missing appointments, showing up late for appointments, and being pulled in all different directions. If you are disorganized, get yourself on a schedule, write to-do lists, keep a calendar, and create routines in the home and at the office.

Do any of the above emotions sound like what you are going through? You are not alone, because many people feel the same way. You don’t have to feel this way. Realize you are feeling this way due to your disorganization and make a plan to move forward.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on http://www.talkstreamradio.com.

  • Spices

    As you take all of the spices out of the cabinet, check for expiration dates and smell for potency. Categorize and itemize your spices to how you utilize them. Contain them in a spice rack that fits the space where they are kept. Don’t purchase a spice rack until you are finished organizing. You want to measure the space and make sure the rack fits and holds all of your spices. There are a variety of spice racks out there. Choose the one that best suits what you need it to hold.

     

  • Makeup

    How many items do you touch in the morning to find what you need?  You want to be as efficient as possible in the morning and having your makeup organized will be a big time saver. Do you have difficulty deciding what to keep or toss? When is it time to throw away makeup?  Aline Sarkis, a Providence, RI-based makeup artist, states lipstick can be used for 2 years or until it starts to smell like a crayon. Mascara is good for 2-3 months. Eye shadow is good for 2 years and foundation is good for 1-2 years. Aline also states that some makeup and skincare will be marked with an expiration date of 6-12 months. Begin counting once you start using the product

     

  • Women: Purse

    Depending on the size of your purse, and what you keep in your purse, this may take you a little longer than 10 minutes. Empty the entire contents of the purse on a table. Declutter, categorize, and itemize the contents. Break this process  down and take it one category at a time. Develop a system going forward so the inside of your purse doesn’t look like a cyclone hit it. Contain receipts, gift cards, money, and makeup.

     

  • Men: Wallet

    It’s time to empty all of the receipts out of your wallet. Do you also store receipts and random items in your car? While you are tackling this project, head over to your vehicle and declutter the center console and glove compartment.

     

  • Underwear drawer

    If you aren’t using drawer organizers, you should start now. They are very inexpensive and will maximize the space in the drawer. How many of you wear the same item over and over again? With drawer organizers in place, you will be able to see everything you own and can categorize and itemize. Nothing will ever get pushed to the bottom of the drawer again.

     

  • Under the bathroom sink

    If you haven’t taken everything out of this area in awhile, you may find some scary items under the sink. Empty the contents, itemize, and categorize. Throw away anything that you can’t recognize. Contain items in containers that fit the space like a puzzle. Once again, utilizing containers will maximize the space and allow you to store more items. Develop a simple system where you can locate items and locate them quickly.

     

  • Pets

    Ninety percent of my clients have a pet. It’s time to organize their belongings. Medicine, leashes, bandanas, clothes, dishes, food, etc. Take this time to also organize any paper work related to your pet. Set up a filing system for your pet. Keep their medical records, rabies and vaccination information categorized in these files.

     

  • Junk drawer

    Nobody says you can’t have a junk drawer. Junk drawers can be organized. You just have to think about if you need everything in this drawer and if there is a better place to store the items. Remember, store like items together. If you have tools in the junk drawer, maybe you should keep them with the tools in the basement.

     

  • Office supply drawer

    So many people have office supply drawers that are out of control. Money is wasted on purchasing duplicate office supplies. It’s very difficult to figure out what you need to purchase if items are scattered all over the office and are disorganized.

     
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