simple shui | how i stay organized

my secret to being organized? honestly, it comes down to this: one decision at a time. daily. repeat. every personality requires its own magic + motivation, but there are steady rituals that help me maestro my life. mind you, these have less to do with actual organizing and EVERYTHING to do with how i shore up time + energy for the constant balancing act. {most days, anyway…}

{1} i wake up early.

the conversation of my day begins quietly before life is spilling everywhere. and by the time the boisterous hullabaloo begins, i’ve identified my priorities {without any competing noise} and managed a few deep breaths, rigging the day in my favor.

 

{2} i make our bed.

this is my signature way of letting the day know i don’t plan on punking out. it invigorates the room, a simple revelry that cross pollinates good energy into my day. and, having a gorgeous bed to collapse onto at night is a tough act to follow.

 

{3} i eat breakfast.

managing the meandering details any day requires fuel. life is a full-on contact sport, and good food is absolutely necessary to keeping my wits AND stamina in fighting shape. so, food first; coffee second.

 

{4} i do little things every day.

it’s always the little things, right? hanging up keys; opening mail; putting shoes away; clearing the table; folding another basket of laundry, hanging up the clothes. . .and the beat goes on.

at first blush, they’re all minor tasks. but a little effort now becomes my bridge over troubled waters later. because when the BIG demands make a house call, i’m less theatrical about them because all those little things aren’t piled up + pulling on me, too.

 

{5} i give myself advance notice.

speaking of those truly BIG tasks – the ones that send my good mood skittering? two words: mind tricks. i give myself fair warning.

for example: i see you storage closet, and your post-holiday bulge. we are going to purge here soon-ish. and i swagger away. within a few days to weeks, there is an unexpected {read: unplanned} reason to be elbow deep in that closet. and i find myself with the energy + inclination to do it. so, when that happens, i show up. no excuses + full commitment. that’s how i collaborate with the universe — when the assignment calls, i answer without ambivalence.

 

{6} i pay attention to the green.

like breakfast, money may seem unrelated. except. there is unnecessary exhaustion around worrying about money. i’ve found that simply knowing, even when the numbers are working against me, provides me particular freedoms: (1) it makes certain decisions much easier. (2) i don’t buy impulsively. (3) and, i know if/where there is stretch in my budget should an unexpected expense percolate. a steady gaze on finances – however uncomfortable – helps me pare down what’s really important. and things that clutter up our homes usually aren’t included.

 

{7} i slow down ON PURPOSE.

a typical scenario in my life around 4 p.m.: my brain is full from the cumulative after-school chatter. i am figuring out what’s for dinner. the coffee maker needs to be cleaned. the dishwasher isn’t unloaded. the drier is beeping for me to fold laundry. ruby is running wild and reallyreallyreally needs a walk. someone ought to grab the mail. and at this bewitching hour, urgent emails begin populating my inbox. there is homework, tennis, errands…all convening now.

so, when the overwhelm creeps up the back of my neck, i slow down. on purpose. because what’s most important will get done. and there is no huzzah! in rushing or cutting corners – it only makes for more work later. {no, thank you.} instead, i literally take a deep breath and say out loud, “i can only do one thing at a time” until i believe it.

 

{8} i time myself.

what gets measured gets managed. so, stay with me: if i’m running around short on time, but i have a 10 minute pocket until my next call. . .

i actually know i have time to quickly unload the dishwasher; fold a basket of laundry; or straighten up. because i have timed myself previously. information is power. and a lot can happen in 10 minutes, so i use them like a boss.

 

{9} i don’t over-schedule.

i responsibly leave time for me, and i am precious about it. other people’s priorities are not mine, including my lovelies. as a mom, i sacrifice more than the rest of my crew. which is why i am completely comfortable saying NO. feeling rushed or overwhelmed is a double whammy – i get agitated and our whole groove suffers. so, i get clear about what is essential, and the rest is negotiable.

 

{10} i walk our house every single day.

my morning routine involves turning on lamps + opening blinds + watering outside plants + making coffee. i enjoy the silence as it unthaws, greeting fresh hope on the horizon.

at night, i move through each room – maybe touching a few books; fluffing a pillow or folding a blanket; or appreciating the views out a window. i know our house so much better because of this ritual, and it ensures our energy is swirling about in every nook + corner.

 

the way i see it is much of what happens tomorrow begins today. so, i show up in small ways every day, taking care of what i can. and, what i’ve found out about staying organized is when i am consistently present with the decisions, my life feels rich with time and energy. and that is its own kind of LOVE.

xo