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Do it right or don’t do it all! 

This is a very dangerous statement and can actually set you up for major disappointment.  This is not the most effective way to approach accomplishing your goals.  In fact it’s often the reason people don’t complete what they start out to do.  In the middle of the process, they become frustrated and because they are not where they expected, many will just give up.

The more we are aware of this part of our personalities, the better.  Awareness creates change.  And change is what we are looking for when we are organizing our lives.

Perfection is this idea that something has to be done the “right” way.  My question is who made up the “right” way anyway.. There are many ways to organize and just because something doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean, nothing will work!

Here are a few tips in fighting perfection:

1) Stop comparing yourself to others – We are our worst critics by far.  And it’s so easy to fall into the trap, that our neighbors and friends seem to be able to do it all.  Then you feel guilty that you can’t.  I ask you to stop comparing yourself to others.  You have no idea what it’s like to live in their homes and I am willing to bet it’s not as perfect as it seems!  Figure out what’s good enough for you and work towards those goals.  Focus on you and your family and eliminate the stress of what others are doing.  This can be a very freeing and liberating thing to do, let go of what others think and just focus on what’s best for you.

2) Consider this organizing  journey as a work in progress – You will try organizing systems and some of them will fail.  Even with the best intentions.  Try again or do something different.  Let go of the thought process of, ” I just can’t get organized, I have tried everything, it just doesn’t work.” Move towards, “I tried this paper system and it didn’t work, I am going to change the first two steps and try again.”  You want to continue to move forward and towards your goal of living an organized life.  To do that, you have to be flexible and willing to try new strategies.  You may find some systems work very well at the beginning and then suddenly they stop.  It’s always a work in progress.  Knowing this is half the battle, you don’t clean your house once, you can’t expect to only organize once.

3) Understand your priorities –  Many times we just have too much going on.  Too many projects and too many commitments.  My suggestion is to really look at what your priorities are right now and let the rest go.  You will be much more effective if you are focusing on one project at a time rather than many and not doing any of them very well.  Figure out what are in your home is bothering you the most and only focus on that one area.  Looking at the big picture is overwhelming and this is a terrific way to break it down.  If you are not able to get what you need done, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Delegating  projects that you are not as good at or enjoy is not a bad thing, it’s a tool to use when you want to be more productive.

“Some of us (perfectionists, especially) fuss so much over making the ‘right’ choice, but in life, all that’s really needed is to make any’ good’ choice, believe in it, go through with it, and accept the consequences.”
- Unknown

I am not sure who wrote the above quote, but it is so true.  Free yourself from perfection and you will continue to move forward.

Happy Organizing!