It's the New Year

New Year: The double capitals just make it sound so permanent. So daunting. No wonder many of us feel more than a little intimidated when this so-called “holiday” comes around!

If I had it my way, this time of year would be rebranded as “the season of good intentions.”
The truth is the vast majority of people fail miserably when it comes to making New Years’ resolutions actually stick. And for good reason!

The state of mind in which most of us find ourselves when we make our resolutions each year is of seasonal overindulgence. We’ve just spent the last few weeks consuming, which means that now we have even more work to do. Our resolutions must not only attempt to propel us forward, gaining ground from where we were in our pre-holiday state, but now we also have to make up for all of the excess, too!

Despite the odds, I have good news for those of you who resolve, “This year, I’m finally going to get organized.”

It can happen, and it’s easier than you think.

A Place for Everything…

Albeit cliché the old adage, “a place for everything, and everything in its place” is one of the keys to unlocking the mystery of getting and staying organized.

I know you’re rolling your eyes–undoubtedly you’ve heard this one before.

But don’t be too quick to pass it off simply because this means your mother was right–yet again.

Even though it’s nothing new, I challenge you to spend a moment really thinking about this nugget of wisdom. Then begin looking around at your clutter, and continue thinking about it.

Once it has really sunk in, begin seeking a place for everything that doesn’t have a permanent home. If it doesn’t need a single permanent home (such as a newspaper), look at the life cycle of the item and find a permanent home for that item during each stage.

Rules of the Road

Organizing is about creating a process, a system.

• Have only things you use, and/or love in your space. If it fits neither category, throw it out or give it away.
• Wear only clothes that make you feel terrific when you’re in them. Ditch your “skinny” clothes. If you’re unhappy with how you look, do something about it. Stop pining.
• For every new item you buy or receive, get rid of one old item. One in, one out. Period.
• Pick favourites. You have your favourite brands. Tucked away somewhere you probably have similar items of a different brand that are all perfectly good, but you don’t like them. ‘Nuff said. Get rid of them!
• Forget how much you paid for something–those items you don’t use but don’t want to part with, because you paid a fortune for them. The money’s gone, honey. Let go!
• Realize it’s a choice every time you have something in your hand and are tempted to lay it down somewhere that is not its proper home. In fact, eliminate the words “for now” from your vocabulary altogether!

It’s the New Year–Daunting? You bet!Go. Be bold. Be daring. Make 2007 the year of YOU!