Yes I Can!
ORGANIZE
How
to Organize in 7 Simple Steps
An Empowering Guide to Home
Organization
By Rebecca Kohan
Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved
Smashwords Edition
Cover
art by Hemul / Conceptual Interior
Dreamstime
No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing form by author.
To download FREE Workbook that correlates with this eBook, see last page for codes
This
book is available in print edition at most online retailers
(includes
pictures and worksheets to help reader with organization process)
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
FREE
WORKBOOK
With purchase of this eBook, a FREE download ($4.99 value) of the “Yes I Can ORGANIZE WORKBOOK” is available to assist you with your organizing venture. The workbook consists of worksheets and/or samples listed below:
ORGANIZING
GOALS
(schedule time to
focus on what you want)
MINI-VISION
BOARD
(before starting,
put your vision on paper)
DECLUTTERING
CHECKLIST
(checklist of
necessary decluttering steps to take for success)
ORGANIZING
PLAN
(step-by-step guide
to achieve your organizing goal)
SKETCH
OF ROOM
(used for
rearranging furniture and planning out space)
MAINTAINING
ORGANIZATION CHECKLIST
(checklist
of necessary tasks to perform to maintain organization)
Worksheets
to be used in correlation with eBook.
See
“Workbook” section at the end
of the “Table of Contents” for
details.
Chapter 1: UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZATION
Chapter 2: STEPS TO ORGANIZATION
7 Steps to Getting and Staying Organized:
4.
Decluttering (D-Rules)
- Less
Is More Theory
- Filing
How to Communicate Effectively with Partner (and children)
Chapter 8: WORKBOOK
Workbook (available through website)
AUTHOR’S MESSAGE
Every day starts and ends with your home. Look at it as an empty space of possibilities where you focus on and write your life - a daily reminder and affirmation of your individuality, who you are, how you view yourself, and how you view your world. In reality, your home is an extension of yourself; why not make it reflect what you stand for as an individual.
Your home should resemble the foundation of your true character and bring out your BEST. It should allow you to dream about and discover your true potential. And, at the end of a long day, it should provide you with the space to renew and energize your mind and emotions. If you nurture and respect it, in reality, you are nurturing and respecting yourself and the people you share your life with.
Ask yourself,
“Does my home bring out my best?”
“Does it reflect who I truly am?”
“Do the items found in my home bring me joy or do they bring me down with negative energy?”
“What does it take to let go of all that brings me down, to start fresh and focus only on allowing that which brings me happiness and joy in my life?”
By writing this book, my goal is to help you realize how organizing and recreating your home to reflect your true being can create inner peace and serenity. By letting go of physical things that stand in your way, you will be getting one step closer to achieving personal power and transforming your life.
As a mother of three and a businesswoman, I know how valuable time is and how organization can support you in achieving your most treasured goals. Like any other goal in life, you have to first envision the end result before you can actually start… and
“YES, You Can Do It!”
In the process, I only ask that you find enjoyment and contentment in the journey, and not just in the destination.
I acknowledge you for taking this step to improve the quality of your life and creating a more rewarding home environment for yourself and your family.
~ Rebecca Kohan~
WHAT THIS BOOK OFFERS
STEPS:
Crucial steps that will help you understand, create, and
maintain an organized living space.
ROOM
PURPOSE &
EMOTIONAL CONNECTION:
Each room in your house has a purpose and emotional connection
attached to it. Once you are clear about these connections, then you
will be more focused and true to the purpose of the room and what its
there to do for you. Respect and honor it.
SORT:
Knowing how to sort items gives you an edge on how to organize
effectively. Although every household may vary, having a sample
“sort list” for every room may give you a better perspective as
to how you can enhance your storage and living space.
TIPS:
Periodically, you will be provided with useful tips and advice
to help you with your organization process.
Design
TIPS:
In addition to the
functional tips, occasionally, you will be provided with helpful
design tips that can guide you in creating an appealing space.
BULLET
POINTS:
Each paragraph starts with key words
describing the contents of the paragraph. This is great for when you
want to go back for a quick scan and review of the material.
INSPIRATION:
I believe organization is a very small part of the much bigger
picture. I have included inspirational life messages at the end of
each section – read them, enjoy them, and let them be a source of
empowerment in your life. Ultimately, you are in control of your
life and you are the source of your happiness.
“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.”
~Mahatma Gandhi~
INTRODUCTION
MODERN-DAY HOME. In the modern-day home, organization has become one of the biggest problems. Although the size of the average home has grown dramatically in the last 30 years, keeping things organized and clutter-free has become a great challenge for many families.
WHAT IS CLUTTER?
Clutter is:
- Object you don’t
love
- Object you don’t use
- Object/gift that has no
sentimental value to you
- Broken things
- Things you may “one
day” use
- Old clothing and toys
- Outdated electronics
(computer, telephones, monitors, etc.)
- Half-finished projects
-
Recipes you don’t use
- Magazines/newspapers you don’t have
time to read
- Excessive supplies (towels, sheets, cleaning
products, etc.)
- Old/Closed files
- Objects that bring you
down
When something doesn’t serve you anymore, it’s time to let it go so you can create possibilities for better things in your life.
EFFECTS OF DISORGANIZATION. It’s an obvious reality that clutter and disorganization sabotage your productivity and rob you of the energy and enthusiasm needed to maintain a functional and healthy life style. Furthermore, clutter and disorganization have a profound impact on your emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Stress is one of the major symptoms of being exposed to clutter on a daily basis. Other symptoms associated with clutter and disorganization may include anger, frustration, resentment, hopelessness, and confusion - all of which add to the stress level.
CONSEQUENCES OF CLUTTER:
- Stress
-
Chaos
- Depression
- Inability to focus
- Diminishes
positive energy
- Unable to enjoy space
- Takes away valuable
storage space (about 50%)
- Can’t find what you need
- Costs
money (repurchasing items and/or late fees/penalties)
- Home lacks
beauty
- Home lacks peace and order
- Takes longer to clean
-
Makes you self-conscious
- Makes it hard to think straight
-
You may avoid having guests over
Although organizing your home is a large and overwhelming task, it is necessary in order to be able to use your time more effectively. The benefits of organizing are well worth the time and effort you put into it.
HOW CLUTTER ACCUMULATES. In today’s world, it seems the average individual is purchasing more, and discarding less. As a result, we continue to accumulate more and more mess while creating chaos and disorganization. We are then forced to stuff all our storage spaces to the rim, and even rent self-storage units to accommodate for this. Some people even turn to purchasing bigger homes to help better organize all the “stuff”.
A cluttered personal environment tends to be a reflection of the personal and professional demands of everyday living. As things pile up, we become more disorganized and less productive. This, in turn, sparks internal feelings of distress and unhappiness.
OUR EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL STATES OF BEING ARE CONNECTED. According to the principles of Feng Shui, “that which is on the outside closely resembles that which resides on the inside”. Our external surroundings act as a mirror of our internal state of being. As our physical environments become cluttered and disorganized, so do we, feeling lost and scattered in our thoughts and ideas. When most of our energy is tied up dealing with the clutter in our lives, there is little left over for use in those areas needed to be happy, enthusiastic, and creative.
FREE UP ENERGY. By removing the clutter out of your life, you will free up energy that is currently being wasted on stuff that’s in the way, out of place, and not needed. Clearing your external environment of unused and unwanted clutter, and sorting through the accumulated mess around you, helps alleviate the negative energies that coexist along with clutter. A clean and orderly home has a profound effect on how you feel when you walk in through the front door and how you feel when you leave. Organizing to create inner peace will help you achieve a happier and more fulfilling life style.
ORGANIZATION IS A SKILL ANYONE CAN LEARN. Most people assume they are disorganized because they have lack of storage space, don’t have enough time in the day to keep things orderly, or just don’t acquire the skills necessary to do so. What most people don’t realize is that organization is very easy – it’s simply learning how to make better use of storage space and getting rid of things they don’t need or like. It is one of the most beneficial skills anyone can learn to take on and it applies to all areas of life.
SUBCONSCIOUS MIND. Studies show that your subconscious mind controls most of your emotions and behavior on a day-to-day basis. In your home environment, your subconscious reflects on the way you organize, decorate, and keep it clean.
REFLECTION OF YOU. The most valuable thing you need to recognize about your home is that it is more than just a roof over your head in need of cleaning, it is a reflection of who you are. Not only should every room serve a purpose, it should tell a story about you, how you view yourself, and how you view your world. Lets take the time to appreciate it, take control, and transform your home environment into a place that gives back and brings out YOUR BEST.
“There
are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a
miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
~Albert Einstein~
Chapter 1:
UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZATION
BENEFITS OF
ORGANIZATION
In today’s fast-paced world, organization is a key component to thrive and succeed in all areas of your life:
Personal
Physical
Professional
Social
Financial
Leisure
Spiritual
In home-related projects, organization is a crucial step in the outcome of your success. It will set the foundation and create an easy transition into future tasks (i.e. living comfortably, decorating, remodeling, moving, placing home in market, etc.)
IT’S THERAPEUTIC. Many people say that one of their favorite things to do when stressed out is to clean. Although for some this may seem hard to imagine, organization can actually be very therapeutic. This is true because you are taking control of your environment and transforming a space that has been pulling you down, all while you create order and function in your life. This can be a beginning step to bigger transformations.
OVERWHELMING BUT LIBERATING. For most people, the sheer thought of having to organize is overwhelming - understandably so. Although organizing may seem like a massive project to take on, it is possible and it is extremely liberating. The key is to set goals (daily, weekly, monthly, and annually) and to take small, manageable steps. Instead of feeling frustrated and overwhelmed with the idea of organizing, follow the simple step-by-step instructions provided to make it manageable, achievable, and even fun!
IT’S POSSIBLE. Don’t look at your past experiences of organizing. Once you realize how disorganization has impacted your life, you will be eager to start the transformation. I’m here to tell you that “it’s possible and YOU can do it”. Organization is a skill you can easily attain and apply to all areas of your life. Once you understood the concept and start to put it into action, everything else will fall into place, and all the personal benefits will follow.
Some of the major benefits of organization include:
TIME:
Being organized saves you time: Being organized and giving a “home” (a designated place where the object will be stored based on its use) to everything simply prevents you from having to search for lost items. Thus, giving you more time to focus on more important things in life.
MONEY:
Being organized saves you money: It is a known fact that people who are organized are ahead of the game in all areas of their life. The key to organization and saving money is having a system, and of course a home, for everything. By doing so, you are in control of your belongings vs. it being in control of you. Being organized will also eliminate the many instances where you may repurchase an existing item just because you can’t find it. Not to mention the amount of money you’ll save each year for preventing penalization fees on your late payments.
SPACE:
Being organized opens up your storage space: The one thing that everyone needs is storage space. One great asset of being organized is that by putting things in order and eliminating things you don’t need or use, you will actually open up your storage space and leave room for only the things that have sentimental and financial value to you, and/or are used on a regular basis.
ELIMINATES STRESS:
Being organized eliminates undue stress: As you may know, walking into a messy home, not being able to find what you need, and living in a space you don’t enjoy all create a great amount of stress and friction. Once of the greatest assets of organization is knowing that you’ll come home to a space you truly enjoy and look forward to coming back to at the end of each and every day… it will bring you peace of mind, joy, and the space to focus on and create things in life that matter to you most (i.e. your partner/ spouse, children, education, work, hobby, friends, travel, spirituality, etc.)
In short, being organized saves you time and money, eliminates undue stress, provides you with extra space, and gives you the opportunity to focus on things that matter to you most.