It’s funny how I can be so skilled at helping others to get organized, then when things get busy around my house, I fall behind just the same as everyone else. I believe the difference however, is that visually I can handle only so much clutter in my immediate environment for a short period of time. Then I have to do something about it, i.e., GET RID OF IT!

Have you ever needed tackle something because it has gotten out of hand is to the point of driving you crazy? Let’s say a your child’s room really needs an overhaul since there are clothes and toys that need to be put away, given away, and trashed? You KNOW this needs to be done but instead of taking action to get the job done, you decide instead to organize the pantry. Huh? Well, when you take a moment to think about it, it can make sense.

The pantry is smaller, therefore it will get done quicker. The pantry has mostly things that only YOU use (providing you do most of the cooking), therefore, decisions are rather simple since they only affect one person–the cook. It needs to be done as well, so you really can justify taking the time to do it. And last but not least, it’s right there in front of you–in the kitchen where you spend so much time–and the cluttered pantry “calls out to you” more than the child’s room….or so it seems. So it only makes sense to take time to get it done and let the bedroom ride a little longer. Heck, the kids don’t mind….yet.

But when all is said and done, something was accomplished when you tackled the pantry, and that is the main point. You feel good about having it done. The weight of a messy pantry is now off your shoulders and you can now find everything you need. You see, with all decisions that are made, we should always focus on the three A’s: Acknowledgement, Acceptance, and Action. The first step is simple–you know there is a problem, a challenge, a decision, a concern–that has drawn your attention to it. Once you Acknowledge that a problem exists, then you move to the second step, Acceptance. This seems to be where many people get hung up. They don’t want to accept that something exists. It’s easy to turn the other way, run and hide, close a door to a room, or pretend you didn’t hear. But unless you move forward and accept the situation in its entirety, you cannot move to the third most critical step, Action. In order to solve a problem you must take the initiative to act upon it. In order to undo a bad decision you may have made, you must act upon it. In order to right a wrong, an action still has to take place.

So many times that final step means a closure to something. For example, you may have had an argument with your father and now neither of you are talking until things calm down. You can dive immediately to the action step by calling him to apologize for not being respectful. You have chosen to take the initiative to pick up the phone and communicate.

Let’s say you may have so much stuff on your desk that you can’t find your car keys that were set down the night before. The action step may be to problem solve and look around your home for a dish you can put near the door to drop your keys in every time you enter the room.

Taking action can be most difficult for people. It requires you to take time to put your thinking cap on and THINK; to PROBLEM SOLVE. It requires you to look at the situation and weigh it while keeping the situation in perspective. It also requires you to slow down and give yourself time to calm down and relax so you can think clearly and thoughtfully.

So for those of you who have trouble getting to that third step, remember one thing. You can’t go forward if you don’t consistently take forward steps. If time gets away from you and you take one step backwards in a given day, always try to take two steps forward the next. If you keep that in the back of your mind, you will always continue to move forward. And when you move forward, you can’t help but feel good about yourself for having accomplished something.

At Final Touch Designs, we understand how life can get the best of some of us. There are so many excuses we can use to keep us from doing what needs to be done daily. Stop making excuses and start believing in your own strength and endurance and keep moving one step forward each day. If you need help to set up simple and effective plans to get yourself organized, we are here to help. Visit our organizational pages and our Weekly Challenges page.

Oh by the way, the bedroom WILL get organized before the end of the week!!!