We experience changes throughout life, and organization isn’t an exception to the change. It’s very common to have once felt organized and to go through phases where you can no longer manage life with as much precision.  Think of what it was like when you felt you had organization? My guess is a lot has changed in your life since then.

Common causes that create change in our organization and schedules are:

• birth of a child, growing family
• death of a loved one
• marital status change for yourself, parents, or child
• big life event such as surgery or health issues [physical or mental]
• change in job or work situation
• becoming an empty-nester
• moving [downsize or upsize]
• any situation that makes us look at life with a new lens

These aren’t excuses for why you no longer feel organized, but they are realistic life events that affect how you operate and how you view your day to day activities. If you feel like you are stuck, there is always new opportunity…if you choose.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

Think of a time in your life when you felt like you had enough order and organization in your life to feel at peace with day to day happenings. What worked well at that point in your life? What didn’t work? Most likely even if you’ve had a change in lifestyle, such as having children or becoming an empty-nester, your dynamics may have changed, but the way you think and function on a basic level hasn’t changed. You still have your same strengths and weaknesses. Consider the mechanisms that helped you learn, stay on task, and have the most productive days.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?

What would be an ideal situation for you? Dream of what ‘organized enough‘ would look like for your current life style. What would be a priority on your schedule? How would you feel at the end of the day? Having a vision in mind is important to keep you moving in one direction.

WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

Where you are now is not as important as where you want to go, but it’s helpful to acknowledge and brainstorm your current situation so you are aware of how you want to move forward. What’s getting in the way? What needs to be addressed? Sometimes we need to know where we came from to appreciate the future.

There is nothing wrong with once being organized and now feeling like you “can’t do it.” That is what happens in life.

We excel, we change, and then we readjust.

The beauty in once being organized is that you know it’s possible and you know how good it feels. The question is:

DO YOU WANT TO FIND NEW ORDER IN YOUR LIFE?

If the answer is yes, jump back on the organizing journey and commit to adjusting one thing in your schedule and creating a place for one thing in your home today. If you need an idea, designate a place for where you put your purse and keys when you walk in the house. Those are great items to create a place for first. If you’re feeling ambitious, purge the junk drawer to move you toward a little more order in your day.

Remember, organization is a journey not a destination. You’re still on the journey, some just take longer pit stops than others.