Organizing is Self-Care for Moms!
Self-care is a huge buzzword and trend in the media today. As moms, we need to make sure that we take care of ourselves so we can continue to take care of our families. We put so much stress on ourselves, so we need to find ways to make our jobs easier. Organizing, for example, is self-care for moms! The more organized you are, the easier it is to do laundry, clean the house, and find everyone’s sports gear on the way to practice. Every task becomes quicker, simpler, and less drawn-out.
Once you are organized, you will be less stressed, it will be easier to find what you need, and kids can clean up their playroom and find snacks for themselves. Organizing before there is a mess means you're more prepared for an easier cleanup!
"When we have chaotic surroundings or a fragmented mindset, the brain can perceive this as a sign that there is more demand for energy than our current capacity, which triggers the stress response," says Heidi Hanna, Ph.D. and CEO of Synergy and author of Stressaholic and The SHARP Solution.
Tips for Getting Organized to Practice Self-Care
Get Ahead - Be Proactive
Organize and create systems in your home before there is a mess, so you are more prepared when the messes do happen. Understand where your triggers are and start with those places. What keeps you up at night? Do you have anxiety dreams about stepping on Legos? Start in the playroom! Stress about piles of laundry? Work on your laundry room. Get ahead of potential stressors before they hit!
Don't Over-Organize
Your organizational systems should create more free time and less stress in your life. Keep categories broad when creating systems. Creating micro-categories makes cleaning up more of a hassle. Organization is a form of control. "Being organized helps with a sense of control," says Ari Meisel, it helps us to stay motivated.
Space it Out
Don't try to tackle organizing your whole house in one day. This will take too long, you will burn out, and you will be more stressed by the mess you have created and the unfinished task. Sorting and purging your life's possessions is an emotional and mentally challenging task. Start one project and work on it until completion. Do not start another project until the first one is done. It might take a few days to complete one space. Do a little each day, then mentally reset and prepare for the next project.
Donate
Doing good makes us feel good! When cleaning out your possessions can help others, it's always a win-win. As you're deciding what to keep, donate, or toss, think about all of the people you can help through donating your gently used clothing or household items.
Hire a Professional
Instead of tackling your home's organization on your own, you can hire a professional to help! A Professional Organizer can come to your house and work side-by-side with you, or if you prefer, you can walk away and let the organizer just do it all. If you want to do the organizing yourself but don’t know where to start, you can get a virtual organizing appointment. An organizer will analyze your space from photos and facetime video calls and create a comprehensive shopping list and easy to follow plan for you to execute.
Jenny Dietsch, Chief Executive Organizer of Getting it Done Organizing, is an amazing resource for your organizational needs. She can do everything from completely organizing your whole home, to helping with a move, or working with your builder to help with space-planning in a new home. By hiring her, you're free to work on your own self-care however you see fit!
Click here to receive monthly organizational tips from Getting it Done organizing.
Click here to see organizing tips on our blog.