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Health & Fitness

Organize like an ACE!

I like to compare being organized to playing tennis. Sound crazy? Hear me out.

Tennis is a sport of patience, problem solving and perseverance. It’s about mapping out a plan of action against your opponent, sticking to the plan if it’s working, and tweaking it when it isn’t. All of these characteristics are also vital when developing your own organizational system.

Tennis is also an individual sport. There are coaches, hitting partners and fans in a player’s corner, but that player is the one who needs to step on the court and make the effort to get results. On the organizing court, clutter is your opponent. And whether you work with a friend, tips from a book, or a professional organizer, you will still need to be the one to step up and take the necessary action to get the organized results you want.

The best part? It’s always your serve. A tennis player who serves well can control and win a point with just a few strokes, sometimes with just one shot--an unreturnable serve called an ace. When it comes to being organized, it’s all about having a good system. Your system is your serve. With the right system in place, you too can stay in control and need only a few steps--sometimes even one step, your own personal ace--to maintain it.

So let’s start this discussion of becoming organized by looking at the three key components that make up the ACE of an organized system.

A = Accessibility
How quickly can you get to what you need? Especially when it’s something you need access to every day? Think about your daily routines and keep what you need and use every day, like dishes, certain toiletries, your calendar or office supplies, easily within reach. Items you don’t use regularly, such as some kitchen appliances or holiday decorations, can be tucked away on higher shelves or in a storage space with other seasonal items.

Also, keep things where you use them. For example, stash magazines where you read them. Sort and keep mail where you pay bills and handle correspondence (and keep a trash can and shredder handy there as well so you can easily discard junk). Do you work on crafts while watching television? Place a crafts basket by your chair.

C = Categories
Sort and store like items together. This step is one of the most important when becoming organized. Creating categories helps you keep track of what and how much you have as well as where you have it. When like items are kept together, they’re not only easier to find but just as easy to put back.

For example, group business suits together in the closet. Set up a drawer just for t-shirts. Store all your linens in one area. When you start sorting and separating into categories, you may be surprised by how many of one item you own. This leads us to the third key piece of the organizing puzzle.

E = Eliminate
Bottom line, the things we own should always improve our lives because we either use them often or because we love them. What is essential to you? What items make you happy or make your life easier? Be honest. What we don’t love and don’t use only takes up valuable space in our lives and in our minds. See if you can’t let go of some of those things. Remember, when we let go of what no longer serves us, we create room for new possibilities!

I understand how this step can be a difficult one. In my next post, I’ll discuss this process in more detail and share some tips on how to make decisions regarding what to keep and what to let go. So stay tuned!

In the meantime, pull this ACE out of your back pocket whenever you feel clutter is trying to take over and ask yourself: Does my organizational system incorporate these three elements?

In tennis, you win by finding a way to control the points. Becoming organized allows you to regain control of your space, your time and, most importantly, your things. It’s a win-win situation.

Questions? Comments? Please share – and happy organizing!

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