10 Characteristics of Organized People

​Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be organized?   Truly organized – like with a place for everything and everything in its place.  It takes a lot of hard work at first.   You have to take hours and declutter your belongings.   Take out what you no longer like and what is no longer serving you.   Declutter first, then maintence is easy.   It takes focused effort.  
 
Let’s take a look at the 10 characteristics of organized people and how you can make small changes in your home and routines to be just like them.
 
1.They never leave a room empty handed – they are always tidying up as the go and bringing the tea cup to the dishwasher, bringing a load of laundry upstairs.  Things don’t get left in places they don’t belong.   Make a new habit of never leaving a room empty handed and see how it helps your space.
 
2. They do it now  - Peter Walsh says that if you can do it in less than a minute, then you should do it immediately.   Hang up your cost, put your shoes away, load the dishwasher.   Tiny steps add up to big results.    Stop putting things off until later.  
 
3. They are constantly decluttering  - decluttering is a life time pursuit.   I’m sorry to be the one who tells you this, but it’ s true.   Yes, you can have one big declutter to reset your space as you reclaim your house.   But decluttering is forever.   Try the one in, one out policy – you can buy that new shirt, but you have to donate one old one to make space for the new one.   Decluttering gets easier, though.   You will get better at it and you’ll also be able to identify the low hanging fruit in your home. 
 
4. They have a home for everything  - organized people don’t have homeless clutter.   They have decluttered their space enough to know that everything has a home and can be put away easily.   Homeless clutter does pop up – like the book you are reading on the couch or the new kitchen gadget.   This trick is having enough empty spaces for new things that come into your home.   If the drawers aren’t stuffed, you can find a space for the new kitchen gadget.   If you have a clean coffee table, the book you are reading goes perfectly there.    Think about a home for everything. 
 
5. They have daily habits  - Organized people have weekly cleaning schedule, they have habits they do every night after dinner to clean and tidy the house, they do a 10 minute tidy at least once a day to reset their house.  They have routines and habits for many stages of their day, including a morning routine and nighttime routine – and other people in the house also have routines and habits daily.   My favorite after dinner routine is my top 4 – do the dishes, clean the sink, wipe the counters, and vacuum. 
 
6. They let go of perfectionism – Did you know that most disorganized people are really perfectionists?   They want to have the perfect plan or the perfect system before they start organizing – so they never do.   Perfect is a myth.   I’m a professional home organizer and my home isn’t perfect.   Start with what you can and tidy a small space.  Declutter a drawer.   Make small, incremental progress and get your home great – not perfect. 
 
7. They have a tidy desk  - a tidy mind starts with a tidy space.   Having a dedicated desk to do your work, bills, household responsibilities, or write the great American novel is important.  One tip is to clean it off and reset it every night.  Not only does it signal the end of your workday so you can transition, but you start the next day fresh with a tidy space (and not left-over projects). 
 
8. They never leave anything undone  - Organized people get stuff done.    They finish projects – and actually put tools away after the project is done.   Disorganized people leave unfinished projects out and have a constant reminder of their inadequacies.   But finishing a project can actually boost your self-esteem.  
 
9. They are intentional about their money   - I have spoken before a low buy challenge.   But being intentional with your money also means not buying unnecessary things.   Think about your space – do you like your décor?   Then you don’t need more.   Do you have enough clothes to wear?  Then you don’t need more.    Organized people can spend less because they know where things are in their home, and they are content with they have.   Think about how you can be more intentional with money – spend less, save more, bring less into your home.  
 
10. They ask for help - They work with professional organizers (like me) and house cleaners and even coaches to get the results they need.