Staying Organized at Home
COVID-19 has decluttered our calendars, finances, and — for many of us — our careers, all without any help from us. This unexpected clearing away provides us with an open invitation to organize our lives and pivot — not only in our work, but in our homes.
Even if organization is not a top priority for you, or you find yourself with less time because you’re suddenly tasked with homeschooling your kids and cooking non-stop, you can still benefit from more calm and less stress. In these unprecedented times, it’s crucial to gain a new sense of order for a new normal. Where do you start?
Reengineer your home. For many of us, our house isn’t just where we eat and sleep anymore. Home is now our workplace, our child’s school, and our entertainment venue. Our world has shrunk to a single dwelling, and if we don’t reimagine what purposes our home serves, we’ll find it comes up short in this season of home isolation.
This reimagining looks different for everyone, but for many of us, it’s taking a more holistic approach and focusing on what new functions we need our home to serve, how flexible we can be, and what’s getting in our way. It’s like trying to repurpose a plane in the process of flying it.
Start by asking yourself three questions:
What purposes does my home now serve?
What is getting in the way (i.e. clutter)? Don’t forget social media and digital clutter!
If I could transform one space in my home, what would spark the most joy?
Tips on Getting Started
Revisit your vision. Just as many of us are revisiting budgets, you can also revisit your vision for your home. How could it serve you better? What about your home are you most grateful for?
Write it down. List your vision, goals, and most important tasks to help you get there. Writing it down secures your commitment and serves as a physical reminder to get it done.
Schedule it. Set aside at least 15-60 minutes, if you can. Block it out as you would a work meeting. Listen to an audiobook, music, or podcast to add a boost of productivity.
Seek accountability. Join a Facebook Group. Call or text a friend. Invite others to join you! The support and ideation from others will propel you forward.
Treat yourself. Celebrate small wins. Do something that makes you smile - order delivery from a local restaurant, do a virtual yoga session, make your favorite coffee or tea.
In this daily fog of coronavirus news and anxiety about the future, it’s easy to lose track of the urgent and important. None of us knows how long threats will persist, how long “Shelter in Place” and “Safer at Home” ordinances will get pushed back, or how much we really need.
Here’s the thing: This situation won’t last forever. We will get through this. What we do with this extra time at home, how we choose to use it to learn and grow, will be a big part of this defining season for all of us. Let us move forward in love, service, and gratitude — for our family and friends, our neighbors, ourselves, and our home.
Tidy Tip: Keep only the essentials on the counter. The space you create will be give you a greater sense of calm while you cook.