Five Habits of Organized People

If you know someone who is naturally organized you may wonder how it is that they seemingly have everything together all of the time. I believe that some of us, myself included, have brains that are wired for order. We have habits that come to us naturally and easily develop systems for everything else. Naturally organized people may have an edge as they don't have to develop new habits but the good news is, once identified, anyone can work to add organized habits to their everyday life. Here are five habits that organized people have that you can learn too:

They stay away from bargains.
This is the beginning and one of the most important habits. If you don't bring it into your home in the first place it won't turn into clutter. I clear out a lot of expired warehouse purchases from pantries and spoiled toiletries from bathrooms. Just because you can get three for the price of one doesn't mean you need it.

They stick with what works
This is another Achilles heel that leads to clutter in the home. Bathrooms and cleaning closets are most cluttered by the need to try each new thing. Go ahead and try new products but only if you are unhappy with what you are using. If you like the new product better, donate the old products to shelters or a friend.

They have a designated transition spot.
This is a place for items you bring in the home that you don't have time to immediately put away. Having a designated place to dump your stuff prevents piles all over the house. Remember not to leave things in your transition spot for more than 24 hours.

They never label anything miscellaneous
Organized people define their spaces completely to take the guesswork out of where items belong. This is especially important for files.

They schedule regular decluttering sessions.
Organized people keep things current. They have a donation bag ready and declutter on a regular basis. If your home or office is really cluttered try setting a timer for ten minutes and identify as many things as you can (at least ten) that can be donated, discarded or recycled. Organized people are masters at relocating items to where they belong throughout the day. If you walking from point A to point B you might as well carry something that is in point A that belongs in point B.

Take the summer to incorporate these habits into your daily routines. Post them on the fridge or in your office cubicle until they become a natural way of life. You will be amazing at how much better you feel with less stuff coming in and more stuff going out.