What tools you need to get organized? What tools do you need to stay organized? It does vary individually, but there are some basics including the whys and hows.
Have you ever thought about putting together an organizing toolkit for yourself? I don’t mean a toolkit to get organized, I mean a toolkit that will help keep you organized! Who wouldn’t want one of those???
1. Why do you need to gather your tools to get organized?
It saves your valuable resources! These resources are our most valuable commodities and we have to treat them as such. We have to make sure that we use them to the best of our advantage and not waste them!
- It will save you time. Next time you set off to “do the thing”, everything you need will be in one place; just grab that container and off you go.
- It will save you money. For example, I keep my gardening seeds all in one place (admittedly, it’s not a fancy container, it’s a reused Folger’s can), but I always check the can before I buy more so that I know what I already have. If the packets were scattered all over the garage, I might end up buying more basil seeds when I still have some.
- It will save you energy. Many days I feel like energy is my most lacking resource and if I had to search the whole house just to find the things I need to clean the bathroom, it probably wouldn’t get done. But having the bucket with everything makes it so easy to grab and go.
2. What kinds of tools do you need?
There are so many options that can streamline your life. What would benefit you the most and give you back the resources I talked about above (time, money, and energy)?
- What about a carrying device for your home cleaning supplies? For example, a bucket or a caddy is especially handy for a multi-story house!
- Do you send a lot of physical mail? Put together your stationery, cards, and stamps (and for me, stickers) into one folder or binder so that everything is ready at your fingertips. No more searching the junk drawer for those roaming stamps.
- Do you run a side business out of your home? I have an active shop on Poshmark and couldn’t never make it work if I didn’t keep all my wrapping and shipping supplies in one place.
- Do you travel frequently? Then you need a travel toolkit! Whatever items you take on every trip, make sure you have duplicates and keep them packed (I’m looking at you, extra phone charger).
3. How do you put together your tools?
- It truly does depend on the type of toolkit you’re trying to assemble. Here are a few ideas that might help spark an idea!
- Home cleaning, such as sponges, cleaners, rags, and grocery sacks
- Stationery, such as greeting cards, return address labels, pretty pens, and fun stickers
- Side business, such as inventory counts, finance tracking, supplies, and notebooks
- Travel, such as extra chargers, mini toiletries, zip bags, and packing cubes
- Planner supplies, such as dividers, stickers, pens, highlighters, and inserts
- Gardening, such as seeds, trowels, gloves, and watering can
- Sports kit for your little ones, such as baseball, soccer, football, ballet, or gymnastics
- Party supplies, such as plates, napkins, plasticware, decorations, and tablecloths
- And of course, the storage devices or containers are dependent on the type of kit. As I said, my gardening seeds are in a Folger’s can but my stationery is in pretty folders and binders!
- Have you considered that even electronic toolkits can be helpful? Keeping your inbox organized and your documents in folders are all part of creating your own electronic toolkit.
Ultimately, your tools for getting organized are personalized based on what you need to accomplish. Make it your own and make it work for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What tools help you get organized?
If you’re new to getting yourself organized, there are three basics to get started:
- Your daily space – where do you spend the most of your time? In the home office? Maybe camped out in your living room? Start with the space that you see the most.
- A notebook and a pen – No need for fancy notebooks yet, unless you just can’t resist this beautiful Erin Condren Color Block Polka Dots Coiled Notebook 7″ x 9″. Just a notepad and a pen to start making notes about your process.
- Patience – This isn’t an overnight process. When you start, you’ll need to start sorting your piles, then comes organizing the items you are keeping. Take your time and stay focused but don’t stress.
What tools help you stay organized?
I love my planners and notebooks. I’ve tried various electronic, digital, and online organizing tools but they just aren’t the same. I like being able to write my to-do lists, and cross off the tasks as I complete them. It is so much more satisfying!
What 3 things can you do to get organized?
- Look at the big picture – Whether you are putting together a kit to clean your house in less time or you are organizing your pantry so you don’t keep buying the food you forgot you already have, remember what resource you are trying to save and what you can accomplish when that resource is given back.
- Look at the small picture – What can you accomplish today? Tomorrow? You have 20 minutes before you have to leave for your book club meeting, can you gather up the dog’s chew toys on your way out the door?
- When you’re about to tackle a larger organization project, make sure to gather all your supplies well in advance. It doubles the time and frustration if you have to stop every few minutes to track down the magic marker or the toilet bowl brush.
What are your top 3 tricks for staying organized?
- Consistency! Even just five minutes of organizing every day will help develop the habit and keep you on track to stay organized.
- Decluttering! It’s virtually impossible to stay organized if you continue to add clutter to the space. Think about it like cleaning up after a toddler — if the little one throws a toy on the floor every time you pick one up, the space will never be clean! The same applies to any space, if you’ve cleaned it up don’t add more clutter to it.
- Systems! It is so much easier to stay organized when you have systems in place. Keep your goals in mind without losing sight of the small steps you will need to get there. But without systems, you could end up running circles without any progress. You will need a recipe to bake your cake!