Project Get Organized {Challenge 1 – Stop Procrastinating}

With the holidays right around the corner, there’s no time like the present to get organized.

So, I have the perfect challenge for you guys – Project Get Organized!

Challenge Origin

You may or may not believe it, but I used to be a really organized person. I may even go so far as to call my younger self too organized. But after living with a couple polar opposites in college (read: mess machines – I loved them, but they were totally disorganized), I guess I got a little desensitized. Add in the fact that I’m juggling one too many things every day and thus too busy to care (or too busy to see my lack of organization?), and things have gotten a little out of control.

But busy or not, I believe there are a few simple things we can do to take control of our life. I’m planning to spend September trying to get things in order, and I invite you to join me for the challenge.

Challenge Details

For most of my blog challenges, I provide all the “rules” up front. I want to do this challenge a bit like Project Think Positive. Throughout the month, I’ll blog about various challenges and projects. As we progress through the month, I’d like you, if you can, to try to add the challenge for that week to the previous week and incorporate the projects where you can.

Challenge 1 {Stop Procrastinating}

I know what you’re thinking. What does procrastination have to do with organization? But, I think it has everything to do with organization.

Put off answering that email? Now, you have just added another email to potentially a slew of other emails that you’ll need to respond to later. You’re more likely to respond if you just do it right away. Wait, and you start creating a list of emails that will clutter your inbox.

Come home from a long day of work and drop your things on your kitchen counter? If you’re not careful, your stuff will collect into a giant (and sometimes intimidating) pile of stuff that you’ll need to put back later. You’re just accumulating stuff and work that you’ll have to do another day. You’re creating your own clutter.

*Challenge 1: Stop procrastinating. Do it now.*

The more you put off, the more likely you’re just creating disorganization in your house, your schedule, and your life. The easiest way to tackle organization is to prevent the mess before it happens. By preventing future messes, you’ll save time you can spend tackling the ones you already have.

Share the Love

If you want to tweet about the challenge, I would LOVE that! Please use twitter hashtag #projectgetorg (I don’t like shortening the project name, but the last hashtag was a little too long to use in twitter). You can tweet about how you didn’t procrastinate, etc. Tweet about the challenge – what changes you’re making. Inspire your twitter friends! 🙂

I’d also love it if you shared this challenge with your friends, family, co-workers, and even blog readers (if you’re a blogger). There are a lot of share buttons at the bottom of this post (even one to email the post to someone!), so feel free to use those. Let’s spread the positive vibes people! 🙂

Feel free to use this button on your blog:

<a href="https://thechiclife.com/2011/09/project-get-organized-challenge-1.html"><img src="https://thechiclife.com/wp-content/uploads/images/ProjectGetOrganized.gif" border="0" width="180" height="180" /></a>

Homework

This weekend (and in weeks ahead), take a look at your home. Note the following…

Where is your clutter accumulating? Counter tops? Drawers?

What types of things are in your clutter? Papers?Receipts? Shoes?

Share your findings in the comments:

Reader Share 1: Please leave a comment with the areas where your clutter accumulates.

Reader Share 2: Leave a comment with the types of items creating your clutter.

23 thoughts on “Project Get Organized {Challenge 1 – Stop Procrastinating}”

  1. I love all of your challenges! The email thing is so true. I’ve recently made it a rule that I cannot wait to answer emails. My clutter usually accumulates on my coffee table and kitchen table. Usually my school books.

    Reply
  2. Perfect timing for this challenge!

    My clutter demon seems to be paper, paper and paper. It accumulates on the island in the kitchen, on my desk, filing cabinet etc. I have a great filing system that I had a lot of fun setting up with color coded folders and labels (I love that stuff) but I need train myself to use it daily.

    Oh and Lego. But I don’t seem to mind that as much.

    Reply
  3. I am so joining you in this challenge!

    Stuff accumulates on my desk, on my coffee table, on my couch, on my kitchen cart, and on my bookshelf. And it’s mostly magazines, mail, notebooks, camera cords/chargers, etc. Oh boy, do I have a lot of work ahead of me!

    Reply
  4. I keep a bag to throw things in during the week, then just go through it at the end of the week for the most part. I am in the middle of avidly clearing out everything though so am clearing out more and more on a consistent basis. We acquire so much in our lives it’s outrageous. I feel sorry for the earth that I’m using up resources so needlessly on many occasions. But I digress…. The types of items are promos given out at rail stations, magazines, official mail, the {free} daily business/finance newspaper… On our desk {dining room table} we acquire reference books, cables, jewelry I wore that day, the odd mug…

    Reply
  5. What a great challenge!

    My clutter is mostly paper – it takes over both the kitchen and dining room tables. It drives me crazy but I can’t seem to get control over it! I keep attempting to go paperless but then my husband prints a copy (eg bank statements). Ugh!

    Reply
    • I try that, too, but my problem is I start procrastinating with the emails. I get one that I don’t know how to answer and just mark it as unread for later. Oops. hehe

      Reply
  6. I usually declutter my house every once in a while but I always skip the wardrobe — it’s my least favorite! It is very messy right now. I’m joining you in this challenge. I really need to re-organize that wardrobe of mine!

    Reply
  7. Yay! I’m happy Project Organization is finally here! I can’t wait to start!
    Where does clutter collect for me? I’m such a clutter bug at heart so clutter is pretty much everywhere for me. It’s usually a little bit of everything mixed in, which makes it hard to find things at times but I’ve been working on it. I think for right now, my car and office space needs some serious help!

    Reply
  8. Unfortunately, I am the queen of clutter. I always procrastinate to put things right away and end up with a huge pile on the dining room table and at the entrance to the door. Its usually a huge pile of mail that needs to be dealt with, the girl’s toys and/or clothes, and magazines. So many magazines that I subscribe to and dont have enough time to read them all! So they just pile and pile up- month after month- but I just cant seem to unsubscribe.

    Reply
  9. Your challenges are always EXACTLY what I’m struggling with at that time. I just came home from a run and, before I sat down at my computer, thought “I really need to get organized.” And here was your challenge 🙂

    And…I live in a NYC apartment, so my clutter seems to accumulate…oh, everywhere? But mostly my kitchen counter.

    Reply
    • Woohoo! Glad to hear – about the challenge timing, that is. 😉 I read your post the day after this one-ish – sounds like you got some great organizing done!

      Reply
  10. I’m joining and I’ll blog about it soon!

    1: My clutter accumulates on the kitchen table–our catch all spot and the coffee table.

    2. Most of the clutter is stuff from our pockets (change, keys, etc.) or paperwork/receipts that could probably just be quickly trashed.

    Reply
  11. My goodness, Diana… you always come up with THE best challenges! You really should create your own business w/ all of your epic ideas.. perhaps a life coaching business and helping empower people 🙂

    Anywho, paper clutter is my downfall! Altho, I’ve gotten super good in recent months about going through everything and throwing unwanted stuff out. It feels SO good!

    Reply

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