Could you finish this sentence?
I became organized when…
The team at Basic Organization would like to share our beginnings in becoming more organized. How about you? Can you share a time in your life when you became more efficient and clutter free? Comment below.
I was an organized kid who enjoyed putting all the toys away for my four siblings. I even cleaned my room every week—dream kid (in that respect) for my parents. Most organizers will tell you something similar – that they were always organized. I started focusing on organization roundaboutly when I was a new mom. I left my full-time job to stay at home with my first baby. At the time, there were no organized shows on TV, so I focused on how I could best save money so we could live on one income. What I found was being organized – writing a grocery list so as not to overbuy and planning activities that would get me and my baby out of the house was a form of getting more organized. I loved creating structure in my new mom’s unstructured world. So, whenever I saw something around my house that was “working for me,” I tried to improve it. Not perfect, just better. Making small changes is the best way to make them part of your lifestyle. Janet
Making small changes is the best way to make them part of your lifestyle.
I became organized when… I saw my mother stressed about having people over, finding an important document, or being late because she could not locate anything. For me, being organized means less stress and a more peaceful life. Patti
I became organized when… I was a child. My bedroom was “my” space, so I was happy to keep it neat and organized and place things as I wanted. I enjoyed organizing so much that I often declutter and organize my best friend’s bedroom, too! Lori
I became organized when… I was young and worked as a legal secretary, but I loved organizing as Pinterest became popular. It was, and still is, unique and exciting to see all the creative organizing ideas and gather inspiration. Denene
Being organized means less stress and a more peaceful life.
I became organized… while living in the same bedroom with my sister while growing up. She wasn’t very tidy. She never seemed to notice the clutter; however, it drove me crazy! Everything had to have a place. Sue
I became organized… in elementary school and looked forward to rearranging my bedroom furniture every few months. I reorganized my dresser drawers and decluttered the clothes in my closet regularly. My mom told me the trash in my small wastebasket was neat and tidy, too! Michelle
I grew up in an apartment in the city, and we always bought what we needed, not more, because we didn’t have space for it. Since I was a little girl, I remember always putting away my stuff and keeping it organized because I was a clean freak and liked my belongings to be a certain way. This stayed with me throughout my life and travels. I decided to become a professional organizer because having an organized space brings me joy, and I love to share this joy with people that really need it. Rouba
Having an organized space brings me joy!
It sounds cliché, but I got organized once my kids started school and other activities. Crazy school, Scouts, and sports schedules left me no choice. I could not get the kids to their activities with the right supplies if I wasn’t systematic with everything in place, especially when some days had multiple activities. Ann
One particular time in my life when I became more organized was when both kids were in school. I organized their closets with hanging Organizers and put the clothing for school and any after-school activities in each cubie for the day of the week. I generally “loaded” the cubbies on Saturday or Sunday after I completed the laundry. Not only did this help me get a handle on the upcoming week, but it also taught the kids as they got older how to organize their items for the week – and now that they are much older, those skills have helped them know how to pack for a vacation or work trip by laying things out by day so they can see what they have and what they need to get. Sandy
What a great post, Janet! I can relate to the section in your post that reads, “Being organized means less stress and a more peaceful life.” I started organizing because my family was messy. When I would organize, I felt less stressed and more in control of my life.
That’s great Sabrina. Sometimes I’m amazed at how calm my house seems. I love it.
It’s so fun to read about the early organizing influences. I can see this as a book…collecting organizers’ stories.
For me, there were many influences. I have distinct memories at an early age of experiencing joy in organizing, color coding, or lining things up neatly. Part of it is related to my love of color and design. However, the other part was creating an environment that was uniquely desirable to me. While the house I grew up in wasn’t cluttered, there was a certain amount of chaos or activity. My mom was a pianist and piano teacher, and my siblings were/are musicians. Music and sound were ever-present. Guests, students, visitors, and friends always visited or stayed over. Our house was a revolving door of sound, activity, and happenings.
My room (right off the kitchen) was the only spot to create a “Linda” environment on my terms. Total control. My safe space. My quiet space. My Oh, So Organized space. So, I suppose my organizing experience started in that tiny room.
Linda. Growing up I shared a room with my sister, who is not organized. That’s where I learned that everyone is not the same and how to create boundaries for my space. I grew up in a big family so there was a level of chaos and noisy. I have found that I enjoy peace and quiet as an older adult now. Wonder if they are connected.
Well that was very fun! Isn’t it interesting to see all the influences that helped people prioritize organization?
I became organized when my bedroom became messy at home growing up. It was a small room, and I remember distinctly wanting to fix it up. I talked to my Dad about it, and helped build a little custom closet organizer I designed. It was very simple, with double hanging on one size, single hanging on the other, and shoe shelves in the middle. It was me so happy!
That’s great Seana. You were an organizer even very young and you did it yourself!
I always love when your team weighs in, Janet, and I love hearing the origin stories of these organizing professionals.
I can’t remember *becoming* organized because I think I’ve always been like this. I remember going to my friend’s house; she had a playroom that she and her younger siblings often left destroyed, and I wouldn’t really start “playing” until I’d put everything back on the built-in shelves in categories that made sense. My friend was eager to not get in trouble with her mom, so she was happy to play along with my practice attempts at being a professional organizer. It was a long time later before I learned the psychology of organizing for the way OTHER people think, but I definitely started out orderly. (And yet, my mother’s type of organization requires you to not be able to SEE stuff that isn’t decor, so my version of organized seemed untidy to her. Ah, well.)
Julie, I also remember cleaning up after my 4 siblings. They must have loved that I did it for them. I just always liked “order”.