I’m not talking about stark, pristine perfection. That’s not realistic, nor is it enjoyable to live or work in these conditions. I’m talking about making your environment work for you instead of against you.

Your environment works against you when you can’t find what you need when you need it, when the clutter feels oppressive, and when  things are weighing you down or falling through the cracks.

How can getting organized help your environment work for you saving you time, money and stress?

Saving time: How much time do you spend looking for tools and such at home, or needed papers at work? Wouldn’t you love to reclaim that time to work on something productive?

What’s the solution?

• Make sure your “stuff” has a home. Designate a specific place for your things.
• Put items away when you are finished with them.

I know this is easier said than done. It does take some thought and time to decide on a “home” for all your stuff, but it is time well spent.

Saving money: Late fees, lost items and missed opportunities can all result from a lack of organization.

What’s the solution?

• Organize a system for paying bills and handling papers. You can set up autopay for many of your bills, and have a specific place and time to pay other bills and deal with paperwork. You don’t want to miss an important deadline or opportunity.
• Again, have a home for your stuff. When you need an item, you can go right to it instead of having to spend the time and money buying another one because you can’t find it.

Reducing stress: One cause of stress and overwhelm is trying to keep all of your appointments and to-do’s in your head.

What’s the solution?

• Have a trusted system for keeping your appointments and to-do’s. You may use a paper planner, computer or your phone. Use what works for you.
• Write appointments in this system as soon as you make them.
• Write down what you need to get done.
• Schedule tasks.

My daughter just finished her first year of college. She would sometimes call, feeling overwhelmed. The first thing I would do is have her write down everything she needed to get done.

Just getting it all down on paper made it seem more manageable and helped lessen the stress. Once written down, she could make a plan for when she could do what, and her mind could relax allowing her to start moving forward again.

Has your environment and mind become cluttered costing you time, money, and stress? Get organized. Organization comes down to systems. 1) Have a system for assigning your stuff a home so you can find what you need when you need it and for returning items back to their home when done with them. 2) Create a system for handling your bills and papers. 3) Have a trusted system for keeping track of appointments and to-dos. Take back control and create an environment that works for you, instead of against you.

Pamela Henrie is the owner of The Success Choice, LLC, and the creator of The Success Choice System and Planner, as well as the Choosing Joy in the Journey Journals. To learn more, you can go to www.TheSuccessChoice.com.