When you’re down, one easy way to feel more focused at work is to organize your space. Sometimes when you’re in a slump, it’s better to stop procrastinating, drop, and get organized! Since mom entrepreneurs are some of the busiest people on the planet your organized space will help you stay focused, productive, and more profitable! These are 5 easy ways to organize your space in no time at all.

Why Organize Your Space

The first ‘version’ of SaneSpaces.com was an organizing company. I worked in people’s work and home spaces to help them get organized. As I worked with people, I realized that organizing is a means to an end. Although each client’s goals were unique and different, getting organized is a series of small steps. Organizing is just one step toward making your life and business work. So, one of the quickest and easiest ways to get yourself motivated again – is to take the time to organize your workspace.

An organized mom is generally more able to do more of what she wants to do with ease because she knows what she has, has what she needs, and can find things when she needs them. When mom is NOT organized, the entire family suffers. AND when mom is attempting to run an entire business in the time she’s given, being organized is essential to feeling productive and less stressed.

The challenge for most mompreneurs is that many of us diminish the necessity of this particular activity and its impact on our success. Without your space working for you, one of your key dimensions of support will be broken. However, maintaining your systems takes time. If you never organize your space and avoid maintenance because of the mess, you may need a time out often. Or worse – you may tank your success and experience a critical failure. Instead, start strong and organize your space today following these 5 easy steps.

5 Easy Ways To Organize Your Space

1. You Need To Avoid Distractions

Determine a chunk of time in your schedule to get organized, set aside a time block, and stick to it. Push till you complete what you start. Try to avoid breaking your organizing stride with interruptions. If you do, you run the risk of feeling LESS organized in the long run!

2. To Organize Your Space, Start Small

Too often people try to attack a big disorganized space first. However,  if you feel the need to organize, pick somewhere contained and start small. Choose a desk drawer, dump it, and get rid of unnecessary things. Keep only what you need and love. Reappoint the space with less stuff, and arrange it so things are easy to see. Creating a small contained organized space is a big win and can be very motivating. Build on your wins, and only take on a small task if you have limited time.

3. Organize Your Space To Suit Your Style

Each person has a different preference for an organized style. There are 6 organizing personality styles that determine your preferences for staying organized. Some people like to tuck items out of sight. Still, others feel more organized when they can see everything out in the open. Find out your organizing style preferences with the TSSI. Whatever your style – organize to make yourself ‘feel’ more in control and less stress. If you like clear surfaces, make sure you create systems that can keep items tucked away. If you like to ‘see things’ use labels. You’ll also tend to enjoy color. Be sure to find a home for the files you create. Spacial orientation matters. This way you’ll know where to find items and put stuff away.

4. Sort Your Stuff Using the FAT Formula

If you don’t have very much time organize your space sometimes just the act of ‘sorting’ can help. Look for ways to create landing places. Landing places stage organizing tasks. When you break projects down into tasks, it makes getting started easier. Let’s take a look at the ‘FAT’ sorting process more closely.

• First, this acronym FAT is credited to the great Barbara Hemphill. Here’s how she uses it to guide you to organize your space: Create three piles and be sure to label them ‘File’, ‘Act’, and ‘Toss’.
• Choose a pile of papers – no more than two inches high. Now, simply sort your papers. If the item already has a file created and just needs to find its way there – put it in the ‘FILE‘ pile.
• If a paper requires ANY action – (even if it is to create a new file folder for the item) it must go into the ‘ACT’ pile
• Then – anything you don’t need to keep or take action on should be put into the ‘TOSS‘ pile.

When you follow the FAT sorting process, it helps you get through those piles quickly. You’ll be able to bread down the daunting task of organizing your space. It creates simple, easy to follow steps.  Try it. It will also help layer tasks and avoid decision fatigue.

5. To Organize Your Digital Space Create Broad, Intuitive File Names

Be sure that you label everything when you begin to file items. Some people make the mistake of feeling like they need to organize ‘perfectly’. There’s no PERFECT way to file – but what you need to really pay attention to is naming your files in ways that make sense to you! Keep file names simple and easy to maintain. You may also consider pairing your digital files to their equivalent paper files.

Additional Motivators To Help Organize Your Space

Additional ways to organize your space include making things super easy. If you can shift the way you see your space, it’s easy to create touch and go systems. What I mean by that is create ways to hold your space. This way you can jump out of work at a moment’s notice, and know what you need to do when you come back. A professional can help you create files and manage your digital life. You’ll need a way to capture, organize, schedule and remind yourself. Design systems that work for you and your style.

If you need help, check out any of the following:

• Try This Workbook to Organize Your Space

  Get Organized Self-Paced Workbook. A guidebook is like hiring a professional organizer to work through your space with you.  It provides the entire step-by-step process you would go through with a professional organizer, along with guidelines and checklists, and everything you need in your toolbox to be successful.

• Purge With Guidance

  Time To Toss It here, or on get a copy for your Kindle on Amazon.com. This ebook provides guidelines on how long you need to keep common household items, papers, medications, and records.

• Audio Program

  If you are just getting started and would like the motivation of staying on track with tips and weekly organizing projects, my ‘Get Organized To Keep Your Family Sane’ ebook and self-paced audio course is for you.

• DIY Video Organizing Challenge

  This video challenge will spark you to organize your space! It gives you 23 days of targets to help you organize your space and stay on track. Click to enroll in this free program – Get It Done Organizing Challenge.

In conclusion, it’s not hard to organize your space. All it takes is a little planning and a little time. Set yourself up for success, avoid distractions, start small, and follow the easy sorting and purging processes above. And, if you need help – just check out the downloadable program links. Why wait? Now’s always a great time to organize your space!