ORDERING YOUR LIFE

By Danelle Carvell

Being sloppy and unorganized makes life difficult. Your time will be wasted searching for things you’ve lost because you don’t put things back in the same place. You’ll be embarrassed when visitors pop in because your home is a mess. You’ll forget appointments and miss deadlines. Your disorganization could even flow into your finances, putting you into unnecessary debt.

An organized life is an easier life.

I know the downfalls of being unorganized and sloppy because I grew up in a laid-back environment. My parents weren’t sloppy, but they didn’t demand an orderly home. My bedroom always looked like a cyclone just struck and in school, I sometimes went to the wrong classroom because I kept losing my class schedule. It was embarrassing to hear my name over the intercom after a teacher reported me missing. I felt like an airhead. That’s the worst part about being unorganized, the way it makes you feel.

In his book, Ordering Your Private World, Gordon McDonald says, “When we are disorganized…we don’t like ourselves, our jobs, or much else about our worlds.” That is so true. When I don’t organize my time, I feel unproductive and wasteful. When my home and car are a mess, I feel sloppy and lazy. Being undisciplined and unorganized just makes me feel like a mess. Living that way is depressing and it affects every part of my life, including my relationships with people and with God. I can’t focus on what’s important when I’m surrounded by clutter.

My husband was taught when he was a boy to be organized. I had to learn the hard way. I still don’t think I’ve mastered it completely, but I’m getting there. And I'm realizing the inner peace that comes from being disciplined and organized. It's best to learn organization skills  when you're a child.  Then when you have a home of your own and a family you’ll already have a system of organization in place that will help you to juggle all your responsibilities with ease. Here are some tips that might help:

• Have a special place for your car keys and hang them there as soon as you get home.

• Buy a file cabinet for important papers. I keep files on each family member that contain birth certificates, social security cards, health and immunization records, etc. I also have an alphabetical file; for example, my “A” file contains prices I paid for antiques I purchased. My “P” file contains product information such as warranty and instruction booklets for cameras, alarm clocks and other purchases.

• Write appointments on your calendar as soon as possible. Those little appointment cards you get at the dentist don’t do any good tucked in your wallet. Buy a big calendar with plenty of room to record important dates. If you volunteered to send a snack for a school event, write it down. If your child needs a disposable lunch for a field trip, write it down. Keep school lunch menus and monthly school activity schedules taped inside the pantry door so you don’t miss pizza day and class picture day.

• Carry an address book to record phone numbers and addresses away from home. Then transfer each new entry to the address book you keep at home by the phone. Enter important numbers into your cell phone menu as well.

• Organize your bills. Balance your checkbook regularly. Write on your calendar when bills should be paid as soon as you open them. Allow plenty of time for them to reach their destination to avoid late fees.

• Organize your hand bag. Carry a pen and notebook and have a place for everything so you’re not digging for things.

• Always take the phone number of your destination with you when traveling. Keep a file for “how to get there” instructions. I still travel with hand-written instructions that were given to me 10 years ago. Never throw away driving instructions. You never know when you might need them again.

• Put your credit card purchase receipts in your wallet until you can file them at home. After each purchase appears on your statement, put this old receipt in a separate file. Then you won’t have to wonder about that mysterious charge on your credit card.

• Keep a file for social security cards, car repair receipts, marriage license, bank statements, credit card statements, health, life, and car insurance, tax papers, etc. Be able to locate any important paper at a moments notice.

• When calling a business or organization to inquire about a bill, cancel a service, order a product or service, file a complaint, or just to get information, have your account number handy. Also, write down the name of the person you spoke to, the time you called, the date, and what was discussed. This habit has saved me time and money because I had proof of what I was told by a representative of the business or organization.

• If you have a complaint and can’t resolve it by phone, get the name of the boss or owner and write a letter politely expressing your concerns. Make a copy for yourself and send it by certified mail if you need proof that you sent it by a certain date or just that you sent it at all.

• If your complaint is resolved by phone, ask to have it in writing. If you’re refused, then follow up with a letter of your own, summarizing the conversation. Send the letter to the representative you spoke to and make a copy for yourself. If you later feel that you’ve simply been pacified with no real results, then contact the company’s consumer service department, the company president, or as a last resort, the Consumer Protection Agency.

• Place food in the same area of the refrigerator each time so you know where to find things quickly. Organize your drawers, closet, cupboards, storage areas and pantry the same way. You should know exactly where to find the mustard, a scissors, a hammer, a flashlight, tape, glue, stamps or anything else.

• Manage your time well. Plan your day, your week, your month. Be a list maker. Tackle certain tasks on certain days- laundry Monday, dusting Tuesday. Say “No” to people and things that rob your time.

• Be aware of car care. Know how to check your oil level and tire pressure. Have the oil and filter changed regularly. Get familiar with your car’s maintenance schedule. Know when to check the battery, fuel filter, belts, air filter, etc. Keep a maintenance record for your car so you remember what service was performed and when. This could also be a selling point when you sell your car.

• Start every day with a prayer. Ask God to make you aware of the areas you need to improve to have a better sense of order and inner peace.