People have great intentions and plenty of determination to organize their life. We put our foot down and claim, “I am going to clean that cupboard, dammit!” We might want to take charge and regain control of the clutter. We might just be fed up of the mess.

But when it comes to actually getting the job done, literally wading in, sorting out and organizing, the less we want to. The small cupboard suddenly seems stuffed to the gills. The shelves are packed. The boxes are overflowing.

This may take days. This is a huge task. This is… insane.

Don’t turn and run. Don’t give up. There are ways to tackle the beast and beat it back into submission.

Never Look at the Big Picture

Changing your perspective about the big picture goes a long way toward turning a massive overhaul into a manageable task.

People tend to choose large goals, like cleaning up the basement. The result? They get to the bottom of the stairs, take one look at the huge room full of junk, and head back on up to where the land of the living is. It’s overwhelming to look at the big picture and almost impossible to get excited about progress.

Break It Down Before It Breaks You

If you want your basement cleaned and organized, but you’re discouraged by the amount of work and energy that task needs, break it down. Don’t make cleaning up the basement your goal – your goal could be cleaning for one hour.

That’s manageable. Forget the rest. Focus on that small space. You can clean that left-hand part of the shelf up easily. Allot one hour to the task. Once the hour is done, stop. Look over how far you’ve come.

Now walk away and enjoy the sense of accomplishment.

Then set your next goal: one more hour. Take the project and break it down into one-hour sessions, slowly working on each step that brings you closer to a bigger goal. Clean the left side of the next shelf up, or the closest corner of the room.

What’s In It for You?

What’s your reward for having accomplished cleaning up that left-hand side of the shelf? “I’ll be organized,” you might answer, but somehow, that doesn’t seem like much of a reward. Sure, you’ll feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, but you really do need a motivator to help you get the job done.

So promise yourself something nice if you do manage to get the shelf clean. That might be a movie, a drink, a treat, a new book… something out of the ordinary and a little special. Make sure you don’t pick a reward that just ends up bringing more clutter into your home, and make sure it’s something that you’ll really enjoy and look forward to.

Ready, set? Go!

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