Be a Neat Freak
Have you ever wanted to be one of those people who are constantly making sure everything is in perfect order? Here are some easy tips to help you on your way to a more "organized" way of life!
Steps
- Clean at a time when you are most happy and energized. This completely changes your outlook on ordinary chores. Or pick a time when you are free. e.x. when you have completed your assignments, so you won't regret later.
- Make it enjoyable. If you turn on some of your favorite music while you clean up, you might actually get into it! Dance a bit or sing along while you clean.
- Think positive. Don't be like "Oh great, I have to clean my room..." Instead be thinking, "A clean room is a happy room." Or just start without thinking, right at the next moment.
- List the benefits. Think about it; the cleaner your room is, the easier it'll be to find things you need at a moment's notice. This way you don't have to spend hours going through your drawers and closet to find something. A clean room really does save a lot of time!
- Be happy with your work! Allow yourself to think you accomplished something...especially when you invite someone over to your house and they compliment on how nice your home looks!
- Be creative! Make some decorative and pretty containers/labels to put all your stuff in.
- Enjoy having not only more time, but also more space. The more often you clean out the junk in your house, the more room you will have in those soon-to-be empty drawers to put all those things of yours that you had to stuff in the back of your closet until you "cleaned-up."
- De-stress. Seeing clutter thrown around on the floor and furniture can really take a toll on your attitude. Clutter around you creates more clutter in you.
- Make it a game. If you try to motivate yourself by setting "records" for the least amount of time you can clean-up, it just might seem a lot less like actual work.
- Get advice from people you know who are neat freaks. Some might just say that's the way they are, but you might actually get some helpful tricks from the others! Just go ahead and ask.
- Always be ready for everything. Carry extra money with you. If you have a cell phone, always make sure that it's fully charged. You never know when you will be stuck in a situation where you are stuck on your own. You will be very thankful that you brought your cell phone with you. A neat freak cannot be neat if they are unprepared!
- Make a to-do lists.
- Make a to-do list for your day. Your daily or immediate list should never be more than 5 items long, or else you're taking on too much and setting yourself up for failure. Mark one or two of those items as things you absolutely must get done that day, and pursue those tasks relentlessly until you get them done.
- Make a to-do list for the week. Appropriate items here would be: Grocery shopping, fix air conditioner, etc. Draw from this list to make your daily to-do list. A white board or board with erasable markers can help to remember all one has to do every day, or long term goals.
- Make a to-do list for the month. This list would have more general tasks like: Birthday gift to Jill, get car serviced, dentist appointment. Draw from this list to make your daily and weekly to-do list.
- Make a to-do list for your life. Drastic, yes, but why not use this time to rethink your life and where it's going? Being a neat freak is all about priorities, and it never hurts to get your ducks in a row.Follow through. There's no point in making a to-do list if you don't discipline yourself to complete the tasks you've assigned yourself. There are many ways to stick to your to-do list. Stop procrastinating, remove or ignore distractions, and hop to it.
- Take a good look at things that slip to the bottom of your to-do lists. Are they really important? If so, get them over with, or at least get them started. If not, put them back in the long-term list for "someday" or get them off the list altogether. Don't let yourself get hung up on something for too long.
- Remember to stay organized all the time, not just one day.
- Clean out any clutter, because it is not fun to have around!
Tips
- Small items can be put into a container, which may look neater.
- It's a good idea to carry a notepad and pen with you at all times so you can write things down as they come to you (usually at the most inconvenient times, which is why they're so promptly forgotten). If you're worried about fitting a notepad in your pants pocket, don't be. Check bookstores and office supply centers to find a notepad slim enough for any pocket. Of course, if your planner is compact enough, it can serve this purpose as well. Another idea would be to have a PDA, Blackberry or palm Pilot. Some cell phones have notification or note-taking menus. If you are using one of those, they may be practical too. As a last resort, call your own phone number and leave yourself a voice mail.
- Be comfortable. Wearing comfy clothes while clean will help you to more easily bend down to pick up things and other stuff that you'll need to do
- Plan ahead! Make a week's schedule and fill in each day of the week with something new to clean. Doing it more often will eventually make it a habit.
- Post-it notes are your friend. Put them in nifty spots as reminders. For example, if you know you need to wash your car, then put a post-it note on your steering wheel so that next time you get in your car, you remember to get it done. Other good spots for post-it notes are doorknobs, mirrors, and PC monitors (the borders, not the actual screen).
- Never be put down by the day's outcome. If you have had a bad day, don't get distracted and think, "Well nothing has worked out for me today so I am not going to clean my room. It can be a mess."
- When making your to-do list for the week, remember things may occur that could be entirely unexpected. So, do not set in stone what you need to do entirely, but be sure to do the other things on the list.
- Label your weekly wardrobe in your closet. For example, get sticky notes, and label your outfits, "Monday," "Tuesday," and so on.
Warnings
- Don't forget to clean, too. Neat-freak refers to being organized and clean. After you have all of your belongings in the right places, be sure to dust and vacuum.
- Do your best in everything you do, while being neat.
- Be aware that obsessive compulsive disorder is a true disease, and try not to overdo anything.
- Follow and cherish any rules that you are supposed to follow at school, home, or wherever else you go.
- Don't put too much pressure on yourself.
- No drinking alcohol or anything illegal at all.It is very sloppy.
Things You'll Need
- Containers for all your stuff
- Clean cut clothes
- A good work ethic
- A clean room/house
- A planner/calender
- A watch
