Do you ever say, “I just don’t have time to organize” or I don’t have time to anything I want to do. Let’s say clearing clutter is something you want to do. But you say you don’t have time. Think about this:

If you spend just 15 minutes a day and you did it five (5) days a week you would have spent 1 hour and 15 minutes clearing clutter for the week. You could have gotten a lot done don’t you think? And if you were clearing clutter for six (6) days a week for only 15 minutes a day you would have done it for one hour and 30 minutes. WOW it sure adds up.

15 minute ideas for clearing clutter:

•Set a timer for 15 minutes. You know you have permission to only organize for 15 minutes. Mentally this means a lot.
•Start with a little teeny tiny area—a drawer in the bathroom, in the bedroom, one shelf in the kitchen, one shelf in the refrigerator, with your basket of cosmetics, or your purse.
•If you can’t find 15 minutes in a day try getting up 15 minutes earlier. (I heard that groan)

Keep it up every day for a week and see the results that can happen almost like magic. What you do when you are clearing clutter to make it happen in your busy life.

Marilyn Bohn is an energetic, lively, compassionate, hard working and creative organizer. She was born to organize! Before becoming a professional organizer she worked professionally in diverse environments. She is involved in her community, providing her clients with a broad base of experience and knowledge.  She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).

Making New Year’s resolutions is easy — following through on them is something else entirely.  Sometimes it’s because we don’t really believe we can achieve what we set out to do.  Sometimes it’s because we are fearful of what we might have to do, or give up, or risk.  Sometimes it’s because we realize that whatever it is will be a lot of hard work — and that success probably won’t happen overnight.

Thought for the Day:

Focus more on your desire than your doubt and the dream will take care of itself.  You may be surprised at how easily this happens.  Your doubts are not as powerful as your desires unless you make them so.  Marica Wieder

Today’s Action Challenge:

One way to keeping moving forward is to keep your goals in front of you every single day.  Many, many success gurus (Napoleon Hill, Brain Tracy, Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield — you name it) talk about writing down your major goal and either carrying it with you.

• Where could you place your goal so that it is front and center in your every day life.  Perhaps on a little card in your purse or wallet?  Maybe you could make it into a screen saver (or maybe find a particular image that represents it for)  Perhaps you could put it on Post-It Notes around your house (on the bathroom mirror, the refrigerator door), at work at your desk and on your dashboard. 
• Most experts suggest writing it as a concise sentence or two, phrased in the present test as if it already exists and having a specific deadline…”It is December 31st 2009 and because I was committed to eating a healthy diet and exercising for 30 minutes every day, I am now a size ____” Again, write it down as if it has already happened.
• Another time proven method is to spend at least 5 minutes or so once or twice a day having a vivid daydream about your goal.  The idea is to put yourself in a mental movie where you see yourself experiencing  your goal fully — as if it were actually happening.  Where are you?  What are you doing?  Who’s with you?  What are you saying?  What did they say?  What are the sights, sounds, smells, textures…make it very real.  The subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between the real world and the world that is vividly imagined.   So don’t hold back — go for it!!

Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is an exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and the creator of The Best Me Ever, a comprehensive weight loss and wellness system just for women.  Lose weight and look great — 90 Day Money Back Guarantee!!