to ask how you become organised and together? Seriously how??

[inatrance]

This is a question for any of you who used to be disorganised/flaky and are now organised and sorted. I have been like this for so long and I drive myself and everyone around me crackers. I'm unbelievably forgetful, I am late a lot and I'm rubbish with finances. I'm so fed up of cringing because I'm so bloody rubbish and make stupid mistakes all the time!

I've got an 8mth DS and a 10yo DD and while I've always had disorganised tendencies, since I had DS, it's gone from bad to ridiculous and I feel like I am constantly trying to catch up with myself.

I'm self employed (which is for the best as even I'd have sacked me by now) and have somehow managed to run my businesses haphazardly over the last ten years without fucking up too massively. Well, not often anyway...

Well, no more, I've had enough. I am using the New Year to kick me up the arse and I need your help.

If you used to be crap and are now brilliant and incredibly organised, please, please tell me how you did it. What changed in your mind and where the hell did you start?

[Sidge]

I knew I'd find LeQueen on here

I am much the same as her, I am naturally an organised person (I think being organised is often a personality trait) and do admit to a degree of OCD. I get quite anxious if things aren't clean, tidy and "just so" as it makes life so much harder when you can't find things or forget things.

I am also fundamentally quite lazy, I'd rather be lying on the sofa with a book or on MN! But if my life is organised and everything is done then I can spend more time lying around, as I know the girls' school uniform is all ready for tomorrow, their bags are sorted, the bills are paid, the shopping due to be delivered etc.

I have a calendar/wall planner on the kitchen cupboard - EVERYTHING goes on there and if it's not there it doesn't happen. Birthdays are written on in red, with the child's age in brackets. I roll it over each year and fill in my new one which DH buys me for Christmas.

I have a filing cabinet and organise paperwork as it comes in - apart from tax paperwork (including child tax credit stuff) which I keep forever (learned the hard way some years ago that they can take 7 years to call on you for a tax underpay...) everything else gets shredded every 18-24 months. I py all bills online and by DD.

Lots of storage helps, especially for children's stuff - easier to fling it all in a plastic storage tub than pack into piles.

Be ruthless with stuff - don't keep things "just in case" - if you are dithering over whether to keep it then you don't need it. As lovely as all the crap artwork the children bring home from school is, you can't keep it all. We rotate the new stuff onto the fridge and recycle the old stuff.

Re cleanliness - if you spill/drop something then wipe/sweep/hoover if up straight away. If there are clothes to put away, put them away rather than just moving piles around the house.

And lastly, for many late/disorganised people they need to change their attitude (not saying the OP is like this) - it's NOT cute and quirky to be repeatedly late, or a sign of creativity and free-spiritedness to live in squalor. It's disrespectful and unnecessary.

[FabbyChic]

Its called routine,and never having anything in your house you aren't going to use again. I have a drop file system for all my paperwork and label them all.

I used to iron on Sundays and only wash at the weekend.

Do a total spring clean on sundays and just tidy up in the week so the house was always tidy.

However I live alone now so I can actually please myself, harder when you have kids though.

Do uniforms and packed lunches and bags the night before and have the bags ready by the door etc.,

[BornToFolk]

Yes, Facebook is great for adult birthdays, not so good for kids! Those are the ones that always take me by surprise. My present cupboard is fairly well stocked and I keep cards on hand, it's just remembering to write/wrap/post in good time that catches me out.

[Laquitar]

Like any job you start by getting the right tools together. So the first step will be to make a list of your 'tools' i.e. files,folders, diaries, plastic boxes, baskets.
Then you spend a weekend filling/organising and tell the family that shoes go there, towels here etc.

I have weekly plan (washing/ironing/meals/activities), monthly plan (bills and banking, big shop delivery/check cupboards and sell dates/window cleaning/b'days/cook many sauces/curries for freezer, test alarms), every 3 months plan (de-clutter), twice a year plan (holidays, garden, winter/summer clothes), once a year plan (insurances, utilities contracts, any house touch up paint, uniforms).

I buy lots of things ONLY once a year i.e. batteries, notepads/pens, light bulbs, tape/glue, wrapping papper etc plus w/powder, cleaning clothes, big tin of olive oil).

I agree that this is the lazy way to do it, you do much less and faster.

[Seabright]

For financial type papers, I have 4 folders, one for me, one for DP, one for DD and one for the house. They run with the tax year (Apr - Mar). Each one has dividers in for each subject (bank statement, credit card bills, medical stuff, car insurance etc) and the stuff gets filed every evening, that way it takes about 5 mins and isn't overwealming.

Since you need to keep financial stuff for 6 years, we each have 7 of the files, the current year and 6 previous years. When the 6 year period is up, it goes in the shreader.

That way, if there is a query, we have the papers.

[Rezolution]

I reckon it is all about forward planning really. And a positive, ruthless mindset.
I Just make lists. Yes, I know you lose the lists but just have a notebook (mine is by the microwave) and keep writing notes in it.
I'm useless at housework so I have to work extra hard at it just to keep my head above water.
Calendar by phone in hall. Write all appointments on it as soon as you make them.
Being late for stuff is no good. Try to get there at least 5 minutes before you need to.

[GloriaSteinem]

I bought a page a day diary last month. Don't know where I put it though.....

[LovesBloominChristmas]

I hold down two jobs, my house is always clean and tidy, I'm always on top of my laundry & ironing, I am never late, and my DDs always have the right kit/homework/books for school every day...

Lequeen you bitch

I'm going to add this to my watch list cause it's time again for me to get organised. It happens twice a year. In jan, new diary/calendar etc and then about June when I realise on not doing it any more!

Now ds is here and dd will be starting school in sept I need to get sorted.

My main problem is routine, I'm fine whilst I'm in it but ibce I miss it it all goes to pot.

[Caz10]

Brilliant thread! I'd say I am halfway there and now have lots of new ideas for the new year!

One thing that tricks me up is the sort of "sentimental" stuff, it just lies around and annoys me, but I want to keep it. Eg my sis got married last year, I want to keep the order of service etc, but it's just been lying on my chest of drawers for months! Things like that all over the place - what is the answer?!

[Haziedoll]

Marking my place.

[Alliwantisaroomsomewhere]

Caz101, I know what you mean! I have the same "problem". I think for paper mementoes like that, I will use a scrapbook.

[Xenia]

I do think it's a personality thing. I would have probably made a good librarian. Aalso it saves time if you're organised. I was goingto say it is because I'm in year 28 of being mother so I've had a lot of practice but I think it's more just a matter of people's personality. Most people in the UK are feckless unorganised late and don't do what they say they will when they say they will.

Woody Allen was once asked his secret of success. He said he "shows up" (for work). Plenty of people don't show up. They don't do things on time. They don't arrive at 8 if the appointment is at 8 (we will all know this from engaging some plumbers and other work men at home or at work). If you're b orn with an organised personality it gives you a massive head start. I am not better than most people but I get given a lot of things with deadlines because I will do them on time.

Yet there is a mass of people out there who live chaotic and disorganised lives, who hardly dare look at their bank account on line (I look at mine once or twice a day) and who hid brown envelopes.

So how can you start being more organised?
1,. Buy a kitchen calendar for home and children dates/appointments.

1. Have a proper filing cabinet and files for each thing eg electricity, council tax, water rates, pension, tax.
   
2. Do things early, not late. I try to pay bills the day they arrive so I only have to look at them once
   
3. Develop routines
   
4. If you're lazy or dyspraxic or just had organising then get someone else to take on important aspects of it which must be done.
   

(Caveat, anyone with lots of small babies has to accept it's very hard to keep on top of things though. I think that's a very different situation and you have to let things slide a bit until the baby is a bit bigger)

On the order of service question we have an eaves./attic area. Things like that would go in a scrap book or box which would be named and put up there. Each chidl has a scrap book too and I put in things like their school concert leaflets that mention them.

Someone (I thin kthe professional organiser earlier on) suggested always taking things with you when you go upstairs. I do that. I hurt my leg this week so going up stairs is hard so I've been noticing it and our systems are very thorough. Anything on its way upstairs sits there at the bottom of the stairs and then it's taken upstairs when you go even if you don't really want to put it away so things are continuously put in the right place.

Another caveat though is that plenty of people like mess. They will have an office with mess all over but reckon they know exactly what pile things are in and sometimes that works for them too.

Also if you haven't used something for 2 years unless it's a precious memento throw it out.
(There is a medical hoarding condition but I don't see anyone on the thread as having it)

[Bonsoir]

The other thing that really helps organisation is surrounding yourself by other organised people. My DP is über organised, never late for anything etc and that means that we get things done together. In fact, when we were first living together and had to do things together, we were always early for everything because each one of us had factored in extra time for the other one not being ready on time.

But it's not just partners. All the people I outsource stuff too are pretty reliable and organised - I don't want to hang around waiting for the shopping to be delivered, or for my ironing to be done, or for my children's tutors to show up.

[SparkySparrow]

Brilliant thread!
Have been reading and taking notes...in my new diary! :)

[daisie4]

Regarding the sentimental stuff, we have 'memory boxes' - one for each of dcs and ourselves. At the moment dcs have a drawer each in their playroom, when thats full I put the stuff in a box and it goes in the loft. I used to choose what went in it, but now they do, it might be artwork, programs, favourite t-shirt, my son put his first pair of flip flops(?!) in it. They only have one archive box each in the loft at the moment (they're 10 & 12) so its not too much space. Everything else gets recycled/binned.

[NeverKnowinglyUnderstood]

lequeen please come over and help!!

[LadySybilPussPolham]

V useful thread although I am at all the extremely organised folk claiming to be lazy... surely a contradiction in terms?
Lifelong procrastinator

[Waltons]

Also marking my place because this thread is great - I can't handle Flylady and her shiny sinks.

Smart new notebook bought, life divided into 14 zones (I have too many jobs for my own good), to do lists taking shape. Household maintenance divided into trades on different pages - thanks to whoever suggested that.

Best tip for me beyond that was "tidy each room before you leave it". All the main rooms are now immaculate - at least on the surface, and I have the perfect excuse never to set foot in the DC's bedrooms ever again.

[iFailedTheTuringTest]

Ah, good point re Facebook my dc is the first in the family, no others as yet and too young for playschool so no kids birthdays to remember as yet.

I won't be as smug in a couple of years!

[oflip]

For me its routine.
Starting on a sunday..i meal plan for the week and make a shopping list based on that.
Every single item in my house has a place where it lives.
I have boxes & draws for everything and on pay day every month i go through my "dumping draw" and clear out.
Everything is paid via dd.

I have lists too.
I have a Monday off work and shop & clean that day every week. (i work 30 hours in a very demanding job that i absolutely have to be organised in, or i would be sacked frankly)

All ironing done on a sunday, school uniforms for the week set out in a pile including underwear.

I am NEVER late, my clocks are set 15 minutes fast, cant abide lateness, i take a very dim view of those who are habitually late i am afraid i see it as extreme bad manners and rudeness.

I dont do it all alone, my ds has jobs to do every day too.

I cant survive in chaos, i like order and knowing that evrything is in its place.
Its hard bloody work though, and i have to be on it constantly. Not easy

[Waxtart]

Love this thread because it's made me realise that I'm not disorganised, I just don't have enough time to get everything done. I do have a routine, and I do have systems, it's the periods when I am really busy or away from home that mean I just don't always have the time (or occasionally the inclination through tiredness) to do them.

[21YrOldMan]

If you're having stuff issues, get some of these in your life:

direct.tesco.com/q/R.203-8043.aspx?utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=GSF_NormalFeed&utm_campaign=GSF_TescoDirect&utm_content=203-8043

folding crates. You can fit 12 under a double bed. Group items, write down exactly what's in each crate and where that crate it is, then put the list somewhere you won't lose it (personally I save it on my computer).

[NearlyMrsCustardsHardHat]

This thread scares me. As a dyslexic (bad at organising!) with fibromyalgia (zero energy and in pain 90% of the time) and working full time. I am useless at being organised.

I got the wall planner down that SIL bought me for Xmas and started using it when I started reading this thread, DP looked at me in a very very scared manner patted me on the head and said "sit down thats my job" :o but i'm determined to do it. I will. I'll find the energy from somewhere and get something done, even if it's just to show I can do it.

[NearlyMrsCustardsHardHat]

before you all jump on my DP at being a twat for patting me on the head, thats just how we are with each other, sarcasm is the way of this house :o