Introduction
Being organized is key to getting things done. Many people think that they do not have time to implement systems that will allow them to stay organized.
They couldn’t be more wrong!
If you think that too, I am glad to stumble up this post because improving your organization skills will save you a lot of time in the long run. And it will allow you to explode your productivity and get a lot of things done every day.
If you want to become the most organized person you know, this post is your call. It will list 15 simple tips that will help you stay organized despite a hectic schedule.
Let’s start, shall we?
1) Find the perfect planner
Finding the perfect planner is the most essential step to becoming the most organized person you know.
To be organized, you will need to write a lot of things down and have a plan for each day.
This is why finding a planner you will love to use is so important.
Whether you decide to use a paper or digital planner is up to you. But you need to find what works best for you since you will have to use it several times per day.
You can also use both because paper and digital planners each have their pros and cons.
A paper planner is great if you like to have a planner you can personalize with an infinite number of colors and stickers. Unfortunately, time blocking with a paper planner can be tricky and time-consuming.
Same thing when you need to change plans and adapt your schedule frequently.
On the other hand, digital planners such as Google Calendar and other apps are great for time blocking because you can create an infinite number of recurring blocks in a few seconds.
Unfortunately, finding an app great for creating to-do lists and maintaining a schedule can be hard.
This is why I personally use both: I use Google Calendar to time block and a paper planner to write down the tasks to be completed during each block.
Here is what my Google Calendar looks like:
And here are some of my absolute favorite planners:
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If staying organized is your priority, you will need to excel at writing down things. You will be using your planner several times per day. Hence, take the time to find the system that works best for you.
This will be the secret to becoming the most organized person you know.
2) Have “to-go” lists
If you consider yourself an organized person, chances are you already have a lot of to-do lists.
But what about “to-go” lists?
This type of list is highly underrated!
A to-go list is a list you have a look at when you need to make a choice, such as what to cook for dinner, what shampoo to buy, what series to watch, etc.
Having a to-go list will save you a lot of time! It will also make these trivial choices much easier.
Here are a few examples of to-go lists you can make:
- Restaurants to try
- Movies to watch
- Series to watch
- Places to visit
- Beauty products to try
- Countries to visit
- Gifts to buy
- Recipes to try
- Etc.
You can either keep these lists on your phone or in a binder to have them on hand whenever you need them.
Having to-go lists will definitely help you save a lot of time when making everyday decisions.
3) Implement routines
You saw this one coming, right?
Implementing routines is the secret to becoming the most organized person you know.
Routines are great because they can turn any activity into a habit.
Hence, if you implement a productive routine, although you might have to track it at first using a to-do list app or your planner, you will quickly follow it on auto-pilot.
Routines give structure to our lives, which is beneficial when you try to be more organized.
There are a lot of routines you can implement to be more productive and organized.
The secret to implementing routines for success is in being able to stick to them.
The easiest way to make a new routine stick is to track it until it becomes automatic.
If you need help with your new routines, my free 62-page eBook will help you. Download it by subscribing using the form below!
) Follow a cleaning schedule
This tip, combined with the number 8 on this list, will help you have a super clean and organized house.
Following a cleaning schedule will help you keep your home perfectly clean in all circumstances.
Here are the activities you should include in your cleaning schedule:
Implementing a cleaning schedule will also help you save a lot of time.
5) Set location-based reminders
This is a life-changing tip not so many people know about, yet it can make your life much easier if you have a tendency to forget about things.
Location-based reminders are basically reminders that pop up on your phone when you are near a predefined location.
Let’s say you need to stop by Sephora to buy a friend the latest Nars palette for her birthday but keep forgetting about it.
If you set a location-based reminder, your phone will remind you to go to Sephora when it detects that you are on your way home and driving near one.
These reminders are great because they are not based on a specific date and time but on location.
6) Find a great to-do list app
This is another simple thing that will be key to your success.
Writing things down in a to-do list will help you get them out of your head and to focus on what really matters.
Writing to-do lists might seem like a waste of time for some of you (yep, I heard that once!)
Still, it is one of the simplest ways to get organized. Not forgetting about things to do will make you much more productive.
Are you looking for a free and amazing to-do list app? Check the list below!
7) Meal prep or meal plan
Meal prepping or meal planning will help you save time, and money, and eat healthily.
Forget about wasting hours thinking about what to cook, ordering takeout, or stopping by the McDrive on your way home.
Ideally, you should be meal-prepping to save a lot of time during the week. Preparing all your meals over the weekend and keeping them in the freezer will be a game-changer if you often work late.
It will simply get the decision of what to cook out of your head because we all know it; cooking can be a stressful experience.
If you can’t meal prep for whatever reason, meal planning will also help you save time and money. Knowing exactly what to buy and cook in advance will make your life much easier on a daily basis.
8) Clean as you go
This is a simple yet powerful tip to keep a clean, clutter-free, and organized home.
Cleaning a bit every day and not waiting for the weekend to do it was a game-changer for me.
Instead of spending 6 hours every Sunday cleaning and organizing stuff, I included 20 minutes of cleaning into my morning and night routines.
This simple trick helped me free up 6 hours of my time on Sundays, allowing me to focus on much more productive activities.
Having an always clean and tidy house will relieve you from a lot of stress. We don’t realize how overwhelming living in a messy home can be.
Cleaning a bit daily will help you keep a clean and tidy space and considerably improve your time management skills.
9) Follow the 2-minute rule
This trick will not only help you become the most organized person you know but will also transform you into a super productive person.
The 2-minute rule is pretty straightforward: whenever you need to complete an activity that will take you less than 2 minutes, do not schedule it, do not write it down. Simply get up and do it straight away!
You would be surprised by the number of small activities we keep postponing.
Following this rule in your personal and professional life will help you explode your productivity. However, it will also help you be more organized.
Think about all the things you can get done in 2 minutes: scheduling an appointment, taking the trash out, starting the dishwasher, doing a small load of laundry, making your bed, and so on.
Doing these small activities daily will help you become a super organized person.
10) Rethink your space
This is one of my favorite tips on this list because it is the most powerful one.
I have been reading a lot of books about habits and psychology and was shocked to realize the impact of our environment on our behaviors and habits.
Rethinking your space won’t be easy. It will take time and might even cost you money, but believe me; it is well worth it!
If you want to rethink your space, you will first have to declutter your house.
To do so, start with the least used room in your house and decide what you need to keep, give/sell, or throw away.
Starting with the least used room in your house will help you get it done. If you start with the most used room in your home, chances are that you will simply move stuff around and stock everything you are supposed to give or throw away in your least used room…
If you start with a room you rarely go to, you will likely not stock your stuff in your living room or bedroom and will actually give/throw things away.
By doing so, you will also ensure you actually finish what you started. Your least used room is probably the most cluttered one. Cleaning the clutter in this space will give you a motivation boost to finish with the other rooms of your house.
However, rethinking your space is not only about decluttering. It is also about re-organizing every single room in your house and finding a better place/ organizing system for your things.
To do so, containers will become your best friend. They make organization so much easier.
An organized space will help you feel less overwhelmed when cleaning around.
It goes without saying that having an organized home will help you save a lot of time when cleaning!
Who would refuse to follow a tip that can make life so much easier?!
Here are some great containers to help you get your home sweet home organized.
11) Stock up
Building a pantry stockpile is another effective way to be more organized, save time and money.
Having enough of your favorite products at home will save you time because you won’t have to go to the grocery store several times a week.
It will also help you save money because you will be able to wait until your favorite products go on sale before buying them.
Building a pantry stockpile is definitely something you should try to be more organized!
12) Automate your payments and savings
This tip will not only help you save money on late fees but also focus on your personal finance goals.
Finances are an important part of our lives. To become an organized person, you need to have your finances in check,
And to do it, there is no better way than automating your payments and savings and creating a budget.
If you need help, this post will help you create your first budget. It also includes personal finance templates to help you excel at money management.
No matter your personal goals, having your finances under control is a great way to reduce stress.
13) Organize your outfits in advance
Organizing your outfits and accessories in advance will help you be in style and save you a lot of time in the morning.
At personally like to prepare my outfits for the week on Sunday. Doing so ensures I have enough time to iron my clothes when needed and match my accessories.
Being a huge advocator of slow mornings, I avoid tasks that could cause me stress in the morning.
Preparing for things in advance can save you so much time in the morning.
When you think about it, starting the day in a rush and wasting time choosing what to wear is the best way to have an unproductive day.
Mornings are really defining moments in one’s day. Hence, you should be doing everything you can to make them enjoyable.
And reducing stress is definitely part of it!
14) Keep your computer, phone and papers organized
Whether you are a business owner, a student, or an employee, having your computer, phone, and papers organized will save you a lot of time.
There is nothing worse than wasting time looking for a sheet of paper you remember seeing not so long ago.
The same thing goes for files on your computer or phone.
You need to implement a system to keep them organized and, of course, make backups.
As mentioned on the cleaning schedule above, shredding your papers once a month is a minimum.
I usually do it every Sunday after reading all the mail, preparing my payments, and updating my budget.
As for backups, you can schedule them, so they run on auto-pilot without even having to think about it.
Making this a habit will save you a lot of time and headache the next time you need to find an important letter.
15) Excel at to-do lists
As crazy as it sounds, making lists for everything will change your life in a good way!
Making lists will help you get things out of your head, let go, and give your brain some rest.
There are a lot of different lists you can make to organize every aspect of your life.
Want to add some useful lists to your planner or favorite notebook?
Here are 10 lists you can write down to become the most organized person you know!
- Birthdays
- Favorite recipes
- Passwords
- Books to read
- Podcasts to listen to
- Things to get done at home
- Skills to learn
- Goals for the week/month/year
- Brain dump
- Contacts information
Final thoughts
Being organized will help you be successful in your everyday life.
No matter what you decide to do to be more organized, writing things down will be a must.
People usually think that being more organized requires a lot of time and effort. Which is true in the beginning.
But you will quickly realize that being more organized and taking the time to implement systems will calm your mind and help you focus on what matters to you.
Being more organized will free up so much time in your life that you can focus on your personal growth, goals, and happiness.
And this is all life should be about!
