There are a million benefits to being organized

Stressed out, right when you open your eyes. You can't find your glasses on your side table because they're amid a clutter.  Your slippers are jumbled up with yesterday's clothes on the floor, and you trip over your bag on the way to the bathroom.  Your room is a mess.  Your life is a mess.  You are a mess. There are so many books out there aimed to help you better yourself. They tout useful tips such as waking up early, eating healthier, having happier outlook to life. But none of that manifests smoothly unless you have a plan. And you can't have a plan unless you are organized. And you can't put that plan into action unless you can find your gym shoes under that mountain pile next to the front door. So what is the first step of bettering yourself? Bettering your surroundings. Creating space in your room so you have space to move around. Getting dressed with an organized closet so you look neat and presentable. Easily finding your way around the toiletries so you can get out the door faster.

Now, this is different from being clean.  A clean home does not necessarily mean an organized home, and vice versa. An organized home means you've tried to organize a place for everything and everything is in its place.  Once you've set it, it can forever update and maintain itself as long as you maintain it.  That's different from cleaning, something you have to do weekly.  Being organized can be very simple. You just have to assign a system and stick to it.  It's easier if you tackle one room or even one cabinet at a time and just build from there. I think the closet is a great place to start.  You use it to get dressed everyday, it's a fun walk down memory lane, and there aren't too many categories or expiration dates to deal with.  There are a million benefits to being organized, here are just a few. 

Being organized SAVES YOU MONEY. When you are organized, you know what you have so you don't duplicate by on accident.  Do you ever go to the grocery store for a couple things only to come home with six bags full of chips, toothpaste, and produce?  You start unpacking the bags and putting things away when you realize, oh, you already have tomatoes. A lot of tomatoes.  And you didn't know because they were hidden behind the carrots. Now every night is taco night this week because you have to make pico de gallo every night just to use up the tomatoes.  Or do you ever have a not so great day at work and you see a commercial featuring clam chowder?  You remember you have a can at home and you look forward making a bowl of clam chowder tonight only to get home and find out the can expired four months ago?  You can stop this from happening. You can organize your fridge so you can see all your produce at a glance. You can organized your pantry so soon to expire foods are lined up in the front. And because you are organized, you would know what you have and can find what you need when you need it. Which brings me to the next benefit of being organized. 

Being organized SAVES YOU TIME. When you are organized, you know where everything is so you can easily find it. Have you ever experienced this.  You're getting ready for an event tonight and you're already running late but you're running around the room looking for THAT pair of green emerald earrings because they match the nail polish you already have painted on?  Your bed looks like your closet threw up on it and when you come home from the event, all you can do is scoop everything off the bed and onto the floor because you don't have the energy to deal with that right now. This does not have to be the thing you do every weekend. You can save time getting dressed because your sock drawer is organized. You can grab that white beanie with the purple flowers and be out the door in a minute because you know exactly where it was. You can chill with Saturday morning cartoons because you aren't refolding everything back into your closet again. 

Being organized SAVES YOUR SANITY. You have things in order, know where your things are, and you have more time and money to do other things that make you happy.  You were out the door in your perfect outfit in minutes this morning.  Cooking dinner was a breeze because your tools were right where you needed them to be.  Your pantry isn't stuffed to the max with foods you didn't know you had or already had expired. With everything in its place you find more space in your home.  Now you can do yoga in your living room.  It's a wonderful releasing feeling.  And it all started with some bins.