Previously, we’ve uncovered nine reasons why you may be hitting roadblocks when it comes to organization. I mentioned that there are 11 common hindrances I have discovered that may be preventing you from getting organized. Let’s unveil hindrance number ten today and look at some steps to organizing your home.

Hindrance # 10: No Clear Direction or Plan

If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know if you get there? This can be said of almost any area of our lives. Goal setting and priorities help to unveil the direction you want to be heading.

Someone who has this problem preventing them from getting organized is someone who has several different things going on, but maybe isn’t managing them or even enjoying them all very well. You may even say you are the indecisive type. A few common complaints are as follows…

-I’m interested and involved in multiple things. I like them all. Or-I feel guilty for dropping any of my activities, although I am not enjoying them all.

-I am not sure if I could pick a favorite thing I like to do. I can’t prioritize that.

-I don’t know how to decide what is or isn’t the most important.

If this describes you, your solution is to look at your daily activities and choices. This helps to reveal your values. What do you spend good amount of your time and money doing? What brings you the most joy and excitement to do?

You don’t need to feel guilty for these answers either. Don’t focus on what other people think you “should” do or like. Choose the activities you value the most and start organizing there. This is one of the first steps to organizing your home and life.

Many of the hobbies we have are a form of self expression, so there is no need to try to copy someone else’s values or feel the pressure to adopt them.

Look at what brings joy to you. What do you look forward to doing every day? Start there.

What if you are a work-a-holic and have no leisure activities? Then, give yourself permission to try something new. It doesn’t have to have a large price tag either.

Explore Pinterest for some ideas that spark your interest. Visit your local library and grab a few books for some inspiration.

Organization not only involves your home and living space but it also involves how you manage your life and leisure time. All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl!

Your homework this week is to define your priorities. Grab a pen and paper and start with five or six things you value. My list looks something like this: God, husband, kids, extended family, church, health.

Beneath these, you want to list a few goals in those areas you name as priorities. You want to nurture and grow those areas/relationships. Focus on specific ways you can do that.

For example, my husband and I have regular date nights. This nurtures our marriage and makes us feel closer. 

Your list will look different than mine. However, once you define your priorities, you will find it much easier to reach your goals.  Your homework is to define and decide on a clear direction for each of the areas you list.

Make your goals specific and measurable. For example, in “health,” I want to lose a set number of pounds by a certain date. That is specific and measurable. When you set written goals that are within your reach, you’ll know when you accomplish that goal. It will provide the motivation you need to keep moving forward. 

Maybe you struggle with being indecisive. What are some tips to get organized if you are an indecisive type?

If you tend to be indecisive, getting organized can be a bit challenging, but it’s definitely achievable with the right strategies. Here are some tips tailored to your indecisive nature:

1. Limit Choices: Too many options can overwhelm indecisive individuals. Limit your choices by breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. For example, instead of trying to organize your entire workspace at once, start with one drawer or shelf.
2. Set Deadlines: Give yourself deadlines for making decisions. Having a time limit can help prevent overthinking and force you to make choices more efficiently.
3. Utilize Decision-Making Frameworks: Look into decision-making frameworks such as pros and cons lists, decision matrices, or the Eisenhower Box (urgent vs. important) to help you evaluate options more systematically.
4. Trust Your Instincts: Sometimes, indecisiveness stems from a lack of confidence in your own judgment. Trust yourself and your instincts more. Remember that not every decision needs to be perfect, and it’s okay to make mistakes.
5. Seek Input from Others: If you’re struggling to make a decision, consider seeking input from friends, family, or colleagues you trust. Sometimes, an outside perspective can provide clarity and help you see things from a different angle.
6. Start Small: Begin with small decisions to build your confidence in decision-making. As you become more comfortable with making choices, gradually tackle larger and more complex tasks.
7. Limit Information Gathering: Indecisive individuals often fall into the trap of endlessly gathering information in an attempt to make the perfect decision. Set a limit on how much time you’ll spend researching or gathering information before making a choice.
8. Practice Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness techniques to help quiet your mind and reduce anxiety around decision-making. Techniques such as deep breathing, praying, or journaling exercises can help you stay grounded and focused.
9. Accept Imperfection: Accept that not every decision will be perfect, and that’s okay. Aim for good enough rather than striving for perfection in every choice you make.
10. Evaluate Decisions Afterwards: After making a decision, take some time to reflect on the outcome. Did it work out as you expected? What did you learn from the experience? This reflection can help you become more confident in your decision-making abilities over time.

Happy Organizing!

I hope you are enjoying this series on what is preventing you from being more organized. Hopefully, you are finding some practical advice to help you reach those organization goals and some steps to organizing your home. I would love to have you subscribe for updates and join me on the journey to organization. Read part 11 in this series here.

Need to deep clean? I have lists for you to guide you along.

My How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen list can be found here.

My How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom list can be found here.

My How to Deep Clean Your Kids’ Rooms list can be found here.

My How to Deep Clean Your Living Room list can be found here.

My How to Deep Clean Your Bedroom list can be found here.

Also, to keep up the general housework, you may need to create a daily housekeeping schedule that suits your specific needs. A schedule is one of the first steps to organizing your home. To create your schedule, I have created a helpful series you can read here.

Need to Declutter Every room? I have declutter checklists for every room and every space in your home to guide you along below.

Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can find that here.

2022 update: The year long thorough declutter series is on video now. You can subscribe via youtube through the video shown in this post below.

Struggling with the daily housekeeping chores? Check out my ebook on this topic, entitled Make Over Your Homemaking. It includes various steps to organizing your home. Use this link to get it at a discounted price.

How to Declutter the Guest Room or Your Kid’s Room checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Laundry Room and Patio checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Coat Closet/Hall Closet/Linen Closet checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Home Office checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Attic checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Garage checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Living Room checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Kitchen Checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Entry/Foyer/Mudroom checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Clothing checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Bedroom checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Bathroom checklist can be found here.

Need some Inspiration to Declutter? You can sign up here. Join us for the Year Long Through Declutter Series by subscribing by email below.

Happy Decluttering!

To Subscribe to my Year Long Thorough Declutter Series, drop me a comment below. Your email will be sent to me but will not be posted publicly. You’ll receive a daily declutter task via email for the daily task we are working on. You can unsubscribe at any time.

We declutter 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. The Year Long Thorough Declutter Series is designed to help you declutter every room and every closet in your home. When you subscribe you’ll receive a daily task in the room or area we are currently working on decluttering. To Subscribe, leave a comment below.

New to deemiddleton.com and don’t know where to start? I recommend going in this order:

Step 1: Check out this post on the 1st step you should take to get organized. Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can sign up here.

Step 2: Create a daily Housekeeping Schedule. You can use this series to start to set up your own schedule. You can also use this simplified weekly schedule.If you often ask: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Or, if you struggle to get organized and have tried and failed time and again, you can likely find out which of these 11 reasons cause you to fail to get organized.

Step 3:   How do you remove clutter?.…Sign up for the Declutter Series and get your entire home decluttered in just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.”Declutter Your Home” checklists are provided in each email.

Step 4: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Use a timer and use the Deep Cleaning Checklists above. They will help you get your home sparkling after you’ve decluttered. 

Interested in becoming a full-time blogger like me? Check out my blogging series. At the top of every page on my blog, you’ll find a drop down menu. Just select the BLOGGING category.

Check out the most popular posts on deemiddleton.com: 

14 Things That Make Your Home Look Cluttered

How to Do A 1 Day Declutter

How to Create a Daily Housekeeping Schedule

How to Clean House When You Are Completely Overwhelmed By Clutter

What is Preventing You From Getting Organized?

Also, check out a great post on decluttering over here from becomingminimalist.com. Joshua Becker has some great tips on decluttering and minimalism.

For further reading, check out the fly lady here. She has some great cleaning and decluttering ideas plus excellent organization tips to get you started.

I hope you have benefitted from my tips for the steps to organizing your home. Leave a comment below to subscribe to my daily declutter task email series.