Living Arts
Recreating Order in Our Lives
by Robyn M. Speed
A martial arts instructor once taught me that if you tip a packet of toothpicks out onto the table you have chaos, but if you pick one toothpick out of that pile and lay it down, you have order.
Given the chaos of our daily lives, I suggest it is time to pick up a few toothpicks, and take back some sense of control.
Yes, life is chaotic. Yes, there are deadlines to be met, reports to be written, reviewed, and rechecked. Yes, there is staff to be coached and guided. Yes, there is the added pressure of making new sales and bringing in new clients. Yes, there is the abundant self-imposed pressure of doing all that you possibly can to stand out, and win that next promotion.
This leads to rush and disorder from the moment you get up until the moment you go to bed.
There have been abundant articles bouncing around newspapers, magazines and cyberspace about how to organize your office, manage your time, and prioritize your tasks. But there has been nothing about how to bring order back into your life. How can you start to regain a sense of control?
There are some simple steps. The most important understanding to grasp is: start as you mean to go on. By that I mean, begin your day with orderliness and you will find it easier to retain that sense of order and control throughout your day.
The bedroom
Take a good look at your bedroom. Is it tidy? Or do you have clothes dumped on the chair and floor? Fix this! Go and buy a new set of drawers if you need to, but make sure that everything has a place. If you have a computer desk in your bedroom, find a way to tidy the pens, papers and calculator or at least arrange them into an orderly state. Do you have stuff piled on top of your armoire? If you simply can’t put these things anywhere else, consider this: make a small curtain, place a strip of Velcro along the top and another strip of Velcro along the ceiling, matching up with the shape of the armoire top, and then Velcro the curtain into place. With the right fabric you not only have an attractive highlight to your room, but your ‘stuff’ is now neatly hidden away.
If the room you wake up in is in chaos, then you start your day in chaos. This is the first room you should attend to.
From the bedroom to the bathroom
Many people consider that it is what they do in the bathroom that is important, while the room itself is insignificant. Let me make it clear that every room is significant. Take a good look at your bathroom. Make sure that everything is neat. Use a container/mug/penholder for the toothbrushes and toothpaste. If you don’t have a vanity cupboard make sure all bottles and containers are lined up neatly on the bathroom vanity—if you do have a vanity or medicine cabinet, make sure everything inside it is neatly lined up. If there is too much clutter in your bathroom, consider buying small plastic shelves or even installing some decorative shelves, to tidy up the area. Razors, shampoo, conditioner and soap dish: these do not need to be lying around in a mess. It is important that all things in the bathroom are neatly arranged.
You have sorted out your bedroom and your bathroom, now it is time to get dressed for work.
From the bathroom to the dresser
I’m sorry to get personal here, but underwear is the first item you put on, so the drawer in which it is kept needs to be organized. Underwear should be folded and in neat piles. Socks should be matched; one tucked inside the other and lined up. Singlets or undershirts should be folded neatly and stacked. Stockings and pantyhose should be neatly rolled and stacked too. Bras should be laid one on top of the other in a pile with the straps tucked underneath, or folded in half and stacked. Handkerchiefs should be neatly ironed and stacked.
From the dresser to the closet
The closet can either be a perfect example of orderliness, or a total disaster. Men—face it—you have three types of clothing in your closet: shirts, trousers and jackets. How hard can it possibly be to have all jackets on the left, shirts on the right and trousers in the middle, and the ties on a nice tie holder between the shirts and trousers? Divide the trousers and shirts into casual on the left and business on the right. Women, your wardrobe is equally simple: jackets on the left, trousers next to them, then the skirts, and finally the blouses on the right. Shoes can be lined up: business on the left, casual on the right. If you have too many clothes and shoes, get rid of some! All odds and ends can be tidied away in drawers in small containers if need be.
The theory is that so far everywhere in your home you have gone has been tidy and orderly. There has been no chaos introduced into your day.
From the closet to the kitchen
Traditionally, kitchens are not known for their tidiness and organization. They generally have stuff all over the countertops, and the cupboards hide a disarray of packets and tins. However, without going overboard and organizing every single cupboard and drawer, some simple steps can be made to at least make it appear orderly. Coffee, tea and sugar should be in containers near the tea kettle; other than that, try to keep the countertops as free of clutter as possible. Look at organizing the most commonly used cupboards. Many people do not eat breakfast at home during the week, but might venture into the kitchen for a glass of water.
Anything that arouses a response from your senses—be it an image, scent, sound, taste or touch—affects you in a physical, mental and emotional way. You are affected by the state of your surroundings, and if you can instill some orderliness into what you see, then you are instilling orderliness, and a sense of control, into your day.
The state of your bedroom, bathroom, drawers, closet and kitchen do impact the mood with which your day commences. That first hour of your morning sets the tone for the whole day. The person who chooses that tone is you.
To contact Robyn Speed, please visit www.robynmspeed.com