Simple Tips from Our NYC Professional Organizer to Declutter Your Life

As we are now well into May, you’ve likely completed your spring cleaning, but this season offers us so much more than an excuse to deep clean our homes and offices. Spring is the catalyst for transitions in our lives. Our NYC Professional Organizer urges you to take this opportunity to examine your personal and professional lives and determine areas that can be simplified. From small alterations to major habit changes, the strategies our NYC Professional Organizer all help to simplify your life for increased productivity and decreased stress!

1. Hit the Hay Earlier: Though it may seem counterintuitive, when determining how to be more productive, consider getting more shuteye! Going to bed earlier, even if it’s just 10 minutes will allow your body and mind to achieve the rest it needs.
2. Limit Email Processing Sessions: Resist the urge to check and reply to each and every email immediately. Set aside 2-3 time slots per day to process email. Without the constant interruption of email notifications, you’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish.
3. Eliminate Pure Obligations: If you find that you have several task that you commit to simply because you feel obligated to, find the courage to say no. It may be difficult at first, but if the task is not adding value to your life, you’ll be better off dropping it.
4. Embrace Weekly Meal Plans: Knowing exactly what you’ll be having for dinner each night takes the guesswork out of meal prep and eliminates the temptation to go out or order in more often than you should.
5. Switch to Online Banking: Paper organizing is much simpler when you go paperless! Automatic bill payments for reoccurring monthly expenses reduce the amount of time you spend processing bills and the amount of paper clutter accumulating in your home or office.
6. Go Clutter Free: Make eliminating clutter an ongoing process. For instance, if you clear your desk each night before you leave the office, it will eventually become second nature and you’ll reap the benefits of arriving with a clean slate each morning.
7. Make Decluttering Easy: That being said, in order to stick to your clutter free lifestyle, you’ll have to make it easy for yourself. Keep a bag for trash in your car, a bin by your desk, a box for donations in your closet, etc.
8. Learn to Pack Light: Remove everything but the essentials from your purse or brief case. Examine your suit case before your next trip. Do you really need a third pair of shoes for a five day vacation?
9. Pack Your Lunch: The Night Before: You’re mornings will be off to a much smoother start if lunch is already grab-and-go ready.
10. Stop When You Reach Your Limit: Learn to recognize when you are maxed out and be sure to stop then. You’re not going to do your best work if you’re past your breaking point. Take a break, recharge, and come back to it later.
11. Speak the Truth: Lies, even white lies, only lead us to mental clutter. Telling the truth allows you to resolve conflict sooner and eliminate the need to keep up appearances.
12. Exercise Daily: Whether it’s a walk around the black or a spin class, find what works for you and stick with it. Daily exercise not only helps keep you healthy, it offers a time when you can shut off your mind and decompress.
13. Make Time for Yourself: Make a date with yourself each day to do something you enjoy. It can be reading the latest best seller, meditating, or even just watching your favorite TV show, as long as it’s something that you do purely for yourself.
14. Spend Time with your Loved Ones: Enjoy the time that you have with the ones you love and ensure that it’s quality time – no distractions from mobile email notifications!
15. Keep Your Contacts Up To Date: When you first hear of a friend changing addresses or phone number, update it in your address book or contact management system. You don’t want to be in the situation where you need to send out an invitation only to learn that half your contacts are out of date.

Though some of them may seem silly, these tactics from our NYC Professional Organizer will help you eliminate clutter –both physical and theoretical – and make your life simpler!  And stay tuned for our next installment for more small changes you can implement to make a big difference!