If you are lucky, life will happen in a predictable way, so you’ll be able to anticipate times that backsliding in your home organization/management might occur and plan ahead to mitigate the impact. I have yet to meet the person that is so lucky!
- A pandemic hits and your anxiety goes through the roof, sometimes paralyzing you against action.
- Your adult child loses his/her job and moves home again—with all his/her STUFF.
- You accept a new position at work or a volunteer commitment, so have less time/energy to give to your physical space.
- You slip on the ice or some crazy driver hits your car, causing an injury that sidelines you for awhile.
The list is endless of things that can hinder our home organization success. Sometimes the backsliding simply comes from the real challenge involved in creating new clutter-control habits.
When life gets busy or we are thrown a curveball that leads to feelings of grief or despair, it is common for the space we live in to suffer. Beating yourself up with thoughts like, “I knew I’d screw up again. I’ll never be able to stay organized” will NOT help. Shame doesn’t energize or motivate us; it makes us feel hopeless and defeated. Here’s what to instead:
- Take a long, deep breath.
- Remind yourself reverting to old habits is common for everyone, not a character flaw only you have.
- “Talk” to yourself as you would a friend in a similar situation: “You’ve been really busy lately. It makes sense your house has gotten a little out of control. It’s okay. You can fix it.”
- Pick an easy place to start tidying that will boost your spirits ~ get the clothes off your bedroom floor, conquer one stack of mail on the kitchen counter, make some of those phone calls you’ve been avoiding. Beginning the process of reclaiming your space will feel good and motivate you to keep moving until you’re back where you want to be.
And remember this very important fact:
You are not “starting over from square one!” You’ve organized things once, and that experience gives you tricks up your sleeve you didn’t have in the past. You probably also have systems in place (even if you haven’t been using them, they are there) that will help the sorting and organizing process go much faster this time around.
You can do it! I’ve seen it happen to enough people to believe in your power to make it happen for you, too!
Would you like a friend to guide you along the way? Book your FREE Hope Starts Here Discovery Call with me to discuss how I can make the job less overwhelming!