Change Something

Good Wednesday morning to you all,

Today's blog post is once again being brought to you from my little home office in the woods!  But...I've changed things up!  I moved my desk.  It was a minor change, just to the other side of the TV and in front of the other window in our living room, but it felt great to switch things up!  

I know that some people hate change, but I love it! I think it's a great way to practice some good organization skills.  The switch gave me a chance to do a deep clean.  I purged junk that had collected on or around my desk, reorganized items of importance and, created a space from which to work where my mind could stay organized.  I find that if my workspace is organized, I can be better focused and more prepared to tackle the day.  

Additionally, this change gives me a fresh perspective from which to look at the world.  Instead of looking at my porch and our water-well cap, which is ugly and sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of our front lawn, I am now looking at the ends of branches on a big bush in front of the window.  I bet I'll see some little birds perch on these branches as they come hunting for leftover berries and seeds that remain on the ends of the branches!   A fresh perspective is a great way to start a new year, but it can also be a great way to start anew anytime you might need a change.  

Since I've never been able to count on magical...I changed a few other things to help me get this new year off to a great start...

My old school bag was missing a clasp and I was finding it was too big - too much space for junk I didn't need - so I switched it up.  I am now using something smaller so that only the items I need to in.  When I made the switch, I again purged trash and unneeded items, re-organized the important stuff - keys, wallet, personal items like sunglasses and chapstick, and took stock of action items.  For example, I found a note with a time and date written on it in the bottom of the old bag.  That note turned out to be an appointment time/date for one of my kids!  Good thing I did a little re-org...don't want to miss an appointment!  

I bought a new notebook...I've almost filled up my current one.  My notebook is where I keep my daily to-do list and important notes to self as I work during the day.  I use it to stay organized and on top of responsibilities and tasks.  I love filling up notebooks and being able to look back at all that I've accomplished over a span of time.  (I have a home notebook too!  I keep my weekly menus, grocery lists, and other action items in there).  As much as I love filling a notebook, I also like starting fresh with a new one!  It feels great to have a fresh start.  It reminds me to try to always do my best work, to keep things organized and professional, and it helps me focus my efforts each day!    

Lastly, I picked up a couple of new (or new to me) clothing items that I really love.  I love to shop bargains after the holiday's and browse at second-hand stores!  Finding something that feels new and feels good when we put it on, can make or break a day!  When we feel put together - not just our clothing, but also how we care for our bodies (think fresh hair cut, a new perfume, or even just a freshly laundered, favorite hoodie) can help us face the day with our head held high and belief in our abilities.  

We should all be looking for ways that we can start this new year off right, and it's not too late to change something or get organized even though we've already got a few days under our belts.  Look around at your physical spaces - bedroom, backpack, school bins, and work-spaces.  What needs change?  What do you need to organize, purge, or flip on its head to get you moving in the right direction?   Now is a time to make some bigger changes if necessary, but each week you should be looking at making little changes too.  End or start the week by cleaning out your school bag and binders.  Each day write down your to-do's and notes-to-self, which will help you stay on top of school assignments and every-day tasks.  Find a planner, notebook, or calendar that works for you, and use it religiously.  It is a skill for life!  Not sure what system works for you?  Try asking teachers, parents, or other adults around you what works for them, and consider adopting one of their systems or tweak it to meet your needs.  Need help finding something that works for you?  Just ask!  We adults have lots of creative ideas.

So I challenge you today to change something...particularly if you find that the way you are doing things isn't working.  Start small if you wish - clean your room!  Your parents and caregivers will be happy and you'll be ready to work smarter once it's done!  Again if you need suggestions about what and how to change, just ask.  I am here to help!  Oh, and check out the videos I've attached which discuss organization hacks, systems for organizing school notebooks/binders, and ideas for organizing your room.  Yes, some of them are a bit cheesy, but you can find all kinds of videos like this on YouTube, and they often have really great cheap and straightforward ideas for getting sorted!  The main thing to take from these videos is not the systems themselves, but the idea that you need to sort, categorize, and store things in ways that make them easy to access, while at the same time keeping you clutter free!  

Happy organizing!

Mrs. Hempey