Not all of us are blessed with the Type A personality that forces us to become organized and pay attention to every last detail. Especially for those in college, staying on top of everything while getting work done can prove to be very tedious. Normally we have to compromise between work and/or school or home. Soon enough, meals become later, clothes become dirtier and your bedroom floor becomes harder to see. Drowning in your own life is easy.
But have no fear! As someone who strives to be organized yet always seems to fail short, there are a few tips I can offer to others who struggle like I did. Becoming a put together human does not magically happen over night, but a few tricks can put you in the right direction.
The simplest, easiest and best tip I can offer is to start with a planner (some call it an agenda). Find one that you like both inside out and ACTUALLY USE IT! Having a planner does you no good if it sits on your desk collecting dust. Use all the space it has to offer and for extra detail, color code. I always color code my classes, sorority events, campus events, work and other activities with different colors. It is a quick and easy way to see how much work you have that month and what your energy will go toward.
The second tip I have is also calendar related. Get one of those giant whiteboard calendars to hang in your bedroom or kitchen wall. For these, I like to use a lot of colors just like in my planners. Seeing the calendar constantly reminds me of what I need to do that day and in the future. It is also super satisfying crossing off a day, especially when the day has been crazy!
Another suggestion I have is to buy or make a “to-do” list notebook. These are different from calendars because they list out everything you need to do for the day like homework, events, important calls and emails, appointments and important things to buy. Calendars tell me what I have coming up, but to-do lists help me figure out what I need to do each day exactly!
The final organization tip I have is not calendar or to-do list related (thank goodness). I think this could be considered as more of life tip. I find myself most organized when my room is clean and I am in a good place. When my room is clean and vacuumed and my bed has clean sheets, I always manage to have my life better in check. Avoid eating in bed, clean your bathroom, hang up your clothing and light a candle. When you and your surroundings are better in check, the more likely your organizations at home will carry over into your outside life.
I am definitely not always the most organized person. Sometimes I will not use my planners or I let my clothes pile up on the floor. But I always feel so much better once I make time to clean up my room and get everything in check. I promise you will not be perfectly neat and decluttered all the time, but these little suggestions will definitely put you in the right direction.