Tips to Organize

By Sarah-Jean Murray

I admit that I am not a naturally organized person. I have to conscientiously make a decision to be organized and stick to that plan. If I don't, I'll end up with my entire closet on my floor and unable to find my planner and notebooks the next morning. If this sounds like you, never fear! There are a couple of easy things you can do to become a more organized you.

Keep a planner - Of course we all have smartphones which can hold our calendars and tell us when we have to be at class. However, having an actual planner can make it much simpler. The Purdue mortarboard for example has a week by week layout as well as the overall month calendar. This is great for looking ahead to make sure you're not forgetting due dates for projects or papers and you're staying on top of homework. You can also highlight important events coming up that you don't want to forget and also enables you to scribble down reminders for things you don't want to forget later. If you have an app on your phone or you prefer using a giant wall calendar that's okay too, as long as you have a place to keep track of your day.

De-clutter - We all have it. That junk you've kept since freshman year. Clothes that don't fit but you keep in your closet anyway. Having a mess around you can distract from studying or homework and make you feel overwhelmed. The time has come to streamline your belongings. One of the rules of Zen monks is to think about what is necessary in your life. Zen monks only have the basics; shelter, food, basic clothing etc. Now I'm not saying you have to get rid of your belongings and live like a monk, but take an afternoon to evaluate what you own. Decide what you need and what doesn't serve a purpose anymore. Donate those old clothes to goodwill and go through your papers to decide what's important. Your living space will feel much better afterwards.

So clean! So neat!

Store things you can't part with - If you've come across some things you don't want to throw out but don't have the space for either, consider storing them. Containers for under bed storage are great for getting winter clothes out of the way. There are many organization systems you can buy that will make your life easier and simpler. Or you could just take those things to your parent's house right?

Everything in its place.

One thing at a time - Trying to tackle everything on your to-do list at the same time is not going to be beneficial to your or your stress level. Make a list of things you have to do in order of importance. Work on these list items one at a time and don't try switching between tasks. If you focus yourself on one task at a time you'll be more productive and effective.

Organize papers - Many people have stacks of paper in their lives. These may be syllabi from class, project papers, papers you've written etc. It's time to organize them so they don't lie around and cause a mess. Usually when I go through my papers I put them into two piles, keep and throw away. The keep pile is then organized into different sections depending on what the subject is. I have a folder for my art project papers, syllabi for class and homework to turn in. That way I know where everything is and I can get to it easily. Keep the folders near your computer or in your desk draw for easy access.

Serious paper storage. And it looks good!

These are just a few tips to get you on your way to a more organized life. Remember this quote by Confucius, "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated".