Organizing Statistics
How organized are you? Could your closet, your garage, or your calendar use a little organizational improvement?
Below are survey results from IKEA and the National Association of Professional Organizers (www.napo.net) describing some organizational statistics.
Lost Keys. Did you know that people spend, on average, 6 minutes looking for their keys in the morning? This problem could be avoided if the driver always put the keys in the same place when coming into the house. Whether the magic spot is on a key hook, in the purse, or on the dresser, the important thing is that the driver consciously places the keys in the same place each time so he will always know where to find them.
No Garage Space. Did you know that 25% of people with two-car garages can't park any cars in their garages and 32% can park only one car in the garage because of clutter? Sounds like it is time to declutter the garage!
Lost Shoes. Did you know that women with shoe racks were seven more times likely to be on time for work than women without shoe racks? It’s easy to find what you need when everything is organized. So organize that closet so that there are no more lost shoes and no wasted time hunting for your favorite pair of pants.
Too Much Stuff. Did you know that 80% of what we keep we never use? Maybe it’s time to ask yourself what you are really using and then do a little purging with the remainder.
Too Many Clothes. Did you know that we wear 20% of the clothes we own 80% of the time? The rest just hangs in the closet, just in case. If this sounds like your closet, look at it as an opportunity to do some serious purging. Check out my previous articles on closet organization.
Too Many Papers. Did you know that 80% per cent of what we file never gets looked at again! Sure you need some records for taxes, but what about all that other stuff? A 4-drawer file cabinet holds 18,000 pages. If your file cabinet is full, do you think you have 18,000 pages of valuable information? Maybe it’s time to re-examine your filing system so you keep only what is necessary.
Too Much Cleaning. Did you know that getting rid of clutter eliminates 40% of housework in an average home? I don’t know about you, but I’m all for minimizing housework! Seriously, have you ever tried to clean around the clutter? Why not just remove the clutter so the house is easier to clean – the house will look neater, too!
Not Enough Space. Did you know that 80% of the clutter in homes is a result of disorganization, not lack of space? Many of my clients complain about a lack of storage space, but what I find is that clients aren’t using their space efficiently. Generally, they have a lot of clutter - items that are no longer used and can be purged. Once the clutter is gone and we have grouped like items and assigned the items a home, we have plenty of space. An extra bonus is that now the client knows where to find the things that are left – the valuable items.
Late Bill Payment. Did you know that 23% of adults say they pay bills late (and thus incur fees) because they lose the bills? There are several ways to handle bills. One solution is to have them paid automatically. Another solution is to manually pay the bills as soon as they arrive. Some people put the bills in a “To Pay” tray and then pay all outstanding bills at the end of each week. They key is to set up a bill-paying “system” that works for you – and then stick to it!
So if you fall into any of the statistics above, maybe it’s time to think about a little more organization in your life. After all, an orderly life means less stress and more time for you to spend doing the thinks you love to do!
Have an organized day!
