8 Habits of Organized People

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Being truly organized extends far beyond keeping a tidy workspace or home. It's about keeping your life in order, from your schedule to your chores to your thoughts and beyond. Sound like an overwhelming task? Consider the benefits: While getting yourself into a habit of being organized requires an investment of time and energy, once you're in a groove you'll reap huge rewards, including less stress, more efficiency, a sharper mind, and the knowledge that when you want to find something, you'll know exactly where it is. If you're ready to join the ranks of highly organized people, adopt the following eight habits.

1. They keep only what they need.
Ever notice how clean your organized friends' spaces are? There's a reason for that. Organized people don't hoard a bunch of stuff they don't need. They amass only things that they actually use and keep decorative objects to a thoughtful minimum. With fewer things to keep track of or care for, they are surrounded by clean, mind-calming space rather than clutter.

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2. They give everything a "home."
In order to be organized, you must first get organized-by dedicating a specific space to each of your things and keeping them there when they are not in use. People who designate a "home" for all of their items and maintain that organizational system always know where to find anything they are looking for the minute they need it. Imagine the time you'll save if you never lose your keys again! Where Germs Are Lurking in Your Home

3. They stock up on organizational gear.
Part of ensuring everything has its own home is making sure you have the right storage spaces. Papers will easily stack up if you don't have a place to file them, earrings can get tangled or lost without a spot to hang them, and clothes may end up in a pile if there aren't enough hangers, drawers, or storage containers for them. From drawer dividers to plastic storage bins, organizational accessories are critical for the organized person.

4. They write things down.
You know that super organized friend who never forgets to send you a card on your birthday? Her considerateness is probably not because she's memorized the day every single person she knows was born. More likely, she's written down your (and everyone else's) big day and given herself a written heads-up a few days beforehand so she can pop that card in the mail in time to get to you. From small tasks like grocery-shopping lists and play dates to big events like parties and anniversaries, writing down and reviewing important dates and appointments is critical as critical as keeping your lists somewhere where you can easily access them and checking them regularly.

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