15 Great Habits of Organized People That Will Change Your Life

49 Shares

Being organized is a quality that can simplify your life and may lead to feeling more in control and having more mental and physical energy. Ever wondered what’s the secret of a super organized, neat person? Well, there are certain habits that most organized people commonly share. And if you think you are a very disorganized person, you, too, can cultivate these traits and become organized! With some people it just comes more naturally, but with a little efforts it can be cultivated for sure.

Being an organized person isn’t that hard at all. It’s really all about forming some healthy habits you can stick with.

Here are the fifteen essential habits of highly organized people that you can adopt to improve your life:

They set priorities

Instead of having an overwhelming number of commitments and little idea where to start, organized people have a clear sense of what’s important and essential. They know what their goals are, what needs to be done when, and what can be put off or eliminated if things get overwhelming.

Organized people keep their goals simple based on their current values and priorities. They focus on what’s most important and put that on the top of their list. And they review their priorities regularly, and evaluate their progress, and also hold themselves accountable to their goals.

They have daily routines and they follow them

The way we spend our days that’s the way we usually spend our life. That’s why it’s so important to carve out daily routines. Organized people create daily morning and evening routines to get their important tasks done on time without rushing or stressing over things.

Incorporating daily routines into your busy life can be a great way to stay organized, stress less, relax more, and make life easier. As you perform the same actions each day in the same order and at the same time, these tasks will soon become your habits. Habits require far less energy and time to complete.

So, with this in mind, try to develop a morning and an evening routine for tasks that happen daily or weekly. Daily routines can surely help you organize your life and improve your well-being. For instance, depending on your schedule, you should consciously carve out at least 30 minutes per day to complete certain tasks to keep your place orderly – things like sorting through the mails, clearing out clutter from the countertops, making bed in the morning, putting misplaced things back in their designated places, and other quick cleaning tasks.

Create your own daily routines and do your best to stick to that. Besides making you feel more organized, you will also save a lot of time.

They declutter on a regular basis

Our needs and situations change, and things that we needed months or years ago become unnecessary, unwanted, or even unloved. Eventually they end up being clutter in our home, and you can’t expect to feel organized when you live in a total mess!

People who are organized know the benefits of decluttering, and they regularly go through their belongings and donate. Instead of letting clutter build up and freak them out, they take time to get rid of the excess as often as possible – to create a neat, orderly environment.

For organized people, purging is a regular habit, not a special event. They don’t try to organize their clutter, because they understand that decluttering should always come before organization. The opposite doesn’t work. When you clear out the excess and have less stuff to deal with, it’s always easier to get and stay organized.

Start out small by taking 10 minutes to go through just one drawer in your kitchen or in your bathroom so it doesn’t get overwhelming. Next day, when you have a few spare minutes, declutter and organize another drawer or cabinet until you have gone through the entire kitchen or bathroom.

For some people, it may take a week or two to pare down their entire kitchens or their closets, but that’s okay. It doesn’t have to be done all at once. As long as you are working on it, you are making progress – slowly but surely.

They have a place for everything

People who are well organized know the importance of having a place for everything they own. It saves their time and energy, and reduces their stress. When you don’t find a home for your stuff, and don’t put things back to where they belong once you are done using them, you will not find them easily when you will need them next time.

So, organized people create a space for everything in their homes, and always take time to put everything in its place to simplify their life. By taking a few extra moments to put something away, you will be surprised at the time and effort you will save later on.

They clean up as they go

Decluttering isn’t something you do once a year and you are done. It’s a continuous process, especially if you have a family. You can’t stop the process. It’s like mowing the lawn: after a while the grass keeps growing, and you need to trim them again and again.

Our stuff don’t get organized on its own, too! They need to be reorganized regularly and consistently. Organized people know that, and they make it a habit to clean up on the go to keep things neat and tidy.

Whenever you enter or leave a room, take a quick glance to see if anything is out of place. If you find something, put it back in the right place. Whenever you come across something that’s no longer used, or loved, or valued, add it to your donation box or throw it out right away.

When you are done using something, put it back in the right place immediately. Clean up the kitchen counter as you leave the kitchen. clear the dining table after each meal. Straighten the pillows, keep the books and TV remotes in their places when you leave the living/family room. Do this for every room. If you clean up as you go, you automatically have a clean space to work with and have avoided clutter and a mess to deal with later.

They write things down

This is one of the habits of the highly organized people to clearly write down things so they don’t forget what they need to remember. They know that there is only one way to ensure that you will remember to do something important – by writing it down.

If you rely on your memory alone, chances are that you will never accomplish what you wanted to. Take the time to write down things that need to be remembered like important dates, events, tasks, and appointments.

Also, writing down random thoughts and ideas helps to clear your brain. This will in turn help you stay organized, and will also help you remain creative and open. Start making writing things down part of your regular routine, and get ready to reap the mental health benefits that come with it.

They are optimistic and goal-oriented

Most organized people are optimistic and they have this “I can do it” attitude which helps them move forward and stay focused.

In addition, they are goal-oriented, too. People who are truly organized, are not just keeping everything in order for their own amusement; they are always doing it for a reason! They like to set goals and they have deadlines for that. They are organized because they want to achieve their goals as smoothly as possible.

Staying focused on a goal while also remaining optimistic without giving up is the key to success.

They have a to-do list ready for every day

Organized people know exactly what they want to accomplish on any given day. That’s because it’s on their to-do-list. Having a list of tasks you have prioritized and can tick off one by one once they are done gives you motivation, focus, and clarity. And it’s a way of knowing the day has been fruitful.

Every day needs its own unique to-do list based on that day’s priorities! Organized people tend to be prepared for most things that come their way. They always like to plan ahead of the game and know what tasks are lined up a day or two or even a week in advance.

They also keep “white space” in their schedule in case they need to make an adjustment. Knowing how much time you will need to complete a task, and leaving enough time to do so in your schedule, is literally the only way to stay on top of things. No doubt, successful time management skills go hand in hand with this.

You can make a to-do list on your phone or laptop. You can use one of many apps that help you do this. Or you can do it the old-fashioned way and put it on a pen and paper like I do.

They avoid procrastination

Organized people don’t waste time and let their tasks build up. They take breaks from time to time if needed, but don’t always put things off for later times when they are able to do those on time with little efforts and planning.

The longer you wait to do something, the more difficult it will be to get it done. Constant procrastination creates burden that hampers the progress you might be making in simplifying your life. It overwhelms you and makes you lose focus on what you want to achieve in your life. Disorganized people let tasks build up, and wait until there is such a huge pile of pending tasks they just can’t seem to manage anymore. So, don’t wait and let things pile up in the first place.

Do what need to be done TODAY.

They don’t leave anything undone or half-done

One of the important habits of the organized people is that they don’t leave things undone or half-done. If they are tired or overwhelmed, they take breaks, but don’t quit.

Organized people have the drive to get through the job until it’s done. They finish work with the satisfaction of knowing it’s a job well done. And the peace of mind that comes with ticking off a load of boxes and having a clear to-do-list.

When you bring in your physical mails each day, what do you do with them? If they are left as a pile on your kitchen counter or dining table day after day, your mails have become clutter that you have to work around. Not dealing with the mails right away also causes other problems. There may be bills that need to be paid on time. If you do not take care of the mail right away, you may end up paying late fees on your bills.

They do regular maintenance

Organized people take good care of their stuff and do regular maintenance that are needed for upkeeping. They maintain their cars, their homes, health, and other essential things before they break down and create serious problems. This is one of the great habits of the well organized people who try to keep their life simple and stress-free as much as possible. In other words, don’t wait for the problem to happen before you put in the effort to fix it.

They practice self-care and take time to de-stress

Organized people take time to practice self-care because they know – no matter how good we are at focusing, we all need to take breaks. We need to do things to manage our stress effectively to be able to stay focused and stay organized. Self-care helps us de-stress, recharges our batteries, makes us feel better, and allows us to refocus. So, it’s from the essential habits of organized people, but they also know how not to let the break go on for too long which may hamper their productivity.

Everyone de-stresses in their own way. Some people like to walk, some like to sit comfortably and watch a good movie, some like to cook a delicious meal at the end of a long day and enjoy with family, some like to take a peaceful nap, and some of us like to indulge in a hot bubble bath before bed. De-stressing in the way that works best for you is important, when it comes to getting and staying organized.

You are a human, not a machine!

They eliminate time wasters from their schedule

Organized people make the best use of their time in a balanced way. They eliminate the time wasters and make more time for the things that add value to their lives. For example: they do advance meal planning, so they don’t have to waste a lot of time on food preparation. That saves them money, too.

Take a careful look into your days, and see if there are things you do that are not necessary. What do you spend a lot of your time on that isn’t on your priority list? Ask yourself: “What task here least reflects what matters most to me?” Take a close look at these things and really think about whether there are ways to reduce, minimize, or eliminate these tasks.

Figure out what you do simply to waste or kill your time — maybe surfing the internet, watching TV or YouTube videos, mindlessly browsing social media, talking unnecessarily etc. You have to eliminate or minimize these time-wasters to make time in your day for the more important things, the things that make you happy and that make your life easier.

They ask for help whenever needed

Organized people know their strengths and weaknesses, and they delegate their tasks accordingly. They realize that their time is worth more than trying to figure out every little thing, and they know that they don’t have to do it all by themselves even if they can do so.

Trying to do everything will not only keep you busy all the time, but also you will get very exhausted from all the works you do. That will leave you with no time and energy to do something you love or enjoy.

They keep things simple

Organized people know how to avoid or eliminate the complications, and get things done in the simplest, most effective way possible. They don’t use a complicated solution when a simple one will do just fine. They use simple tools that make the job of putting things away easy.

For example, baskets can hold receipts that need to be stored, bills that need to be paid, and books that are waiting to be read. A hook by the door makes it convenient to hang up a coat, a purse, or a hat. And pretty bowls and trays near an entryway will keep keys and wallets in one place.

Start cultivating some of these good organization habits that highly organized people swear by, and you will be amazed at the difference it will make in your life.

What are some of the habits of organized people that you find inspiring? I would love to know.