Would you say that you're organized or unorganized?

@ilyzium (1197)
Canada
December 11, 2009 6:45pm CST
I will admit that one of my downfalls is that I'm extremely unorganized, and yes it drives me crazy and probably others around me. Although I will make to do lists around the house, the problem is that I often misplace where I put my to do lists, my phone books, etc. I'm ready to turn over a new leaf and really get organized next year! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get organized? How organized or unorganized are you?
1 person likes this
18 responses
• United States
12 Dec 09
I am kinda in the middle I think. There are some things that I am very organized on and then there are areas where I am totally disorganized! I guess it depends on which is most important at the time! If I can get organized I can accomplish almost any task!
• China
12 Dec 09
just a test
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Well I would like to get more in the middle also, but I'm just far too unorganized. However I think there is still hope for me. You're right I think it depends on where your priorities are or what you find most important.
@kiran8 (15348)
• Mangalore, India
12 Dec 09
I guess I too am somewhere in the middle ...Not too organized regarding some things, but when it comes to important things I do make the effort to be organized. It is a good trait , but I find it difficult to be organized all the time..
@allknowing (130088)
• India
12 Dec 09
Organisation and Methods - A checklist is a must to organise ones life no matter how simple the task can be
Organisation and Methods is my forte provided I have an assistant to take care of the routines. I am a clear thinker and know what to do when in a perfect order but someone has to be there around to take care of the nitty gritty. I have my whole routine organised as daily, biweekly, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, annual but there should be someone to do the chores. If I have to give a talk somewhere I will first jot down points and then reorganise them, write notes on each and then memorise.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Well good for you that you have a system that's working for you. You do sound incredibly organized and I admire that, and good to memorize your points also. I admit to having a bad memory so memorizing doesn't really work for me. I need to write things down, and of course find where I've left my post it notes.
@allknowing (130088)
• India
12 Dec 09
But this organision becomes disorgnisation when I have noone to carry out my methods (lol)!!
• United States
12 Dec 09
Hello ilyzium, I am an organized person, I like things to be in a certain place and not just laying all over...I want to know that when I need something it will be where is suppose to be and I don't have to run all around the house looking for it. Now there are things that don't "have a place" and so I have them in the basement or in our sunporch so they are still easily accessed but not in the way. Most of my family tells me I have OCD but they are crap talkers LOL I just don't like clutter...my daughter is 8 and I am always telling her she needs to find a place for her stuff because she is one that likes to keep and hang on to everything and her room only has so much room so now she is moving her stuff into spots that already have enough stuff~ Maybe when she gets older she will get more organized Hehehehe...
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
I really do admire those people like you who are so organized with everything in their place. Ok, well at least for those things that "don't have a place", you at least know where they are so you can easily find them. Oh so it sounds like you're daughter might be a little "pack rat in the making"? perhaps? ;) One of those people that can't part with anything and have to hold on to everything? My husband is like that and it drives me crazy because it's often difficult to find the space for his things.
• United States
13 Dec 09
Thanks...yes she is a huge pack rat and i don't have a problem with that for say, I like that she is her own person but I just wish she would keep it in her own space but I know that is hard because she has saved so much that she has no room left for the new stuff. I will secretly go through the stuff and toss out stuff that I know she won't miss and she hasn't figured it out yet only I once through outa book that was ripped all apart but she still wanted it so i did get a talking to about that LOL....but I have been pretty sneaky.
@Hazelrose (2179)
• Philippines
12 Dec 09
Hi ilyzium,Well, i am trying my very best to organize all things in the house.When i am in the mood i will always fix things in proper way or places there were times that i don't stop working in the house even i'm tired enough I just want to be organized always in all things,specially in the kitchen.My eldest son called me as O.C.At first i really don't understand what O.C. is.But he explained to me.O.C. As Obssessed Compulsive.Thanks,Good day!
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Hello to you too! :) Well hazelrose sounds like you have a system in place that works for you, and I'm sure the secretly your son probably appreciates how organized you are? Imagine what he'd say is you were all scattered and unorganized, like me?! I will admit that I do like a kitchen to be very organized though and I probably try harder to make mind that way.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
typo- meant to say "I'm sure your son".
13 Dec 09
Actually yes it could be that we just don't multitask well! theres always too many things going on to arrange it all, and im not good with lists either, i just lose them!
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
13 Dec 09
ha ha! Ok, see I'm not the only one like that. I'm sure there are lots more people out there just like us! Yeah I find when you have too many things happening it's really difficult to multi task and I admit to being easily forgetful so I tend to forget where I've misplaced my lists....
• United States
12 Dec 09
First off I find that the fridge works best for any to-do lists. I have a 1' by 6" marker board on my fridge - I write important phone numbers there as I get them, until I get a chance to put them into my computer/phone address book. I also write down anything that comes to mind for a shopping list - and then when it's time to go shopping I simply copy the list down on a small sheet of paper (keeps you from losing it through the week). As far as a to-do list, the white board would work fine there, and as you think of something to do you can write it down on it.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Actually that sounds like a very good idea. Oh btw welcome here to the site and thanks for responding to my discussion! :)Ok, anyway I should try to do the same because that just might work for me.
• United States
12 Dec 09
Thanks for the welcome! And I hope my idea works for you - I'm not very organized myself and this always seems to work for me!
• Australia
12 Dec 09
I am afraid I'll have to admit the being possibly the most organised person around. EVERYTHING is organised. How do I do it? I really don't know. It is completely natural and I can't do things any other way. Because of that everything is accomplished much faster. Everything is automatic, so I'm sorry but I have no advice on HOW to become organised.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
I admire you cloudwater for how effortless you manage to be organized, with no thought or plan behind it. I wish I could also be like that because I know my lack of organization drives people crazy. Well good for you and I'm sure others around you appreciate your organization.
@drakesuyat (1063)
• Philippines
12 Dec 09
i always want things to be in proper order that my wife cant believe that im as organized as she is. i just dont feel comfortable when i see even small mess around. even if were going shopping, everything should be listed accordingly coz i hate that style of buying like milk on area #27, shampoo on area#40 then going back to #26 for coffee then#39 for soap... huh! as much possible if i can start to buy items from area #1 then the next item to #2 then #3 and so on and so fort. even when working for my daily responsibilities with my kids, i set my alarm so i know if its breakfast time, bathing time, lunch, go to school and so on. this way i never rush on things and i can mylot without any disturbances.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Well when it comes to grocery shopping I do the same thing. That is I just go from one aisle at a time, and check off everything I need from that aisle. That way I'm not just going all over the place in a grocery store, because I really don't like grocery shopping as it is. It's good to set your alarm at a certain time also and I admit I do the same. Well, good sounds like you don't have a problem then.
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
12 Dec 09
I am both organized and unorganized. I have my own sense of organization and I usually know where I have put everything, but I don't think other people would understand my system. I am able to make sure all my kids things are organized and that they have everything they need, and sometimes I am a little slow on the organization but I usually get it all organized eventually.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
I think as long as your system is working for you, you can find where you've put your things, you're not last minute or procrastinating and panicking like moi, because that's soooo stressful. Oh well that's ok if you're slow to get organized if you eventually get it done.
@ck3259 (248)
• Malaysia
12 Dec 09
I'm unorganized person. I plan the things in last minute. For me, everything is unpredictable, so if I plan the things in earlier, it possible would not be the desire output. I'm not a organized person, that why sometime it mess up my life when the problems come together. I got do list for the problem and the tasks, but I seldom follow it. However, it is better to be an organized person. I try to work it out.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
You have to admit though that it does become stressful when you're always planning things last minute and not having them work out? It does for me anyway. Well, I also try to do the lists but then I misplace my lists? Hopefully we'll become more organized next year?
• Philippines
12 Dec 09
I try to be organized.I hate seeing mess around.I try not to misplace my stuff.it is stressful when I need something and I can't find them.I have a lot of small containers when I can easily store small things.I group my clothes according to use - officer clothes on one side,casual clothes on the other.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Yes isn't it incredibly stressful when you misplace something and can't find it? Another good idea to have lots of small containers where you can store your things into. I find one of the worst things is when you don't have enough closet space for your clothes and you have clothes piled up everywhere, ooh I hate that and I have that!
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
12 Dec 09
I am usually very organized. The only suggestion I have is to make a list. I find that helps me a lot. Of course you must be able to find it for it to help at all. My home is so small I have to keep everything in it's place or everything looks messy. I find if I put stuff away right away it works out better. If I put off putting stuff away I usually end up throwing it out by mistake or something like that. If there is something I really hate to do I put it on a list and then I'll do it just so I can scratch it off. I am a little obsessive with my lists.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Ooh you have some good suggestions there that I should really try to follow. Good idea about getting rid of those things first that you don't want to do. Also about putting stuff away right away so that they don't pile up or get thrown out by mistake. I've done that lots of times too! Thrown out new things by mistake because they were still left hanging in their shopping bags and I must have thought they were garbage by mistake! Again some good tips there.
@arystine (1273)
• Philippines
12 Dec 09
I'm a mixture of both. I'm really organized when it comes to studying. I organize my notes and materials as if they are sacred. I also have my schedule and deadline for myself. I'm very disciplined when it comes to studying and work. But when it comes to other things, I'm also disorganized. My room and bed is a mess most of the time, it drives my mom and dad crazy. I guess I tend to hurry up every morning and be absent minded when really busy that I forget everything around me.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
I'm guessing that you're probably really organized with studying because that's your first priority right now? Am I right? I always used to be like you when I was living at home and going to school as well. It didn't really change much unfortunately as I got older. Still there's hope for you arystine, and I'm hoping hope for me next year when I try to get organized once and for all. :)
@xizhilang (106)
• China
12 Dec 09
To be honest,i am unorgnized.In life,i always forget many things.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Well yes you're honest to admit it. Hopefully next year you might start to change (that is if you want to). I really want to I admit.
@jambi462 (4576)
• United States
12 Dec 09
I would say that I'm really unorganized. In school my lockers were always like half fulled with crumpled up papers and other random garbage and stuff. My girlfriend also calls me a tornado and cleans up after me quite a bit. So I would easily label myself as unorganied.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Ha ha! That's pretty funny. I can certainly relate to that because when I was in school, I remember opening up my lockers and having piles of things land at my feet! That's how bad it was. Once my locker buddy noticed that there was a foul odor coming out of the locker and she couldn't figure where it was coming from. Sure enough she took all my things apart and found the culprit, a moldy tuna sandwich that was weeks old. Well she promptly threw my things out of the locker and made me get a new locker. I couldn't blame her at all really...
• Philippines
12 Dec 09
Me too. I also admit that I'm unorganized especially when it comes to my clothes. If you will see my closet, my clothes there are so unorganized. Also my bag when going to school. My books, notebooks, pens and everything there are placed anywhere so whenever I'm looking for something, I don't find them easily. Though I'm unorganized in my things, my bedroom is always organized and our house because I don't want to see the house unorganized and dirty.
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
That's interesting how you're selective or particular about how your room looks but not about anything else. Yup I've always had an unorganized closet as well, things are thrown in disarray with no concept for organization anywhere. I really don't know how to be organized and I need help!! The rest of the bedroom looks very tidy though until you open my closet. Well I really like my bedroom to be very clean and organized looking.
• United States
12 Dec 09
I'm actually extremely unorganized too. I can live in an utter mess in my room, which I am currently, doing my best to clean up. I'm so use to cluttered things around my room that it's hard for me to get organized, and when I do manage to clean up my room, it always ends up getting messy in the next week or so. I don't really make to-do lists; I usually just keep what I have to do in my head so in a sense, it's like a to-do list in my head. I think my problem is that I end up getting lazy when I take something out and I don't really feel like putting it back where it was and I just put it somewhere closeby. I end up forgetting to put it back later and that's how the messes build up in my room. I definitely want to be more organized next year too =] I'm planning on cleaning up my room and keeping it clean for as long as I can in the next year. I can't wait because the new year is like a fresh new beginning for me (and for you) to 'start over' and be more organized. My previous attempts at trying to organize my room failed because I didn't feel too motivated to keep up and I became all lazy again. This year, however, will be different =]
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
I can certainly relate to some of the things you've mentioned, yup that's true. Well, I have a bad memory so that's why I need my to do lists, however it's not like they really help if you're always misplacing them, right? Ok I also get lazy about when I take something out and can't be bothered to put it back where I got it, so I'll just put it back somewhere else. Yes we should put this as number one for our New Years resolutions!! I know I REALLY want to get organized because my lack of organization stresses me out. Well good luck to you too.
12 Dec 09
hi im the same as you, im completely unorganised, i leave things in 'safe' places but i have so many of these safe places that its completely ineffective, also i drive myself crazy to but still cant organise myself! when i was pregnant with my son, my mum said that i#d become a more organised person because i'd have to, but i havent, if anything i'm worse because now i have all his things to arrange. if something can be left until last minute, it is, i'll lose an item and when looking for it will find the last item i lost, i have clutter everywhere, i find it frustrating because it can be construed as lazy or messy but really im just scattered and cant figure out how to organise everything that goes into each day. sorry i dont have any tips, just wanted to let you know, your not the only one!
@ilyzium (1197)
• Canada
12 Dec 09
Oh no Enigma I feel for you too! Yeah it can be really stressful being so unorganized, don't you find? I also drive myself crazy because I leave tons of things lying around and can't figure out where I've misplaced them, so I inevitably go out and replace those items I've misplaced. I'm not lazy at all but scattered because I tend to have many things going on in my life. Maybe I just don't know how to multitask? I don't know.