Why organizing needs to be intuitive…

When people learn what I do, I invariably get the question “can you organize me?”  My answer is always yes, but you won’t stay organized.  Why is that?  Organizing isn’t about boxes and bins; it’s not about fancy organizing products or systems.  Organizing is about finding your stuff when you need it.  And to find YOUR stuff, you have to know where to look for it.  Organizing is an intuitive process; what’s works for me isn’t necessarily going to work for you.  I can create great systems and get everything organized, but it will fall apart in short order because it will work for me, not for you….

What is intuitive organizing?

So what is intuitive organizing?  Intuitive organizing is creating a system that will prompt you to be able to easily find the item you are looking for.  To create a filing system, ask yourself how to file the paperwork for your Toyota Camry.  Under Toyota?  Camry?  Auto?  What seems most intuitive to you?  I might choose AUTO while you would choose TOYOTA.  If I created this system independently, this would not make an effective filing system because you would not think to look there initially.  This kind of thinking and planning needs to be incorporated into all your organizing plans.   Should the healthcare file be labeled as BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD or HEALTHCARE?   Would you think to look for mortgage statements under CHASE BANK or HOME MORTGAGE?  In a family or office, the person who uses the system most frequently should create the filing system so that it as effective as possible.  Intuitive organizing isn’t limited to filing; all the organizing systems in the office or home should be set up for ease of use.  Where would you think to look for the flashlights when the power goes out?  If you’re headed to the beach or pool, where would you look for towels and sunscreen?  Intuitive systems make organizing and finding your stuff easier.

When creating intuitive organizing systems, think about where an item is used most frequently and where you would think to look first.