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The logo for Messies Anonymous is a bird we call the nestbuilder — spotlighting our final goal for our lives and home.
How to Begin — Flight Plan for Beginning Fledglings
Sure, you feel overwhelmed. That’s the way we all start. Let’s simplify this into a few powerful steps — also known as our Messies Anonymous Flight Plan. You can start out easy, but you do need to start by doing something every day. If you follow these steps consistently, you will notice that little by little your life and your house will change. (If you wish, print off this plan and refer to it in a prominent place.)
Step One
Make a strong take-off every day. A good take-off sets the tone of the day. When you:
WAKE UP — set a time
JUMP UP — don’t lie in bed, there’s a wonderful world waiting
MAKE UP — the bed immediately, automatically
EAT UP — something nutritious
WASH UP — bathe body or wash face
BRUSH UP — take care of your teeth
DRESS UP — completely from head to toe including hair, shoes, and makeup of some kind on your face
LOOK UP — somewhere during the day you need to turn your heart upward to God (a great way to start the day)
Add any other steps you may need to your flight plan, like TAKE A WALK. They don’t have to end with UP.
This list comes from The Organizer Lady® and is sent weekly along with the daily news reminder to those who subscribe.
Step Two
Change habits one at a time. Let’s start with The 30-Second Rule. “If it takes thirty seconds or less to do a job, do it immediately.” This applies to putting up packages when you come in, putting the scissors (or whatever) back where you got them, hanging up the clothes you take off and other things like that.
The second powerful habit is this: when you get something out, put it back — and here’s the kicker — right away.
Remember STOW AS YOU GO!
Commitment to these two habits will change the condition of your house immediately.
Step Three
Attack the mess — bless the house! We don’t attack the house. We attack the mess that is hiding the wonderful possibilities of our house. Use one of the two methods below to get rid of the junk and organize the house.
This is the backbone of the Messies Anonymous program. Get three BankerBoxes™, about 12 X 18 inches. Label each box, GIVE AWAY, THROW AWAY, STORE SOMEPLACE ELSE. Starting at the front door, go around the inside periphery of the room from drawer, to cupboard, to nook or cranny emptying the contents of things that don’t belong in that area into one of these boxes. Organize neatly what does belong in that area and move on to the next area.
Use if your house is a shambles, your marriage is in trouble because of it, you fear the health department or your landlord, your adult children are distraught about your place, or you face some similar emergency. Like Mt. Vesuvius, this is a quick and powerful method. It avoids the hang-up of decision making and clears the clutter quickly. What do I do with all of this stuff?
Step Four
Get adequate support. “You alone can do it, but you can’t do it alone.” Choose from the following helps.
A daily reminder from The Organizer Lady® to keep you flying forward. Strongly recommended. Sign up now.
On the support group page, look for a local group in your area or join one of the many on-line support groups you see listed.
Where appropriate, get on-site help from friends, family, or a professional organizer in your area.
Step Five
Make a smooth landing. Again we need a check-off list. After you EAT UP (you did have your meal planned ahead?), it’s time to CLEAN UP — this is a family thing, everybody sticks until the kitchen is completely done. You may need to work into this. Start slowly. Now STRAIGHTEN UP — have the family do what one children’s show calls the ten minute tidy. Set the timer and all rush around tidying for ten minutes. This will work miracles.
