Wouldn’t you like to know how you got disorganized in the first place? For example, “historical disorganization” happens when we create order or disorder based upon our familial experience.

Historical Disorganization

Becoming cognizant of your past experience with order will help you discover where your feelings about organizing have developed. You may have embraced or rejected order based upon your history with it. This is not about laying blame on your family; it’s about gaining insight so you can move forward. As you become aware of your sources of disorganization, you become equipped to reclaim your life!

Rebelling Against Disorganization

My friend Nancy grew up in a clean but disorganized home. Her mom worked tirelessly at her job. Time away from home, however, meant that Nancy’s mom had less time and desire to sort papers or arrange the pantry. In fact, Nancy’s mom rebelled against organizing the home and preferred to spend her time doing other things.

 

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As a result, there were lots of junk drawers and mystery cabinets throughout the house. After school, Nancy would search for a snack in the overcrowded pantry, and everything she sampled was stale. Food in the refrigerator frequently spoiled due to poor planning. The kitchen table was piled so high with papers that Nancy couldn’t sit there to do her homework. As a result, she relocated her homework activities and attempted, distractedly, to complete her assignments in front of the television. Nancy did not learn organizing skills at home and adapted her life and work style around the disorder. For the rest of us, too, disorganization within the home can alter the way we use our space and make us unproductive.

Wired for order, Nancy grew up annoyed with the disorganization. Nancy vowed that when she grew up, she would never live in a cluttered environment like her family’s home. She wanted to acquire skills she didn’t learn in her childhood.

In some cases like Nancy’s, we rebel against the disorganization we grew up with. Our history offers plenty of proof that the costs of disorder are significant, and we resolve to train ourselves for orderly living.

 

As we reject the disorder of our past, that re-training process is required. If we grew up with disorder, we will have to learn how to create order. Those who live or work with us may need patience while we develop new skills and practice new habits.

Embracing Disorganization

Unlike Nancy, sometimes we succumb to our disorganized past. Since we were not taught to organize our belongings or our time, we never learned the skills to tackle clutter. Furthermore, we want to live in the way we’ve always known; it might not be organized, but it is familiar.

Rebelling Against Order

Of course, the opposite of Nancy’s story is also true. Some of us grew up in impeccable homes where perfectionism reigned supreme — a museum of order. As we enter adulthood, we may rebel against the order we experienced, perceiving that it was imposed to restrain us instead of to release us.

If this describes you, did you know there is an alternative to rebellion against order? Your current definitions of order are likely along the lines of control, authority and restraint. If you began to define order to include freedom, peace and sanity, wouldn’t organizing be less threatening and more inviting? If you have rebelled against orderly living in your childhood, I invite you to embrace the positive benefits of order.

Embracing Order

Finally, some of us grew up in a showcase of order, and we embraced it. We loved the orderly lifestyle then and we love it now. We are organizing junkies! We can’t understand why others would knowingly and willingly live in chaos. We bring our organizing skills into our own adult world and adapt them to our unique needs. We recognize that organizing is not a series of regimented activities, but a method of discovery that allows us to correct the things that are not working in our environment and time. We know that organizing isn’t a strict set of rules; it is a means of liberation!

Beginning Anew

If you are fed up with living disorganized, you can change! Organizing is — above all — a change process. As you begin to prune out the unnecessary, superfluous deadwood in your life and calendar, your haphazard existence will begin to settle down. As peace is restored to your space, your mind will begin to clear up as your sanity returns. I’ve seen it hundreds of times ... order really does bring more freedom and calm to your life.

Adapted from: Restoring Order™ copyright © 2006 by Vicki Norris (available now at www.RestoringOrder.com and in July 2007 as Reclaim Your Life™. Copyright © 2007). Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR. Used by permission.