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Thomas Francis University • Course G150 • Segment 3

THE ART OF ORDER AND BALANCE

—Douglas R. Kelley, PhD, CH, CSL

Upon Completion of this Segment, You Will Know:

 Why balance and order are important to success.

 10 ways to remember things.

 The emotional toll of clutter.

 How to get rid of clutter.

 Best secrets of getting and staying organized.

 How to have an orderly life.

 3 Common Organizing Principles.

he Art of Success depends on how organized and balanced you are across all areas of your

life. As I’ve previously mentioned, adversity is a state of disorder, that is, things are not in

their proper order. It is impossible to be successful in all matters without things being in

their proper order. This includes everything from your schedule to your home, but most importantly,

it includes your mind. If your mind is in order, your life will be in order and vice versa.

You have been studying many concepts designed to get your mind in order. Don’t forget that our

outside world is a reflection of our inside world. Take a look around you; are your surroundings clean

and orderly, or are you living in a cluttered mess? The first step in helping to unclutter your mind is

to unclutter your surroundings. Therefore, let’s discuss a number of techniques designed to help you

get organized by getting things in order.1

REMEMBERING TO ORGANIZE

Being well organized means you have to remember to do things. Following are 10 good tips to help

you to remember it all.

1. Jot it down. With the many details that you have to remember in any given day, why should

you try to keep it all in a memory bank? At the very moment that you remember something

1 The following techniques are based on the eBook, Getting Yourself Organized edited by Doug Kelley and used with per-

mission.

Segment 3: The Art of Order and Balance

needs to be done, the very best thing to do is write it down. Then, just as you need to recall

it, it will be there for you in an instant.

2. Keep it all in one place. Once you have developed the knack of writing everything down,

your next step will be to keep your writing all in one place. You will remember better this

way. Otherwise, you are going to spend valuable time searching for your notes.

3. Stay healthy. A keen memory is a well-nourished mind. Eat healthy; get plenty of rest and

lots of good exercise. These will all see you through to having a good memory, staying fo-

cused and being alert.

4. Record your every thought. You might find yourself driving when a good idea about organ-

izing comes to you or you might recall something that you really need to write down. No

need to pull over and start writing, record instead! Pull off to the side of the road and use

a small hand held tape recorder. This is a wonderful tool to carry around with you, to record

your thoughts, or your parking space number, or even a memorable telephone number you

see on a billboard as you drive by. Use your handy recorder to be your second eyes and ears.

Many cell phones also have this capability.

5. Call ahead. When you are at the office and you want to do something when you arrive back

home, call ahead to your answering machine and leave yourself a message. As soon as you

get home you can listen to your message and remember exactly what you wanted to do.

6. Be confident in yourself. If you keep saying you have a bad memory, you will probably

continue to have a bad memory. It is important to have a motivated, I can remember atti-

tude.

7. Handy email reminders. There are many good and free e-mail reminder services available.

You can type in what you want to remember, such as a welcome party, anniversary or special

event, and you will receive an e-mail reminder when the date is approaching. This is a

terrific way to jog your memory by Internet.

8. Use sticky notes. Those wonderful, little sticky notes are the next best thing to sliced bread!

They are amazing as memory helpers. Want to remember something prior to leaving your

home? Just mark it down on a Post-It Note and stick it to the inside of your door. The bright,

neon colors will be great to catch your eye as you are leaving. You will not likely miss it!

Need to make an urgent call first thing in the morning? Leave a Post-It Note on your tele-

phone.

9. Use timers and alarms. Take advantage of alarm clocks and timers throughout your day.

Have to take the clothes out of the dryer by 12 noon? Set your alarm clock to remind you.

Want to leave for the ladies luncheon by 7 p.m.? Set your timer to beep a few minutes before

it is time to start to get ready.

10. Visual memory joggers. Visual reminders will help you remember and stay focused. Use

visual reminders for remembering your goals. If your goal is to take a trip to Ireland in a few

years, keep a magazine photograph of Ireland right on your desk. If your goal is to lose 30

lbs. in six months, find a picture or ornament that will help remind you of this goal each

day.

Segment 3: The Art of Order and Balance

THE EMOTIONAL TOLL OF CLUTTER

Each area of your home provides you with a unique form of comfort. Comfort and clutter cannot

co-exist. Clutter and mess only serves to bring unbalance and will dampen any good spirit. It stands

to reason that, give up the clutter and bring in the peace of mind.

De-clutter your kitchen. Your kitchen is regarded as the heart of your home and for a good reason.

Here you are nourished and provided for, even if you are dining on a frozen entrée zapped in the

microwave rather than a homemade meal. An untidy and cluttered kitchen makes it hard to nourish

yourself and others, on both physical and emotional. How you care for your kitchen is a hot clue to

whether you are giving proper attention to your own nourishment and that of others. Cleaning up and

de-cluttering your kitchen will open space for you to receive the support and comfort that you need

in life.

De-clutter your living and dining room. These are special places where you socialize with family

and friends. Here you engage with the world while being at home through watching television, reading

the paper or discussing current events with old friends over dinner. Clutter can turn these otherwise

special and social spaces into dens of isolation, especially if the mess is so bad that it has been a time

since you have invited people over. Look carefully at your living and dining rooms to see what they

say about your relationships. Are they important to you? Are you hiding yourself from others, by

burying yourself in nasty clutter?

De-clutter your hallways. You need clear hallways to navigate through your home. Your clutter

in your hallways prevents important connections between different areas of your home and your life.

Look at your hallways and see what it says about the rest of your life. Do they contain good lighting

and are they easily navigable, or do they cause confusion and trip you up? If you feel a disconnection

between work and family, self and others, what you need to be done and your obligations, it may be

time to give your hallways some good organizing.

De-clutter your bathrooms. Each day we use this important space to meet the world. We begin

our days from this room. Clutter in the bathroom can mean you don’t take pride in how you look and

feel. How can you feel clean when using a cluttered, dirty bathroom? A clean, well-decorated bath-

room is a tranquil sanctuary for rejuvenation and self-care. Scented soaps, attractive accessories,

and fragrant candles all take their place here. This is beauty for the mind and soul. You can beautify

your life by organizing and cleaning this important room. Take the time to transform your bathroom

into a place of refuge and this will bring a sense of the sacred into your morning and evening personal-

care rituals.

De-clutter the bedroom. Your bedroom is for sleeping and intimacy, and it functions as a place

of renewal for self and relationships. Clutter in the bedroom is worse than in any room. It is anything

but restful and peaceful. If you are feeling "wired and tired," creating order out of chaos in this most

personal space will help you relax and to let go of the stresses of the day. Then you will get a good

night's sleep or enjoy some special time with your partner. Of all of your rooms, this one is the most

critical for being organized and peaceful.

De-clutter your closets. Closets are everything hidden, unknown, or unrecognized. When we fill

our closets with clutter, we harness our ability to be intuitive and insightful. Cluttered closets can

indicate problems that you may not even be aware of but which block your progress through life,

work, and relationships. Keeping the closet door closed is not an obvious solution. Organizing your

closets IS!

Segment 3: The Art of Order and Balance

De-clutter your attic and basement. A cluttered attic causes you to feel under pressure. It is not

easy to feel good about the future when there is so much stuff "hanging about and over your head."

Organize those boxes of yesteryear and you will feel ten pounds lighter, instantly! The basement and

other below-ground storage areas are thought to be holders of the unconscious mind, so take the

time and have that clutter cleaned up!

De-clutter your garage. Think of your car as a symbol of your agility, independence, and ability

to be self-propelled in life. If there's so much junk piled high in your garage that you can barely lift

the garage door, it is time to organize. Do this and be prepared to move forward in your life, as well.

Stop thinking of de-cluttering as a chore and start thinking of it as one of the most effective self-

improvement exercises available to you. Every magazine and piece of paper you place in the recycle

bin and every book you give back to the library will liberate you. Just as giving those older items to

charity, will. Free yourself now of clutter and open the flood gates of joy and energy into your life.

SAY GOOD-BYE TO CLUTTER

Now that you have a good system to remember your tasks at hand, the next big step will be to get

rid of clutter. Clutter diminishes a smile, dampens the spirit, and so should not be tolerated.

It is very easy to find any given room in a cluttered mess, but it takes some hard work to de-clutter

and organize.

Many people say that one of their favorite things to do when stressed out is to clean! Hard to

imagine, right? Well, it is true. Cleaning gives order and purpose to your life, even if only in smaller

chunks at a time.

We are not just talking about moving around clutter from one shelf to another. We are talking

about de-cluttering every room of your home. Say good-bye to the dust, say good-bye to the junk –

say hello to room to breathe and move around!

Start out by drawing up a list of what you absolutely want done. Think about those leaning tower

of Pisa papers in the den, then move slowly into the family room. See any piles of old photos just

crying out to be placed in a photo album? Write that one down. How about those piles of clothing

sitting in the bottom of your closet? Write that one down, too.

By now, if you are clever, you see a list of very workable, one-at-a-time chores that can be as-

signed throughout a busy day. The idea is to get started and work your way around. By the end of the

day, you will have a beautiful, uncluttered home or office as your reward!

Do not become discouraged if your attempt to enlist your family members runs amuck. Just write

them down on your list as those who require an attitude adjustment and then save that chore for

next time. One can hope!

If you are altogether frank about it, you really do not want a second pair of meddling hands any-

way; some chores are best left to only one pair of hands. That way you can be sure that the chores

will be done right the first time.

Segment 3: The Art of Order and Balance

Turn Clutter into Harmony

If a primary goal is to exist in a clutter-free environment, think of devising a system in which to

operate freely. With a smart system, you will have valuable free time. Having more time to spend

your hours doing what you enjoy most is everyone’s goal in life. Using a system, you will have a

method of doing something that might otherwise be a strain. You will have a new way of simplifying

a task or operation.

Paper clutter is a very good example. We find papers thrown here, there and everywhere. Loose

paper can be found in every area of your home. To transform a disorderly area into an orderly one,

you will want to first clean up the area of all loose paper and put it away in a designated place or

just throw it away. You can use baskets, drawers or shelving space to store away your paper. Once

you have a designated place established, it is easier, then, to remain organized.

Think now about how your paper became so messy in the first place. What did you do with it once

it arrived? Did you put the full bundle into a basket, for example? If you glanced at it and then put

it down in a haphazard pile at the nearest table or desk near you, chances are that is your problem.

Your goal is to designate a place for every item of value in your entire home. That way you are

organized.

The organized way to deal with all paper that crosses your hands and/or desk is to:

1. Have it placed at a designated tray, basket, shelf or drawer.

2. Spend the time you need to look into what the paper asks of you and, when done with it;

3. Place it in either a file, put it in a filing basket to be filed, put it in an out basket, or simply

throw it away.

4. Touch each paper only once if at all possible.

This type of paper flow system will organize you in a heartbeat and will prevent finding assorted

pieces of paper everywhere throughout your home. As soon as you receive the paper, you put it in its

allotted place. From this, you will create a peaceful work area. You will automatically know where

to go to get your paper and where to find paper that you need.

The same system can be applied to reorganizing a disordered environment. You can tackle a room,

a closet, or a drawer by first organizing it and then taking a look at how it got that way in the first

place. Here is where the new system comes into play. You need to be able to maintain the order you

have applied to it for later so that the same mess does not just develop all over again. The more time

and effort you put into being organized, the less time you will need to apply to organizing later

You will need to acquire the necessary "tools" needed to create good order. Having good order is

the building block to being better organized.

Shop the discount and specialty stores for great tools to organize. They are inexpensive and work

well. If you find your bedroom is hard to keep organized then look around for something to solve your

problem. The moment you find the right tool, you can begin to put things into their proper place.

There is no easy way around trying to get your life in order and be better organized. It takes time

and effort on your part. The more tools you can apply to your disorganized messes, the easier it will

be to maintain order. Once you find the right approach, it will be easy to keep the same momentum

Segment 3: The Art of Order and Balance

going. Use a system to organize every area of your life. Go from room to room in your home and apply

tools to simplify messy problems. You will be so glad you did!

In order to remain uncluttered we must change the habits that led to the clutter in the first place.

BEST SECRETS TO GETTING AND STAYING ORGANIZED

 Tell yourself (and believe) that some degree of clutter with a child is going to happen no

matter what!

 Begin with messes and clutter that you see every day. Work on organizing your kitchen and

family room before your hallway closet.

 Assign everything in your house a place. This way when your family searches for something

they need, they will know exactly where to find it and where to put it away.

 Use this same principle to organize your silverware, with clearly defined places for every fork

and knife, or drawers for ties and socks or, underwear. Think in this same way for every aspect

of your home. This will save many hours of searching for things. It will dramatically cut down

on the clutter of items left out "for now" or "until I find a place for it." Develop a new mantra:

everything has its place and a place for everything!

 Enlist a new rule: throw out one old thing for every new purchase that enters your home.

 When using stairs, never go up or down them empty-handed. Always grab some items that

belong to upstairs rooms and quickly put it away while you are there.

 Make a mental note to observe what things pile up in your house and where they cluster, and

then come up with a place nearby that becomes the official home where those things will

reside. Introduce baskets, shelves, and folders for this purpose. They work well. Set aside one

basket for you and your partner for incoming mail, bills, and receipts and letters.

 Create a number of brightly marked folders for bills and other time-sensitive papers that just

clutter your counters.

 Keep items that are used frequently in places where you can reach them without stooping or

bending, and store them close to the place they will be needed.

 Use drawer dividers for socks, underwear, lingerie, and tiny items, to keep them separated

and organized.

 Hang hooks for your keys and purse at the entry to your home, so each time you walk in, you

can hang them up.

 Establish one defined place in your house for storing library books, and end a house-wide hunt

when it is time to read or return them.

 Get rid of all junk drawers, or allow yourself just one that you clear out once a week or more.

When you establish certain items are being used repeatedly, designate a drawer for those.

 Get rid of things you don’t need any longer:

o Magazines you meant to read but have never taken the time for.

Segment 3: The Art of Order and Balance

o Expired medications.

o Clothes you no longer wear.

o Sunscreen that's expired or more than one year old.

o Extra paper or plastic grocery bags.

o Makeup and samples you have never worn.

o Stuff your crumpled plastic bags from your grocer inside a cardboard roll like a hand

towel roll. Keep under your sink.

Getting rid of your clutter and organizing your home or office top to bottom will free your mind

to remember your daily chores. Be vigilant about cleaning about once a month and you will find it

much easier to keep up, week-by-week.

AN ORDERLY LIFE

There are generally two different types of people who exist in the work place; they are the Orga-

nized and the Disorganized. What characteristics set them apart and which do you aspire to be?

There seems to be lack of discipline with The Disorganized. Others around them might think the

Disorganized are actually not even aware of the condition they are in, because it is a situation that

appears to persist over long periods. Sometimes it can be a never-changing view of that person's

surroundings. It is common to conclude that this type of person is often stressed and must go in all

directions to get things done, if they can get things done at all.

The Organized, on the other hand, are a unique breed. They seem to be able to create handy

places for things. They see to it that “everything has a place and that there's a place for everything.”

They are the ones you would call on first when you need help to get something important done. They

can generally get more done in a relatively short period. They have a real knack for tackling work

with a disciplined approach.

Now, which would you rather be?

Getting proper instruction and a sense of guidance, the Disorganized can turn around on a dime

and become organized. It is often just a matter of providing them with the expertise and then working

with them on the discipline it takes to move into the ranks of the Organized.

The annoyances and inconveniences of working around the Disorganized eventually takes its toll

on those who know them best. If you work with the Disorganized, you tend to be annoyed by them

easily. Often times, a situation creates itself so that others must work harder or bypass the individual

to get certain things done. Does this scenario sound all too familiar? This hardship on others can bring

about resentment and unnecessary hurt feelings.

The Disorganized are basically enemies to themselves, more than anything, so it is important to

change adverse conditions in order to survive in harmony in the work place. Rather than picking up

the slack, offer some guidance and direction if it is your place to do so. This can bring harmony to

the relationship.

Segment 3: The Art of Order and Balance

One of the challenges of the Organized is how to bring harmony between the two conflicting types.

To start with, find a way to peacefully get the Disorganized to change their ways. Do this and you

will teach the Disorganized to foster new and better habits in all that they do. It can be done if done

carefully.

Order to the Organized is a critical factor for optimum change. Their choice of method is to figure

out ways to be more efficient. They want everyone around them to figure out how to accomplish

more with the least amount of effort and/or energy. They think always in systematic terms as a way

of handling work. They thrive on having everything done in an orderly fashion.

To be or not to be organized—that is the question. The Disorganized should answer that question

for him or herself and then act upon it. If they do nothing else, they can ask questions. They can

observe and follow the lead. The minute the Disorganized becomes organized, the minute they have

more time for themselves. This in itself should be good enough incentive.

Next comes the healing of relationships, where everyone works together in one accord, so in har-

mony. This is worth striving for. If the Disorganized is serious about changing their ways, they will

move on from an attitude of new awareness into a new attitude of action!

3 Common Organizing Principles

1. Reduce all forms of clutter. Get rid of anything that wastes time, space, energy, or money.

2. Create systems that make everyday jobs easier. Develop effective routines and standardized

procedures.

3. Simplify daily responsibilities. Reduce the amount of time and energy spent on routine activ-

ities.

What Do Professional Organizers Do?

 They help you change a disorganized environment (Reorganize storage, home or office layout,

clean out the "clutter").

 They help change behaviors that cause disorganization (Procrastinating, failing to plan ahead,

and accumulating "excess stuff").

 They monitor and encourage your ongoing progress (Offer follow-up visits, phone calls, coach-

ing, and “homework" assignments).

 They teach organizing techniques and keep clients motivated and focused.

 They wear many hats—educator, resource, coach, and cheerleader, project manager.

If you don’t want to hire a professional organizer, do what they do.

THE BENEFITS OF BEING ORGANIZED

 You will feel better about yourself.

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 You will feel calmer.

 Your world will smell and look sweeter.

 You will be more amicable.

 Friends and family will want to drop in.

 Your spouse/partner and/or children will wear a brighter smile (and so will you).

 You will have peaceful dreams.

 You will not stumble around your home or office.

 People will want to pay you more compliments.

 Your home and office will smell more fragrant.

 Your soul can breathe better.

Getting organized in your outside world is critical to being organized in your inside world. It is also

important to your success as a metaphysician. Balance and order are key. As 19th Century English

Theologian, Tryon Edwards, wrote, “Have a time and place for everything, and do everything in its

time and place, and you will not only accomplish more, but have far more leisure than those who are

always hurrying.”