Benjamin Franklin is credited with the line, “A place for everything,
everything in its place.” More times than I can count, during a seminar
or a friendly conversation, I am asked what I consider the key to
organization. My reply is always the same, “Everything has to have its
own place--and it needs to be there a majority of the time.”
I
truly believe the key to organizing and simplifying our lives is taking
the few minutes or seconds each day, each morning, each hour, to put
things in their rightful place. When we do not know where something
goes, we spend most of our time moving it around (pretending like we are
actually accomplishing something with it) or passing by it several
times a day, frustrated that we have not taken care of it. Both options
are not only maddening, but chaotic.
Now it may sound
like I am only referring to the order of your home or office. This same
principle applies to memories, schedules and well, life. When we do not
know where something should be put (the time to exercise, the
photographs from two years ago, a visit from a friend, our home movies, a
child’s soccer game, our mother’s birthday or a date with our spouse)
we either rush around pretending something is being accomplished or pass
by moments, memories and opportunities, missing them time and again.
Life
does not have to be lived this way. I created this blog because I truly
love to create order in all aspects of life. I know that when we
discover a way to do something that works for us, we truly feel lighter
and happier. Thus, a place for everything, is more than just the
name of this blog—it is the philosophy that I have found that makes a
lasting difference in my life. And I hope it can do the same for you.