Energy Economy - How to Get Organized while Chronically Ill

How to Get Organized While Ill

If you have been following this 5 part series you already know that organizing, de-cluttering, and simplifying are three different things.  And, it is actually pretty important to understand their differences.  Otherwise things just get confusing.  See this post Coping with Chronic Illness – The difference between simplifying, decluttering, and organizing.

Confessions

OK, I’m just going to say it.  This is my least favorite subject in this series.  De-cluttering, I love.  Simplifying, I love even more.  But talking about organizing just brings things to a halt for me.

And this is why:  I literally have nothing new to say.  This topic is covered SO much – it is actually overwhelming to try to think of a new way to approach this.  However, there are one or two things which it is important to know.

Definition and Benefits of Organizing

To organize means to channel our stuff into orderly lines.  It does not require getting rid of anything per-se, it just requires setting up systems to juggle everything.

Being a little more organized can help us, the chronically ill, in various ways.  It can help us find things easily, even on bad brain fog days.  It can help us keep things clean with a minimum of effort.  It can give us a feeling of peace.  And that leaves your brain open for other activities.  

Energy Economy - How To Declutter While Chronically Ill - Part 2

Ok.  We’ve made a plan (see here).  We’ve armed ourselves with six questions that will focus our decluttering energy so that we can achieve the desired results.  We have made a Keep vs Throw list.  And we have got some basic principles to keep us grounded (in case we were getting too heady with all this romantic tidying up talk).  

 

Now it’s time to implement the plan, use the questions, and actually do some work.  I know, I know.  This is the hard part.  But I do believe there are ways to make it easier so that even we, the chronically ill people of the world, can make a noticeable difference in this direction.

Declutter around your bed first.

Last week we discussed the first five steps.  Today we discuss the remaining 10.

Six:  Declutter the area around your bed.  Or wherever you spend the most time (couch, desk, kitchen counter, whatever).  This is a good place to start.  We are not talking about the room itself.  We are talking about the specific area you inhabit most frequently and the two (or four) areas that abut to it (i.e. the tables, floor, and other things right beside your bed).  You can often do this in a relatively short period of time, maybe even without having to vacate your spot.  (However - don't get rid of things you really need right there - like meds and books, etc... That doesn't make life easier. )

Seven:  Try clearing out one shelf or drawer.   You can even just do half of the shelf or drawer.  Sit down while you work.  Try not to exceed more than 20-30 minutes on this project.  Then try to maintain it.  Every now and then do a quick tidy up of that area (2 minutes).  Trust me, this leads to bigger things. 

Energy Economy - How To Declutter While Chronically Ill - Part 1

Energy Economy - How to Declutter While Chronically Ill - Part 1

The last Coping With Chronic Illness post was about the difference between de-cluttering, organizing, and simplifying and why the difference matters.  If you didn’t read that post you might want to.  

 

In the meantime we are going to be talking about clutter today.  To de-clutter means to get rid of excess stuff.  And for the purposes of this post we are thinking primarily of tangible stuff –things, possessions.  

So here are the first five suggestions.  You can do these even while bedridden.

Energy Economy - How To Attend Important Events While Chronically Ill

I want to start off by saying that there are levels of illness which do not allow for attending any events – no matter how important they may be to you.  I have been that ill before.  I will likely get there again.  I am so sorry if you are currently in such a state. 

However, just a degree or two better and it is possible to attend at least part of an event if you follow these suggestions below.  Of course, some things will depend on the type of event you are attending. (I used these suggestions for my sisters baby shower, which was really important to me, and the only party I have been to in the past 2 years – and for a 2 day convention holding 1,000 people which was also very important to me.)