Make the Important Things Easy
Organized bedside table with skincare, lotion, and contact lens essentials within easy reach.
If you’ve ever gotten to the end of the day and wondered, Did I already do that?, you’re certainly not alone. By bedtime, most of us are tired. We’ve made decisions all day long, and the last thing we need is a complicated routine that requires us to remember three more things before we can go to sleep.
I’ve learned that one of the best ways to make something happen consistently is very simple: make it easy to do.
Put What You Need Where You Need It
There are three things that are important to me as part of my bedtime routine, and I’ve created a little system around them.
I keep my skin oil right next to my bed. My hand lotion stays in my nightstand. They’re right there at my fingertips when I sit down for the night.
That may seem like a small thing, but small things are exactly what good organizing systems are made of.
If I had to get back up, walk into another room, open a cabinet, and look for what I needed, there would be a much greater chance that I’d decide to do it later—or simply forget. Instead, I’ve removed those extra steps.
The things I use at bedtime live where I use them.
Let One Action Lead to the Next
I also wear one contact lens, and taking it out is another important part of my nighttime routine. So I’ve connected that task to something I already do every night: sitting down on my bed.
Once I sit down, that’s my cue to take out my contact.
Before I created that connection, I could find myself wondering later, Did I take my contact out? And then I’d be checking my eye because I genuinely couldn’t remember!
That’s why routines can be so helpful. Instead of asking your brain to remember one more thing, you can let an action you already take become the reminder for the next one.
Organizing Is About Supporting Yourself
We often think about organizing as closets, kitchens, containers, and labels. And, of course, those things can be part of it. But organizing is really about creating systems that support the way you live.
Sometimes the best organizing solution is simply moving something closer.
Think about one small routine in your own life. Is there something you want to remember in the morning, at bedtime, when you leave the house, or when you come home? Consider keeping what you need exactly where that activity happens. Then, when possible, connect the task to something you already do automatically.
You don’t need a perfect routine. You need one that works for you.
The little systems we create throughout our homes can make everyday life feel calmer and easier. When the lotion is where you reach for it, the contact comes out when you sit on the bed, and you don’t have to rely on a tired brain to remember everything, that’s organizing doing exactly what it’s meant to do. Make the important things easier, one small system at a time.
Pinky Jackson is a Decluttering Specialist and Home Organizing Expert. If you need expert organizing help, don't hesitate to reach out. Pinky and her team would love to help you. Onsite Organizing services are available in the Louisville, KY area and Virtual Organizing services are offered for clients in other locations and for those who prefer to work online. Visit pinkyjackson.com to learn about our services and schedule a free assessment.
Photo: Max Vakhtbovych @artbovich
