What I Value at Just an Organized Home

Here is a laundry-list of things I value (in no particular order).

• Do-it-yourself
• Cleverness
• Positivity
• Forcing Yourself
• Production over Perfection
• Systems
• Customization
• Learning
• Pioneering

This is not an exhaustive list, but it is what quickly comes to mind when I think about how to run a home. These are guiding principles here at Just an Organized Home.  So here is a brief glimpse into my thinking about things I have come to value over the years, .

Do-it-yourself

I believe that people are basically capable of more. There is a time and place for experts, but most of the time, you are capable of getting the job done.  You can learn new things, stretch yourself, acquire the skills and know-how to get a lot of things in life done. When you do things yourself, you can save money, gain personal satisfaction, feel capable, and customize the fit to your situation.

Cleverness

I love an elegant solution!  Hitting that aha! moment when things make sense and are the perfect fit for the situation is so satisfying.  I love an apt word or a clever turn of phrase because it just makes life more fun.

Positivity

Seeing half-empty cups is a drag. That half-empty cup is just a cup in need of a refill!  I like to believe that things are possible.  You are about as happy as you choose to be, so live with gusto.  Action, belief, and curiosity are all helpful for overcoming life’s obstacles.

Force Yourself

No one is going to do it for you. If you want to make headway in life, if you want to change or make a difference, you have to force yourself into action (especially when you don’t feel like it).  Harrison Ford was once asked if he believed in the Force, and he said, “No, I believe in force yourself.”  Amen to that.

Production

…as opposed to perfection. This is tough for me, but sometimes good enough trumps endless refinement. You just have to get it out there. Something badly done is better than perfect that never gets done.  This means you need to take action instead of endlessly planning the “perfect” solution.

Systems

Why reinvent the wheel? Once you figure out how to get something done, get it systematized so it can work for you. You’ll use less of your precious decision-making energy that way. If there is something that can become a routine, then you can figure out how to get it on auto-pilot and it will work for you every time. MANY things in life can benefit from this.

Customization

One size does not fit all. Work with your own strengths, not according to what “bossy” people tell you to do (including me!). You need to learn how to “hack” things so they work for you in your situation. Learn how to glean ideas from others, but then make them your own.

Learning

Never stop learning. Stay curious and interested in life—find out how things work. Stretch your brain. Read, read, read. Talk about things you learn with other people.

Pioneering

Don’t be afraid to go into new territory. Do hard things. Do things no one else does. Figure out how to solve problems that no one else is tackling.