Let's share our biggest organizing challenges. I would truly welcome your thoughts about this. I would love to hear what types of things prevent you from getting and/or staying organized. It would great if you could be specific about why it's a challenge.

My plan is to create some content addressing these challenges. So tell me what your needs are and I will work on sharing some possible solutions.

Biggest problem in organizing is paper clutter. I try to keep up with it, but there is just so much paper that comes into my house. I pitch a lot of it as I open the mail, but there is always material you have to keep for a while - bills, insurance papers, etc. I try to file, but end up with piles of paper that I just can't seem to find time to deal with. I have tried various systems, but no one system has ever really solved the problem. Anyone who has a good filing and organizing system in place, let me know.

My biggest hurdle in getting organized was simply getting started. Now that I have overcome this problem - I don't have many other issues. My best tip for dealing with paper clutter is to open the mail in the study where I have a shredder and scanner ready to go. After ensuring you have an appropriate digital file backup process to secure your documents (this is key) simply scan what you need to save, shred what you have scanned, shred what you need to destroy for identity protection, and trash everything else. I process the mail once per week - any less often it piles up - any more often I resent having an additional daily chore. Paper is no longer a problem in my house.

That is too amazing Lori!

My biggest hurdle is maintaining enough focus for organizing.

I think getting organized is the hardest part! Then you need to develop new habits to keep things that way!

Congratulations Lori! Getting started is the biggest block.

I love that you found a solution to an issue, implemented it and kept at it until it became a supportive habit.

Do you have tips on how you got over the getting started hurdle? Real life experiences are powerful teaching aids. I am sure other readers would love to hear what you have to say.

Connie, you are absolutely right about needing to develop supportive habits.

Creating new ones takes effort. You might even be doing the two steps forward, one step back dance for a bit. What's important is that you are still making progress towards positive and lasting change.

It's helpful to keep in mind all the effort you are putting in will pay off in the long run and in a very big way. Eventually the new habits will feel less like work and more like second nature.

Here's a hint: It's easier to create new habits when you are properly motivated. You can learn about creating a motivational vision statement here: Create a Vision for Success

A vision will help you clarify why you are doing what you are doing. Holding on to that mind picture will make slogging through the habit change process far more enjoyable.

I'm a bit of a neat freak myself, my biggest issue is time -- or rather lack of it! I try to spend 15-20 minutes a day organizing, because I just dont have the time to spend hours doing it.

So it's a slow ongoing process, but I try to stay on top otherwise it can easily bury you.

Kids, and my husband would say the same. Whenever we want to accomplish an project that involves organizing - cleaning a closet, a drawer, or whatever - the kids and the cats are snooping around. Watcha doing, what's in that box...