As a kid, I used to get a task from my father, to clean his working boots.
Out of a 15 min task, I made a 2 h project:
- jumping around aimlessly, 30 min
- searching for tools to clean, 45 min
- actual cleaning, 15 min
- ~let everything rest for a day~
- tidying up the mess, 30 min
The house was always full of crap, stuff were left at different spots, you couldn't find a thing. Instead of focusing on a task, I spent more time searching, dealing with the tools.
"Can you take the glasses to the pantry?"
A simple task, it takes 6 min to complete. If the keys are not, where they are supposed to be!? Boom, 20-30 min of your life gone, searching for it.
Do we all agree, how annoying, when a task duration goes 3x, because the necessary tools are not at your hand? When you spend more time searching for tools than the task itself?
An easy, efficient, organizational principle: give your stuff a home.
If you always place stuff at the same spot, you never waste time searching for it.
Follow the principle for your own stuff, and specially stuff used in common.
When you get home, do not drop your bag just anywhere, place it where it belongs. After an activity, do not leave the equipment lying around, put it back to the storage spot.
Leo knows how to handle stuff. Smart habits, good organization.
For more on similar topics, go to zenhabits.net > see all posts > search this site. Type stuff organization, declutter, simplify — you will get more useful ideas.
