Put It Away Right Away

​​“Put it away right away.”
 
That sounds annoyingly goody two-shoes, doesn’t it? Well, never mind that. This little mantra works for me!

I say it to myself to get me through those moments when I just “don’t wanna.” (Can you hear the whine in my voice?)
 
I say it when…

I’m tempted to dump the mail on the kitchen counter instead of taking, seriously, one minute to sort it into recycling, action, and filing.
 
I’m tempted to drop the action and filing items onto my desk instead of just slipping them into the appropriate files. Why? To save 20 seconds?

I’m tempted to leave the clean dishes in the dishwasher or the sink full of dirty dishes, when really I can have those dishes put away in about three minutes.

I’m tempted to toss a pen onto my desk instead of putting it back in the drawer. (Later, when I can’t find the pen in the drawer, I accuse all of my family members of stealing my favorite pen!)

I’m tempted to leave the folded laundry in the basket because haven’t I done enough already by washing it, drying it, and folding it? But if I leave it in the basket tonight, it’ll still be there waiting for me in the morning – so just put it away right away!

Every time you’re tempted just to be lazy and drop whatever it is wherever you are, say to yourself, "Put it away right away!"

Your home, office, or room (Hello, my teenage daughter!) will stay so much tidier and putting things away will become an ingrained habit, making it easier to maintain a less-cluttered environment.