Here are 6 reasons why writing it down creates a more organised you. You would never want to step inside my head. My husband jokes that I always ‘have the boxes open’ and so many boxes there are. It’s like Central Station on a Monday morning. Thoughts are going in every direction and by the end of the day, would I remember any of those thoughts? No!

Organise you and your thoughts

I think it’s natural for a woman to be thinking about everything all the time. With or without kids, it’s in our nature to worry and we worry about the food, the bills, other people’s feelings, do we look okay, are we good enough, etc etc.

If we write it down it empties our brain and organises those thoughts. Once gone from the brain it then allows you to organise those thoughts or sort into the ‘right box’. You can write a to do list, set goals, track habits etc and have a more organised brain. You’ll find time for things that are important to you or that you didn’t realise were important to you like self care, an interest/hobby, fond memories, achieving goals etc.

Writing it down gets the thoughts filed away

Just like a filing cabinet, you’ll have areas where you can file away those thoughts onto paper (or in mobile apps) to refer to when you need to.

We get so caught up in the every day that our poor brains are working over time to remember everything that needs to be done. If you can simplify your home life by writing things down, you’ll find so much more time to think about what it is you would really rather be doing with your time.

Writing it down makes you accountable

This is one of the best things about writing it down for me. It makes me accountable for what needs to be done. I can see something that needs doing and if I don’t write it down, it doesn’t get done.

Writing a to do list gives you order and direction when it comes to keeping on top of things in your home. It’s humanly impossible to remember everything that you see needs to be done with everything else going on in your life.

Whether you’ve got children or not, we’re taking in even more information than we did say 20 or more years ago. We’re bombarded with ideas on social media which we think might work in our home. We get busy trying to think of ways to implement those ideas while still trying to remember everything else that needs to be done in the home.

Writing a to do list doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be written down on anything. It doesn’t even have to be written. If you’re more inclined to have your mobile device on you at all times, use an app to record your to do list. For me, I prefer pen and paper.

This process isn’t just for to do lists. It can be used for setting goals, setting appointments, tracking habits, tracking finances, menu planning, recording important information, journalling thoughts or must haves on your next shopping trip.

Writing it down helps improve your life

Us humans are a funny bunch. We’re always trying to improve on our lives in some way. This is most evident at the start of a new year when all the New Year’s resolutions are set. After week 3 of the new year, you’re back at work, the children are back at school, you’re caught up in the everyday routine again and you’ve forgotten all about those resolutions. By the end of the year, you’re no better off than you were at the start.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone. If you’re not writing those goals down and, even more importantly, writing down the steps to achieve those goals, it’s just a wish.

An example of organising a space in your home

If you want to be more organised, what steps are you going to take to become more organised? Think about the process you need to follow and write those steps down on your to do list, your daily goals list, a white board, a vision board or use an app to receive a daily reminder. Here’s an example of steps you need to take to organise a space in your home.

Step 1: Create a list of goals you want to achieve. That could be “organise the linen closet” or “keep the car tidy” etc.

Step 2: Focus on that one area of your home at a time.

Step 3: Break that area up into manageable tasks, eg one shelf, one drawer etc.

Step 4: Write it down on your to do list to “sort sock drawer”, “organise utensil drawer”, “refold towels on towel shelf in linen closet”, “remove rubbish from car every time you get home”, for example.

Step 5: Handle each item in that area only once. Decide if it needs to be put somewhere else in it’s forever home, if it is to be thrown out, if it is to be donated or sold.

Step 6: Once sorted, action those items by listing them for sale, taken them to the car to be donated or toss them in the bin straight away.

Step 7: Tick it off your to do list as being done and set yourself another item on your to do list to achieve the goal you set out to do.

Writing it down helps manage your emotions

By writing down how you feel about something, it may not be as bad as what you originally thought.

I can remember when I became a mother for the first time. I really didn’t know what I had gotten myself in for. I was such a well organised, level headed, responsible person. I couldn’t work out why I wasn’t coping and how I could ever manage to keep house and look after a new baby.

Besides having Post Natal Depression and being OCD about a lot of things, I had regular visits from a social worker who gave me a very good piece of advice. She said to write down exactly what happened in that moment you weren’t coping.

Writing it down helps you remember later

For example, my daughter was about 12 months old. I was invited to a ‘party’ of some sort (like Tupperware etc – can’t even remember now). I had planned the day to a ‘T’. She was just about to go for her regular (like clockwork) afternoon nap just before I was due to leave. Just before I left I checked on her and she had taken off her dirty nappy and plastered the contents all over the bedding, the cot, the walls and all over herself. I was flabbergasted. I couldn’t believe my luck. It was one of the first times in her 12 months of being alive that I was actually going to leave her.

I got busy cleaning it all up, giving her a bath and put her down again only to arrive at the party at the end of it. I sat for a breather, a good cry, a hot cup of tea and a chat with the other ladies and then went home. Even that was enough to get me over the ‘episode’ but I wrote it all down. The whole thing.

A week or so later when I wrote something else down in this journal I was keeping, I looked back at that day and laughed. Even now I think back to how funny it was and just perfect timing on my daughter’s part. She had never done anything like that before. The most important thing was that I gave myself a good pat on the back for getting through it and managing it well (even if I did cry). It proved that I was able to get through some pretty adverse situations.

Journalling helps you find more ‘me’ time

This has helped in so many other areas of my life. The death of my mother, the breakdown of my marriage, my fitness journey (which I need to get back on) and the lives of my children. They are now 13 and 11 and there are still times I need to write down difficult situations which I can, hopefully, look back on with fondness.

Keep a journal or write your thoughts down in your planner or diary. Get those feelings down on paper so they’re not brewing inside of you into something bigger you may have to handle with all the other things going on in your life. Look at journalling as part of your ‘me’ time. It allows you to focus on your thoughts and improve your overall well being. Your dreams and visions have a better chance of becoming a reality.

Helps create a more organised you

Just like the memory on your mobile phone, once that space is used up, there’s no more room for photos, downloads or new apps. It needs to be transferred to another device or deleted. Just like your memory. There is a point that it’s full or overloaded and it’s impossible to think or plan of any new ideas.

I’ve always thought of myself as having an excellent memory but as I’ve got older, had children and become a stay at home mumpreneur there’s only so much I can remember in my brain before it gets full. This doesn’t allow much room for thinking about things I love or want to do for myself.

By writing it down, it’s left my memory bank for me to deal with. I can then move it to another list, action it and then delete it.

Like I mentioned before, my husband says I always have too many boxes open and it’s true. With all those boxes in my head full of ideas and things to do, it’s near impossible to try and remember it all.

Set appointments with yourself

Another reason why you should write things down is to set appointments. I’m not just talking about your regular dental check up or the parent teacher interview at your child’s school. I’m talking more importantly about appointments you set with yourself. If you want to find more ‘me’ time in your life you need to schedule that time in your diary.

We set out the day with good intentions. You might say I’m going to walk for 5 minutes, go to the gym, paint your nails, colour your hair (these are all things I try to remember to do) but if you take into account how busy your day gets or you lose track of time you spend on a particular job, you’ll forget all about yourself and it just won’t happen.

You’re the most important person here. If you’re not scheduling in regular time for yourself it will never happen. You’ll never get closer to achieving your personal goals and before you know it, your life will be over.

Write them in your diary or record them in your online calendar. Keep it with you wherever you go so you can write down things at any time. Take care of number one first!