Closed September 2017

E is for “Efficient”

This is the fifth post in a series on our N.E.A.T.E.R. definition of what it means to be organized. For the last few weeks I have been talking more in depth about what each one of these words means.

Our Definition of "Organized:"

Carpool2 Not Perfect, but…
Effective– doing what works best
Always improving
True to your style
Efficient- not wasting time and energy
Ready for anything- being prepared for life

(NEATER acronym © 2006-2009, Clutter Diet, Inc.)

Being efficient means doing things with minimum waste of time and effort. Carpooling is one of the best examples of efficiency. You're already going there, and I am already going there, so let's go there together, saving time, energy, and money!

If you have several tasks to do, think first of the one that could be simultaneously running while others are being done. For example, you can start the laundry first before straightening the kitchen, since the washing machine and dryer can be running without you. You can put dinner in a slow cooker first while you go about your day. Back in May I wrote a popular post about this idea, which I am calling "Duotasking." (Read "Forget Multitasking–Try DUOTASKING!" for more thoughts on this concept.)

Efficiency, for me personally, is one of the most important words in our definition. I think there are some people who primarily like getting organized for the sake of neatness itself, and there are others who like getting organized primarily because they cannot stand to waste time. I am definitely in the latter camp. I want to organize because it lets me spend more time on things I want to do the most. (Read a previous post about this, "Form vs. Function: Which One Are You?")

Next week we cover the last letter in our N.E.A.T.E.R. definition, R for "Ready for anything." I hope you're enjoying this series! What are your greatest efficiency gains, your best Duotasking ideas, and your opinions on organizing for form vs. function reasons? Share in the comments!

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One Comment

Carole

Hi Lorie!
I fall into both camps. I am a clean freak, but I’m really busy – so I need to be efficient. I rely on my system to keep things clean without having to spend tons of time doing it. I’m a big believer in efficiency!

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