I had a birthday last month and one of my presents was the book You, Staying Young by Drs. Michael Roizen & Mehmet Oz.  The authors document the many ways our bodies break down as we age, but the section on memory and the brain was particularly worrisome.  We really do start to forget things as we age.  We can take some steps to minimize the impact, but it does become more challenging to remember where we put the keys and a host of other things.

It made me think about the many clients I've heard say "I know these piles LOOK messy, but I know where everything is, so it's not a problem."  Does that sound like you? 

Well, knowing and remembering can be two different things!  As we acquire more things, and as we age and have more problems with our memories, we can't always just rely on memory to find where our things are.  When we're in a hurry and we suddenly need the phone number of that person we met two months ago, we may "know" it's in that pile on the corner of the table, but finding it in that pile can take us more time than we have available just then.  And how distracted do we get when we have to go through the whole pile to find it? 

We need SYSTEMS to make memory-retrieval easier, especially with things like paper, which can all look alike and can easily become hidden in a pile.  Don't worry - you don't HAVE to use a traditional filing system (although it does work very well for many people).  There are lots of different systems that can work - baskets, action files, color-coding, even scanning into the computer.  The trick is to find the system that will work for YOU and to start using it on the things you really NEED to be able to find quickly (like your household or business bills).

This is where a Professional Organizer can help.  Even the task of Sorting, which is a crucial early step in organizing any group of items, depends on coming up with the right categories to sort by.  A trained Professional Organizer can help you think those categories through. 

So, how is your memory these days?  Unless you have a photographic memory and can easily retrieve each memory when you need it to find those cuff links or those keys, think about taking the time to start creating systems that will carry you through as you get a little older and/or busier.  There are lots of systems out there.  Check them out yourself to see what will work for you, or get some help with suggestions from your favorite Professional Organizer!