One of the best ways that I’ve found to keep me focused on weight loss recently is getting organized.

Most importantly getting organized can take away some of the excuses for not working out or eating properly.

For many years my house and work space have been a complete mess. I first started with my workspace after reading a post titled “The Benefits of a Clean and Tidy Workspace”. I had papers all over the place, dust on my pictures and drawers overflowing with junk. In general everything was cluttered and only added to an already stressful day.

At the Office

Once I cleaned and organized my desk and drawers I made space for my healthy snacks, my food journal as well as a place to keep my “motivational” items. Which include a list of my goals and a picture of me at my heaviest.

In the Kitchen

This is the area that you will see the most benefit from getting organized. I have all my Tupperware, saran wrap and baggies organized in the cupboards. This makes it easy to prepare my lunches and snacks for the week.

In the fridge, everything has a place.

Fruits in the right drawer, veggies in the left.

Drink containers, Yogurt, sauces and spreads on the top shelve.

Larger veggies and fruit, like cantaloupe, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, cut up pineapples and watermelon, and romaine lettuce all go on the middle shelve.

Meats and milk stay on the bottom shelve.

Condiments and salad dressings go in the door.

The same kind of organization goes for the freezer and the pantry. Knowing where everything is reduces the time it takes to prepare your meals and some of the stress involved.

In your home gym or workout area

If you are like me they you have a space in your house where you like to workout and store all of your exercise related items. I have my treadmill, exercise mat, dumbbells exercise ball, and workout shoes stored in one corner of my basement.

I’ve recently started keeping my workout clothes down there as well. I keep at least 2 sets hanging clean and ready to go when I need them. When I’m done with my workout all the equipment gets cleaned and put back in its original place.

In your bathroom

The room with the mirror. This is where I weigh in, take my measurements and get a good look at where the pounds and inches are coming off. An organized bathroom is so important. It’s usually the first place you go to in the morning and can set the tone for the rest of the day.

My scale, measuring tape and record book are all neatly placed beside the vanity for easy access. I also have a spot on my mirror where I keep another picture of myself when I was overweight. It serves as a reminder of how far I’ve come.

Final thought on getting organized

A huge part of losing weight is changing your lifestyle. I believe that mess and clutter go hand in hand with your weight problems. I also think that for most people if their house and work space are constantly disorganized chances are that their thoughts are too. And that is where the real battle of the bulge is fought.

One last tip

I used to always forget to take my multi-vitamin in the morning. The bottle was stored in a cupboard with all the other odds and ends (medicine, gravy boat etc..). Since getting organized I have moved them to a shelve in the hall where I keep my keys. Now I can’t leave the house without seeing the bottle and I haven’t had a day without one since.