You decide it’s time to tidy up your house. You are full of enthusiasm and energy. But after a while you hardly see a tooth in the piles. You get discouraged and quit.

If you’ve made any of the mistakes below, you could be sabotaging yourself. Learn what to do instead and you’ll be on your way to success!

Mistake 1: Tackle big jobs without a plan.

You jump feet first and start to punt. You take everything out of the closet and throw it in one big pile.

You underestimate how much time and effort it takes. No wonder you get discouraged and quit.

What to do instead: Make a plan. Divide a large job into smaller jobs.

• Set a timer for 15 minutes and work on one small area at a time. Schedule those 15 minutes on your calendar to remind yourself to do this every day.
• Plan to work on one part of a room, closet, etc. at a time Complete cleaning and cleaning of one section before moving on to another.

Mistake 2: Letting perfectionism make you procrastinate.

Do you keep putting off your cleaning project because you don’t have a huge amount of time to work on it? Can’t get started because you haven’t found the right kind of storage boxes or shelves yet? If you’re procrastinating because it’s not the perfect timing or the perfect storage bins, then you’re letting your perfectionism hold you back before you’ve even started.

What to do instead: The best way to overcome procrastination and perfectionism is to start small and with the easy stuff. Use a timer or even commercial breaks during your TV show.

1. Start by putting obvious trash in the trash can or recycling bin.

• old newspapers
• unwanted mail
• all kinds of empty food wrappers
• empty soda bottles
• empty packages, bags, etc.

2. Clean items belonging to other rooms. Gather them in a laundry basket and take them to the room where they belong.

Mistake 3: going alone.

You know you’re smart enough to figure out how to order once and for all. But every time you start a project, you end up discouraged and quit.

You are ashamed to ask for help. You don’t want anyone to think you’re a failure.

What to do instead: The formula for clearing and losing weight is the same. Calories in vs. calories burned. Things come into the home vs. things that come out of the house It’s a simple concept but difficult for most people to do without help.

Help comes in many forms.

• Self-education: books, blogs, articles, etc.
• Personal help: friends, family.
• Virtual support and encouragement: Twitter groups, Facebook pages, blogs, forums
• Professional virtual help: e-courses, one-on-one emails
• Professional Organizer Help: Phone Calls, Practices at Home
• Occupational Therapist: Find someone who works with emotional issues that cause excessive clutter and hoarding.

Remember that the turtle crossed the finish line taking one small step at a time.