如何整理你的生活：有条理的人的10个好习惯

　　Really organized people are not born organized people. They have to cultivate healthy habits, which then help them to stay organized. Here are the essential ten habits they use to keep their lives in order:事实上，能做到有条不紊的人不是天生的。他们需要培养正确的习惯，这些习惯帮助他们做到有条不紊。这里10条不可或缺的习惯保证生活过得井井有条：

　　1. Write Things Down把事情写下来

　　We all know someone that remembers every birthday and sends cards for every holiday. It's not magic and they don't use memorization. Trying to remember things will not help you to stay organized. You should try writing things down。我们都知道有人能记得每一个生日，在每一个节日里都会送出贺卡。这不是魔法，他们不靠记忆。试图记住并不会帮助你做到有条不紊，你应该试着把它们写下来。

　　A pen and some paper is our way of remembering things externally, and it's much more permanent. You can also use a computer or a smart phone. You will only further complicate your life by trying to contain important dates and reminders in your head. Write down everything: shopping lists for groceries, holiday gifts, home decor, and important dates like meetings and birthdays。除了大脑记忆以外，我们要记忆靠的是钢笔和纸，而且它更为持久。你还可以使用电脑或智能手机。如果你想靠大脑来记忆重要的数据和备忘，只会让你的生活变得更为杂乱。写下一切：购物清单、节日礼品、家居装饰，以及如会议和生日这样重要的日子。

　　As an experiment, try writing down people's names shortly after you meet them (when they're not looking). I'll bet you remember a lot more names that way。实验练习：在你见到人们后不久，试着写下他们的名字(当他们没看见的时候)。我敢打赌那样做你能记住更多的名字。

　　2. Make Schedules and Deadlines注意时间表和最后期限

　　Organized people don't waste time. They recognize that keeping things organized goes hand-in-hand with staying productive. They make and keep schedules for the day and week. They make deadlines and set goals. And most importantly, they stick to them! Similarly, by living a cluttered lifestyle, you will not have the time or space to make your deadlines or achieve your goals。有条理的人不会浪费时间。他们认识到保持事情井井有条就有生产动力。他们为每一天、每一星期都做了时间表。他们给出了最后期限，设定了目标。最重要的是，他们坚持实践！同样地，以混乱的生活方式活着，你没有时间和空间去制订任务的最后期限或实现你的目标。

　　As an experiment, look at your bucket list or make one. Write down the things you want to achieve this year or in your life. Then write down what you need to do to achieve them。实验练习：看看你的清单或是做一张列表。写下你想在今年或在你的生命中要完成的事。然后写下要实现它们你所需要做的。

　　3. Don't Procrastinate不要拖延

　　The longer you wait to do something, the more difficult it will be to get it done. If you want your life to be less stressful and less demanding, then organize as soon as you can. Putting in the effort to get things done as soon as possible will lift the weight off of you from doing it later。等待得越久，你要做的那件事就变得越难做到。如果你希望你的生活压力小些，要求少些，那就尽快有序安排。付出努力尽快完成会缓解在将来完成它们时所带给你的压力。

　　As an experiment, think of one thing that you should organize in your life. Write it down. Then write down when you can do it and what you need to get it done. If you can get it done right now, then go do it!实验练习：想一件你应该在生活中安排起来的事。把这件事写下来。然后写下什么时候你能做，以及完成它你需要做什么。如果现在你能够完成，那就动手做！

　　4. Give Everything a Home让一切都有一个着落

　　It's easy to get lost if you don't have a home. Keeping your life organized means keeping your things in their proper places. Organized people keep order by storing things properly and by labeling storage spaces。如果你没有家，你很容易迷失。保持生活井井有条意味着你把它们安排在了合理的地方。有条理的人恰当地安排事物，并给存储空间贴了标签。

　　Make easy-to-access storage spaces for things you use all the time, and don't let your storage spaces get cluttered. Be creative about finding places for things. In addition, as a BIG NO: never label a storage space as “miscellaneous!”把你总是要用的东西放在随手可得的地方，不要混乱了你的存储空间。创造性地为事物寻找存储地方。此外，有一条大禁忌：不要为存储空间贴上“其他”的标签！

　　As an experiment, choose one place in your home that you can re-organize. If there are scattered items, then group them together. Once you've sorted everything, find or make a “home” for similar items, label the “homes,” and put them in the proper places. For example, a cup holder for your pens and pencils should go in an easily accessible place, but the rarely used craft materials can be stored out of sight。实验练习：在家里选一处你可以重新整理的地方。如果有杂七杂八的东西，那么把它们归类到一起。假如你对一切都分好类了，为类似的物品找一处或腾出一处地方给它们安个“家”，贴上标签，并把它们放在恰当的地方。比如说，装了钢笔和铅笔的杯子应该放在一个触手可及的地方，很少使用到的工艺材料可以放进储物间里藏着。

　　5. Declutter Regularly定期整理

　　Find time each week to organize. Highly organized people make sure they find time every week, or more, to organize there things. Stuff does not stay organized on its own; it needs to be reorganized continuously and consistently。每个星期花点时间去整理。条理性很强的人一定是每周找出一点或是更多的时间来整理这些物品。物品自己不会有序排列好，它们需要不停地重组。

　　As an experiment, look at your schedule and find a time to organize, then do it。实验练习：看看你的日程表，找出时间整理一下，然后执行。

　　6. Keep Only What You Need只保留你需要的

　　More stuff means more clutter. People who live organized lives only keep what they need and what they really really want. Having fewer things also means that you enjoy those things more and feel better about using everything you own, rather than letting half of what you own collect dust。东西的增多意味着更杂乱。过着井井有条的生活的人们，他们只保留需要的和真的想要的。物品少了，也意味着你享受更多的东西，在使用你自己所拥有的一切时感觉会更好，而不是让你所拥有的一半物品落满灰尘。

　　Have you ever felt like you don't have the space to keep all the stuff you own? Instead of renting a storage unit or buying a larger home, get rid of some things。你有没有觉得你没有空间存放所有你自己的东西？与其租一个仓库或买一个更大的房子，还不如处理掉一些东西。

　　As an experiment, write down the number of things you think you actually need. Then, write a list of all the things that you own. If the number of things you actually own exceeds your ideal need list, then it's time to organize。实验练习：写下你认为真正需要的物品的数量，然后写一张所有你已经拥有的物品列表。如果你实际拥有的超过你期望需要的，那么是时候整理一下了。

　　7. Know Where to Discard Items知道在哪里处理物品

　　Do whatever you can to get rid of stuff. Less stuff means less clutter. Donate to thrift stores. Sell on eBay. Take a trip to the recycling center. Set up a garage sale. Find a place to get rid of your things。尽一切手段处理物品。物品少了意味着杂乱少了。捐赠给旧货店，在易趣eBay上出售，去一趟回收中心，在车库里搭一个销售点，总之找个地方处理掉你的东西。

　　As an experiment, choose one space in your house to purge. Go through shelves, drawers, and boxes. Everything you find that you don't need, set aside. Make a pile of things to maybe keep, which you can go through later, and a pile of things to discard now. Then find a way to kick those things out the door immediately。实验练习：在你家里选个处理物品的地方。看一看书架、抽屉和盒子。任何你不需要的东西，都放在一边。把可能需要用到的放一堆，把马上要处理的放一堆。然后想个方法把这些物品马上处理掉。

　　8. Stay Away from Bargains远离便宜货

　　You have removed the things you don't need. Will you replace them when you see something on sale? Instead of bargain shopping without planning ahead, write down exactly what you need and buy only those items. Organized people do not give in to false advertising. Items on sale will only produce more clutter。你已经处理掉了你不需要的东西。当你看到有折扣品在出售时你会买来替换它们吗？如果不想在没事先计划的情况下购买折扣品，确切地写下你需要的，只购买那些物品。有条理性的人们不会听从虚假广告。购买特价出售的商品只会让生活越来越混乱。

　　As an experiment, go to a shopping mall with no money. Just look at all the things on sale that you wish you could buy if you had brought your wallet or purse. If you find nothing, then good for you. If you made a list, then keep that list somewhere and look at it a month from now. If you still want it, then it's safe to buy。实验练习：不带钱去购物中心。如果你带着你的钱包或手提包，只看那些你希望你会购买的东西。如果你没选中什么东西，你也没损失。如果你做了一张列表，然后把这张列表放在某个地方，从现在开始的一个月时不时地看一看它。如果你仍然想买，那买了也就无悔了。

　　9. Delegate Responsibilities委派职责

　　A really organized life is not overfilled with responsibilities, meetings, and deadlines. In fact, it has less because things that create stress have been slowly organized out。真正组织有序的生活不会充满职责、会议和最后期限。事实上，这种情况很少，因为会产生压力的事情已经慢慢编排好了。

　　As an experiment, look at your to-do list or make one. Go through the list and find one task that you can remove from your list or give to someone else. Now feel the stress of having to do it fall away。实验练习：看看你的工作清单或做一张清单。通读列表，找出一个可以从列表中删除或转交给别人的任务，现在那股不得不去完成它的压力就消失了。

　　10. Work Hard努力工作

　　Put in a little effort. Actually, put in a lot of effort when necessary. Once you have delegated responsibilities and made a schedule, then you can organize what you have to do and when you can do it. Staying organized is not all a breeze. It requires that you work hard with recognition that when you work harder, you can enjoy your clutter-free home life later。再努力一点。事实上，在必要的时候，要投入大量的精力。一旦你已经委托他人职责，也做好安排表，然后你可以组织安排好你要做的和你什么时候去做。保持条理性不是轻而易举的事情。它要求当你努力工作时，能机智地努力工作，那样你就可以享受整洁舒心的家庭生活了。

　　As an experiment, worker harder when you feel like giving up today。实验练习：当你今天想要放弃时，努力工作。