A Therapist's Guide to Getting Organized in 2026
I recently got ready to head out of town for a few weeks. I like to plan, so I created a loose itinerary and had a list of tasks in my head that needed to get done before I signed off and headed to the airport. However, the day before our departure, I found myself spiraling under the weight of all of the things I had left to do in the little time I had left.
I have enough experience to catch myself and reset, but in the past, I would have taken out my stress on everyone around me and stayed up all night to get the laundry list of tasks done.
I did not want to fall back into that old pattern of overwhelm, so here’s what helped.
Getting organized helps us be intentional about how we spend our time, so we can create a life that supports us and lets us do as many of the things we want to do as possible. There's a strong connection between a cluttered environment and a cluttered mind, so getting control of our surroundings and our schedules can decrease anxiety, boost productivity, and help us to make good choices.
Step 1: Name Your Overwhelm
Organization starts with self-awareness. Before you invest in the latest planner or project management system or declutter a single drawer, pause and ask:
What’s making me feel overwhelmed?
Is it physical clutter, mental clutter, digital overload, or all of these things?
Identifying your overwhelm is empowering. It helps you target your efforts where they’ll matter most. In my case, the to-do list I created was unrealistic, and I kept postponing the things that had to get done in favour of the things that were easy or more fun. The necessary, not fun things piled up, and there was less and less time to do them, causing me to think that I had too much to do in the 24 hours I had left. The clock was ticking!
Step 2: Take a breath.
The feeling of overwhelm can be described as the thought that you don’t have enough capacity to do what you want to do, and that there will be dire consequences for not getting things done.
Focusing on calming your brain by practicing breathing or grounding techniques helps your decision-making abilities get back online so you can make a reasonable plan.
I reviewed my list of things to do and prioritized them according to what HAD to get done before the holiday and what could wait for the plane ride or after I got back home. There were a few things that didn’t need to get done at all, like baking cookies for the trip, so I crossed them off the list.
Then, I set a timer for 15 minutes and worked in short bursts. This tricks your brain into realizing that the tasks are not as insurmountable as they seem. I made a cup of tea, put on some music, and got to work folding laundry and packing.
It took less than an hour to complete those tasks, and then I moved on to my year-end accounting. Working in short bursts helped with this task, too, as I find accounting very draining.
Then I had to remind myself that done was better than perfect, and I could ask other family members for help and do B+ work so that I could go to bed on time and not sacrifice my sleep, like I used to do.
Step 3: Let go with compassion
When you’re decluttering your physical space, digital space, or your calendar, ask yourself if you're holding onto things out of guilt, fear, or obligation.
Try this exercise:
Look at the item or task and ask, “Does this support the life I want now?”
If not, thank it for its service and let it go with love.
Notice any resistance or old stories that surface. Be kind to yourself; letting go isn’t always easy.
Remember: it’s not about how much you keep or discard, but about making room for what truly matters, like your time, energy, and peace.
It’s important to celebrate your wins, no matter how small, so that you can get a hit of helpful dopamine and reinforce these new habits for yourself.
Did you clean your desk? Cross things off your list?
That’s progress! Then, practice persistence. We all fall off the wagon sometimes. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s to keep coming back, evaluating what is working and not working, and trying again.
The next time you find yourself getting overwhelmed, take a breath and reset by getting organized. You have the power to create clarity from chaos, one gentle step at a time.
