You did it! you’ve got your systems in place and life looks good, then BAM! You miss a day and things start to pile up and you wonder how the heck you will maintain the goodness you just achieved. 

Anytime we create a new habit in our life, whether it be a new exercise routine or an organizational system, it’s not uncommon to fear that you won’t maintain it. 

The 3 DAY PASS is the key to staying sane and maintained! 

Let’s face it, we are all busy. We can’t always go through mail right away, file paperwork, hang up our clothes, etc, etc. 

The 3 DAY PASS can help.

It’s simple, do not let any system go for more than 3 days.

It’s unrealistic to think we are able to stay on top of everything all of the time. On busy days, there may not be time (or energy!) to keep things maintained in every moment. You find yourself feeling defeated, thinking you are not capable of the organizational systems you created and you are fearful you will be back to square one. You won’t. Commit to these steps to ensure you have created a habit that is sustainable and fits your lifestyle….and take the pressure off of yourself. Your space does not have to look “pinterest worthy” every day. It needs to fit your lifestyle, to allow you to feel in control without being overwhelmed.

Here’s an example of how I use the 3 DAY PASS when it comes to maintaining my closet. 

DAY 1

Let’s say I wear jeans and a button down one day (basically my uniform!). The same day, a load of my laundry is done and I have a pile of clean clothes on the ottoman in my closet. I worked all day, made dinner, took my son to practice and now it’s time for bed. I’m tired. I just do not have the energy to put it all away that night and I am unsure as to whether or not my jeans and button down need to go in the laundry OR if I can get one more wear before washing. So, I lay them on the ottoman (on top of the clean folded laundry that has yet to be put away). I let it go and head to bed. I will make a better decision when I feel refreshed. 

DAY 2

I’m up and out. Exercise, shower, work, cook, kids, etc. I do, however, find a 10 minute window after I’ve showered to put my folded clothes away that were on the ottoman. WINNING! The jury is still out as to whether the jeans and button down stay or go in the wash. Give it a sniff test, if you must. 

DAY 3

I’ve decided to throw the jeans on today (yes, the ones on the ottoman) and get one more wear out of them before washing. My hubby happens to be taking stuff to the dry cleaners so I give him the button down to take as well. 

Viola!  BY DAY 3, my closet has been maintained. No pressure, no overwhelm, just a 3 DAY PASS I give myself that works for my lifestyle and keeps me sane. You can apply this to any new habit/system in your life (except maybe dirty dishes in the sink!).

Ideally, you apply the 3 DAY PASS in one or two areas at a time. If you are finding you can’t maintain your systems in ANY area, then maybe it’s time to take another look at those. 

If this is the case, schedule a free phone consultation and we can talk about it!