This beautiful young lady is my niece, Jianna. Last weekend, I helped her get ready for her end of the year dance recital. Jianna did a wonderful job and had lots of fun dancing with her friends! 
She was so happy! And her Auntie Cathy is so proud of her! If you like to dance just as much as Jianna and I do, you’ve probably heard of the term “muscle memory.” This is when our muscles remember movements even after our brains forget them (and why I can remember so many of the dances that I learned when I was Jianna's age...and all of the songs that go with them!) The more I practiced, the better I knew the steps, and so my muscles "remembered" the dances.
We all use our muscle memory for various daily living activities. While brushing our teeth, walking down the street, or driving a car, we are using our muscle memories. This is because when we do something repeatedly, pretty soon it becomes a natural reflex.
The same principal holds true for organizing. The more times we repeat a motion, the more likely we are to remember it. So lets pretend that every time I come home, I put my keys exactly where they belong (in the little yellow basket next to the back door.) If I do this on a regular basis, pretty soon I’m forming a new habit (or muscle memory) and the motion will become a part of my daily routine. But best of all, my keys will always be there, exactly where I hoped they would be.
Just like learning new dancing steps, we can practice new organizing steps, too. Is there one item in particular that you are consistently prone to losing? Like keys, a wallet or a cell phone? If so, exercise your memory muscles! Practice putting that one item away in the same location every single day. By doing this, you will be engaged in the process of creating a brand new daily habit. Eventually it will become second nature to you. And then guess what??? No more lost keys! Now that's really something to dance about! : )
Happy organizing, saving & dancing!
Cathy
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