Today I lost my keys

Yup, I admit it. I'm a professional organizer and I lost my keys.

Now that you've picked yourself up off the floor, read on! What's that? You're not shocked? Either you know me (haha) or you realize that we all slip up from time to time, even the supposedly chronically organized.

Losing my keys caused quite a panic for about 20 minutes as I searched the house, pockets, bags, and boxes, and contemplated canceling my appointments for the rest of the day if I truly couldn't leave the house. I finally found them in the passenger footwell of my car, under a CD case. They wound up there because we got back from Christmas vacation yesterday, and they evidently didn't make it back to their customary spot in the flurry of unpacking.

Here's the lesson I learned: when you come back from vacation and you're unpacking and putting everything away, double check the items you'll need at hand when you get back to your regular routine. What will you need when you walk out the door for your first day back at work? What will the kids need when they're getting ready for the first day back at school? Is everything in the place you would normally have it, ready to go?

If you don't have a place for your keys and purse, make a place right now! Then promise yourself that you'll always put your keys and purse/bag there as a part of your coming home routine, whether you're coming home from a trip to the grocery store, or a two week vacation.

Another lesson I learned today is that even though I'm a professional organizer, I'm not always organized. I've chosen organizing as a career because I like organizing. But I make the same mistakes we all do - putting off that stack of filing to-do, keeping way too many clothes in my closet, and... misplacing my keys.

Take a few moments to think about small yet important things (like your keys) that cause you great stress if they're lost, and decide right now to give yourself the gift of NOT losing your keys or wallet or cell phone in the New Year!