Spring’s Four Ideas on Organizing for Exercise

As a professional declutter coach and home organizer, I work with people holistically, meaning on ALL the aspects of getting organized. My goal is for our efforts to last a lifetime. For that to happen, health must be a part of the picture. So I take time to help client-friends figure out how to make exercise a part of daily life – and I’ve done this in my own life, too! Here are my four organizing ideas for exercise.

1 – Make space (at home and on the calendar)

Whether we want to exercise at home, take more walks, or join Rachel’s wonderful groups, our exercise gear needs a home. It may be as simple as decluttering and organizing shoes by the front door so it’s easy to put them on, or as complex as clearing clutter from a whole room or area in order to set up a workout space.

Whatever we need to get the exercise we want, we must make time to clear and create the space. And we must honor that time as we would an important doctor appointment. (This is doctor appointment prevention!)

Example from my life:

To keep my body limber and strong for my busy life, I wanted to do physical therapy and stretching each morning before starting my day. 

I cleared a corner of my bedroom, splurged on a super fuzzy rug, and put my tools and small weights in the corner, along with a motivating vision board. This didn’t happen overnight – sometimes I took chunks of time, sometimes I worked in microbursts, but I kept going until I felt like Goldilocks—I’d gotten it just right.

Now I have to walk by that spot every morning when I get out of bed, and miracle of miracles, I’m doing something with those tools and weights every day! 

What can you do to make space for exercise?

2 – Make it easy

I like to think through desired activities and address aaallll the aspects necessary to make the activity so easy it’s ridiculous NOT to do it. 

If you want space at home for exercising, what’s the easiest way to make that space available? Even if you create clutter somewhere else. If exercising is a top priority then that’s ok! (Reach out to me if you need extra support on this.)

Examples from my and clients’ lives: 

• Put a fully packed bag in the car so it’s easy to grab it and go, including shoes, water, protein snacks and extra shirts/socks/shorts.
• Near the front door, put walking shoes, water bottle and a basket for gloves, hats, and socks – anything we might want on a walk or run.
• Have an easily accessible special drawer just for exercise clothes/equipment.
• Have a spot in drawers just for those items – one end of my tank top drawer, stretch pants drawer, and sock drawers is dedicated to what I like to wear for exercising.

What can you do to make it crazy easy to do the exercise thing you want?

3 – Ask your heart for the deepest reasons for exercising

When we make a decision to make exercise a regular part of our lives and fully commit to that decision, no amount of clutter will get in our way. We figure it out, we find ways to make it happen. We don’t give up until our commitment is fulfilled and we’re actually exercising. If we hesitate or resist making a decision, it’s often because we haven’t found a good enough reason to do it. 

When there’s hesitation, it’s time to dig deep and find your heart’s deepest reasons for making space to exercise. So ask your heart: why is it important for me to do this?

Some examples of these deep whys: 

• Wanting to be able to lift and hold our grandkids when we’re 80.
• Wanting to prevent the heart attack that killed a loved one.
• Aching to finally feel better in and about our bodies after a lifetime of self abuse.

I love this quote by W. H. Murray because I see it so often in my and my clients’ lives: 

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back…the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision…”

What are your deepest motivating whys for making space in your home and life to exercise?

4 – Organize your time (and let it be easy)

To create healthy habits takes thinking ahead, planning and practicing, which is why we often don’t do them. We tell ourselves, often subconsciously, “I don’t have time,” or “it’s too hard.”

For people with ADHD and other executive functioning challenges, this can feel extra tough.  But if we want a healthy life, we must do some tough things!

A few minutes at the beginning of the month, week and each day can be all it takes to look ahead and plan. We can ask, “when will I fit in exercise?” and plan ahead to carve that time out. As author and coach Marie Forleo says, “Everything is figureoutable.”

Examples:

• Look at the week ahead and decide when and where you’ll fit in exercise. 
• Schedule times on a print or digital calendar and add reminders, then get the necessary items ready to make it easy.

Where does exercising fit into your day, week, month, life? 

Do you need to take time to clear clutter, organize and plan ahead? If you want support making this happen, please reach out to me! I’m passionate about this topic and have helped hundreds of people clear space for their deepest desires.

May we all live a life full of vigor and good health!

Spring Courtright has been a professional organizer since 2014 and began offering services as a virtual declutter coach during the Covid pandemic. She trained with Marie Kondo, and draws on many other organizing methodologies. She spent years overcoming personal challenges with clutter, anxiety and depression and loves helping others on this journey, making space to be organized and still have space for the wild passions of their lives.  She’s found a deep peace in her home, mind and life and can help you find it too. Her company is TidyWild Organizing and she’ll happily meet you on Zoom for a free consultation.