Getting Organized! And win free book!
One of my goals for 2010 is to be more organized. I have a very difficult time working in clutter and disorganization. Now I am not generally a messy, disorganized person. I may be, however, slightly OCD, always seeking to find the perfect place for each item in both my business and personal life and becoming a little less productive and slightly annoyed when things are out of place. Last month, while hanging out at Borders, I stumbled upon a little book called, “Organize Now!” by Jennifer Ford Berry.
This little book is packed full of information on how to organize many aspects of your life. It provides 52 weeks of marching orders to make sure by the end of the year, if you stick to it, your life will be much more manageable. Areas of life that this book helps you organize include yourself, your papers, your things, your high-traffic areas, your personal spaces, your storage areas, and your special events.
The first thing that I decided to tackle is email. I have multiple email accounts with a combined over 15,000 emails, including about 1000 “unread.” I started with my Gmail account. Beginning with December and going backwards, I am tackling a month’s worth of email each day. I am reading and deleting both email I received and emails I sent, only keeping email that I really, really need. Not only does Organize Now give tips on how to clear out email, it also gives tips on how to keep your email boxes clear of clutter. Now there are definitely tips that Berry provides that are obvious. I mean, really, it does not take a book for me to know that deleting old, unnecessary email is the key to having fewer emails in my box! But what Berry’s book does for me is give me a systematic set of reminders as to what I should do as well as some great ideas as to how to organize and to actually DO IT!
Although Berry's book has been very helpful to me, I am not suggesting that everyone needs it to get orgazined. I think the key is to have some sort of game plan to get organized and another plan to stay organized. If having someone write the script for you helps, then I do recommend “Organize Now!”
Do you have any tips on getting or staying organized and getting rid of clutter? Post your tips and I will enter your name into a drawing for a FREE copy of Organze Now!! You must leave your comment by January 31, 2010. You also must leave your email address so that I can contact you.
Stacey Montgomery
Stacey M Design
posted by StaceyMDesign at Thursday, January 14, 2010
10 Comments:
Here's my tip: Lots of kids = lots of clutter in my van. I purchased a basket with a handle that fits perfectly on the floor between the 2 front seats. I keep books, pencils, pens, receipts, etc. in there. Once a week or so, I carry the whole thing inside, sort through it, and toss or file. Then the basket goes back to my van.
Thank you, Lisa! I had the same problem. I felt like I lived in my car as I spent so much time driving to retailers for appointments. My son made the backseat his room-- crayons, food wrappers, crumbs, books, pens, etc. I need a basket!
Stacey Montgomery
Stacey M Design
My tips are:
1. When you pick something up in your home, office, vehicle, no matter what it is, you need to make a choice right then and there; either Keep/File; Toss/Pitch, Give/Donate or Sell/Yard Sale. This way you're not constantly picking up and setting back down the same papers, etc. over and over; make a decision regarding them and stick to it.
2. Stay on top of daily housekeeping and clutter in every room of your house as much as possible; daily would be ideal; especially your office, instead of letting things just pile up. Daily housekeeping makes life so much easier than trying to clean and organize the whole house at once.
3. Do a whole cleanout each year of your cabinets, drawers, office, etc.
Great blog, Stacey!
Nancy
Thanks, Nancy!
Stacey Montgmery
Stacey M Design
Hi Stacey,
nice blog.
My Tip is Don't put it down put it away in a permanent place.
my email is nemysolomon@hotmail.com
regards Nat Solomon
That is my biggest problem, Nat. When I start putting things in piles and plan to "get to it later."
Thanks for the tip.
Stacey
Stacey M Design
Stacey; sigh I need the book. I wish I could give you a tip, because I have difficulty with organization and clutter. Badly. BUT I do have a basket that my husband and I put ALL receipts in, no matter what they are. Every few weeks I take them out, and put them in one of 12 9 x 12" envelope that have each month of the year written on the front. At the end of the year when I have to do the taxes, there are all receipts, month by month. I have the dreaded email mess going too. I am DETERMINED to get this house together, and if I don't win the book, I will buy it, lol. Thanks Stacey!!!!
Hey Patti:
I have difficutlties with receipts. I do put them all in one place (sometimes). I need to just enter them into Quickbooks weekly or monthly.
Thanks for you tip!
Stacey Montgomery
Stacey M Design
Stacy, the cubby hole open cabinet kind of thing I bought years ago at an office supply has helped me a lot over the years to quickly find materials I need. I even labeled a cubby with each of my children's names. Most helpful is a "pending" cubby for things like airline tickets or theater tickets. Thanks for all your comments on GCP mailing list! I read them with interest. Kathleen
I would love to learn more about office organization! My piles are taking over! I think the only solution because I never seem to feel that I have time to tackle it, is to make a daily or weekly plan to do a little at a time.
Jeanne
sundaycoffee1@yahoo.com
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