For many people the words, "get organized" invoke
images of drudgery, overwhelm, and something
they will never do. But if you realize there
are a lot of things you can do when you only
have a few minutes, getting clutter under control
may seem more achievable.
In 15 minutes you can tackle the following
areas:
Mail -- Go through your
unopened mail and recycle all the outer envelopes.
Place your bills in a "to be paid" area
and magazines/catalogues where you are likely
to read them (next to your bed, in the bathroom,
in your laptop bag or briefcase for reading
while your waiting for a meeting or appointment).
Finally check your calendar for invites you
receive and respond appropriately.
Desk Drawer -- Is the top drawer of your desk
a collection box for small items? If so, get
rid of any obvious trash; crumpled post-its,
pens that are out of ink, old receipts and
coupons, etc. Put like items together: pens
and pencils, paper and binder clips, items
you need for mailing (envelopes, stamps, return
address labels, etc.). Use old check boxes,
small Tupperware containers, or drawer dividers
to hold like items together.
Pare Down a Collection -- What's your biggest
clutter culprit? Too many office supplies,
coffee mugs galore, or magazines from 10 years
ago? Go through your collection and pull out
4 items you no longer want or need. Put the
items in a box for donation and make a plan
to actually drop-off the donations.
Do a Brain Dump -- Physical
clutter can be distracting and frustrating,
but your own thoughts can have the same effect.
Take out a piece of paper and think about
all the little things that have been "nagging you" or
keeping you up at night. Spend 15 minutes
jotting down these thoughts and then see
if you can schedule them into your calendar.
When you're inspired to spend an hour getting
organized:
Closet -- Go through
your closet and pick three to five outfits
you regularly wear. Put those to the side.
Then go through the rest of your closet and
choose clothes that are stained, ill-fitting,
or qualify for; "why
did I buy that?" Plan to get rid of the
discards in an appropriate manner. Arrange
the clothes you keep by season and like items
together (pants, shirts, skirts, jackets, etc.).
"To Be Filed" Pile
-- Not a great pile to have, but if you have
one, go through it. Give some thought to
the paper you are filing. Should you be saving
it? Are you really going to need it or refer
to it again? Do you have an easy way to locate
it again? Make up new files if you need to.
Make sure whatever you are filing has a home,
so when something like it crosses your desk
again, you can easily file it. While you're
at it, scan your file cabinet for any outdated
files. Can they be moved to an archive spot,
or simply tossed?
Make an Organization Plan -- It's great to
actually clear a space, but what's the point
if you're just going to fill it with clutter
again? Instead spend an hour evaluating one
of your problem spaces and make a plan to keep
it clutter free. Schedule time to go through
the space, decide what containers you will
need to keep the space clean, purchase containers,
and arrange the space as needed.
Things you don't want to do often take less
time then you originally thought. Once you
actually commit to 15 minutes (or one hour)
of organizing, you may realize getting organized
is not the drudgery you had imagined. Bask
in the success of a job well done and perhaps
be inspired to tackle another space tomorrow.
All the best,
Lori Krolik
650-856-2282
www.moretimeforyou.net
