From the category archives:

Organizing

Habits of Highly Organized People

by Michaeline on March 6, 2010

The March 2010 issue of O- The Oprah Magazine included a large section devoted to organization. That must mean that spring is in the air. Actually most magazines have a standard organization or declutter article these days.

Part of the article in this magazine  included “The 10 Habits of Highly Organized People” which I thought was spot on. When we think of someone who is highly organized we think of them as being disciplined or a perfectionist. What they really have developed is a simple set of rules or a system that works for them.

The article shared those 10 tips. I have highlighted a few here:

o Walk away from bargains. Do you really need so many bottles of shampoo?
o Separate emotions from your stuff. Do you really need the dried out flowers to remember your 10 year anniversary?
o Schedule regular decluttering sessions. Whether its 15 minutes each week or an afternoon every other month schedule maintenance time.

Developing a set of rules about your stuff can help you get and stay organized.

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Organize Yourself for Networking

by Michaeline on May 5, 2009

In my most recent post, I discussed getting rid of business card clutter. To make sure that you keep the business cards that you need and will use from your next networking opportunity take the time in advance to set yourself up for success.

Here are some tips to make the most out of your next networking opportunity: [click to continue…]

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Creating Your Filing System

April 14, 2009

Why filing systems don’t work:
• You are trying to adapt someone else’s system.
• You have set up a very complex system (maybe color coded and too many small categories).
• Your file cabinet is not in a convenient location.
• You are trying to keep too much to start with (records versus references).
• You have not set [...]

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Records Versus References

April 11, 2009

I am sure you have heard the statistic that 80% of what is filed is never looked at again.
Do you know the difference between papers that are references and those that are records? Learning the difference can save a lot of work and maybe a few trees in the process.
Records are papers that you need [...]

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The Home Office of Your Dreams

April 7, 2009

I recently posted about handling your papers as they come into your home as a way to conquer paper clutter. In thinking about what information I wanted to provide next I went through a long laundry list of potential topics. And the winner is setting up a home office.
Once you have a handle on the [...]

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Tax Preparation = Easter Egg Hunt?

April 4, 2009

Does the date April 15 stress you out? Does locating the paperwork needed to prepare your taxes seem like you’ve gone on an Easter Egg Hunt? Do you put off preparing your taxes because you just don’t want to deal with all the papers?
Which person are you?
1. I have a system set up and can [...]

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More Paper Clutter Control Techniques

March 31, 2009

I could spend days writing about conquering paper pile ups. And I will continue to share bits and pieces in future posts. I did want to share a few more techniques now that you have your incoming mail under control.
In order to stay on top of paper and prevent it from piling up:

When handling a [...]

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Clutter Control: Conquering the Paper Pile Up

March 28, 2009

The best defense is a good offense when it comes to handling papers. The key to getting a handle on paper is to deal with it starting at the front (or side) door.
Daily when you get your mail, start by sorting it before you get too far into the house:

Pull all the advertisements or junk [...]

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The Hazards of Clutter

March 24, 2009

Physical and mental clutter can:
• Burden your mind.
• Make you feel tired.
• Keep you in the past.
• Confuse you.
• Affect how people treat you.
• Make you procrastinate.
• Cause disharmony
• Put your life on hold.
Clutter causes anxiety. It distracts you. And it does cause stress. This can lead to vicious cycle. You may be in the [...]

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Why Do We Keep Clutter?

March 21, 2009

My last post began by defining clutter, but let’s also look at the dictionary’s definition of clutter:
clut•ter 1. a confused or disordered state or collection; a jumble, 2. a confused noise; a clatter. 3. to fill or spread over in a disorderly manner, 4. to make disorderly or hard to use by filling or covering [...]

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