I know… most of us hate to file. That’s one reason so many of us are battling with paper in our homes and offices. Most file cabinets are relegated to the back of closets, under the stairs or out in the garage. Some file cabinets are so full they can’t be opened, while others date back to the time of the dinosaurs and need excavation! You might even experience a genuine filing phobia every time you open a file drawer.  It’s difficult to find things when you need them and then you have no idea where to put new papers to be filed.

The first step to overcome your phobia is to re-work your filing system by understanding the types of files and how they are used.  Here’s a chart of the 3 types of files for any home or office.

Now that you have read about these 3 file type, it’s time to take the steps needed to get your file cabinet organized. What I’m about to say is not rocket science or some new age technique…

Use the K.I.S.S. method – Keep it Super Simple!

K eep the 3 types of files separate

I s it worth keeping?  Ask yourself the trigger questions and purge, purge, purge as much as possible  

S implified your categories   Re-think how you have your files labeled; using broad categories will make things easier to find and put away!

S chedule regular maintenance   This is imperative. If you’re not willing to do this step, then all the other steps won’t work! Set up yearly dates to purge files, toss papers, move files from reference to archive, and to re-evaluate your current systems.

Here are a few trigger questions to ask yourself as you sort through and purge your file cabinet.

• Is this information useful?
• Can I get this information again?
• Is this information on the internet?
• Is this information needed for tax or legal reasons?
• What’s the worst thing that would happen if I threw this away?

While there are many ways to organize, I have found that my clients who feel disorganized handle their “stuff” in one of three ways.  These are names for the kinds of disorganization that I often encounter.

The Pilot

This person loves to “pile it” (that’s why I call them a pilot). In their home or office you will find things stacked vertically. It may be papers, books, or clothes; they may be stacked neatly or haphazardly but they are piles nonetheless. These pilots will often say that they know exactly where everything is and they’re right… it’s in a pile!  How are they comfortable organizing this way? Are they really comfortable organizing this way? The answer is yes.  In Lanna Nakone’ s book, Organizing for your Brain Type, she states that this type of person should embrace their stacking preference but limit the number of piles, save less stuff to begin with, and use clear containers.

The Flight Attendant

Visualize the flight attendant on a plane – you walk onto a plane, they have everything neat as a pin and are smiling brightly. But they have a secret place, a closet of sorts. There, all of the tools for their job are hidden away – the beverage cart, coffee carafes, garbage bins, magazines, coats, and who knows what else.  A person who organizes like a flight attendant has a neat and orderly appearance on the outside but don’t dare look in their closets, laundry room or desk drawers! In fact, many of us have been quasi flight attendants in our lives – company rings the doorbell and with one swoosh we clear the papers off the kitchen counter into a bag and throw it in the pantry. Many people become flight attendants in their attempts to organize because they never get around to actually organizing and use closets, boxes or any close-able area to stash things when they want a sense of [eace in their environment.

Crop Duster

This person has it all spread out.  Just like a little crop duster, making sure to cover every nook and cranny. Every horizontal surface is covered with dishes, papers, projects, etc.  When the crop duster person begins to think about getting organized, they are instantly overwhelmed because they do not know where to start. They are paralyzed and cannot take action. Barbara Hemphill, author of Taming the Paper Tiger at Home, says that clutter is postponed decisions.  This person just cannot make a decision about what to do with the “stuff”.

Let me give it to you straight-

If you haven’t read it by now, you are probably never going to read it. So let it go!

It’s time to start fresh and have a plan for all the reading you intend to do this year.

First, set some boundaries. How many articles, books, magazines will you let pile up to read before you actually get to reading them? Determine what is manageable. I have no more than 2 books in line to be read after I finish the book I’m currently reading. There are certainly lots more I want to read but I just keep a book list instead of buying more books and magazines to have stacked by my reading chair. (I am even moving to more ebooks now that I have my iPad.) Boundaries can also be set for the number of magazines you subscribe to. Take a look at the number of subscriptions you have now and if many of those have gone unread last year then cut back your subscriptions by 50% as a starting point.

Decide how you will contain your reading materials. Some ways to do this are with magazine holders, baskets, or dedicating a shelf on a bookcase or side table for things you plan to read next. Having a specific place that contains your reading materials is also another way to set a boundary. If the reading materials start to exceed the designated space, then some need to be purged. No guilt, just follow your own boundaries…

Avoid printing out articles or emails you find on the Internet; it’s a waste of our resources. Bookmark it and come back to it when you do have time to read it. For newsletters and random sheets of paper you have accumulated to read, create a portable ”To Read” folder.  Take it with you and sneak in some reading while waiting at the doctor’s office, while parked and waiting for kids to get out of school, while getting a pedicure or, my favorite, while sitting in the airport waiting for a flight.

If you really want to get some reading done, plan for it. Set aside time daily or weekly to read. If you are not doing this already, you may need to schedule actual time in your calendar until it becomes a habit. It’s perfectly fine to have an appointment with yourself, you know! Speaking of habits, it’s also a good idea to go through and purge your reading piles quarterly. Things that seemed like a “must read” look a whole lot different after 3 months has gone by! Re-evaluate and purge the reading materials regularly, you’ll feel so much better!

The benefits of Planner Pad:

• Monthly view
• 2 pages weekly view
• Different sizes calendars to choose from
• Space for roles, tasks, and appointments
• Room on the weekly pages to capture bits of information
• Designed to make all aspects of your life funnel into each week, in one place

Click here to See the Planner Pad video

This month is National Get Organized Month. Every January the National Association of Professional Organizers and it’s member chapters endeavor to publicize the benefits of organization and the services that are provided by our industry. There are many areas of specialty within the Professional Organizer industry – from home staging to business productivity to move managers. There are specialized training courses for many different populations - seniors, hoarders, people with disabilities, and children.  Getting organized helps people with time management, productivity, family management, and relieves stress and anxiety. Here are some of the reasons why professional organizers are hired and which areas are most often organized. This information is found on the National Association of Professional Organizers website, www.napo.net:
Top reasons professional organizers are hired

1. Too much clutter
2. General disorganization
3. Difficulty determining what to keep and/or discard
4. Difficulty finding things
5. Selling a home or moving

Top areas in a home where organizing services are most often requested

1. Home Office or Den
2. Kitchen
3. Closet
4. Master Bedroom
5. Garage/Attic/Basement

I’m not a huge fan of making resolutions anymore; most people do not take resolutions made on New Year’s Day very seriously.  However, if you are ready to take the first steps to getting organized this year, then download my ebook, Project Simplify. It includes monthly goal sheets to help you plan the first steps to getting your organizing projects done.

Receive your free gift today!  Just go to the top right of this page and submit your name and email.  Then check your email!  You will have the link for your free download!   It’s my gift to you this month as you begin to get organized!

 Linking to:

Today’s Tool Tuesday product is for the business owner, the home owner, the student, and well… anyone who owns a computer.

We are all concerned about the possibility of losing our data. Many things could happen:

• computer crashes

  

• computer is stolen

• files are lost

• home is flooded, has a fire, or falls prey to a natural disaster

I remember when my company used tape back-ups (ever heard of those?!?) to safeguard our data.  Many college students rely on flash drives and I’m sure most of us own at least one external hard drive. Many of us realize that having a back up copy or system in place is valuable.  But how valuable is your time?  Do you still back up all your files manually? When is the last time you did this? READ MORE

We’ve all done things on an annual basis to some extent. The eye doctor visits, dental checkups, smog checks, gutter cleaning, tax appointments, and spring cleaning… you get the picture. Cleaning up your computer annually is a good idea too. So I thought I’d pass along some tips on ways you can clean up your computer.

READ MORE

“According to the U.S. Postal Service and Seattle Public Utilities research, Seattle homes and businesses receive an estimated 17,500 tons of unwanted paper in the form of junk mail and yellow pages phone books, approximately 100 pounds of waste per household, each year,” a release from the city of Seattle states. That’s some major waste!  I found this information and photo here.

 A look at the discarded phone books, courtesy of the City of Seattle

 When I read the article, I first thought it only applied to the city of Seattle. But that’s not true – they are just giving it better P.R. than other areas.  Go to catalogchoice.org and you can enter your zip code in the box labeled “1″ and it will tell you if you can request to opt out of the phone books for your city. If your city phone books come up, simply hit the ‘New Request’ button for each one.

You should see something like this at the top of your screen:

Now look below this box and start filling out the form.  The instructions are simple and it took me all of 3 minutes to do.

Catalogchoice.org can also help eliminate your junk mail.  This is a great nonprofit organization that ultimately helps to save trees and simplify the paper in our lives a little bit. They ask that you consider giving them a donation after you're done to show them some love!

Would love to hear if you do go on there to stop your phone book deliveries. I know I'm on a mission to tell as many people as I can!!

I am a book lover.  I love to read and I love to own books.  I have 3 bookcases in my home that are stocked with books I’ve collected – favorite authors, books on my hobbies, leisure reading, bible studies, and books that show me how to do things (like remodel the bathroom).  There are certain books I will have forever and others that will be with me for just a little while.  Can you relate?

Even though we can now listen to audio books and have books on e-readers, there will still be books on my shelves.  Many of my clients and friends, particularly teachers and researchers, have tons more books than I do. The topic today is how to organize what the books you have.  As I see it, before starting to organize, there are 2 main questions to be answered. READ MORE

“When shelf space is at a premium, these boxes go a long way in keeping a number of items neat. Tame your paper clutter or sort out any smaller items with these crisp, stackable boxes.”

Organizing with boxes… Okay that’s nothing new but I like these document boxes by Clever Container. Not only are they colorful, but their uniform size makes them perfect for many areas in your home or office. Here are a few ways I have recommended using them:

• One for each family member to be used as in-boxes

• One per child to store (and limit) the amount of school projects and artwork kept for the year

• One per project at work or home

• Containerize crafting tools

• Containerize small toys (barbie outfits, small cars, etc.)

• Holds the art supplies

• Holds vacation/travel memorabilia

• Teachers can carry back and forth with papers to be graded

• Store doilies, napkins, napkin rings in linen closet

• Containerize all small office supplies (extra staples, paper clips, tape, scissors, etc.)

• Give them as a gift to each adult child with their old report cards, sports ribbons, and memorabilia inside

And the list goes on. How would you use these versatile boxes?

If you want a set, you can order them online at my Clever container website – www.clevercontainer.com/Natalie.