Décor. Like most useful categories, this one is very general.  It can include everything from a framed picture to a Homer Simpson figurine.  They are items you would like to see on display, when you can find the space.

Keepsakes. A keepsake would be an item that brings back a good memory, but you don’t need to display it.  These can include photos, gift cards, and even that Homer Simpson toy.

Office Supplies. Don’t over think this one.  Everything from pens and pencils, to stationery and computer supplies would go in this box.  You can sub-sort them later, when you’ve cleared some room to work.  For now keep it together and keep going.

To File. Sorting is not the time to stop and file.  Keep a box to collect all documents you need to be to able find reliably, continue the sorting, and file that box later.

To Do. Uncovered a bill that you’ve just got to pay? Chuck it in the To-Do box and keep sorting. This may seem less important, but you will never finish the sorting if you leave at every distraction.

Information To Enter. For all those scraps of paper you’ve been meaning to enter into your address book or database, don’t do it now, but do collect it in one place.  A gallon Ziploc works great.

Ask [insert spouse name here]. Got an urge to call your spouse over a certain item? Don’t.  There will be more such items, so collect them all in one place and ask all your questions later.

Elsewhere. Before you run that coffee cup back to the kitchen, stop and establish an “elsewhere” container near the door.  When you’ve finished sorting, you can then distribute the contents to their appropriate rooms.

Giveaway. If you find an item that you no longer want and would like to give to someone you know, collect it in a “giveaway” box.  This is different from a “donate” box, because you have someone specific in mind and you need to make a point of getting it to him or her.  It matters less who gets the “donate” box.

Slow Review. I hesitate to include this category and caution against overusing it, but sometimes a hasty decision is stressful. If there is a large document that you may not need, but must carefully review to make sure, put it in a “slow review” box.  It is more important to keep the momentum going with the sorting process. Nothing will slow this momentum faster than regret.

All these sorting categories are very general, because otherwise you will run out of space to work.  You can easily get more specific with your sorting in the next round.  One category that is TOO general and unhelpful is “keep.”  A “keep” pile does NOT help you move forward, because you are not addressing why you are keeping these items.   You will not be inspired to return to the “keep” pile, because it is too much like the original area you sorted.  Not much progress.  If, however, your next stage is reviewing just the keepsakes, for example, then it is much easier to find a focus and see your progress.

Dealing with a multitude of clutter requires dealing with a multitude of decisions. The key is not to avoid the decisions, but to make the decisions easier. So how exactly do you do this? Clearing tough clutter is like making a tough decision. It needs to be done in STAGES.

The next time you resolve to organize a room, try to be aware of how much time you spend running items into other rooms, calling a spouse for input, or shredding documents. These are all examples of distractions that compromise your efforts. Most of us hate to make decisions and will actively seek out such distractions, rather than make decisions. In these cases, label one box as “elsewhere”, label another “ask Joe” (or whatever your spouse’s name is), and label one more as ”shred.” Set a timer for 20 minutes and force yourself to do nothing but make decisions. Don’t worry. It will be over within 20 minutes! You will make more real progress in those 20 minutes than you would in 2 unfocused hours. And emptying the “elsewhere,” “ask Joe,” and “shred” boxes is easy.

As for the items that make you want to say “leave it,” remember this. EVERYTHING can be categorized if you ask yourself one simple question: “WHY am I keeping this?” Perhaps you can’t decide where to keep that pineapple keychain. Maybe you realize you will never use it, but it brings back a good memory from Hawaii. OK, there’s your “why.” It’s a memento. That’s always a huge category. Get it off the table and into a “mementos” box.  Got a card you’ve got to send right away? Get it into a “to-do” pile and keep going with the next item. Got  a hand-made scarf from Peru? Ask why you are keeping it. If it’s a gift you want to give your sister at Christmas, don’t just leave it on the table, put it together with other “gifts to give.” That too can be a huge category.

In each case, you will notice that you do not need to immediately bring an item to it’s final resting place.  You may or may not know where this final resting place is, but in every case you are moving the decision process FORWARD. This, in turn, drives the clutter clearing process forward.  Taking an item to another room or just leaving it on the table moves the process sideways.

When your focus is dedicated to just advancing an item to it’s appropriate category, you are relieved of making the final decision, which makes progress much easier. Of course it is important not to skip the next steps, but they are much easier too, because you can then focus on just one thing at a time, i.e. asking Joe, shredding, doing to-dos, etc.

TODAY’S KEY TO UNLOCKING CLUTTER: Categorize and mobilize. Nothing stays on the table!

Do you have favorite rules for getting organized? I’d love to hear them.

1. “Important” changes with time. If this is the one system that makes you feel safe then the odds are very good that you don’t have a system for disposing of once-important items that have now long expired.  These outdated items build up, burying the truly important items.

2. Only one tops the pile. If your most important files go into a pile then only the one at the top can reliably get the most attention. Slightly older, possibly more important files are likely to get buried by newer, less important files.

3. Findability failure. It is essential to distinguish between items that you must make a point of acting upon and items you simply need to be able to FIND. These tend to be bundled together in homes I find employing the ”important” category. Important action files are hidden by too many files that simply need to be found easily.

4. Too much keeping. Since there is an isolated location for “important” items this decreases the likelihood that careful thought will be put into everything else. When you don’t have a clear policy about WHY you keep certain things, you tend to keep too much. If, instead, you keep a minimum of the so called “less important” files in a file cabinet of simple categories, then you allow enough space to easily find the “important” files.

5. Too much is important. There are simply too many subcategories of “important” to make it a manageable size.  Again, this decreases the likelihood that the actionable items will get done. If you get clear on the junk you don’t need to keep and set up a user-friendly filing system, you can let go of the fear that you’ll never find an item once it goes into a file cabinet. What the important file and the less important file share is a need to be findable. Otherwise, you should ask why you are keeping it at all.

TODAY’S KEY TO UNLOCKING CLUTTER. Unlock the “important” category and open the door to findability.

After years of organizing homes and offices, I have come up with a checklist of consistently overlooked storage needs and solutions for them.  Here they are:

1. Bills to pay. This might be the most important one and no, that pile of mail on the dining room table does not count.  Solution: A small dedicated structure with slots like the 31 Day Bill Organizer keeps the bill paying challenge limited and that’s a good thing.   Reserve it ONLY for bills to pay, not other to-do’s.   Discard the outer envelopes and inserts as soon as the bill comes in.  If you pay online then you can discard the return envelope as well.  All you need is the reminders to pay.  That will visually limit the task of bill paying and make it seem more manageable.

2. Owners Manuals and warranties. Boy, I find these things everywhere!  Often an effort is made to file them, but I don’t recommend that.  They get very bulky and waste valuable filing space. Solution:. A good sized clear plastic bin or drawer.  Owners manuals and warranties fall under the just-in-case category, which I think is a mistake to over organize.  As long as they are always in just one place, you’ll find them in the rare event you need them.

3. Gifts to give. A good way to determine where something belongs is to first ask WHY you are keeping it.  Many is the time a client decides he or she is keeping something because it would make a good gift, Great! Solution: Designate a box or a drawer for just gifts, so you always know where to go when you need to give or store a gift.

4. Keepsakes. Everybody’s got ‘em.  They’re those items that bring back special memories that you have no intention of ever wearing or displaying again, but you can’t bring yourself to toss them out.  So don’t, but do give them a special place. Solution: I keep these irreplaceables in a trunk.  You might call it a treasure chest.   For a larger item, consider taking a photo of it and disposing the item.

5. Travel Items. Do you have a place for those European outlet adaptors or travel sized toiletries?  A suitcase is not bad, but it’s easier to have a separate designated container. Solution: A medium sized clear plastic box should do the trick.  Store it near your suitcase.

6. Reading Material. If you display your magazines on your coffee table in the living room you never use, then that’s exactly where they’ll stay, unread. Solution: If you like to read in bed, keep a small reading basket on your nightstand.  If you like to read on the train, keep your magazines in your work bag.  When these locations get full, toss the older items from the bottom.

7. Reference Material. It’s important to distinguish reference from reading because it makes your reading pile more manageable. Solution: It pays to simply organize your reference pages in binders with simple categories, so you can always find WHAT you want WHEN you need it, but be ruthless.  We tend to keep far more than we actually reference.

8. Return Items. Library books, friend’s casserole dishes, and redeemable bottles all need a designated spot near your exit door.  Solution: I recommend a spot that sticks out like a sore thumb, so it compels you to take the item with you as you leave.

9. Items to fix. One of the biggest reasons people hold on to questionable stuff is that they intend to fix it.  This may be a false priority. Solution: it’s a good idea to put all the items to fix, together in one spot, perhaps a set of workshop shelves to see just how much there is what tops the priority list.

10. Tools/Utility. You may not think you need this category, but everybody does.  Some common orphan items I find are duct tape, furniture pads, a door stop,  glue, extra Ikea fixtures, and a measuring tape. Solution: All these items can go in a tools/ utility box or drawer.

11. Electronics. We live in an electronic world, so electronic odds and ends need a home.   Got a spare switch plate, plug adaptor, electrical tape, or safety outlet plug? Solution: These can all go in a small clear drawer or clear plastic shoebox.   You might want to keep batteries here too.

This month’s key to unlocking clutter: Surface areas like your work desk and dining table are your most important tools in the war on clutter, because they provide a runway for processing.  If there is that last 10 percent that you can never seem to clear off, perhaps it is because there are some less obvious categories that you hadn’t considered.  This checklist of eleven homes could make all the difference.

Originally from Matt Baier’s Organizing Works Newsletter, April 2008

THE ANNUAL PURGE

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  CIRCULATION PREVENTS ACCUMULATION.  What better time of year than spring for a fresh start? Open the windows and let the musty winter out and the clean spring air in.  Open the storage room and let the old junk out and the new potential in.  Here are seven tips to survive and thrive through spring clearing.

1. Start with the Garage.  This may sound counter-priority, but it’s not.  Before you dive into the junk in your closets, clear out your garage.  Consider this analogy.  You may get to the airport in plenty of time for your flight to Rome, but without a passport you’re not going anywhere.  An empty garage is your passport that will get you where you need to go.  Why? Because it is the logical place to establish an exit zone.  For smelly dirty garbage it is almost outside, but protected from the elements.  For items to donate, it is as close to the vehicle (and as visible to the driver that will take it away) as possible.  Don’t have a garage? Start by clearing an area as close to the exit as possible.

2. Fast and general first.  If you have a lot of stuff to sort and purge, speed IS endurance.  To hesitate is to get discouraged, sidetracked, and eventually quit before the job is done.  Rather than get hung up on individual items, think CATEGORIES.  Here are some examples:  To Donate, To Sell, To Do, Upstairs/Downstairs (to save steps), To Review (in detail when you have more time), and Trial Purge (see #6).  Once everything is sorted into categories it becomes much easier to make decisions, because you are seeing things in context.

3. Circulate your files.  A great reason to purge your old files in the Spring is because it is right after tax season.  Check with your accountant, but it is generally safe to toss all your tax supporting material after Seven years.  Once this year’s taxes are settled, any 2007 or older files can be stored in a more remote location than your home office, to free up space in your file cabinet.  To  automatically assign circulative files, see last year’s newsletter on user-friendly filing 

4. One Area at a Time.  You may be reading this and saying “sounds great, I’m going to set aside a day this weekend and just do it!”  If you ARE saying that, excellent, I applaud your attitude!  However, odds are you won’t find a whole day and even if you did, you probably couldn’t finish the job.  The answer: DIVIDE AND CONQUER.  Break up the annual purge into manageable chunks. Perhaps this weekend’s goal could be clearing out as much garbage as possible from the garage on a Saturday morning before 11:30.  Assuming your local dump closes at noon, this would impose a helpful deadline so that you not only get the garbage out of your garage, but off your property on the same day.  Now THAT’S a real feeling of accomplishment, which will encourage you to take on the next challenge.   Another example would be spending just 90 minutes on emptying your file cabinet of Dead or Sleeping files.  Set a timer for 90 minutes.  It really helps!  When you are strictly in a file mode you will accomplish much more in that chunk of time than if you are all over the place.

5. Cell Phone on Vibrate.  Your phone is programmed to ring, but you are not programmed to answer it. You can get more accomplished in a focused hour than you can in an unfocused day.  In addition to the divide-and-conquer approach, it makes a huge difference to truly FOCUS for a block of time.  With your phone on vibrate there is less of a knee jerk reaction to pick it up.  Check to see if it is an emergency (i.e. family member), otherwise let your phone take a message and get back to it when you are done.  Remember, you are only going to be focused on the purging for another hour or two, not the whole day.  There is very little that cannot wait an hour or two.

6. Value Over Cost.  One of the big reasons people hang on to something they don’t use is because of its cost.  This is typical with exercise equipment.  Now, I don’t want to discourage anyone from exercising, but if you are using your Bowflex for hanging your laundry instead of for exercising, then it is time to consider cost versus value.  Yes, the COST of the Bowflex was great, but what is it’s VALUE to you now?  To start with, it is a daily reminder of a failed initiative.  Who needs that? Secondly, it takes up a lot of valuable space, perhaps even enough for a more efficient clothes hanger AND that craft table you’ve been wanting.  Of course you won’t fully recover your cost of the Bowflex, but consider this.  You will NEVER recover the cost of your purchase, no matter how long you hold on to it, so why not start VALUING your space NOW.

7. Trial Purge.  When the choice is between “keep” or “toss” we tend to keep, Why? “Hey, you never know when you might need that!”  It gets easier when you have other options, like donating an item to the needy or other incentives like the value-over-cost question, but sometimes that’s just not enough for certain unused items.  This is when I suggest a Trial Purge.  You may go through a lot of items you’ve forgotten about and wondered if you might have used them if only you had known where they were.  If you are wondering if you can live without these items, put them on trial.  Place them in a box clearly labeled “Trial Purge” and put today’s date on it.  During next year’s annual purge you will see this box and because you have gone a full year without needing its contents, it will be much easier to say ‘they had their chance.  I don’t need them.  Time to go.”  Alternatively, if after a few months you DO find yourself needing one those items, you will know to go to the Trial Purge box. 

 If everything is important then nothing is important.  By focusing on clearing out the less important things at least once a year, you can make a fresh start on your most important priorities for the year.  By letting go of the old, a purge gives you the freedom to embrace the new.