Do You Have “Dishes in the Sink”?
As I’ve so often stated, my central organizing philosophy is circulation prevents accumulation, but what exactly do I mean by this? Effective organizing solutions must be built on movement. There must be a reliable advancement from one manageable stage to the next. If this circulation is blocked by an unmanageable stage, the whole process starts to fall apart and an accumulation of clutter is inevitable.
Product Review: “The Fold n’ File” by “Thirty One”
Last week I attended NAPO-CT’s Vendor Fair and one of the companies represented was Thirty One. It so happened that I won one of their products, The Fold n’ File, in a raffle, so I thought I would review it.
Organizing Your Home for the Market
The real estate market seems to be picking up again and it is keeping us busy with organizing homes for the market. If you are ready to sell, it pays to be organized. Here are some examples.
When is it OK NOT to be Organized?
The other day a friend asked, when is it OK NOT to be organized. I was stumped by the question, but I've been giving the matter a lot of thought, ever since.
Product Review: The Time Timer
I don’t like most organizing gadgets and for one simple reason. They aren’t simple. The Time Timer, however, succeeds in simplifying your life because it is actually simple. Very simple.
My Email Confession
I have a confession to make. I had let my email inbox accumulate to over 5,000 emails. That can be really bad news for one's computer’s performance. What's my excuse for all this digital clutter? Digital clutter is simply less compelling to me because it does not crowd my physical space. I don't see it. Not much of an excuse, but I know I'm not alone.
“Papers? I’ve Gotta Go Through Those MYSELF.”
Sometimes when we are sorting and purging our client’s stuff, we come across some bags of papers and the client will tell us “I’ve gotta go through those myself.” I’ve challenged this argument so many times, I thought I’d blog about it. What follows are the reasons for their argument and why they don’t hold water.
When Spring Cleaning is Spring CLEARING
Let’s face it, spring cleaning usually has a lot to do with spring cleaRing. Some annual rituals are obvious-- store the boots and bring out the sandals, bring the lawn furniture out of storage, put the holiday decorations away-- but there are some additional practices that will make it easier to stay organized, year-round.
It’s OK Not to Throw Away
What!? In case you’re wondering if I have changed my ways on how to deal with clutter, I have not. My company’s approach to getting organized has never been to focus on tossing, but rather to focus on keeping. Really! We focus on how much you are keeping, where you are keeping, and, most importantly, why you are keeping.
Are You Allowing Your Clutter to Take Up Residence?
You may hate the way the clutter accumulates in your home or office, but it’s possible you may be making some simple structural choices that cause it. A truly effective organizing system is built on movement. Some choices prevent movement and allow clutter to take up residence.
March 2013, The Hersam Acorn Magazine
“People shouldn’t feel bad if they’re having trouble getting organized. Today we have so many new sources of clutter and it’s harder to stay organized than ever before."
Strawberry, Chocolate, or Manila?
Today I want to boldly confront one of the most controversial issues of our time: file folder color choice. I know there is a school of thought, that says if your file folders are a variety of stimulating colors, they will encourage more use, but I want to make a case for the classic manila folder. There are reasons why it works.
Inbox or Invitation to Disaster?
Beware the inbox. On the face of it, an inbox makes sense. It provides a single collection place for your unsorted items. The problem is that you gain a false sense of organization, because while there is an easy plan for entrance, there is no easy plan for exit. The best solution may be no inbox at all.
The Secret to Why You Still Can’t Stay Organized
Being organized requires a balance of three limited resources. The first two are time and space. Much has been written about how to work within the limits of time and space, but there is a third resource that attracts less attention. That resource is energy. It is possible to clear your space, organize your time, and establish sensible systems for both and still not be able to stay organized, because you lack the energy to maintain those systems.
February 2013, Darien News
If one of your new year's resolutions for 2013 is to get organized, the following tips from Stamford professional organizer Matt Baier can help get you started.
