A Purge By Any Other Name
Is it possible to get organized without purging first? Not really. In a healthy household, old stuff must circulate out as easily as new stuff circulates in. Circulation prevents accumulation. When it’s as natural as [...]
Organizing Outside The Box
Boxes are indispensable tools for GETTING organized, but to STAY organized, you need to “think outside the box.” It’s the first question I get when an excited client agrees to begin work with me, “What [...]
Shred-iquette
Nothing keeps me busier than paper management. Computer advocates once promised a “paperless society,” but in an age when we are printing out our emails, paper is here to stay for a while. Before I can get to my best advice on paper management, however, I must first stop and have a conversation about SHREDDING. “Why bother?” You may ask. “Shouldn’t you just shred EVERYTHING to be on the safe side?”
Eat, Drink, and Be Organized!
Coalhouse Pizza is the most wonderful thing to happen to my corner of Stamford since I moved here. This blog, however, is not a restaurant review. It is your key to unlocking clutter. So what [...]
Where Should I Put the Mail?
It’s a common question but it has an uncommon answer. Mail doesn’t go anywhere. That’s because it stops being mail the second it comes out of your mailbox. Bills-to-pay need a home, material-to-read need a home, and statements-to-file need a home, but it’s a mistake to allow the daily collection to take up residence ANYWHERE.
De-cluttering Is Natural
Late February brought the arrival of a sad old peace lily plant in our front foyer from our condo neighbors across the way. That’s it in the left hand photo. There was an unspoken understanding [...]
Organized Culture
Last week I had the pleasure of watching Othello in the park in Greenwich. The pleasure was heightened because the event was so well organized. To be honest, I was in no mood to go [...]
Clean Slate of Mind
Ah, the clear desk. There’s nothing like it. It represents control and a sense of accomplishment, but it’s more than just a nice idea. A clear work surface is nothing less than your MOST valuable [...]
Organizing Business Cards
Got a lot of business cards piling up, that you never find the time to organize? As with so many organizing challenges, the answer lies in the divide-and-conquer approach. Collected in piles or bundles, business [...]
Organizing Lessons From Your Bathroom
It’s very rare that a client needs me to organize the bathroom. There are several good reasons for this that can be used to organize other rooms in your house. Dedicated Zones Any room is [...]
Keep the Ball in Play
Keep the Ball in Play The World Cup has turned my thoughts to soccer, but not away from organizing. There’s a useful organizing analogy out there on the football pitch. How well do you think [...]
The ABC’s of Storage
Here’s a multiple choice question. Fill in the blank with the best choice. “Just put it away in the_______________.” A. Attic B. Basement C. Closet D. All of the above. Of course the correct answer [...]