OFFICE RESET

I stumbled into my home office after a week of busy and did a double take. Where did all of this paper come from?  I just did the filing last week! Oh, I don’t have time to tackle this….sound familiar??

Well, this unfortunately moved to the top of the priority list because there were things I needed to take care of in a timely manner if I could only find them!

As a Professional Organizer, I help countless people get their stuff in order and now it would appear I am in need of an Organizer!  I had to be the Organizer for myself because I didn’t have time to get one of my Organizer friends into my mess.

Step 1: Turn on the music, in my case it was a podcast. Listened to this fictional crime story called, Dirty John done by a LA Times reporter.  It was a 6 episode podcast so that gave me plenty of time to get this project done.

Step 2: Eliminate distraction- I had to schedule myself “off” to the rest of the world. FOCUS is the name of the game!

Step 3: Sort through the paper piles: Shred, Toss, Keep

Step 4: Organize the Keep pile by topic ( that works best for me) Can use whatever resonates with you. I had one client who organized the bills in RED folders because that catches her attention. This should be whatever works for YOU in the organizing process. Retention is critical in any organizing system. How will you find this ___________? How long will you keep__________?

Step 5: Complete the shred right there and then because I have a shredder plus I need to complete this task without any loose ends.

(If you don’t have a shredder there are options: UPS store will charge you by the pound. There are companies that will come to you but that is also done by weight. Community shreds are also a good place but they are not held frequently.  You can purchase a shredder for $30 on Amazon.)

Trash at this point should also be removed from the area. The idea is that this room is completely decluttered so leaving behind unfinished tasks for this project are counterproductive.

If all else fails, hire an Organizer because sometimes it is just easier. Visit the website for ideas and tips-  www.organizeyouinsideandout.com

Happy organizing,

Darlene Illig

Organize You Inside and Out

Illig Enterprises, LLC