Organizing for the
Un-Organized... part 3
 by Kera McHugh, of somethingelse web+graphics
Use Your Tools – When purging isn't procrastination.
It was the strangest thing, it must have been the sunshine (yes, we
get sunshine in Canada in winter) - for some wacky reason I had the urge
to purge. I know I should have been working on client projects but the
bulging bookshelf across from my desk was just calling out for order.
(*note... about then I should have been signing up for Rhoberta's "Overcoming
Procrastination" Teleseminar!!)
Anyway...seemed a good enough excuse when I rationalized having to come
up with part 3 of our "new organizers" series... and I just
KNOW you have been on the edge of your seat since last issue waiting
for the new instalment... so here it is!
First – get a coffee. This is VERY IMPORTANT. Now, take a good
hard look at that shelf (or closet, cupboard, stack of boxes). Take a
deep breath and start at one side or the other. Make a mental note of
where things currently ARE (you'll want to put some of it back, so you
don't have to retrain your autopilot when looking for envelopes).
When you finish your coffee, take everything off the shelves. Now, some
people will tell you to organize shelf by shelf, but I find it much easier
to take it all off and start with a clean slate. Of course you will have
piles of stuff all over your office while you are cleaning but hey, just
think how nice it is going to be when you are done.
You'll want a damp cloth to wipe the shelves with. OH what the heck,
may as well grab another coffee while you get that! Once everything is
off, wipe down the shelves and let them dry completely. I must warn you
that at about this point, when you turn and get a new look at the piles
all over the room, you will need another coffee so go ahead and get one.
Now comes the hard part of this job, sorting the piles and deciding
what to keep and what to toss. Supply shelves are notoriously hard to
purge. I mean there might come a day when I need that chocolate box of
full of crayons, I mean who would think of buying crayons? NOT. WARNING – though
I'm not a neat freak, I am very good at THROWING STUFF OUT when I finally
get around to the big cleanup... so use your own judgement on your own
stuff, but BE REALISTIC. By definition, "supplies" are something
unused that we will eventually need, but consider... have you needed
it in the past 3 months, 6 months or year? If it's been over a year,
chances are good it can at least be put in a box in the attic.
Okay, here comes the fun part. Putting everything back in and arranging
it neatly. If you've done a good job of purging, this goes pretty quickly.
The shelves are ready and now we’ll just put the piles back in
there. You never know when you might need that old perforated dot matrix
computer paper, see how nice it looks sitting up on that nice clean shelf?
(um... if I come over there and find dot matrix paper and no dot matrix
printer... there's gonna be an uproar :D)
Oops... did I say put the "piles" back in there...??? what
was I THINKING? No Piles.
You're going to neatly arrange your supplies on the shelves in an organized,
efficient and categorical manner. Mailing supplies in one area – envelopes,
labels, stamps, bubble wrap, etc. Then filing supplies – folders,
labels, tabs, dividers. Printer supplies – paper, cartridges, MANUALS,
driver disks. Computer books (or other such important literature), spines
out and easy to read. If you keep your product stock on the same shelves,
then sort it too – all like products together, labels out so it's
easy to get quickly. And put the product by the mailing supplies. Finally,
general Office Supplies – stationery, pens, staples, paperclips:
you want them tidy, not falling all over the floor, so find a nice clean
tin can for the pens. Tuna cans work well for paperclips & elastics
(yeah, ok, go buy yourself some of those snappy desk accessories at Ikea,
you deserve it). The point is... ORGANIZE IT.
Hmm...it sure looks empty when you get everything sorted and arranged
nicely.
To recap here is my method:
1/ Get your cleaning supplies ready before you start, you’ll need
garbage bags for …garbage, boxes for items to be recycled and a
donation box for things you no longer want or need.
2/ Wash down shelves, floor and door. Allow to dry thoroughly before
replacing supplies.
3/ Sort supplies and distribute discards to appropriate bag or box.
4/ Take the items you are keeping and put them back on the shelves grouped
by type.
5/ Take the purge pile/box/bag out to the curb.
Time for a coffee, after all you’ve really accomplished something,
you deserve it. Take a break!
What's the point of all this? Why is it important to be organized?
Because being organized helps you be more efficient, more productive,
and more effective.
Being organized allows you to get more done in less time so you have
more time to do less!
(Translation – using your "work time" efficiently, leaves
you more time for leisure. Is that incentive?)
See you next issue... I'm taking the dogs to the beach now.
Kera is the creator and owner of somethingelse web+graphics in the
beautiful Sunshine Coast of Canada. She does everything from websites
to print to bring her clients in the speaking and entertainment industries
integrated creative promotional materials. In her spare moments, she
tends her garden, does a little theatre and is a proud mom of one.
Find her online at http://www.time4somethingelse.com
Free reprinting/redistribution of this article is allowed with intact
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