9 Simple Steps to Get Your Office Desk Organized!

Kim Wolinski, MSW
"Dr. DeClutter"
http://www.drdeclutter.com/

9 Simple Steps to Get Back a Year of Your Life -
Through Your Office Desk Organization!

Do you lose time looking for items on and around your office desk . . . sifting through clutter?

It has been estimated that the average American will spend one year searching through desk and office clutter looking for misplaced objects.

It's so easy to just lay a folder, an envelope, the mail, a file, pens and pencils, post it notes and other paper on horizontal piles when they aren't needed immediately. It's so hard to find what you need when you need it, in those same piles!

When I work with my clients in their homes and offices I hear pretty much the same story each time, right after, "I'm so embarrassed that it's so messy and cluttered!" I hear that they are busy, have a family, have too much on their plate, don't know where to file or how to file, don't have a good filing cabinet or space, and so on. What they think is going to take several days to declutter and organize usually takes just a few hours and everything is back in its "home" and "system" and ready to be found when needed.

Here are some helpful tips to keeping your office desk, home or away from home, clean and ready to work on, finding everything you need when you need it.

1) Take care of mail immediately as it comes in the door. Open, sort, file, pay, take action, file, archive or trash (recycle).
2) Do not let magazines and catalogues pile up. Tear out articles you like, read, file if you need them for future reference, recycle the rest. Let subscriptions run out and don't re-subscribe after they are done. See if you can get the information online or the library.
3) If you can find the information you have in paper online, or you have it on the computer, don't keep the paper.
4) Pay bills online and stop the paper bills from coming in.
5) Have a designated inbox, but put everything from it away - file, reroute, mail, complete, etc. - by the end of the day, or at least the week.
6) Don't let small notes and post its accumulate. Take a notebook and use it for phone messages and ideas, keeping everything in one place.
7) Do not pile or stack horizontally on desks, tables, floors, file cabinets or anywhere.
8) Keep lots of open and clean space on your desk and tops of everything at all times.
9) Practice maintenance. Take 15-20 minutes at the end of each day and clean up your space, getting ready for the next day.

Enjoy the payoff for following these nine steps every day. Feel good, self-confident, open and relaxed, happier, not embarrassed, ashamed or guilty about not wanting anyone to visit your office or be around your desk . . . no more apologies! . . . and you'll be a great role model for others and family as you create and save time for better things!

DO YOU NEED HELP?
Join my upcoming teleclass and learn more!
If you need help getting your office or desk, home or business organized,
I am teaching a teleclass on this subject.
Click here for the teleclass information. (If this class is no longer running, feel free to contact me and request my current events.)

And, of course, I am "Dr. DeClutter!" I will come to your home or office anywhere and help you take back control lickey-split! http://www.drdeclutter.com/bookinginfo.html


©2007 Kim Wolinski, MSW "Dr. DeClutter" Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert

GET ORGANIZED TODAY! Inside and Out.
Need help getting your space (house, office, barn, backyard - thoughts, mind, time, schedule, priorities, or life) decluttered and re-organized? My video "BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN, AND OTHER ORGANIZING TIPS AND TOOLS FROM DR. DECLUTTER" is a great help. You can find out more or order BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN and other products at http://www.redecisionsinstitute.com/kims_store.html

Find my workbook, LETTING GO WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT here too.

Editors and publishers are free to reprint blog articles as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact.

Stop “Tolerations” From Ruining Your Life!

Kim Wolinski, MSW
"Dr. DeClutter"
http://www.drdeclutter.com/

I just recently heard this term, "tolerations" from a colleague. After I realized what it was, how it was used, I knew that I already teach plenty on the subject, since it's one of my weak areas. I call it "putting up with _____ (fill in the blank!)," or, as you may have heard me call it in my seminars, "being user-friendly!"

Do you tolerate, or put up with people, situations, events, experiences, habits, thinking and routines (to name a few) too much? Can you remember a time when you "had it," and said, "That's enough!"? That was the "shift" in stopping tolerations rule over your life.

I just recently noticed that when something happens about which I need to take action, or say something because I have feelings or an opinion, I kind of go on stun, or numb. I don't realize I have something to say until a day or two or more later! By then, I end up feeling angry, crying depending on the situation, and such. (Core here is, I don't like conflict and confrontation.)Then, I still have to deal with it because it's sure dealing with me . . . inside out!

Tolerations can be very small or large, but what is the same no matter what size they are, is that they steal your energy, time, money, ability to reason and act for your own good, causing unnecessary stress, frustration, angst and confusion - brain fog - as well as a host of other negative side-effects.

Here are some examples of tolerations:

- Tolerating a cabinet drawer that doesn't shut correctly and takes up time and effort every time you use it.
- Tolerating financial problems, yours or some elses, living in fear, guilt, anxiety, paranoia and embarrassment at times.
- Tolerating living with and walking around clutter, disorganization, mess, piles, heaps and indecision.
- Tolerating a friend who is wonderful most of the time, but rude, always has to be right, has to have the last word, controls or manipulates on occasion or embarrasses you, taking up your energy and blocking your joy.
- Tolerating your car that has engine problems, but you keep putting off getting it fixed for "later."
- Tolerating your weight, even though it's affecting your health, back and self-esteem.
- Tolerating a relationship with your spouse and their not helping out when your need it.

- T olerating a lock on the front door that doesn't lock easily and takes up your precious time and effort every time you lock and unlock it.

(Tolerating web programs, like this blogging site, or my website... that can kind of be rigid at times!! :-/ )

It's easy to "put up with" a lot of things, people and experiences. . . but at what cost?

If you could label yourself the classic "co-dependent", or if you grew up in a pretty dysfunctional family, you probably are a very big tolerator! You let people suck your energy dry with very little resistance, because you were programmed for it. Just say no, right? HA! What?! Sometimes you don't even know you need to stop something from happening until after it's gone on too long.

WHAT TO DO?
How do you stop tolerations from ruling your life?

1. Write a list of 20 tolerations.
2. Write at least one solution to each.
3. Start taking action on the solutions,
one at a time!

Without action, your tolerations will stay alive and well, taking you off track every day. Take action on the small, non-threatening ones first. Figure out what you need and fix the cabinet door and the front door lock, make the appointment to get the car fixed, choose a weight adjustment program (not diet!) and exercise to help your body. Take just one item from your list at a time and do something towards a solution.

You will notice small and major shifts and changes in your attitude and energy by taking action, taking charge and taking back your life on a daily basis.

Join my upcoming teleclass and learn more!
If you need support in understanding what your tolerations are and how you can fix, change and resolve them, I highly suggest you to to my upcoming teleclass on this subject.Click here for the teleclass information. (If there is no current program on Tolerations running, feel free to email me and request when the next one is! I'll put you on my list.)

Life's too short to lose ourselves in such unnecessary ways! I look forward to your being a part of this class!

©2007 Kim Wolinski, MSW "Dr. DeClutter" Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert

DON'T TOLERATE ANOTHER HOLIDAY OR FAMILY EVENT WITHOUT THIS INFORMAITON!
It's NEVER too early, or late, to stop another stressful holiday season from stressing you out! My 43-page content packed and idea-rich ebook, Keep the Holidays Simple will give you the permission and plans to make the changes that will help you stay centered, honor your needs and enjoy everyone, no matter what! Order and/or read more at http://www.redecisionsinstitute.com/id19.html

Editors and publishers are free to reprint blog articles as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact.

Start Small and Feel Great! Organize a Chunk!

Kim Wolinski, MSW
"Dr. DeClutter"
http://www.drdeclutter.com/

Don't rush to organize the whole house when you just need to decide on ONE CHUNK at a time.

Think about some area, cubby or section of your house that needs a clean out and reorganizing attention. Let's start really small.

ONE CHUNK: Where you keep your pens and pencils. Whether they're in a "junk" drawer, cup, special holder or box of some kind, set your timer (mental or real) for 15 minutes and do just that ONE thing!

Clear a "sorting space" and dump out your pen cup (or open your desk drawer and pull out just the writing tools). If the cup or drawer itself is dirty, dusty or inked up, consider replacing it or giving it a good washing before putting your pens and pencils back in.

Now, go through each writing tool and decide:
1) Do I really like it? Do I use it?
Decide, keep to use, keep in supply storage or donate. (Yes. Baggy up all unwanted writing tools and give to a thrift store, school system, etc. The landfill doesn't need to see it "yet!")
2) Make sure it works.
Keep or trash.
3) Put all writing tools that you LOVE back into the container, drawer, cup, or whatever... that you LOVE... and is functional. Now, enjoy your day!

This seems like a waste of time to some people, but consider how much time you actually do waste by pulling out pens, pencils and markers that don't work time and time again! Too many writing tools can also be a great visual distraction. You only need a few good pens, pencils, markers and highlighers at any one time in your vision, unless you're an artist!

Have kids? Let them help and help them let go of their old crayons, markers and such that are too small, dry or unuseable.

Now. Go chunk away!!

©2007 Kim Wolinski, MSW "Dr. DeClutter" Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert

Editors and publishers are free to reprint blog articles as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact.

GET ORGANIZED TODAY! Inside and Out.
Need help getting your space (house, office, barn, backyard, thoughts, mind, time, schedule, priorities, or life) decluttered and re-organized? My video "BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN, AND OTHER ORGANIZING TIPS AND TOOLS FROM DR. DECLUTTER" is a great help. You can find out more or order BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN and other products at http://www.redecisionsinstitute.com/kims_store.html

Find my workbook, LETTING GO WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT here too.