Business Stategies: 7 Tips for Home Office
Organization
Studies
have shown that every one minute you spend planning saves
you 10 minutes of execution.
Do you look at your office or home and feel totally overwhelmed
by the clutter, piles, and stuff? Do you wonder where to
start? Do you want to run out in terror?!
I know what it’s like to feel like your home or office
is totally out of control instead of you being in control.
I know that this feeling causes stress and anxiety. And,
can make you a not very nice person to live or work with!
There’s hope. I work with overwhelmed people every
day and help them get focused, organized, and productive
in their home and office. But, you need a plan.
Step 1: Get Ready
Take out your calendar and pick the date you are going to
go through your entire home or office. This will take anywhere
from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Have a clean sheet for each
room and write the name of the room down on top of each
page.
Step 2: Identify the Areas to Organize
Begin at the front door and imagine a big clock imposed
on the floor. Choose where you want 12:00 and start there.
Now, look around the room clockwise writing down any area
that you’re tolerating or that bothers you. Before
you leave each room put a * by the area that bothers you
the most in each room. Go through each room in the home
or office.
Step 3: Prioritize
Take a clean sheet of paper and title it “Priority
Form”. Now, transfer each priority from all the room
sheets onto this paper. Look at each area and decide which
one you want to tackle first. You may want to pick an easy
area to have a quick success story or you may want to pick
a large task to get the worst out of the way right away.
Step 4: Choose a Date
Set a date to organize this area and put it in your calendar.
Step 5: Get Ready to Take Action
Look at the task that you’ve chosen to do first and
decide what supplies that you’ll need. If needed,
break this task down into smaller tasks and number in what
order you’ll do them. Write down a reward that you’re
going to give yourself when you’re done. Make it a
GREAT reward!
Step 6: Do It!
The day is here and you’re ready to get started. Put
on some fun music, some comfortable clothes and start organizing
the area. Use my S.T.A.R.T. ™ method
to get organized:
Sort
Throw
Appoint a Home
Restrict to a Container
Take back control
Take everything out of the area that you want to organize
and START. Sort though and decide what belongs there and
what doesn’t. Put the items that don’t belong
there in a box and bring that away later. You need to stay
focused on the area that you are working on. As you’re
sorting you’ll also be throwing away items and/or
putting in a box for donation or a garage sale. After you’ve
sorted through everything whatever is left belongs in that
area. You’ve just appointed a home for those items.
Now, restrict them to container if possible. Use baskets
in a closet, drawer divider bins in a drawer, etc. to get
‘like’ items together into a container. Step
back and look at what you’ve done! You’ve just
taken control back of that area of your life and it feels
great!
Step 7: Reward, Relax, and Repeat
Well done! Acknowledge yourself and enjoy what you’ve
just accomplished and cross this task off your Priority
Form. Be sure and enjoy your reward and when ready –
tackle the next task!
It’s amazing what happens when you start to get organized
in your life. You’re going to feel better about yourself,
have increased self confidence, and get so much more done
each day. You’ll love getting organized – I
guarantee it!
About the Author
Elizabeth Hagen is a dynamic and inspiring Professional
Organizer and Speaker who has motivated thousands to
take action and get organized. She is President of ElizabethHagen.com
and works with overwhelmed people to helps them get focused, organized,
and more productive. Her latest book “Organize
Your Life Today!” is a 4-cd set and workbook (OrganizeYourLifeToday.com)
that will change your life!
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