Overwhelmed by sentimental stuff? Designate “memory museums”– storage containers, chests, display cabinets or drawers–for storing personal memorabilia. Plan to revisit the contents periodically, or at least annually; the process should bring up happy memories while encouraging you to weed out objects that aren’t positive or are no longer as meaningful.
Memory Museums
Conquering Calendar Clutter
One of the simplest time-management aids–and clutter conquerors–is a ruled, desk-blotter-sized calendar, located on the wall near the phone you use most often. A super-large calendar can provide a good place for notes and lists to come home to roost; it gives you enough room for everything, and the lines make it easier for you to keep your scribbles in order. Attach a pencil with a string–or a thick chain, if necessary.
Categorize
Put like things together, and group like tasks together to save time.
Take Time To Make Time
Set aside uninterrupted time regularly for accomplishing specific tasks such as filing, correspondence, bill-paying, putting things away, etc. A ticking timer can help keep you on track.
Move It or Leave It
Summer means vacation time for the lucky, but for the not-so-lucky it may mean preparing for a move. If you are dreading the packing and unpacking processes, here’s a mantra to chant as you proceed:
“The less stuff I choose to keep, the less stuff I have to pack. The less stuff I choose to pack, the less stuff I need to unpack.”
Remember, the more decluttering you do before you move, the easier it will be to get resettled.
LET GO OF CLUTTER has dozens of tips and steps to help you declutter painlessly.
Conquering Cabinet Clutter
One way to cut down on cabinet clutter is to get in the habit of discarding inefficient packaging from frequently used supplies, replacing it with reusable, convenient containers & dispensers. Utilize clear plastic canisters that can be used for a variety of supplies: personal hygiene products (cotton swabs & pads), dry goods (cereals, pasta), and anything else you need to access regularly.
For more tips on conquering cabinet clutter, read “Conquering Stuff and Space”–Chapter 5 of LET GO OF CLUTTER.
Stuff to Remember
Overwhelmed by sentimental stuff? Designate “memory museums”– storage containers, chests, display cabinets or drawers–for storing personal memorabilia. Plan to revisit the contents periodically, or at least annually; the process should bring up happy memories while encouraging you to weed out objects that aren’t positive or are no longer as meaningful.
Conquering Car Clutter
To prevent your automobile from becoming a clutter-mobile, do some decluttering each time you stop to get gas. After you’ve filled up the tank, take a moment to clear out trash and put your car’s contents in order.
Having easy-to-use trash receptacles handy in both the front and back seat areas will keep your vehicle from filling up with disorderly debris.
Danger: Empty Files
Here’s a trick question: What’s potentially more hazardous–an over-stuffed file folder or an empty one? Answer: An empty folder–when it’s unlabeled and mixed in among full ones.
Don’t make the common mistake of storing extra file folders in with your filing system. Empty files not only take up valuable filing space–they also create the confusing illusion that you have more files in use than you actually do. Then, when you’re in a hurry, it’s easy to mistakenly stuff a document in an empty file next to the one you intended to use. You may subsequently spend hours looking for a piece of paper that you’re sure you filed “in the right place.” Avoid this type of time-wasting and stress-inducing chaos by keeping back-up file supplies in a designated office supply storage cabinet or container.
For more tips on on this topic, be sure to read Chapter Six of Conquering Chaos at Work.
Conquering Cabinet Clutter
One way to cut down on cabinet clutter is to get in the habit of discarding inefficient packaging from frequently used supplies, replacing it with reusable, convenient containers & dispensers. Utilize clear plastic canisters that can be used for a variety of supplies: personal hygiene products (cotton swabs & pads), dry goods (cereals, pasta), and anything else you need to access regularly.
For more tips on conquering cabinet clutter, read “Conquering Stuff and Space”–Chapter 5 of LET GO OF CLUTTER.
7 WAYS TO CONQUER CLUTTER
1. If you frequently misplace things, perhaps it’s because you move from place to place clutching something in your hands that you end up putting down somewhere it doesn’t belong. Make a conscious effort to release objects from your grasp and leave them where they belong.
2. Motivate yourself to let go of clutter by creating noticeable results quickly: Begin by decluttering the easiest and most visible cluttered area or segment.
3. Each day, make a conscious effort to let go of at least one unit of clutter. The “unit” can be one item or one container-full; as long as you do it consistently, you’ll see results.
4. Clothing and accessories become easier to part with when you apply this rule: Only keep items that make you look good AND feel good.
5. If your clutter includes sentimental objects, keep this in mind: Let go of anything that doesn’t touch you in a positive or poignant way. Don’t keep anything that makes you feel stressed or upset (unless you’re legally required to keep it).
6. There are only two types of paper worth filing: Records (what you have to keep) and resources (what you want to keep).
7. The most important piece of clutter to let go of is the apostrophe “t” on the end of the word “can’t.” When you catch yourself saying, “I can’t get rid of…” change it to “I can!”
Conquer chaos when sending e-mail
1. Use the subject line effectively. It should concisely state the key purpose or topic of your message. If you can also manage to make it sound exciting, great–but keep it to the point.
2. Limit the content of each business-related e-mail to one topic. People are more likely to respond quickly if they don’t have to shift their attention between different topics.
3. If an e-mail must include more than one topic or more than two key points, be sure to separately number each point. This makes it easier for recipients to respond to specific points.
4. Keep most e-mails brief–no more than one short paragraph. Many busy people just skim the first few sentences. The main point of using e-mail is that it’s a quick way to communicate, so don’t clutter your message with excess detail.
5. Make sure the purpose of your message is easy to comprehend. Before hitting “Send,” take a minute to read over your e-mail. Typo-riddled, unclear writing creates more than an unprofessional impression–it can also create chaos through miscommunication.
Smile File
If you’re in the habit of clipping cartoons, funny stories, and/or saving printouts of e-mail joke lists, you might as well give them a good home. Why not set up a “Smile File”? (Unless you find it funnier to just have piles of these types of papers.) Just be sure to go through the file periodically so it doesn’t explode. You can laugh as you weed.
Baby your wastebaskets
Treat your wastebaskets like babies: keep them within easy reach at all times, feed them frequently and change them often.
File Fitness Formula
Three points to keep in mind for both computer and paper file fitness:
1. Grouping files into broad categories makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for.
2. The files you use most often should be most accessible and easily identifiable.
3. Weeding file contents regularly (also discarding or archiving inactive files) helps keep the systems working smoothly.
The One-A-Day Rule
Each day, make a conscious effort to let go of at least one unit of clutter. The “unit” can be one item or one container-full. For example, I once received a letter from someone who had taken my Letting Go of Clutter workshop six months before. She wrote: “Ever since taking your Clutter class, I’ve been getting rid of one shopping bag full of clutter each day. I’m really starting to see progress!”
Whether it’s a bag, box or drawer full of stuff or even just an individual item (an empty box or bag), if you let go of clutter consistently, you’ll start seeing progress too.
Keeping track to get stuff back
If you often forget to return borrowed items–or if others forget to return things to you–put a “return date” reminder note in your calendar for one month.
Where did it go
Never–even for a second–put a bigger thing, such as a magazine or a notebook, on top of a smaller thing, such as keys or glasses.
From Mail to Pail
Despite the popularity of e-mail, snail-mail continues to be a major source of clutter for many people. Here’s how to process mail quickly to prevent it from creating piles:
1. Stand next to a wastebasket or recycling system. (It has been demonstrated that decisions are made more quickly while standing–especially when wearing painful shoes.)
2. With an easy-to-use letter opener (not the kind that’s more decorative than useful), quickly slit open all envelopes.
3. Immediately discard all obvious junk mail (especially anything stamped “Urgent!”), including extraneous pieces such as ad inserts and outer envelopes.
4. Categorize what’s left into your paper-flow system. (Note: Chapter 6 of Conquering Chaos at Work describes how to set up and maintain an effective paper-flow system.)
5. Make a conscious effort to get rid of catalogs as quickly as possible. Store any that you choose to keep in an upright holder next to a favorite reading spot.
Handling e-mail overload
- If you receive dozens (or more) e-mails daily, you need to implement both a system for automatically sorting and prioritizing them, and procedures for prioritized responding.
- Block out daily “e-mail maintenance time” in your calendar or time management system. For example, 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at the end of the workday.
- For those days when you know you’re not going to be able to respond to e-mails, utilize the auto-responder (automated response feature) in your e-mail program. This will let people know that their message was received and when they can expect to hear back from you.
- Depending on what type of work you do, it may be wise to limit e-mail-box visits to no more than three times a day. Checking for e-mails more frequently can fragment your focus and cause you to put off doing more important tasks.