Does your struggle to be productive at work and at home feel like waging war with yourself and others?

Perhaps it makes sense to perceive that struggle as a battle ground. You are the commander. You are waging war on several fronts – special projects, ongoing skirmishes, and supply logistics.  You have a map of the terrain (the floor plan) and know what your resources are:  equipment,  personnel, and supply lines.

To win the battle, you  must match trained personnel with specialized equipment and ensure that needed supplies are available for immediate use. In other words, you want to have all the components needed to engage the enemy to come together in the same place at the same time.

I’m sure you have decided (as I have) to work on a certain project only to spend 20 minutes or more gathering all the varying pieces of information, supplies, and equipment before you can begin. Whether that is finding your mixing bowl in the kitchen, asking yourself “Where did I put my 3-hole punch this time?”, or just trying to get the kids out the door in the morning, it is time-consuming as well as frustrating!

The answer is to designate action zones.

1. First make a decision that you are  going to start now! The time you spend in planning for efficiency will be returned to you tenfold.
2. Brainstorm. Ask yourself what activities you actually DO in the room/area you are organizing. Perhaps the question should be – what activities do you ideally want to do there!
3. Assign specific areas in the room, or zones, to similar activities. Try to limit each room to 2-3 zones. In an office you might have action zones for:
   • Communication Central – your desktop and shelf above
   • Reference library – bookshelf and file drawer
   • Action/Projects – credenza with In/Out boxes and incline sorter for specific activities/projects.
4. Place equipment and supplies within arm’s reach in the appropriate zone for each activity.
   • Filing – extra hanging files, manila file folders, labels
   • Enjoying media – TV, Radio/CD player, VCR/DVD player, CD’s, DVD’s, and remotes, of course.
   • Paying bills – computer, bills, calculator, check book, stamps, address labels
   • Baking – measuring cups and spoons; mixing bowls; baking pans; spices, extracts and leavening agents
   • Getting in the car – keys, diaper bag, shoes, coats, hat, gloves & backpacks

Now that you have the stage set for control over each new project, all you need are the trained personnel. Is that you or do you have employees, friends, or children you can delegate the task to?

The beauty of action zones is that whoever is assigned to that battle will have all the tools necessary to succeed! That will save you time in both set- up and in wages paid.

You may find that once you know where everything is to get started quickly, you are raring to take on that project yourself, right now. You are the commander and it is an easy victory!

Declare War on Time-Consuming Clutter with Action Zones is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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When I started listing the life-changing results I see as an organizer, I couldn’t stop at an even 10 as I had planned, so you get a baker’s dozen.

Clearing the clutter and organizing those things you need/use or love/find beautiful will…

1. Give you hope for the future; you don’t have to stay stuck in chaos and defeat.
2. Set you free from the burden of clutter (of things, their past, negative emotions) so you are able to move on.
3. Let you know you are capable of maintaining order with the system that matches your personal bent.
4. Give you a safe and healthy environment so you can thrive.
5. Allow you to pass on a legacy of order to your children.
6. Affirm your competence on the job when you can find info quickly, get started on today’s projects, and reach for tomorrow’s opportunities.
7. Empower you to take back control of life and your environment, one area at a time.
8. Make you feel valued for the unique individual you are, not based on some preconceived notion of what you should be or do.
9. Boost your self confidence knowing you will remember appointments, be on time, and have what is needed at that moment.
10. Allow you to experience a calm retreat at the end of a fast-paced day.
11. Enable you to accept less than perfection, while striving for “good enough.”
12. Free up time for you to fulfill your dreams.
13. Underline the truth that we each fail at times, but that each mistake is a new chance to start over.

The great thing about organizing is, when you clear a path in one area of your life, the positive feelings ripple outward and you are energized to repeat the process for even greater success.   That is what my clients see and experience.  Love it!

Benefits of Organizing: A Baker’s Dozen is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

Where do your paper piles collect? Are they on your desk, kitchen counter, or dining room table? This area must be where you tend to keep bills, projects, invitations, and all the other reading materials you want to get to. The problem is, important papers get mixed in with the “not so much” papers and you miss an opportunity or deadline.

To level the piles right away, try SPEED SORTING. The goal is to see quick results and to find that work surface again! Another plus is we will be identifying those papers that still require action and separating them from the piles that you kept to refer to in the future.
Gather supplies and set aside approximately 45 minutes for the speed sorting process.

The supplies you will need for this exercise are:

• An IN BOX
  I like the attached, tri-level letter boxes for this, simply because you can label the middle box OUT, and the bottom box TO BE FILED. Then you have three options for handling paper in a relatively small footprint.
• Colorful File Folders.
  Choose files with stripes, flowers, or buildings in Paris to make your projects stand out.
• A Banker’s Box or other sturdy box to hold papers.
• A Desktop Vertical File (optional)

Now, set aside time to begin your sorting. You will need approximately 1 hour to clear your desk with speed sorting. Determine not to answer the phone or leave your work area until you are done with this section.

STEP ONE: Create distinctive PROJECT FILES  Tool #1

To begin, find any supporting documents for projects you are currently working on. A project is a temporary action that has a beginning, middle and an end. [Example: mailing holiday cards to friends and family]

Use one of the colored PROJECT FILES for each project so you can see at a glance where they are in your work area. Label the folder with the name of your project and expected date of completion.
If you want to see the files easily on top of your desk, use the optional incline sorter to hold them. Keeping your PROJECT FILES in a desk file drawer will work also. You want to have these files within arm’s reach to grab quickly.
When you can’t see any more papers that apply to current projects, set the PROJECT FILES to one side. You can add any other relevant documents to the files as they are unearthed.

STEP TWO: Separate ACTION papers and place in the IN BOX   Tool #2

To encourage you to keep moving, set a timer for 30 minutes to complete this step. Stay focused and work quickly.

In this step, you will look at each paper still on your desk briefly and determine the answer to this question:

“Is there something I have to DO with this paper?”

If the answer is YES, you will put the paper in your IN BOX, indicating that it represents ACTION that has to be taken.

If the answer is NO, that means any action associated with that paper is FINISHED and the paper will be kept for reference only. Put that paper in the box you have standing by.

Remember, you are not allowed to leave the area during this process. You may not begin taking action on any paper that you find in the piles. Simply place it in your IN BOX with an “URGENT” note on it. GO!

Done? Hooray! You found all of the papers that you need to take ACTION on. Did you find a few that were URGENT?
The box of FINISHED papers can go under your desk for now (or some other hiding place, preferably not the oven!) You will be able to access anything you discover you need before filing time.
Now you can finish your cleaning to get ready for your holiday company or just breathe a sigh of satisfaction that you can see that surface again. Whew!

NOTE: Speed sorting is only the first step in creating a paper management system that cuts your paper piles down to size… permanently! In my eBook “7 Tools to Conquer Paper Piles Forever!” I walk you through the entire process step-by-step. That resource is available now on my website.

Clear Piles of Paper with Speed Sorting is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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Don’t critique the job you’re doing until you’ve completed it.

Christine Adamec, author of “Moms with ADD”

Adult ADD

This is just one of the “8 Ways to Focus at Work & Home” from the article in ADDitude Magazine online.

If you are distracted by bright and shiny objects, are a raving perfectionist,  or simply have to move NOW or you will die, you will find hope in these simple tips from ADHD experts.

While you are there, sign up to have the newsletter delivered to your in box. We all can use the additional nudge to simplify desktops, write lists, and ask for help from a friend. Common sense? Yes! Do we do it? No!

Great Ideas on How to Focus… Now! is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

I was embarrassed to have to answer, “No, I have not.”

So, you know what’s coming… by golly, this is Part 3! Maintenance doesn’t have to be a bad word. Use these tips to keep your newly organized space contained and going strong.

Room to live

7 Keep it Organized Tips to making “main-tain” more than two rhyming four-letter words:

1. Store items by categories. Name the category so you and everyone else know what goes in there. Label, if necessary. Sample categories: first aid kit, cold weather accessories (hats, gloves, scarves), everyday office supplies, Stationery/Bill paying supplies, hair care.
2. Keep items close to where they are used so you don’t have to travel very far to put them away.
3. Use containers that fit the item to be stored in size, convenience of access, quality of décor. Ask, “Does this container make me want to put things in it, or is it too hard?”
4. Set limits on how many you truly need. You are the manager here. Too many extraneous things make it hard to find what you really use and love! How many margarine tubs can you use in a month? That’s enough.
5. Commit to putting things in their homes that you have designated.  Think “There’s no place like home…there’s no place like home.” Click your ruby slippers and let that object go home.
6. Gather things that have escaped, or are on permanent vacation from their homes into a “Move” box. Then walk around your house delivering them to the doorstep of the room where they belong. Put each one in its home the next time you enter that room.
   
7. If you have kids, make a family play date to do some straightening. In each child’s room let him/her be the manager and tell the “employees” where things go. Hold your tongue, mom or dad. Any headway you make is an improvement on what was before. Other children may make some good suggestions that can better be heard by their sibling.

Maintenance issues often are solved in the organizing process.  When systems are put into place in deference to personality and present habits, the odds become much greater that we can “keep it up.” If you are having lots of difficulties maintaining your organized space, it could be that the system itself needs tweaking.

Organization doesn’t have to be boring. Use color and style to ratchet up your desire to keep your space appealing to the eye and inviting as a fun place to hang out.

Final thoughts:

• Enjoy your space as you currently have it arranged.
• Be present in NOW.
• When you leave an area, look for something that you can deliver to the room you are headed to.
• Try to spend 10 minutes a day putting things away.
• Devote a concentrated 2 hours per month working on one area in particular.

Living and working in an organized space is more a process than a destination. Over time as you find systems that work for you and are committed to keeping it up, you will see the gradual change. If you need more support, find a professional organizer in your area on the National Association of Professional Organizers webpage. We are a diverse group but all have a passion to help others live balanced and productive lives.

Clear the Clutter! Part 3 – Keeping Stuff Contained is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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I have to laugh. Never do I say what I am thinking, “I could have spent the last hour giving you a system to help with that.” Instead I ask for one specific area where paper is a problem and try to give a tip or two.

We all struggle with the ubiquitous paper piles.

The piles pop up everywhere – in the kitchen, on the dining room table, on our desk in the office or at home. These are some startling facts about paper that do not even surprise us anymore:

• The world consumes five times more paper now than in 1950.
• Each person in the United States uses approximately 750 pounds of paper each year. This equals approximately 187 billion pounds per year.
• The average American receives 49,060 pieces of mail in their lifetime; 1/3 of it is junk mail.
• The United States annually consumes 4 million tons of copy paper, 2 billion books, 350 million magazines and 25 billion newspapers.

Perhaps the most telling statistics about the proliferation of paper are those describing the meteoric rise of the paper shredding industry.

In 1982 there were about two dozen document shredding companies. That number grew to between 500 and 600 in 2002 according to the Petersburg Times, Feb 2002.

As of 2008, the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) reported that document shredding was a $1.2 billion a year industry in the U.S. and is growing at a rate of 35 percent per year. NAID membership grew from 150 to more than 1,000 in the span of five years. (Sacramento Bee, May 2008)

What does this rise in paper generation mean on a day-to-day basis?

The average desk worker has 36 hours of work on his or her desk and spends 3 hours per week sorting piles trying to find the project to work on next. (Richard Swanson, The Overload Syndrome)

The paper piling problem is not limited to the average Joe or Jill.

Studies have shown that some executives will pick up a single piece of paper from their desk thirty or forty times before acting on it. “Don’t use your desk as a storage place for items awaiting action. If you can’t dispense with it immediately, at least keep a follow-up pile.” (Michael Woolery, Seize the Day)

Without a plan, paper will win.

We can be overwhelmed, finding ourselves debating which information to act on first, crippled by visual and mental clutter. The best defense is a good offense. These are three strategies every office and household must plan and carry out to eliminate paper piles.

1. Establish a paper flow system with standard operating procedures (SOP) for the three main categories: reference, action, and junk. When you make decisions ahead of time on how to deal with incoming information, you don’t have to think so hard or reinvent what to do with that everyday-the-same-old-stuff paperwork.
   Get more in depth instruction and a step-by-step system to get the mountain of paper under control with the e-Book 7 Must Have Tools to Conquer Paper Piles Forever!
2. Schedule regular times for follow-up activities. Some actions are never ending: to phone, to write, to email, to delegate, to discuss. Make standing appointments with yourself to “bundle” like actions into one time slot for completion. This approach can save you a bundle of time!
3. Reduce the volume of incoming paper as much as possible. Let friends and colleagues know you much prefer an email to a written note or a phone call (where you have to take notes.) Cancel magazines and newspapers you do not read.
   Use these websites to cut down on unsolicited advertising and credit offers:
   • Reduce Unwanted Mail – (1) http://www.catalogchoice.org/, (2) http://www.reduce.org [junk mail]
   • Stop Unwanted Credit Offers – http://www.optoutprescreen.com

The information age has changed the way we think and live. Like any tool, ready access to information can be a good thing when we are careful to wisely regulate its use. Take steps now to implement these three strategies to be more productive… and to maintain your sanity!

Maybe Not Paperless, Definitely Less Paper is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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You want to soar, stuff gets in the way (neoliminal/Flickr)

Over the last month or so, Jill and I have been emailing back and forth. She shared that she is finally motivated to let go of all the paper she has been storing with her business.  I hope you will be encouraged by her story. I asked Jill if I could share our email correspondence. She was surprised that I thought she could be of help to someone else, but agreed graciously.  I will post her “Before” pictures soon. Jill has promised to show us her “After” pictures when she gets more work done. I think she has come a very long way already!

Hello Martha:

I have enjoyed reading your 60 tips.  Nice to know that I am on the right track and not as bad as I thought!!!

I have my own business as a graphic designer/marketer/printier and I am a paper hoarder.  I save samples of my work, sayings, books, reference materials, magazines, business journals, catalogs, postcards, etc. I have the thought of “just in case”

In my office, I have 5 file cabinets with 15 drawers, book shelves, cabinets, etc.  with these items stored.  I even have the paper piles on the floor in my office which I can’t seem to get through and is driving me crazy….I know it is a bit of OCD. …but I am trying to plow through.

Here is my Serious question:  How do you deal with samples, catalogs, etc.?  I have had them on file for their information and use as photos of an item, like a magnet, shirt, signage, etc.  Do I input all of the info about the catalog/company in a database and pitch the catalogs?  Keep them?  ETC?  I was just trying to make room in my files for other info and to reduce the weight on my floor!

Help!  I could really use your advice.  Thank you so much.

Jill

Hi Jill!

I am so glad you found the report helpful.  Yay! You have systems in place already!

It sounds like you have a filing system for your work-related papers. Before I answer your question of  “How do you deal with samples, catalogs, etc?” I want to get a little clarification:

1. How often do you use what is in the files in your present projects?
2. Are you able to find what you need when you go to look for it?
3. Do you replace the old catalogs with the latest version when it comes?

In principle, you probably use only 20% of what you have.  The only trick will be to figure out what that percentage represents in your mix.

I may be able to get some hints from your answers to the questions.

You are brave to ask the questions, Jill.  Kudos!

Martha Clouse
Professional Organizer and Speaker

Martha:

Thanks for responding.  I so need your direction…..My comments are in red below.

Hi Jill!

I am so glad you found the report helpful.  Yay! You have systems in place already!

Yes, believe it or not, I am pretty well organized. My home is not cluttered and everything has its place.  I can find most anything at a moment’s notice.  It’s the paper I have aproblem with in my office.

By the way, the first page is what I kept to go by for reference from the 60 Tips.  I have it out in front of me as I clean up and sort out.

It sounds like you have a filing system for your work-related papers. Before I answer your question of,  “How do you deal with samples, catalogs, etc?”

Yes, I have a filing system that is in my office.  I work out of the home.

There are 3 file cabinets with 5 drawers each (15 total). Being a graphic designer/marketer/ printer, I accumulate a lot of paper. Especially catalogs, flyers, postcards, samples, etc. from vendors.  I file these under their proper categories like “calenders”, “Ad Specialty Items”,”Printers who Emboss”, ETC.  in the file cabinets. I keep these on file for reference should I need that particular item or service.

The Ad Specialty Item catalogs (pens, mugs, clothing, etc.)  are nice to have in case I am looking for something a client is searching for.  Then again, they may not carry that item anymore or the pricing is no longer current.

So, here is my dilemma, do I keep the catalogs, which are heavy, bulky, and put a lot of weight on the floor, yet I can actually look through them?

Or do I set up a computerized file system of the vendors and go onto their website?

I also must keep paper swatch cabinets…..those sit on top of the files.  Paper weighs a lot.  The paper swatch books measure approximately 6″ X 9″ each and about 1/2″ thick.  I need to actually keep these books in order to spec a job.

AS you can see, I’m not sure what to do.

Possibly I need to take the time to make a computerized inventory reference file(s) instead of keeping all of the paper “clutter”?

I want to get a little clarification:

1. How often do you use what is in the files in your present projects?
   Since my work is so diversified, I may use the catalog once in a year, if that. In case you are not familiar, a graphic designer can create artwork to place on just about anything you see……t-shirts, billboards, trucks, pens, cereal boxes, etc.
2. Are you able to find what you need when you go to look for it?
   Oh yes.  I have the files set up in categories, nice and labeled, color coded, etc.
3. Do you replace the old catalogs with the latest version when it comes?
   Yes, I do.

In principle, you probably use only 20% of what you have.  The only trick will be tofigure out what that percentage represents in your mix.

True.  That I could not say. It just all depends on the project.  I don’t work on anything more than another.

I may be able to get some hints from your answers to the questions.

My trouble is with keeping information I think might be important “just in case”.  Or reference, as I stated above.

I think maybe I should just computerize the information to reference when I need it and then go on the website?  I am not just not sure what is best.  I just know that I feel like I am  drowning in paper.  I need to let go of the paper for I can’t possibly use or remember all of the information.  I can always find fresh info later, I guess.

You are brave to ask the questions, Jill.  Kudos!

I guess I am finally facing the fact that I have a problem and I am just sick of it.  Why do I have this problem and others don’t seem to suffer from this affliction?

Well, I do know that is it a characteristic of being a right brain thinker.

A really terrific book for the creative right brain is, “Organizing for the Creative Person” by Dorothy Lehmkuhl & Dolories Cotter Lamping, CSW.  It would really help you in your profession to understand the mind of a creative.  I re-read the highlights from my previous read of the book this past weekend.  It put some things intoperspective that I had fogotten about.

Well, I guess it comes down to being really strict in throwing things away and not developing a “relationship” with it.  Try to remember I can find the information again at the library or on the web.  Yet I still do not know what I should do with the catalogs and samples.

From what I told you, do you have any insight as to what I should do?

Thanks.  Jill

Hi Jill,

You are a right brained thinker. Are you a tactile learner as well? I want to read the book you suggested. Sounds great!

I am left brained – your total opposite, supposedly – probably why I am in this profession. But, I love to write on paper, to feel fabric before I buy it. I would want to keep the catalogs, too.  :)  Ha!

It sounds like the online ad specialty catalogs are more complete and up-to-date pricewise, though. If web version is easy to navigate with good searches, I think that might be more time and space efficient. How much space would that free up?

To go through the loaded file cabinets you have would take too long and be a waste of time. The only way to find out what you are using (the 20%) is to have a new place for those things to go.

What I’m suggesting is that you start a parallel universe (new file) for the articles, flyers, samples as you actually use them. Your system is working – you can find things – so no reason to reinvent anything. Make the new files the same headings as in the old. All you really do is to file new items and refile old ones you USE in your new universe.

This sounds like a pain, but you don’t need to make all new files to start this.

Simply as you use something or deem it “worthy”, make the same file heading and put that file in the new area. Remember that you may have saved too much in the past, so ask yourself “when will I need this, is it definitely something I see my current customer base using?”

What will happen over time is that you will find yourself not searching the old files. At a specific time deadline that you will set after you see this happening for several months, it will be safe to purge the old files without regret.

Just remember that too much visual clutter can rob you of your creative focus, Jill.

My wishes for your continued success!

Martha

P.S. One more question  – is space an issue, or can your paper swatch cabinets find a home in another corner of your office? At waist height would be optimal.  At least that would even out some of excess weight.

Jill, you are making some GREAT progress!

Hello Martha!

Hi Jill,

You are a right brained thinker. Are you a tactile learner as well? I want
to read the book you suggested. Sounds great!

Yes, all right brain. I love the visual all around.  Plus the feel, I guess.

I’m sure you are wonderfully creative!

I am left brained – your total opposite, supposedly – probably why I am in
this profession. But, I love to write on paper, to feel fabric before I buy it.
I would want to keep the catalogs, too.  :)  Ha!

Sounds to me like you have a balance of the 2 sides of the brain.  Those are creative traits.

When I have time I quilt, but choose geometric patterns and tessellations.

I went on line yesterday and just looked up several of the companies I have catalogs for.  All of the catalog content was online with some really good photos. So, I will be throwing those catalogs away…..I feel good about it.

I am so glad that you can let those go AND feel good about your decision!

It sounds like the online ad specialty catalogs are more complete and up-to-
date pricewise, though. If web version is easy to navigate with good searches,
I think that might be more time and space efficient. How much space would
that free up?

You will never guess what I did yesterday……I emptied an entire file cabinet!  In one drawer,  I had samples of monthly promotional campaigns.  Instead, I keep the Idea Sheets for that campaign. That freed up an entire drawer alone and the sheets can fit into 1 file folder.  I can always order samples if I need them.

WOW! Way to go, Jill!

To go through the loaded file cabinets you have would take too long and be a waste of time. The only way to find out what you are using (the 20%) is to have a new place for those things to go.

What I’m suggesting is that you start a parallel universe (new file) for the articles, flyers, samples as you actually use them. Your system is working – you can find things – so no reason to reinvent anything. Make the new files the same headings as in the old. All you really do is to file new items and refile old ones you USE in your new universe.

This sounds like a pain, but you don’t need to make all new files to start this. Simply as you use something or deem it “worthy”, make the same file heading and put that file in the new area. Remember that you may have saved too much in the past, so ask yourself “when will I need this, is it definitely something I see my current customer base using?”

True. I probably have saved too much in the past. That is the ultimate question.  When will I actually use this if ever.I”ve had samples for years….I opened the business in 1992.  I”m sure I can start anew with more current samples.

The more I think about it, the more I “pitch” the freer I feel.  I guess that is the point.

Amazing how that works… When my husband and I moved to a condo 3 years ago at first we had a hard time letting go – for me it was craft supplies, for him it was tools. Then after a while we realized how much more time and space we would have without the “stuff”. We love it!

What will happen over time is that you will find yourself not searching the old files.
At a specific time deadline that you will set after you see this happening for several
months, it will be safe to purge the old files without regret.

Sounds like a good plan

Just remember that too much visual clutter can rob you of your creative focus, Jill.

That is exactly what I have been suffering from!  Too much chaos and stimulation in the negative sense.  I agree!  I”ve gotten to the point where I am mad and don’t want to live this way anymore.  Anger is a great motivator sometimes.  I just want to walk into my office and see a clean room.  No boxes of papers, notebooks,magazines articles, etc. that I “must” get to someday.

Someday never comes. I am beginning to realize that.  I am really going to have to train myself tobe focused in order to keep it clean and tidy.   Not only do I have tendencies for OCD (saver), but I suffer from a touch of ADD (no focus)

My wishes for your continued success!

I need it!

You have so much going for you, Jill. You are emotionally ready (mad enough) to do the work of de-cluttering. You know yourself (OCD/ADD tendencies) so can design your office around your personality.

Congratulations on doing this work. You are paying yourself your hourly rate to make your business more productive and profitable!

Martha

P.S. One more question  – is space an issue, or can your paper swatch cabinets find a home in another corner of your office? At waist height would be optimal.  At least that would even out some of excess weight.

I have turned my dining room into my office.  It measures 12 ft x 12 ft.  I was thinking that if I am able to remove enough of the catalogs/paper in the file cabinets, I can place the swatch cabinet contents into the file drawers.  Since I have/will throw so much away, the weight will be reduced.  That’s what I have been thinking.  There really is no other place I can put them.

That is a small space. Glad you are able to reduce a bit!

Martha, thanks for corresponding.  I really appreciate it.  You  are a great help.  Someone to bounce ideas off of and have guidance for the right direction.  I feel I am making progress.  I just have to stay focused and”pitch”!

My pleasure, because you are making decisions and taking action. That is the kind of motivated person I like working with!

Hope to talk soon.  Jill

Hello Martha!

My story is very moving? Really?  Well, if that is the case, then you are more than welcome to use my story.  I would love to be able to help someone for I know how frustrating this “affliction” can be.  If there is anything that I can do to help, please let me know.

Would you need photos for your blog or website?  Glad to send them. That might even help me to have the visual of “before” and “after” to keep me on track.

I am far from finished, but I am still “mad”!   Now I will have to continue into a spare room where I have cleaned out a desk.  I sold the desk but still have i’s contents in multiple bags.  Can’t remember what are in the bags really.

I know that’s a good sign!

Then I need to move into my basement in the office storage area.  Years of past files must be pitched.  The files are from one time clients or old accounting info.

I know it is time to purge.  It’s time.  I need the newly purged areas for new projects to come into my life.

I’ve had a “break-through” and I am making progress, but I do know  that I really have to put the work into maintaining what I have been able to accomplish.  That will be the challenge.

Talk to you soon!

Jill

Jill’s Story, Behind the Scenes Coaching on De-Cluttering is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.