Organizing Your Home

The first step - yourself

Getting organized is not an end in itself. There is no right way to do things, unless it's right for you. It must fit your schedule, style, and energy. Whatever system helps you the most effectively is the best one for you.

Beware of the tail wagging the dog, in which the appointment book, budget, expenditure records, and master list take up more time than the problems they are supposed to solve.

Energy level

Are you a morning person or a night person? Your efficiency may increase if you arrange your tasks as much as possible around the rythms of your body. Try scheduling your top-priority tasks during your peak hours, and routine work during your low time.

Getting Started

The key is to start Now!, no matter what. If you have an email to send, do it now. Do you have a letter to write? Start typing. A call to make? Start dialing. You can always come back to this reference for more information (just be sure to bookmark this page!)

Tackle it in pieces

There's an old joke: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. If the size of your project overwhelms you, tackle it in pieces, one at a time.

More organization tips

• Lists Setting up a calendar and lists to assist in the organization process.
• Message Center Setting up a central place for messages and important information.
• Are you organized? A quick quiz to find out how organized you are, and how much you can do to make yourself more organized.
• Make your own organizer Making your own organizer to track tasks and dates.
• Telephone tips Ways to save time and frustration with the telephone.
• Errands and appointments Making the most out of errands and appointments.
• Using short periods wisely What to do when you only have a few minutes.
• Mail How to handle mail efficiently.
• Housework Make housework more productive and effective.
• Company Preparing for, and entertaining, company.
• Company Kit Setting up a kit for when company arrives on short notice.
• Each evening Preparing for the following day.
• Simple tidying Life can be easier if you set up areas for situations, tyding up the whole house.
• Laundry Ways to save time and money with the laundry.
• Distributing the Burden You don't have to do it all yourself, you can share the load.
• Delegation How to delegate effectively.
• Child's room Keeping your kid's rooms tidy.
• Storage Where to put things.
• Pack rat How to avoid being a pack rat.
• Messy Closet Cleaning out a messy closet.
• Garage Sale How to have a successful garage sale.
• Moving Sorting through your stuff for a move.
• Prevention Some ideas to prevent cleaning chores.
• Odds and ends How to deal with odds and ends that just kind of show up to clutter a room.
• Organizing Your Home Basics of organization.

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