TheMediaOnline asked Tracy Foulkes, productivity specialist, motivational speaker and owner of premier professional organising company Get Organised, for some tips on how to organise any space in your home or office. After all, it’s not easy to focus on clear and simple communication when surrounded by chaos.
Like writing in plain language, getting and staying organised isn’t rocket science. It is, however, extremely beneficial for both private and professional spaces.
Use the simple yet effective Get Organised™ 3 Step Process to take charge of your space and get organised once and for all.
1. Get going
Starting off with a goal in mind, arm yourself with black bags for trash and large boxes (or bags) marked ‘give away’, ‘sell’ and ‘not for this room’. Don’t worry if you don’t have the whole day, week or month to set aside. If 15 minutes is all you can commit to right now, it’s a start.
2. Sort, store and simplify
Step 2 is all about weeding through your papers and possessions while deciding on what stays and where it goes. The usual excuses for not getting organised are that you don’t have enough time, you feel overwhelmed or you don’t know where to start.”
Instead of focusing on the enormity of the task that lies ahead, rather concentrate on the benefits of being organised in your home or work space. These include:
- increased energy
- reduction in stress levels
- increase in productivity
- time saving
- more money
- maximising your space
- clarity.
Standing in front of your desk or at the entrance to the space you are decluttering work your way around the room/shelf/drawer/desk touching each item and paper. As you touch it, make an immediate decision if the item stays or goes.
A useful question to ask is: do I need, use or love this? If the answer is no – add it to your give away or sell box and move on.
Once you know what things you are keeping you can decide how and where to keep them. At this point you can go out and buy containers, files or folders if you need them. Group like items together and label everything that is in a closed container.
3. Build a maintenance routine
After all the hard work decluttering and systemising, you must prevent falling back into old habits. Implement a daily sort through routine and use your diary, the seasons or gift giving occasions as triggers to help you stay on track.
Visit www.getorganised.co & download Get Organised’s complimentary Individual & Business Productivity E-books to help you take control of your space, paper and time.
Foulkes is regularly featured in numerous magazines, newspapers, on TV and radio. Tracey is a monthly contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine & the online organising expert for women24.com.
