10 Simple Ways to Clear Clutter from Your Home and Office

There is nothing worse then spending ten minutes looking for something to accomplish a three minute task. Clear the clutter and clear your mind.

1. Hold the intention that the only three things aloud on your writing desk is a lamp, a small vase for flowers, and a photograph or two. That's it! When you get up from your desk put everything else away except those three things.

2. Sort your mail as soon as it comes in, then recycle, throw out, file, or respond. No piles and no promise to go through it later.

3. Spend ten minutes a day walking through your house with a large shopping bag. Grab at least three things from each room in the house that you can throw away.

4. Have a special reading box or basket- Sort through magazines or articles you want to read and tear out the articles you are interested in and recycle the rest of the magazine.

5. Make sure you sort your email so you never have more than 3-5 things in your in box at any one time.

6. Set up project files in Word to keep track of important things you are working on. Designate a separate file for each project or focus. You won't have to hunt for your information when you need it.

7. Shred unwanted office paper and use it for garden mulch, cat litter, or starting a nice crackling fire in the fireplace.

8. Learn to say NO. Or at least get in the habit of asking for a day to think the request over. This will clear out clutter from your schedule.

9. Make a rule that everything has a drawer, cabinet, basket, bin, or shelf it belongs on put nothing on the flat surfaces in your house.

10. Write down all of those things that are running around your brain nagging you. Sort them into three categories.

1. Things that will help me accomplish my goals that are Really important to me.

2. Things I think are urgent or burning.

3. Things I should do

Be honest and ruthless when you sort this list. Stop doing everything that falls under 3. Everything that falls under 2 Delegate to someone else or eliminate them all together. The items that fall under 1 are the only things you want to spend your time working on.

About The Author

©BZ Riger-Hull. www.in-spiros.com For valuable free articles, assessments, & practical success tools mailto:A1@smartautoresponder.com Certified as a Success Coach, "Four Agreements" Facilitator, & Tele-Course leader We help you communicate powerfully, reduce stress, Strategically Attract success, & increase your financial well-being.

bz@in-spiros.com

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/11/californias_sle.htmlcid=1273018732ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNEbebsnY20SBulMkjONTr6WR_aCXgCalifornia#39;s Sleeping Giant - The Enormous bOrganizing/b Opportunity/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCalifornia Progress Report,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1And that, of course, only includes the volunteers inside the state; hundreds if not thousands went out into the swing states to canvass and borganize/b there. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081122/LIFESTYLE01/811220307cid=0ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNGxUoTJSyIgkL9qAYjaOm9hprTLhgKeep it simple when borganizing/b school papers/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDetNews.com,nbsp;MInbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1It was bound to happen. My daughter#39;s kindergarten papers have invaded our home. So, I turned to Debi Weinstein for some guidance. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/17/politics/politico/main4608377.shtmlcid=1272333491ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNG9RSXdnjzQGQRyCD3-B01DGKnxFwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=-rs4DcoJxbwJimgurl=wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2008/11/17/image4612014g.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2CBS News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/20/AR2008112003007.html%3Fhpid%3Dopinionsbox1cid=1272333491ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNE3jE9Q4R0K6zUIhrvWduEMeVDHkQWhat Next for Obama#39;s Network?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWashington Post,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Because of the emphasis he put on borganizing/b, barackobama.com might fairly be seen as the most successful high-tech startup of the past two years. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/11/gop-internet-activists.htmlcid=1272333491ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNEd_fAgym7hPgJRNBjT9_5wVwLHdgThe GOP#39;s Internet Insurgents/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrMother Jones/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/no_20081119_8934.phpcid=1272333491ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNHYDMPIAwtsOYPQ3OxpQQ6jUWG80AObama#39;s Millennial Marketers/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNational Journal/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/7757/cid=1272333491ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNFwCrLVt4wJeBV5D_rJa6Mjc8VkewA Call to Action/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPolitical Affairs Magazine/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15812.htmlcid=1272333491ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNHI96QTzhPknywKwtgiKwJHz7G7kwnobrPolitico/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20081118/NEWS03/311189964/Dems%2Bgaining%2Bvoters%2Bin%2BNNYcid=1272333491ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNGUf6ShnjLk1YEckcLYhcSJ-XHLdQnobrWatertownDailyTimes.com/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272333491hl=ennobrall 408 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.pr.com/press-release/117822cid=0ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNFLeAysjxQMAnOAlZR0HRQ5PXkpewLaunch of New bOrganizing/b Podcast, Tips Toolbox/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPR.com (press release),nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1They both are known for their office and computer borganizing/b specialties and help workers gain control and manage their time, email, communications, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/newport_news/dp-town_ndifference_1121nov21,0,2563184.storycid=1272841463ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNHUBUW80TaP_Q2Nyvs2vNqXBCRvNAMore than borganizing/b fairs/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDaily Press,nbsp;VAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Wright#39;s work is more than borganizing/b school fairs or fundraisers. Her biggest mission is getting a crucial element involved in the students#39; education b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/26655cid=1272842669ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNEmjHhy-OfBei5UjHOWi1xLeU5fRQUndergraduate bOrganizing/b Committee: Explaining our sit-in/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fYale Daily News,nbsp;CTnbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The Undergraduate bOrganizing/b Committee is grateful for the News’ coverage of our activities, but in the face of the accusations made by Kate Maltby and the b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/26653cid=1272842669ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNFSu9VvtquDlb9oOCz8kLG2A1ztagMacey: Yale invests responsibly/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrYale Daily News/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272842669hl=ennobrall 2 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.thedowneypatriot.net/view_full.php%3Farticle%3D0000048962cid=1272677570ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNEcTWRSfVSl3Nph9woqRVdcVWAxdANew community band is borganizing/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDowney Patriot,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1DOWNEY— Warren High School band director Dave Niemeyer, with the help of school alumni, is borganizing/b a new community band featuring brass, woodwind and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.welt.de/english-news/article2755765/California-court-to-hear-gay-marriage-ban-case.htmlcid=1271946116ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNHQs1jy1jX0cE1FqCjBG54VT_u0jAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=JYT3dvf1JQEJimgurl=www.welt.de/multimedia/archive/00705/eng_prop_eight_BM_V_705388g.jpg width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2WELT ONLINE/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-prop8-campaign22-2008nov22,0,6496229.storycid=1271946116ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNE1SDSeuwC0yhJwjRwaiqfkbuJyVwBoth sides in California#39;s Prop. 8 battle look ahead to 2010/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLos Angeles Times,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Regardless, backers and foes are borganizing/b supporters, waging a fierce public relations campaign and considering their next moves. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/11/19/nurses-rally-to-support-marriage-equality-in-californiacid=1271946116ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNHQ1qo66vCWyVGrDAWqlhT7Z7ELQQNurses Rally to Support Marriage Equality in California/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAFL-CIO/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11016796%3Fsource%3Dmost_viewedcid=1271946116ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNFh1PGMg0IiwzsMkX5W2SNLd7CVnQProp. 8 battle enters new stage/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrSan Jose Mercury News/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/11/20/18552391.phpcid=1271946116ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNH_itrDBJ-e_vupcOKALZ5nHBrecQMassive Movement Erupts to Overturn Proposition 8/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBay Area Indymedia/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://ontopmag.com/article.aspx%3Fid%3D2757%26MediaType%3D1%26Category%3D26cid=1271946116ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNF2Tc5MhwZTVAOn5dwlqZvLJEh0_AnobrOn Top Magazine/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2008/11/19/22160/cid=1271946116ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNGzgiOjB6MvgNM28CcC8j54WI655wnobrPrinceton University The Daily Princetonian/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1271946116hl=ennobrall 1,469 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/opinion/story/679179.htmlcid=0ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNH5Ogi2-StQGSDXTf5uuP6Ihc_hGAColumnist mistaken about union borganizing/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMyrtle Beach Sun News,nbsp;SCnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Companies intimidate, harass, coerce and even fire people who try to borganize/b unions. Workers are fired in a quarter of private-sector union borganizing/b b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/11/19/join-impact-and-web-part-ii-organizing-local-rallies-four-dayscid=1272631976ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNF1WuWgYSAkPdndnLfRRYalOZ8nFAJoin the Impact and the Web, part II: bOrganizing/b local rallies in b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Industry Standard,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 19, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1(Editor#39;s note: The following report is the second in a series about the massive online effort earlier this month to borganize/b protests around ballot b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/11/20/join-impact-and-web-part-iii-how-rally-attenders-got-callcid=1272631976ei=GUgoSeqxOI_u6gOI7-2fBAusg=AFQjCNGIErhszRKpN409Xlykh82JMzljbgJoin the Impact and the Web, part III: Putting out the call/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Industry Standard/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272631976hl=ennobrall 2 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
organizing - Google News


Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Overcoming E-mail Overload Using Microsoft Outlook

Do you feel like you just get too much e-mail?... Read More

Identifying the Rocks: Organizing Your Priorities

In one of my favorite books, First Things First, written... Read More

Choose Spice Racks That Help You Organize Your Home

Today you have almost as many choices of spice racks... Read More

Get Organised Before Its Too Late

Last year I attended a presentation from Parenting Expert and... Read More

Taking Care of You: De-Clutter

De-Cluttering our lives can be an extremely liberating exercise. There... Read More

Secrets to Eliminating Emotional Clutter

Are you plagued by clutter in your personal or professional... Read More

Organization Tips - How To Get Things Done

What stops you from 'getting things done?'Have you ever started... Read More

Getting Organized For The New Year - Part 2

In part 1, we discussed a system you could use... Read More

Can Someone Step Into Your Job Or Role And Function Effectively?

Working for one of the top Marketers online (David Ledoux)... Read More

Clutter Crisis?

Clutter costs you time, money, space, and peace of mind.... Read More

10 Myths of Clutter Clearing

1) It's easy to have a good clear out: Not... Read More

After the Clutter: 5 Steps to a New Daily Routine

I've noticed that in the two years since the major... Read More

Effective Closet Cleaning Tips - Let Go of More Than Skeletons

I know I have a problem when I have to... Read More

Stress Management: 10 Universal Laws to Get and Stay Organized

1. The Law of the 1st StepA good first step... Read More

Getting Organized - Getting Fit

In a speech entitled "Organized Living in a Disorganized World"... Read More

Common Clutter Culprits- How to Bust Through Clutter

Paper1. You may already be in the habit of filing... Read More

Organize Your Desk ? Live Longer!

It may seem far-fetched, but by organizing your desk, your... Read More

5 Reasons to Organize Your Home Today

Home organization isn't just for neat-nicks or those drawn toward... Read More

Overwhelmed? Try the Red Zone Tactic

Some people seem to be born organized. You probably remember... Read More

Clutter Is Natural

Nature loves clutter. Just think of all the stuff that... Read More

Clutter Campaign - Select Your Tools

Have nothing in your houses that you do not know... Read More

Heres A Great Way To Organize Your Work From Home Office Virtually

How to do keep track of all you have to... Read More

Simplify Your Life! No Really...Simplify Your Life!

We hear it every day."Buy this product, and simplify your... Read More

Organization and the Opposite Sex

In many of the companies I have worked in, there... Read More

How Clutter Chases Money Away

Have you ever heard that having a cluttered home can... Read More