Office Intervention Part 3B: Short-Term Stalemate

My office intervention is at a temporary standstill. The end of the semester is just two weeks away and other priorities have to be front and center -- there's just no way around it.

But this isn't all bad. Though my intervention activities have shifted, my temporary inability to devote time to making headway gives me a perfect opportunity for practicing the E in STYLE: Easy upkeep.

Or, in everyday terms, can I keep the clear spaces clear? This is, after all, the goal of getting organized in the first place -- creating systems that are sustainable and that fit into our everyday lives.

So far, so good, with the exception of a textbook that needs to find a home. It's actually been pretty easy to curb my drop and run tendencies with respect to my office counter. I like the way the clear space on the counter looks too much to mess it up. And, perhaps just as important, I found permanent new homes for the things that were taking up that space.

So, as the semester winds down and the end-of-semester workload winds up, my intervention has been reduced to picking up this and tossing that in an effort to take small steps that will keep this necessary project going. Motivated by the clear space, I am ready to reduce the piles, even if it means getting rid of things -- perhaps especially so. If it's gone for good, I don't need to deal with it again, which simplifies future organizing tremendously.

Do you struggle with the important but necessary step of getting rid of things? Check out this post for a short list of a few easy-to-part-with items and some style-specific advice.

Meanwhile, where is the upkeep easy at your house?

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys for Spring De-Cluttering

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Are you a spring cleaner? Personally, I much prefer organizing to cleaning, but when I clear the clutter from a space, I find myself magically motivated to take the next step, and clean the space as well.

If winter clutter is blocking your spring cleaning, where do you start? Here are three ideas.

• In the space that matters most. Where will you get the most bang for your organizing buck? Maybe it's in the bedroom, where clothes and shoes from multiple seasons have been mixing and intermingling, sucking the peaceful feeling out of a room where rest should come easily. Maybe it's your office, where tax documents and papers have made themselves at home alongside the regular piles, making you want to close the door and go work somewhere else, where clear space already exists. Starting in the place you most want to reclaim is one option.

• In the space that drives you crazy. This may overlap with the space that matters most, making your decision that much easier. Or, it may be a place in your home that has become a dumping ground -- one you're not quite sure how to fix. Taking the mess apart, piece-by-piece, and figuring out what you're dealing with may lead to the solution you're seeking. If you already have a spring cleaning mentality, you might want to do this in one big session. Or, if even the thought of doing so is too intimidating, set a timer and chip away at it until time's up. As you work, think about what needs to stay in the space and what belongs in another location, and, at the end of each session, make sure to put away the things that should go somewhere else. Shrinking the pile will give you both a sense of accomplishment and a clearer idea of what tools you'll need in order to maintain the space once you've finished organizing it.

• In the space that seems do-able. If you've been waiting impatiently for spring since the groundhog popped his head out, you're probably not interested in projects that keep you indoors for long. But, when you come back inside at the end of the day, you want the peace and relaxation that emanates from organized spaces. Or, perhaps you're overwhelmed and don't know where to dig in first. You might want to break a big project into smaller chunks, or perhaps choose a smaller project instead. This might be a good time to employ the Give it Five! strategy, or to tackle a cluttered space while you're inside doing something else (sort through that stack of mail while dinner's cooking, for example). 

Wherever you decide to start, be sure to take a step back and enjoy your handiwork when you finish. Maybe even celebrate a little. Restoring order to a space creates a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, and when you do it with STYLE, you can look forward to continuing to savor that feeling.

Organization Extra: De-Cluttering -- Start Small

www.craiglotter.co.za

De-cluttering is one of those things we have to be in the mood for. Like so many other things, getting started is the hardest part.

That's why this article from Bright Nest makes so much sense. The concept of starting with a small space isn't exactly rocket science, so to speak, but it's easy to overlook its benefits:

• Putting a halt to the procrastination process and starting somewhere, no matter how small, often energizes us to tackle bigger spaces;
• De-cluttering is de-cluttering. Reclaiming a space, no matter how small, is a step on the road to organization;
• Smaller spaces can be easier to keep neat in the long run, and a succession of neat spaces that stay that way contributes to overall organization.

Still overwhelmed? Trying the Give it Five! trick. Set a timer for five minutes, and when it goes off, you're finished. You can keep working if you wish, of course, but you can also walk away.

So where will you start?