The Time and Project Management Blog

In Part 1 of “Attacking the Clutter” we basically addressed throwing things away. In this article I want to be a little more specific about attacking the clutter. As stated previously, when looking at a mass of clutter, the task of organizing the mess can seem totally overwhelming. So my best advice is to take it in small bites. This may mean you need to focus on just one area of a room and ignore the rest of it for the time being. For example, let’s say your kitchen table is a mass of unopened mail, bills, papers, photos, magazines, and who knows what else. It is stacked a foot high in some places, and just beyond the table, the corner bench looks quite similar. When you turn around to survey the rest of the kitchen, you are met with counters that are cluttered and in disarray and total chaos. It truly is overwhelming, even to an organized person. That’s why you need to take small bites and focus on one specific area. In this case, let’s begin with the table and don’t be in a hurry to accomplish your task. Sit down with a glass of iced tea and wade through each and every paper. Those that can be discarded should be immediately put in the trash can. Have some file folders and a pen or pencil handy. As you open and sort various pieces of mail and other papers, begin to create files for similar categories. For example, “insurance”, “banking”, and “pay stubs”, could be some general categories. You don’t need a filing cabinet, but if you have one that would be great. A cardboard box will suffice to store the files. It is best to put them in alphabetical order so the files can easily be retrieved when needed. Don’t worry about creating too many files; you can always consolidate later, if desired. Concentrate on getting this task accomplished before moving on, even if it takes several days.

A Brown