Tips & Tricks Busy Professionals Can Use to Simplify Their Lives
Compliments of Ribary & Associates, LLC
www.tiaribary.com

A successful person recently looked at me very seriously and asked "How do you get organized?" She was struggling with what so many of us struggle with at one point or another - organization!

You may recognize a few of these statements: "I can't see the surface of my desk," "my closet is such as mess, I don't want to open it," "there is no room in my drawers, and I don't even know what's in them," "I can't find anything when I need it," "I know it's somewhere in that pile on the right." Sound familiar? If so, read on, or share this with someone who needs it.

Common obstacles to getting organized: there's never enough time, there's too much to think about, I don't like to do it, I don't know how to do it, I don't know where to start.

For some, the thought of getting organized is so overwhelming that they ignore it and continue plugging on, even though the dis-organization is costing them valuable resources: time, stress and money. One of my favorite people, Kathie Nelson, often says, "People don't change until they are inspired to change, or until there is so much pain, that they have to."

There are two phases to organization - getting organized and then staying organized.

Getting Organized

The process of getting organized can appear to be the most daunting. However, once it's begun, it feels so good! How do you begin?

1. Sort. Begin by sorting your belongings into categories. As you sort, natural categories will begin to appear. For example, if this is your office desk you might find: office supplies, to-do items, to read items, filing, recycling, give away items, items that don't belong on your desk or even in your office, etc.
   
   Useful supplies to have on hand during this phase are boxes or bins of different sizes, paper for labeling the bins, a marker for writing the label, a dust rag if it's been a while since the items were uncovered.
    

2. Purge! Some purging can be done during the sorting process, but there is still more to be done. Go through those sorted boxes and get rid of anything you don't need or use. In step 1, you may have ended up with a "don't know" category. Keep in mind, everything you decide to keep falls into 3 categories: action item, keep item, or toss item. If you have something outside of those categories, it's probably a give-away or something you don't need. This process will get easier as you go, and feels like a deep breath of fresh air when you are done.
    

3. Re-sort. Some of the categories you ended up with may need to be broken down. For example, if your to-do items are way too many, break them down into: to-do urgent, and to-do later.
    

4. Space Planning. Determine where it makes sense for each item to be. Obviously, your phone goes on your desk, within arms reach. You'll need an in-box, or multiple in-boxes. Your paper perhaps goes near the printer. Your most used supplies in a drawer in your desk, excess supplies in a supply closet. During this process, keep in mind what you use most often. Those items should be most accessible. Group items together as much as possible.
    

5. Buy. Now that you know what you have and where it will go, you have an excellent idea of what you need to put it all in! Measure space, make a list, and go to the supply store. Americans waste so much money on trying to get organized with the wrong supplies. Knowing what you need will save you time, money and frustration.
    

6. Put it all away! What a great feeling this will be. You now know where everything is and you'll want to keep it that way.

Staying Organized

The process of staying organized is a long-term commitment, but it doesn't have to be time consuming. If you established the right system for your needs in the beginning, this will be easy.

Time management is the key to staying organized. Make "keeping up" a priority. Schedule time on your calendar to go through your in-box(s), to file, to read important articles, etc. Schedule an appointment for yourself, and you'll be more likely to keep it.

Continue purging items as they come in. If things come in the door that you don't know what to do with, think through your systems. Does the item need action? Does it need to be kept or filed, or is it garbage? Put it in its' place. Don't let things sit. It's as simple as that!

If you need help with setting up or maintaining a great, organized, fully functioning office, just call me! Ribary & Associates provides organizational services. In addition, I have access to numerous other professional organizational resources whom I highly recommend for your home and office. I am glad to put you in touch with the right person.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

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