Dont Get Lost In The Shuffle

I have a good friend whom (also being in the same business) I often compare notes with.

One of the things that I always give him a hard time about is the fact that even though he has one of the biggest desks I have ever seen I have never actually seen the desks surface.

It is always covered from corner to corner with stacks of paperwork, trade magazines, client files and little scraps of paper with hand-written notes all over them.

Now, right now, stop and look at your desk and tell me what you see. If you can't remember what color the top of your desk is, you may need some help.

Life is simpler, less stressful and more profitable when you're organized. If you cringe at the thought of digging out -- take heart. The following are several helpful tips by Wanda Phillips in Success Insight Magazine (and a few of my own) on getting rid of the clutter.

- Begin with your desk. Mentally divide it into 4 sections, then start in one corner and don't move to the next section until you see the bottom! Next, tackle the drawers. Then arrange your desk so that it is user friendly. Put your most used items in immediately accessible space.

- Trash it! Keep the waste basket handy. Go through everything. If you don't absolutely need it or haven't used it in a long time get rid of it. If it's just too difficult to decide, get a box to put the questionable items in. You can then shove the box in a closet knowing that if you really need a certain item you can go through the box and find it. If you are only keeping an item because you think so-and-so needs it then give it to them! Mail it to them if you have to.

- Use your computer. Create a phone, address and pertinent info file. Take all those papers, magazines, etc. and record the phone, address, web address and any other important info. Then toss the paper! Be sure, of course, to backup you computer files regularly.

- Make a calendar. Record all important events and times in one place. No more memos stuck all over! If you need a reminder, send yourself an e-mail.

- File it! If you have to keep it, then put it in a folder, label it plainly and file it alphabetically.

- In/Out Box Use an inbox and and outbox. Only allow one project or file on your desk at a time and finish it before you start on something else. Keep all other items filed or in the inbox, even if it is stacked three feet high.

- Return things. Put files back in the cabinet, books back on the shelf, extra supplies back in the closet. Rewrite loose jotted memos in a notebook or the proper file and toss the original.

I know it may be really hard but you will thank me when it you see the benefits.

Shawn Meldrum has spent the last two decades marketing everything from almonds to landscape lighting. He currently specializes in marketing for mortgage brokers, loan officers and real estate agents. For free mortgage marketing articles and much more visit: http://www.mortgagemarketingtips.com/

---

Clutter Is Natural

Nature loves clutter. Just think of all the stuff that drops from trees, washes in on the tide, or is blown by the wind into your backyard.... Read More

Get Organized - Stay Organized

My mother is one of the most productive people I know. She is 78 years old and still works full-time as the personal assistant to the CEO... Read More

Getting Organized for Achievement

Getting and staying organized is critical to achieving your goals. A well organized person is more productive, has more free time, wastes less money, and experiences less... Read More

The 4-Keys to Clutter Free Living - Design a Space that Nurtures Your Soul

Decluttering is a simple-to-learn process, once you break it down into manageable steps. Tackling too much at once, or underestimating the time and effort it will take... Read More

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

Working for one of the top Marketers online (David Ledoux) I've been lucky to learn many tips and tricks that can be used in cases of emergency.... Read More

How Clutter Chases Money Away

Have you ever heard that having a cluttered home can cause money to run away from you? I know, I know...it sounds like airy-fairy mumbo jumbo, but... Read More

Organize (and Decorate) Your Home on a Budget with Baskets

What's an item that can help you organize every room in your home, helps create the appearance that you're a tidy housekeeper (even if you're not), and... Read More

The Five Ways To Ease The Process Of Eliminating Clutter

I recently had a conversation with a friend about clutter. She shared that at times there was so much clutter around her home that she simply concluded... Read More

Are You Stuck In The Clutter Trap?

You arrived on earth without clutter. Your parents and doting relatives started you on a pathway to accumulation. By the time you were a year old, you... Read More

Your Organizing DNA

Do you like storing your papers on top of your desk in trays, baskets or just plain piles? Do you have a preference for Post-it notes and... Read More

Saying Goodbye to Stacks of Paper and Distractions

A daily journal will save you time, reduce stress and make you more productive.Several months ago, I visited the office of a million dollar producer. I was... Read More

Get Organised Before Its Too Late

Last year I attended a presentation from Parenting Expert and well-known author, Stephen Biddulph on "Raising Boys". As I have an 11 year old son, I was... Read More

Five Simple Tips to Get Organized Today!

Take time to declutter this summer...Writing can certainly consume the better part of your day... Especially when you consider all the other responsibilities most of us take... Read More

The Organized Move: Unpacking with a Plan

(This is the third in a series of three articles on "The Organized Move") The moving truck is pulling in the driveway of your new home and... Read More

Organize Your Desk ? Live Longer!

It may seem far-fetched, but by organizing your desk, your bedroom, your kitchen, and all of the spaces where you spend time, you could be adding years... Read More

Its Time To Clear Out! Clutter Busting For Every Aspect Of Your Life

'A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view halfway up is better than the view from the base, and it steadily becomes finer as the... Read More

Organization Tips - How to Organise Your Computer Files

Everytime Mary had to find a file on her computer, she always had great difficulty. And it was no wonder why. Every file had been saved under... Read More

Clutter-Clearing and Your Authentic Self

Have you ever felt so discouraged, your life so out-of-control, the universe so unresponsive to your needs and desires, that you couldn't help it: you just had... Read More

10 Tips on Color Coding Your Paper: From Chaos to Coherence

Color-There Is No SubstituteIn anatomical illustrations you see the brain's visual system, where the optic nerve is actually 25 times faster than our audio nerves (hearing). No... Read More

Family Management Tip #2: Choosing the Right Organizer for Your Family

What method do you currently use to organize your family? Do you mean my paper calendars or my electronic ones, you ask? If you're like the vast... Read More

Organize Yourself Otherwise Your Work Could Kill You

We are in a society where people are applauded for starting work early and finishing late.It's about time employers recognised that their people have a life and... Read More

Get Organised and Transform Your Life

It takes effort to get results, and not just any effort, it takes smart effort. You cannot expect to achieve anything without doing something. Unfortunately in our... Read More

Organizing Solutions for the Disorganized Entrepreneur

After more than 20 years as an entrepreneur and a consultant to entrepreneurs, I am convinced that for many entrepreneurs, "organized" is an enigma. "Organized entrepreneur" may... Read More

Declutter Your Home in 11 Easy Steps

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home? Start on a smaller scale instead and it will be a whole lot easier.For example, instead of starting... Read More

Clutter Campaign - Select Your Tools

Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. William MorrisWhat you love, you preserve There are so... Read More

Mental Clutter- Is It Taking Over Your Life?

Chances are, most of you have a lot you need to get done.Oftentimes, there are projects on your to-do list that require SEVERAL steps in order to... Read More