3 Simple Solutions to Clutter Control

Do you have a process you follow that keeps your home office organized? Do you document your expenses monthly or throw your receipts into a shoebox? When tax time comes, will your records be in order? Do you manage your emails daily or is your inbox out of control? It is much easier to maintain your office and manage your records ongoing. It will be difficult to maintain the quality of your work if you have to dedicate a huge chunk of time to finding an important document amongst piles of paper or organizing one years’ worth of business records in one sitting.

Here are the top three problem home office scenarios with solutions that I’ve either discovered myself or borrowed from others. Let’s keep it simple!

1) Problem: Did you pick the bright, airy room with a view to set up your home office only to find that the view is now obstructed by stacks of papers?

Solution: Literature Organizers are great for those who like to pile papers. With 8, 12 or more sorting compartments you can label each section to identify the contents. It keeps papers tidy, organized and easy to access. Prices range from $20 for the cardboard model which are fairly sturdy up to over $100 for larger units or those made of plastic, wood or wire mesh. My cardboard model has lasted me over 3 years!

2) Problem: The cozy little nook in the basement with the gas fireplace would be a great place to work. Your own space away from the distractions of working from home. But, out of sight, out of mind. Your desk has become a catch-all for receipts, pens, papers you name it and now you avoid the space.

Solution: There are a lot of things we have on hand that can work just as well as costly office supplies to keep your work space orderly;

• reuse bill payment envelopes. Collect 12, one for each month to compile and keep track of your monthly receipts for income tax purposes.
• use a mail sorter to contain smaller paper items like notepads, loose notepaper and envelopes
• a couple of mugs will keep your writing utensils close at hand and organized. Use 1 for pens and pencils and the other for highlighters, scissors and glue sticks.

3) Problem: Your inbox shows no signs of slowing down. Each time you sign on there are even more messages and you can’t imagine how you’ll ever deal with all this mail.

Solution: Schedule 30 minutes at the start of each day to manage emails. Some suggest you don’t even look at email first thing as you will get sidetracked. However, knowing I have 30 minutes allows me to skim through, delete any junk and address anything urgent. Then I can read thru 1 or 2 newsletters I subscribe to and keep the inbox numbers down. Knowing I have limited time prevents me from giving too much attention to the non-essential emails. It’s also important to have only a couple of key mentors you follow and unsubscribe from the rest. There is only so much information you can absorb and when overwhelmed you’ll retain even less. Follow only one or two people/gurus/mentors who know what they are doing and are where you want to be.

Home office tasks are ongoing so it is important to set aside time each day to manage this area of your business. A little time spent every day will save a wealth of time and stress in the long run.

Give Yourself Permission to Leave Some Things Undone

Ever find yourself saying something like, "When this is done, then I’ll [fill in leisure activity here]". But you repeat this until you’re too exhausted to do that leisure activity? Does being organized really give you the freedom you’re looking for? When your list of to-do’s is unending and you feel you have to do them all, then the answer is ‘no’.

Now, I’m all for being highly organized. It makes up a good portion of who I am and what I do. It’s an asset that helps me keep things straight in my own business and life and allows me, as a VA, to keep track of my clients and keep all their activities in their respective businesses flowing smoothly.

But are you like me? Do you sometimes feel you’re caught up in all the details of the never-ending to-do list?

I think this is why my mom, the wise woman that she is, gave me this plaque that reads "Give Yourself Permission to Leave Some Things Undone". It was so timely, around the birth of my first child, when I felt I had to still do everything I’d always done and look after a new baby. I keep it as a reminder & look at it every day.

Our lives and our businesses are a work in progress. Know that there will always be something else on your list and to enjoy the process! It’s not just about life balance it’s also about life acceptance.

Here are some tips that will allow you to enjoy being the organized person that you are by nature without the guilt and nagging persistence of the yet undone:

1. Do less. You can work all day rushing from one task to the next, but little quality work will get completed. Instead, focus on a couple of important tasks and invest the time to do them right from start to finish. For example, got an idea for an article? Write down your outline, let the ideas flow then put the pieces together. Voila! Now you have a properly completed article for your ezine, blog or an article submission piece that will all have a positive effect on your business. Rushing through several bits & pieces of various tasks in a frenzy throughout your day, will get you nowhere but frustrated.

2. Take a break. Get up from your desk and away from your office. If there are issues you are struggling with, clearing your head with a 15 minute walk or a step outside for a breath of fresh air, will provide some clarity on these issues. Studies have shown that frequent short breaks or less frequent longer breaks will refresh your mind and body, reduce discomfort and fatigue and increase accuracy and productivity!

3. Give yourself permission to leave some things undone. It is important to recognize and accept that you will never clear your list; there will always be undone items. Pick the top 2 to 3 items each day that absolutely must get done. Do these first and if you get to something else on your list, consider it a bonus. When you allow yourself to focus your time on fewer tasks you enjoy the process more and avoid mistakes.

4. Celebrate the victories. You are setting yourself up for success with the above approach, accomplishing great things while spending your time joyfully. Take a few moments to reflect on your accomplishment when you finish an assignment before you tackle the next item.

Remember, the goal here is to be more effective. Focus your time on fewer tasks and do them well. Avoid the overwhelm of having to ‘get it all done’. Doing less but doing it better allows you to enjoy the lasting results of real achievement.