Tantor Media. - One year to an organized life: [from your closets to your finances, the week by week guide to getting completely organized for good]

ONE YEAR TO AN

ORGANIZED LIFE

ALSO BY REGINA LEEDS

The Zen of Organizing: Creating Order and Peace in Your Home, Career and Life (2002)

Sharing a Place without Losing Your Space: A Couples Guide to Blending Homes, Lives and Clutter (2003)

The Idiots Guide to Decluttering (2007)

ONE YEAR TO AN

ORGANIZED LIFE

From Your Closets to Your Finances,
the Week by Week Guide to

Getting Completely Organized for Good

REGINA LEEDS

A Member of the Perseus Books Group

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Da Capo Press was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial capital letters.

Copyright 2008 by Regina Leeds

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. For information, address Da Capo Press, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142.

DESIGN BY JANE RAESE

Set in 12-point Bulmer

Cataloging-in-Publication Data for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

First Da Capo Press edition 2008

ISBN-13: 978-1-60094-056-9

ISBN-10: 1-60094-056-0

Published by Da Capo Press

A Member of the Perseus Books Group

http://www.dacapopress.com

Note: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. This book is intended only as an informative guide for those wishing to know more about health issues. In no way is this book intended to replace, countermand, or conflict with the advice given to you by your own physician. The ultimate decision concerning care should be made between you and your doctor. We strongly recommend you follow his or her advice. Information in this book is general and is offered with no guarantees on the part of the authors of Da Capo Press. The authors and publisher disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

Da Capo Press books are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the U.S. by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, or call (800) 2551514, or email .

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

My life has been graced by an
astonishing array of teachers and mentors.
This book is for all of them with my deep gratitude.
I extend special thanks to my parents, Rose and Nat,
Louise Quinto, Gordon Hunt, Susie Ribnik, Linda Zhang,
the incomparable Ramakrishna Ananda,
and all my animal companions.

CONTENTS

1. JANUARY
Understanding Time Management Working on the Kitchen

2. FEBRUARY
Creating a Bedroom Sanctuary

3. MARCH
Organizing the Business of Life

4. APRIL
Bathrooms: Chasing Your Cares Away!

5. MAY
Tackling the Hidden Areas: Attic, Basement, Garage, Laundry Room, and Guest Room

6. JUNE
Traveling Light

7. JULY
Fun in the Sun: Scrapbooks, Memorabilia, Greeting Card Collections, and Your Address Book

8. AUGUST
Surviving Your Move

9. SEPTEMBER
Back-to-School Busy Season

10. OCTOBER
Relaxing in the Common Rooms

11. NOVEMBER
Entertaining with Joy!

12. DECEMBER
Creating a Festive Atmosphere

Before undertaking a project, ponder
what will be gained, lost and ultimately achieved.
There is nothing too difficult for a man who, before he acts,
Deliberates with chosen friends and reflects privately.

TIRUKKURAL 47: 461-462

I KNOW YOU. LETS SEE HOW ACCURATELY I can describe some of your challenges. You engage in a near constant quest for your house keys. Invitations, personal notes, and letters are lost in a sea of paper debris on your desk. You never use a calendar because you store your schedule in your head. The night before an important meeting, you plan the perfect outfit. Finding all the items in your closet, however, is usually impossible. You want to help your children succeed. Your heart sinks each time you see them frantically search for a lost homework assignment, a note from their teacher, or a favorite toy. This is not the example you meant to set.

Your home is not your castle; its your prison. Guilt is your frequent companion. You want your life experience to be bigger, richer, but it seems to be forever diminished by an endless series of dramas, all of which have a lack of organization as their source.

Take hearthelp is at hand. In fact, it is literally in your hands as you read these words.

Can you guess how I was able to pinpoint many of the common challenges you face without ever having met you in person? I have been organizing clients across the United States for twenty years. What I have learned is that everyone has pretty much the same amount of stuff. The reality is that getting organized is an achievable goal for absolutely everyone. Give me one year of your life. Ill prove it to you! What do you have to lose except a glut of mental, emotional, and physical clutter thats weighing you downbody, mind, and Soul? The format of a year gives you time to plan carefully and never once be overwhelmed.

Now that Ive convinced you its possible, when do we get started? You know what they say: No time like the present. Every midnight ushers in a new day that we have never lived before. We seem to embrace the message most powerfully, however, as we greet a new year. Perhaps it is the collective impetus of just about every human being on the planet making a wish for a better life. Heres the good news. You dont have to wait for January to roll around. One Year to an Organized Life dedicates a part to each of the twelve months in the calendar year. Every month has projects and discoveries that will move you forward in your quest to get organized once and for all. After youre organized, this book can serve as your coach when you need to do those obligatory tune-ups. Imagine the state of your car if you never changed the oil, checked the fluids, or ran diagnostic tests on its computer. What about your teeth if you decided to save money and never see a dentist? Everything requires maintenance, including your home life.

The projects in this book cover every square inch of your home and every aspect of your life. For example, in a year you will have a bedroom thats a sanctuary, a kitchen that inspires you, and a garage where you actually park your car. Photos will be in albums you share with family and friends rather than tossed into boxes that clog your closets. CDs, DVDs, and other forms of entertainment will be ready to do just thatentertain you. Assignments will be turned in as requested whether they are for your childrens school or your CEO. Youll be on time for appointments, wearing clothes you love. Any needed piece of paper will be produced in a matter of seconds. You might even find yourself tossing a party for the first time in years. Sounds inviting, doesnt it?