Donna Smallin - The One-Minute Organizer Plain & Simple: 500 Tips for Getting Your Life in Order

BY DONNA SMALLIN

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by
publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Siobhan Dunn
Designed by Wendy Palitz
Cover and interior illustrations Juliette Borda
Cover photograph by Mark Trembley
Text production by Jennifer Jepson Smith
Indexed by Susan Olason, Indexes & Knowledge Maps

2004 by Donna Marie Smallin

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwithout written permission from the publisher.

The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247.

Storey books are available for special premium and promotional uses and for customized editions. For further information, please call 1-800-793-9396.

Printed in the United States by CJK
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Smallin, Donna, 1960
The one-minute organizer plain & simple / Donna Smallin.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-58017-584-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Home economics. 2. Time management. 3. Storage in the home. I. Title:
One-minute organizer plain and simple. II. Title.
TX147.S622 2004
640dc22

2004014567

For every organizer who has gone before me
and all those who will follow.

I believe that our success in this life is largely determined by the company we keep. I want to thank everyone who has helped me along the way, especially the following people:

My colleagues in the National Association of Professional Organizers, for putting the professional in organizing.

Everyone at Storey Publishing who has had a hand in creating and promoting my books, especially Wendy Palitz for the beautiful book covers and layouts; Deborah Balmuth for spearheading this project; Siobhan Dunn for her attention to detail; Sarah Thurston for her enthusiastic publicity efforts; and the entire sales team for doing a bang-up job of getting books into the hands of readers.

My friends and family, for reminding me that it really is a big deal to write a book. Thank you for your love and support.

You struggle to keep up with the chaotic pace of your life. But you keep falling further behind. You want to get organized, but you dont have the time. Or youre so overwhelmed that you dont know where to start.

The reality is that you will never find time to get organized. You have to make time, even if its just five minutes a day. And it doesnt matter where you startonly that you get started.

Now is the time. I dont know what makes us think well have more time later than we do now. It only looks like that in the present. By the time we get to later, that imaginary block of free time will have vanished.

You dont have to stop everything to get organized; you just have to start. And you can get started in as little as one minute.

The One-Minute Organizer offers a simple plan to help you unclutter and organize your life... one minute at a time. It doesnt promise overnight miracles. It does guarantee success over time by incorporating proven organizing strategies into your daily life.

Start today by making a commitment to spend 5 to 15 minutes a day on one particular area or task. For example, in 15 minutes, you can organize your sock drawer or clear your kitchen counter. In just 10 minutes, you can pare down your shoe collection. In 5 minutes, you can pick up and put away five things.

The One-Minute Organizer is the ultimate busy persons guide to getting organized. Every tip in this book can be read in a matter of seconds; many can be implemented in as little as one minute. Look for the one-minute symbol .

Youll find hundreds of simple tips and ideas to help you tackle every organizing challenge, including the biggest challengegetting your brain in gear. Look to the orange pages for help with changing some of the beliefs and behaviors that may have added to the chaos.

The One-Minute Organizer is divided into two parts: Getting Organized and Staying Organized. Chapters are organized by problem areas that represent the most common organizational challenges. So you can open to a topic that you find especially troublesome and get quick and easy ideas for your next organizing session. Or turn to the index to find every tip on a particular subject.

As you begin to regain control over your physical space, youll immediately start to feel better and think more clearly. You do realize, of course, that you cant undo years of disorganization in a few days, weeks, or even months. Youve got to keep at it.

Strive for consistency. Thats the key. Because all of the minutes you spend organizing will eventually add up to a more organized life.

Ninety percent of organizing is getting out of your own way. Think about the beliefs and behaviors that are contributing to the chaos in your life. Before you can change anything, youve got to recognize and accept responsibility for your role and be willing to change the thought patterns and habits that are keeping you from achieving your goal. If you start to think and act like an organized person, you will become one. Fortunately, the more you act the part, the more natural it becomes.

Think about your motivation. What do you stand to gain from getting organized? What do you stand to lose if you dont?

Create a one-month plan. Choose five things you most want to organize in the coming month. Number these items from highest to lowest priority. At the end of the month, if you have not yet accomplished all five tasks, create a new one-month plan that outlines what you hope to achieve this monthand what you are willing to do to make it happen.

Take immediate action. Pick a single organizing tip from this book and do it today