Cynthia Ewer - The Complete Idiots Guide to Getting Organized Fast-Track

Getting
Organized

by Cynthia Ewer

A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

For Helen Betty Townley

ALPHA BOOKS

Published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore, Auckland 1311, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

Copyright 2012 by Cynthia Ewer

All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. For information, address Alpha Books, 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240.

THE COMPLETE IDIOTS GUIDE TO and Design are registered trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

ISBN: 978-1-61564-321-9

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2012939813

14 13 12 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of numbers is the year of the books printing; the rightmost number of the second series of numbers is the number of the books printing. For example, a printing code of 12-1 shows that the first printing occurred in 2012.

Printed in the United States of America

Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competent professional should be consulted.

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ALWAYS LEARNING

PEARSON

Introduction

Ive got to get organized!

Does that statement sound familiar? Take heartyoure not alone. In recent years, the world has exploded around us. We have more stuff and less time, multitasking is the new normal, and always-on communications lengthen our day and multiply our responsibilities. In a world where VHS tapes share shelf space with DVDs and Blu-ray discs, most of us scamper to keep on top of our stuff, our space, and our time.

This book is designed to help you get organized fast. Focused on building the core elements of an organized life, it will help you find your own path to better home and personal organization. Youll get a quick grip on the skills you need for successful self-change, then use them to set goals and overcome obstacles as you get organized.

Youll learn how to cut clutter and keep it from coming back, how to build routines to speed everyday activities, how to bring order to your spaces, and how to manage time. Finally, this book will help you take aim at household paper, get organized in the workplace, and teach you what to do when you go off the rails.

How This Book Is Organized

To set the stage, zero in on what organized is and what it isnt, lay out the core components of an organized life, and map out your first steps on the road.

take aim on clutter. Youll learn a simple method to blast through clutter decisions, craft a plan to cut clutter house-wide, and review strategies to prevent it from coming back.

Habits, routines, and activity centers take center stage in . Youll get up-to-speed with these household wonder workers and learn to put them in place to streamline every aspect of life at home.

bring order to spaces around the house. Youll learn how to assign household real estate and how to create activity centers room by room for an organized home.

Time and money come into focus in . Youll tune up time-management skills with calendar and to-do lists, create a home office activity center, and establish filing and paper-handling routines to bring order to your financial life.

In , youll take your new organizational skills to the workplace, learning how to handle different organizing styles, control workplace clutter, and build organized spaces and routines to support you throughout the workday.

covers bumps youll encounter in the roadthose special challenges that throw you off the rails. Youll learn ways to bring the family on board, cope with a move, celebrate the holidays, and survive crisis cleaning. Finally, youll learn how to reclaim your organized life quickly when you fall behind.

Extras

Beyond the chapters, this book has two appendixes that provide organizing resources and a 10-step organizing plan. Youll also find the following sidebars throughout the bookbrief bright ideas that point out shortcuts and cautions along the way.

SPEEDY SOLUTION

These sidebars provide quick tricks designed to boost your organizational prowess in record time.