PrintOrganizing Strategies 6-10
Step 6: Shred items in the Shred box. Do it now -- don’t procrastinate and wait until tomorrow! (20 minutes)
Step 7: Address the Trash/Recycle mess. If ADD adults don’t discard the trash and recycle items now, they’ll be sitting there for weeks! (2 minutes)
Step 8: Relocate items from the Belongs Elsewhere box to other rooms. You might find yourself throwing away more things as you try to find a home for everything that has accumulated on your desk. (15 minutes)
Step 9: Set up a new inbox. We used a stepped desktop organizer with slots for incoming mail, receipts for freelance work, and graduate school information. The small storage spaces prevent papers from piling up. The vertical spacing kept them in sight. (5 minutes)
Step 10: Develop new routines. M opens his mail daily and files it in either his “inbox” file (if it requires action) or in the file organization kit. Before leaving the office at night, M clears off his desktop and puts things away. He empties his inbox weekly. We hung a glass message board above the desk, where important notes and a copy of his daily routines are in view.
“As we found a home for all of the clutter, my wife and I started to breathe easier and get along again,” said M. “It’s funny how clutter can affect your mood.”
