Get Your Articles in Order

Do you find yourself keeping great magazines only to later wonder, which one has the article about organizing or renovating your bathroom? What about that great recipe or the tip on how to get that stain out? Here are a few ways to organize the articles, once and for all, that otherwise elude you when you need them most.

1. In your filing cabinet create a hanging folder called "Renovations" or "House Ideas". Rip out the articles and drop into the folder.

2. Want to keep the whole magazine? Dedicate a group of magazine boxes to your cause. You can label the boxes to suit your style. "Renovating", "Organizing", "Gardening", "Recipes" - you get the idea. Note: Be sure to mark the pages as you are flipping through the magazine. You can use the cool highlighter by Post It that has page tabs built in, you can use the *3M Post-it Durable Index Tabs, or just good 'ole mini sticky notes. Whatever you choose keep your supplies handy.

3. If your areas of interest are vast then you could consider a three ring binder with sections of interest - allow me to divulge some of the category titles of my personal binder:
   1. Storage & Organizing Solutions
   2. Bathrooms
   3. Decorating ideas - Valentines, holidays, center pieces
   4. Stain Removal
   5. Gardening

If gardening is your thing: www.markcullen.com

*3M Post-it Durable Index Tabs
A Great Product for Organizing and Retrieving Information
These durable tabs are stronger and sturdier than standard Post-it flags. Tabs pop up easily one at a time from a convenient pop-up dispenser, and are ready to use. These tabs are easy to write on, and the unique repositionable adhesive holds tabs firmly in place yet allows clean removal. Various colours help to search for information visually. Perfect for files, folders, books and catalogues. Flags measure 1" x 1-1/2".

You are more than welcome to include this article in your communications as long as you copy the article in full with © included. If you have a any questions regarding the use of this article please contact the author at info@kaosgroup.com. © Copyright 2006 Kaos Group. All rights reserved.

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Here is a recent question from one of our readers:

Hi Deanne,
Have you any advice for a woman who makes more mess while attempting to reorganize?
P.S. I am a visual organizer.

Deanne's Answer:

The advice would be to determine what needs to be organized and anticipate how much time it will take (being generous, of course).

The common challenges that lead to someone being messier at the end of an organizing are the following:

1. going astray from the project
2. not having a clear objective at the onset
3. not having the supplies needed to make it happen
4. not allocating enough time to do the job to completion.

I would suggest that if the objective is to clear the piles of paper from the desk top, for example,

1. give yourself three hours
2. have hanging folders, tabs, markers, sticky notes and bankers boxes handy
3. don't do anything else while working on the objective (like answer the phone, go for coffee, etc)
4. research your process prior to beginning - how will I file these papers? Do I have existing files? Where will I put things that I am not sure where to file?
5. Create the Core Four system with magazine boxes: To-Do, To-Pay, To-File, To-Review as a means to get the papers sorted into smaller piles
6. stay focused and do a project like this during your maximum energy time of the day.

Best wishes and applaud yourself for making the attempt. The more we know about the systems the easier it becomes!

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