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One Year to an Organized Life
Book

One Year to an Organized Life

From Your Closets to Your Finances, the Week-by-Week Guide to Getting Completely Organized For Good

Da Capo Press, 2007 more...

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

Regina Leeds starts with your mother’s philosophy: There’s a place for everything. She provides all the details you need week-by-week and month-by-month to help you stop searching for keys and remote controls, and quit wondering when your dental appointment is. With her help, you can change from time-wasting time mode to “just do it” mode. The weekly organizational activities on her agenda range from one hour to a full day, though she rarely asks you to tie up an entire day. Leeds knows many people have busy schedules and an overwhelming amount of work to do in organizing their lives. getAbstract finds that her orderly approach might help you transform your life or, at least, your closet.

Summary

The One-Year Plan

If you want to organize your home according to a one-year plan, begin with the current month and work through the year. Capture your goals on a collaged dream board, but don’t worry about being artistic. Cut out and paste up magazine pictures that represent how you want your house to look. This visual aid will help you stick with your organizational projects.

Even if you habitually struggle to find your gloves or can’t use your dining table because of the clutter, you can get organized. Every sorting project falls into three steps:

  1. Eliminate” – Return borrowed items, toss unneeded junk and put things back in their proper locations. The drinking glass in your bedroom belongs in the kitchen.
  2. Categorize” – As you go through things, start categorizing every item to save time. Put spices together so you know what you need to buy. Create folders for each person in the household covering medical, financial, school and work concerns.
  3. Organize” – After cleaning and sorting, decide how to keep things in order.

At the end of the day, take a break so you don’t ...

About the Author

Regina Leeds, a professional organizer, is also the author of The Zen of Organizing.


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