Clear the clutter: Expert shares tips, tricks to help you get organized once and for all



MILWAUKEE -- It's the time of year when people like to thing about getting more organized, but often don't know where to start. Liz Girsch with the Neat Method recently teamed up with local company "National Business Furniture" to create a "Clear the Clutter" eBook.

1. The Procrastinator - I`ll get to it later
This personality always has someplace to go or something more important to do than organizing and tend to shuffle it off until tomorrow.
Clutter Solutions for Procrastinators
• Select furniture with open cubes and cabinets for a highly visible solution
• Use an easily accessible desk-top organizer
• Organize piles by what you touch daily, weekly and yearly; put items used daily closest to you



2. The Overthinker - It`s overwhelming. Where do I start?
This personality tends to be a perfectionist who always has a vision of how to reduce clutter but has a hard time getting started.
Clutter Solutions for Overthinkers
• Don't try to fix your whole office at once; start with your desk-top, then move to a file cabinet or
drawer
• Instead of creating 30 file folders, consolidate into fewer categories
• Avoid over-sorting; keep it simple with fewer binders and only the most important papers

3. The Saver - I might need this later!
This personality holds on to anything with a story, just in case they will need it later. (she will show something really old that people should throw away but usually don't)
Clutter Solutions for Savers
• Paper is a huge issue for savers; look at digital options instead
• If it`s been more than a year since you`ve used something, donate, toss or shred it
• Use tools like SpamDrain and PaperKarma to unsubscribe from catalogs and mailings

4. The Hider - If you can`t see it, there`s not a problem!
This personality likes the idea of order but they tend to fill every drawer and bin to the brim!
Clutter Solutions for Hiders
• Look for opaque and enclosed storage solutions, like file wallets and pockets
• Subdivide your files and drawers into smaller sections
• Use guides or classification folders to keep your hiding places better organized