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The National Association of Professional Organizers reports that getting rid of clutter in your home cuts housework by 40% in the average home. Just think about what you could do with all of that extra time in your already action-packed schedule! But is it worth all the time it will take you just to get organized in the first place? It is, with the help of Organize Your Home In No Time. Professional organizer Debbie Stanley will help you create organization systems that work for you, based on your personal preferences and needs. Find out what kind of disorganization plagues you, how to get your family involved and then set organization priorities with the step-by-step instructions and to-do lists used throughout the book. Debbie will even provide you with detailed shopping lists and specific product recommendations based on the system that you choose for your home. Clear the clutter and organize your home the In No Time way - fast, simple, easy!
Principles to Live (and Organize) By
Principles to Live By When Organizing Your Home
Introduction.
What Is "Organized"?
Getting "Organized Enough"
What Organize Your Home In No Time Can Do for You
Who Should Read This Book?
How This Book Is Organized
Special Elements and Icons
"To Do" and "You'll Need" Lists
Basic Organizing Principles
Finding "the" Way
I. SEEING THE PATTERNS.
1. Why Can't I Get Organized?
Could There Be Something More to My Disorganization?
Life Experiences
Personality Traits
Health Factors
Types of Disorganization
Situational Disorganization
Chronic Disorganization
Determining Your Disorganization Type
Summary
2. Getting Everyone's Cooperation.
Investigate Your Home-mates
Are They Doing It on Purpose?
How'd I Get Stuck with This Job?
Try to See It My Way: The Art of Compromise
Make It a Team Effort
Adjust Your Attitude
Adjust Your Systems
Create a "Family Time Commitments" Chart to Assign Tasks and Projects
Learn to Delegate and Negotiate
Summary
3. Principles to Live (and Organize) By.
Have a Home
Figuring Out Where Things Should Live
Like with Like
Contain It
Go Up
Be Systematic
Be Decisive
Make Conscious Trade-offs
Get Organized Enough
Summary
II. CLEARING THE CLUTTER.
4. Organizing Your Attack.
Know Your Enemy: Clutter
Pinpoint Your Trouble Spots
Identify Your Urgencies, Contingencies, and "Pain Points"
What's "on Fire"?
What Areas Are Contingent on Something Else?
Make a Plan
Gather Necessary Supplies, Tools, and Assistance
Plan Your Time
Summary
5. Let the Purging Begin.
Do a First Pass
Clear a Work Space
Process Your First Category
Sorting Your Category
Making the Big Decision: Keep or Pitch?
Working One Category at a Time
Calling It a Day
What Next? Organize Here, or Purge Somewhere Else?
Summary
6. Making Homes for Your Keepers.
Deciding Where to Put Your Stuff
Fixing Your System When Items Are Never in Their Homes
Dealing with Homeless Items
Finding Homes for the Items in Your Organizing Space
Tips for Choosing Homes
Creating Space: Shelves, Cabinets, and Storage Units
Choosing Containers
What Should It Be Made Of?
What Size and Shape Should It Be?
Does It Need to Have a Lid? What Kind?
What Should It Be?
How Much Should It Cost?
Summary
7. Help! This Is Too Hard!
I'm Overwhelmed!
One Step at a Time
Respect the Difficulty of the Task
Make "Metadecisions"
I Can't Stay Focused!
Use an Anchor
Capture Fleeting Thoughts
Ignore the Phone and Email
Don't Multi-Task
Fix Environmental Discomfort
Capitalize on Peak Energy Times
But It's All Good Stuff!
It May Be Worthless, But I Love It!
Letting Go of Objects You Love to Touch
Realizing You Can't Hurt an Object's "Feelings"
Coming to Grips with Sentimental Attachments
Managing Collections
Putting Yourself First
Summary
III. MAINTAINING YOUR PROGRESS.
8. Organizing While Life Goes On.
Take Stock of Your Accomplishments
Add Systems to Put Your Organized Spaces into Motion
Following the Organizational Principles
Devising a System That Works
Creating a Maintenance Plan
Coordinating Organization and Maintenance
Choosing a Maintenance Plan
Identifying Your Maintenance Steps
Determining Whether You Need a Schedule
Introduce Change Gradually
Summary
9. Embracing Your Organized Lifestyle.
Dealing with Danger Zones
Keeping Floors Clear of Clutter
De-Cluttering Horizontal Surfaces
Maintaining Enclosed Spaces
Clearing Storage Areas
Identifying Off-limits Areas
Keeping an Eye on Drop Spots
Managing Communal Spaces
Taking Care of Tough Categories
Managing Your Unique Challenges
Don't Touch My Stuff!
Be More Careful!
You're So Wasteful!
You Just Don't Think!
You're So Picky!
Summary
10. Managing Special Situations.
Holiday and Seasonal Space Needs
Rotating Seasonal Storage
Keeping Gift Storage Under Control
Making Homes for Gifts You Receive
Hobby Supplies and Equipment
When Hobbies Attack
Making Hobbies Manageable
Organizing for Guests and In-Home Medical Care
Home Improvement and Remodeling Projects
Preparing to Move
Organizing Before the Move
Moving and Selling at the Same Time
When Your Home Really Is Too Small
Do You Want to Live Here?
Is It Me, or Is It Really the Space?
Summary
11. Recovering from Backsliding.
The Facts on Backsliding
Backsliding Is Normal
Backsliding Is Recoverable
Leave Yourself Some Bread Crumbs
Create Your Own "Back on Track" Guidebook
Summary
Conclusion
What Is "Organized"?
Reasons for Disorganization
Organizing Is Cyclical
Old Habits Die Hard
Backsliding Is Normal
Carry These Principles
If You Need More Help
IV. APPENDIX.
Further Resources
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Books
Websites
Chronic Disorganization
Books
Websites
Donation and Disposal
Family Cooperation
Feng Shui
Books
Websites
Moving/Packing/Staging
Books
Websites
Organizing
Books
Websites
Paper Management
Procrastination
Time Management