Quick Tips to Be Productive

• Go-to interview/important work meeting outfit, including shoes, handbag (or briefcase), undies, socks or tights, and accessories. I mean really try on the entire outfit--you never know!
• Go-to romantic night out outfit. This goes for guys, too.
• Go-to cocktail party outfit, in case you get invited at the last minute.
• Go-to funeral or somber occasion outfit. This one seems depressing, but do you really want to be running through the mall before a funeral?

The solution to your clutter (mine, ours) clutter ails? You've got to think like an editor and take a more businesslike approach to your home and your stuff.

Establish your own manifesto for:

• What you'll bring into your home;
• How you'll store it; and,
• How long you'll keep it.

Once you've decided to tackle this problem and have established some ground rules, clutter will because less of a challenge and more of a simple housekeeping issue, not an overwhelming project.

1. You can't find your wallet within 5 seconds of opening your bag.
2. You've just scheduled an appointment with a chiropractor who thinks you handbag is too heavy.
3. You keep losing everyday items like your cell phone, keys, and coupons.
4. You don't have a plan to transfer important items from one bag to another, so you never have the right things with you in your bag.

For example, if I have an 8:00 a.m. doctor's appointment at Strong Hospital. By the time I find a spot to park in the parking garage, walk into the hospital, take the elevator to the correct floor and then walk to his office, another 15-20 minutes can elapse.

I wrote more about this in Help Me Organize My Time.

Set up a launch pad to keep track of your everyday items. This way when you walk out of the house, chances are you'll have everything you need with you, instead of idling on your night table, kitchen counter, or on your desk.

Continue reading How to Organize a Launch Pad