Or, maybe you have a home office where you pay the bills and take care of paperwork and similar duties. In any case, whether your workspace is a separate room all on its own or set up in just the corner of the kitchen, plain and simple organization is the key to making the most of your precious time, for increasing productivity and also for decreasing stress and anxiety.

A thoroughly organized home office that’s pleasant to be in will also give you a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, benefits that simply can’t be measured tangibly.

The very first step to getting organized is considering what your office is used for the most. Do you work from home full time for yourself or someone else? Is it used to take care of business after hours? Is it a place to take care of the details related to running the household?

The answers to these questions will help you to make the most of the space you have as well as your time.

Essential Needs for the Home Office

There’s no written rule that says you have to max out all of your credit cards at the local office furniture store just to get your workspace organized and functional. The two most important things you must have, however, are a comfortable chair and a desk of ample size.

If possible, set your desk and file cabinet up in an L shape to give yourself the most space to work with. Use the top of a file cabinet or short bookcase for keeping your printer nearby or for containers to hold paper, pens, files, or whatever it is you use most. Speaking of printers, those that are also scanners, copiers, and fax machines cut down considerably on space.

You’ll also need containers of some type to keep everything neat and in its place and a dry-erase board hanging near the desk is perfect for reminding you of the day’s or week’s tasks instead of 100 post-it notes taking over the office.

4 Quick Tips for the Well Organized Home Office

1. A good old fashioned paper calendar, the kind that sits flat on the desk, is perfect for jotting down notes while on the phone and for keeping track of appointments.

2. Each and every day should have a new to-do list that you create either the night before or first thing in the morning to refer to throughout the day.

3. If it took two years to accumulate the clutter and chaos you’ve amassed in your home office, don’t expect to get things back under control in a few hours. Set aside an entire day or two that you can devote to getting down to the nitty gritty by starting over from scratch.

4. Use task lighting in the form of two or three smaller lamps instead of one large overhead light to not only help reduce glare on your computer screen, but also cut down on fatigue.

By definition, according to Webster, to procrastinate means to put off doing something until a future date or time. This blanket explanation of procrastinating really isn’t going to help you very much, but what will, however, is getting to the root of why you procrastinate in the first place.

Most of us are guilty of putting off something until tomorrow that needs attention today, the real problem arises when we make a habit out of it. Many habitual procrastinators are often perfectionists, have a fear of failure and tend to get overwhelmed easily, while others merely have poor organizational skills, or maybe none at all.

Once you’ve admitted to yourself the reason behind putting off until tomorrow what you should be doing today, you’ll be much better able to get back in control of your life. And, if it’s simply who you are, then learn to work around your bad habits instead of resigning yourself to a life of disorganization and chaos.

Here are a few helpful tips for finally putting an end to procrastination and for increasing your productivity.

Be Reasonable

Giving yourself unrealistic expectations is simply setting yourself up for failure before you’ve even begun to try. In other words, repeated failure merely perpetuates the cycle of procrastination. Deep down, you know what you’re capable of, so honestly assess the tasks at hand, making a list breaking everything down into manageable chunks and allowing yourself to take breaks in between every goal you complete before getting back on track.

Switch Things Around

If you’re one of those people who bore easily and never seem to be able to focus completely on one task at a time, realize that there’s no set rule that says you have to work this way to be productive or organized. If you’re more efficient while multi-tasking and enjoy tackling two or three projects at once, then by all means do so. And, while you’re busy putting off one thing, get to work on another that you can cross of the list rather than doing nothing at all.

It also helps to complete the least desirable chore first, getting it out of the way and basking in your accomplishment while you sail through the others with confidence.

Reward Yourself

Once you’ve accomplished some of your goals and actually stick to your to-do list for once, make it a point to reward yourself for a job well done. Self-defeat is one of the worst feelings and we all need to feel good about ourselves to give us the boost we need to forge ahead.

Remember that all of us have procrastinated over something at one time or another, it’s simply human nature to do so, but when we conquer our demons, realizing that we are our own worst enemies, we can learn how to make procrastination work for us and the possibilities are then literally endless.

If some aspect of your life is in dire need of organizing then you should consider making goal setting a part of your regular routine. We’re only given a mere 24 hours each day to accomplish what we want or need to do so it only makes sense to spend that time as wisely as possible as we all know life is way too short as it is to be wasted in any way.

Everyone, from the athlete to the corporate executive to the small business owner to the stay-at-home mom, can benefit greatly from effective goal setting and becoming more organized in the process, the only trouble is that most people have no idea where or how to begin this life changing transformation.

Here are the four simple steps you’ll need to be on your way to making effective goal setting second nature and reaping the many rewards to follow.

1. Positive Equals Positive: The first component of any goal should be that it is expressed positively. There’s a pretty big difference between, “My goal is to not lose any more clients this quarter” and “My goal is to increase our client base by two percent this quarter” even if the end result is virtually the same.

2. Getting it in Writing: Whether you use a simple sheet of paper, a daily planner, or a program on your computer, make it habit to start writing lists, both large and small. There are plenty of free and low cost software related to goal setting, but all you really need is a blank file that you can add and remove text from as needed.

And, never underestimate the power of visually seeing something crossed off your to-do list as it becomes shorter and shorter.

3. Using Sub-Goals: A sub-goal, as the name suggests, is simply a smaller goal that’s a part of a larger one. For example, if one of your goals is to get your master’s degree, then break that down further into smaller goals of finishing a semester with a certain grade point average, or devoting a certain amount of time each day to studying.

Breaking down work related goals into reasonably sized chunks simply makes it easier to complete one before moving on to the next.

4. Multitasking is Your Friend: If you cringe at the word “multitask” or if it’s something you’ve never been able to do, don’t be alarmed as everyone, men and women, are capable of multitasking. It’s simply a matter of doing the right things at the right time.

Expand your horizons, and your mind, by doing two things at once. Of course you shouldn’t try something ridiculous like driving and paying the month’s bills, but what about something simple like reading the newspaper while riding the exercise bike in the morning?

For a great time saver, consider investing in a simple voice activated tape recorder that you can use anytime to record important thoughts, or your next proposal for work that you just happened to think of while doing the dishes. Also use it to remind yourself of upcoming tasks instead of always relying on those handy sticky notes.

In my house, we seemed to have amass an unusual amount of clothing. Clothes filling the dresser drawers, cramming the closets, bags of clothes peppered throughout the basement, the attic, even in the garage. Clothes, clothes, clothes, everywhere. My wife argued that some of the bags are pillows, blankets, sheets, and curtains and the like, but to me, they’re just bags of stuff that are taking up valuable space.

One set of Space Bags® comes with seven different bags which include the jumbo cube bag, their newest and highest capacity bag, two large bags that are 21.5″ by 33.5″ and capable of holding up to 12 sweaters each, two medium bags measuring 18″ by 22.5″ and able to hold up to eight sweaters, and free bonus cube (valued at $13) and a hanging bag (valued at $10) for making use of the vertical space in your closet.

According to the manufacturer, Space Bags® offer protection from undesirables like bugs, mildew, dust, and unsavory odors. They’re also said to be airtight and watertight, so you won’t have to worry about divorce if a pipe bursts in the basement atop the bags that are holding the kid’s baby clothes. Plus, they’re also good for boating or camping trips.

If you happen to travel a lot, and never seem to have room in your luggage for everything you need, they also make Space Travel Bags® that give you twice as much room in the average suitcase, and also don’t require the use of a vacuum, which most of us don’t travel with anyway. The Space Travel Bags® are sold in sets of 12 that include four large (18″ x 22.5″), four medium (13.5″ x 19.5″), and four small (11.5″ x 13.5″).

I’m happy to report that we’ve tripled the room in our closets, I no longer have to weed through mystery bags to find what I’m looking for in the attic, and I’ve finally reclaimed the space in the garage that was rightfully mine to begin with!

Relax, take a deep breath and read on for some helpful tips for taming the closet monster and for getting yourself organized in the process.

Start at the Top

If the top of your dressers aren’t visible, get a box or a bag and clear everything off first. Then you’ll need a valet, no not someone to park the car, but a small box, usually wooden, that’s used for storing things like cuff links, your watches, wallet, keys, wedding ring, and some even double as a charging station for your cell phone and similar electronic devices.

Women call them “jewelry boxes” and we call them “valets” as ours are able to be far more useful than just simply holding some jewelry or the kid’s baby teeth.

Dig Into the Middle

Next it’s time to empty out all of your dresser drawers and unload the closet. It makes sense to organize the closet by the type of clothing you have. Work clothes should be in one section along with ties, casual clothing in another and maybe another for jeans, suits, or pieces you don’t wear very often.

If there’s room in the top of the closet to stack items like sweaters, hats, or whatever might not fit inside the dresser drawers, set aside a pile for these things and consider installing a shelf or two in the closet if you don’t already have one. Also, it’s better to keep any type of hat stored on a flat surface rather than on hooks as they’ll pull them out of shape.

The smallest dresser drawers should be reserved for socks and underwear, with the socks grouped together in pairs however you like. If you wear a lot of t-shirts and undershirts you’ll probably need a whole drawer just for them, sorted by type and folded in some sort of neat fashion so they don’t get wrinkled beyond recognition
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Finish at the Bottom

Jeans, shorts, and sweatpants should all be kept in the bottom drawers, although jeans do take up quite a bit of valuable drawer space and can be hung up in the closet if need be.

Most men don’t have a large collection of shoes, but nevertheless, a few pairs for work, some casual shoes, and another pair or two of athletic shoes do add up. If you have the room in the closet, use a shoe rack, either the kind that hangs on the back of the door or one that sits inside on the floor or on a shelf. If closet space is already at a premium, clear the dust bunnies out from under the bed and keep them there along with flat boxes for storing rarely used items.

Now that you’re all done, the trick is keeping it this way, which can easily be achieved with minimal effort on your part by doing a once-a-week quick clean up.

Supplies You’ll Need:

- Boxes, all shapes and sizes
- Dolly/hand-truck for moving heavy items
- Packing tape for securing and strengthening boxes
- Marking pen for clearly labeling each box
- Flat pieces of cardboard for sliding furniture and for using between heavy pieces while moving
- Old blankets also for protecting large items
- Garbage bags and trash cans
- Small sandwich bags
- Packing material (Padding, plastic bubble wrap, old newspapers, etc.)
- Rope or bungee cords

Having a garage or yard sale is the perfect thing to do just before you move for many reasons, including to help defray moving costs and also to cut down on the amount of stuff you’ll be taking along with you.

Sell or donate what you haven’t used in 12 months or no longer have a need for.

Packing it All Up

When it comes time to actually pack, use as many boxes as possible, rather than garbage bags, as they can be reinforced using packing tape and neatly stacked atop of one another. Boxes should be full, but not bulging at the sides and be sure to include adequate packing material around your fragile items. As far as heavy things like books and photo albums are concerned, those should be packed inside of small boxes to keep the weight down.

If you can, keep clothing or bedding inside of dresser drawers during the move to free up extra space. Put blankets and pillows or soft toys and stuffed animals inside of garbage bags and use them as cushioning between items like mirrors or other breakables for during the move.

If possible, remove all the legs from furniture and wrap pieces with old blankets or plastic bubble wrap, taking care not to put tape directly on any wood surfaces. Pillows and couch cushions are also great for putting between pieces of furniture.

Don’t Forget To:

- Notify All Subscriptions and Services: Stop delivery or provide your new address for the newspaper and notify any services like cleaning or lawn care as well as all of the utility companies including cable, electric, gas, water, and telephone.

- Complete a Change of Address Form: Remember to file a change of address form with your local post office. If you’re not sure of your new address yet, just ask them to forward your mail to the postal office in the new city. You’ll also want to notify friends and family of your new address and have it changed on your driver’s license and financial accounts.

- Plan Ahead for Your Pets: Make arrangements to have them boarded at a kennel or pet sitters until you’ve got everything cleared out and back in the new house. Pets, both cats and dogs, are often stressed out by all of the activity and you certainly don’t want to have a lost animal on your hands on moving day.

Luckily, there’s a relatively painless solution to this madness that will allow you to reclaim your garage and have a completely useable space in no time. The key lies with organizing by type, similar to the way home improvement and hardware stores arrange their wares. You wouldn’t shop in a store where you had to traipse from one section to the next to buy bolts and washers would you? Or, spackle and joint compound? Or, rakes and lawnmowers?

It simply doesn’t make much sense to have a garage that’s in complete and utter disarray as the time and energy that’s wasted looking for things could certainly be better spent elsewhere. So, gather up all of your common sense, a few empty boxes and some garbage bags and be prepared to devote an entire weekend, or at least one Saturday, to finally getting the garage organized.

You’ll want to start out by assigning specific sections to areas of the garage depending on what you have. For example, designate one wall for paint supplies or hardware, another corner for garden tools, one wall with shelves for sporting goods, another section for automotive supplies or holiday decorations.

When you’re sorting through everything, use the empty boxes for things that need repaired or those that can be donated, pitched, or returned to your neighbor. Have another pile for those items that don’t really need to be kept here. Could the luggage be kept in the attic? What about the boxes of holiday decorations? Could those be stored neatly in the basement instead?

Do an honest assessment of what you have and be use a bit of creativity to find other homes for those items that are taking up valuable space.

Also, don’t try to work around everything, take it all out, or at least piled in one corner of the garage, before attempting to put it all back in a neat, orderly manner. You will also probably accumulate another pile of stuff that doesn’t seem to fit in any of the aforementioned categories and will, therefore, need their own special area to call home.

When rearranging and replacing everything, first consider how often you use each item and plan the layout from there. Take advantage of wall space and install shelves if you don’t already have them, or wall cabinets, peg boards, hooks, and hanging racks that will help to keep things up and off the floor but easily accessible.

Now that you have the garage nice and orderly, make it a point to keep it that way by committing to a maintenance schedule of sorts, cleaning and organizing just two or three times a year, and this way, you’ll never have to start from scratch again.

I knew I had to begin my newly organized life starting first with my desk at work and then the one in my office at home, both of which were becoming harder and harder to find. And, unfortunately, I’m really not the kind of guy who buys anything on impulse, whether it’s a car or a box of paper, and must instead do some thorough research before spending my hard earned money, which is why I started my quest long before the first of January snuck up on me.

After doing plenty of the aforementioned research for the absolute perfect tool to help me organize both of my workspaces, I finally hit the jackpot when I found the Desk Apprentice Rotating Desk Organizer at Staples for 39.99, which was quite possibly the best forty bucks I’ve spent in a long time. This thing literally has a place for everything you can think of, whether it’s files and folders, pens, pencils, or staplers and scissors, you will be able to store whatever you need in this organizer that rotates a complete 360 degrees.

While the organizer is big enough to hold file folders, notebooks, and even a ream or two of paper, there are several smaller areas for keeping those tiny items neat and orderly, like the paper clips, push pins, staples, rubber bands, and erasers that always seem to find their way to the bottom of my desk drawer tangled in a messy heap.

The dimensions of the Desk Apprentice Rotating Desk Organizer, which comes only in a sleek black color, by the way, are 11 inches high by 16 inches wide and 16 inches deep. And, while you will need ample room on top of your desk or table to keep the organizer handy and close by, the space and time it can save you is immeasurable.

If you’re anything like most men, being organized isn’t something that’s really high up there on your list of priorities.

Just ask any women what her top pet peeves about men are and guaranteed one of the answers will include being messy and unorganized. Everything from piles of mail, opened and unopened, to pieces of paper, notes, and newspapers, to keys and coins on the table and dresser tops, to socks and clothes scattered on the bedroom floor simply drive women crazy.

And, while most of us aren’t doing this on purpose, the end results are still the same nevertheless. But it really doesn’t have to be like this, with some effort on your part, some organizational know-how, and just a few minutes each day you can be on your way to being far less annoying to your significant other, and be able to find all of your stuff a lot quicker too!

Here are five quick tips for those of us who are organizationally challenged:

1. Use Handy Organizing Tools: A few plastic storage bins, packing tape, an in-out box, and a marker for labeling should be most of the main supplies you’ll need, in addition to garbage bags and boxes, of course, to tame the clutter. And remember, you don’t have to tackle everything at once, just don’t wait weeks or months in between getting the job done.

2. File That Paperwork: Set up some sort of filing system at work or in your home office to keep paper and unfinished tasks from taking over and use a card file, Rolodex, or an address book program on your computer to keep names, phone numbers, addresses, and websites all in one easy to find place.

3. Learn How to Delegate!: You can’t stay organized and on track if you’re stressed, constantly on the go, or never getting any time for yourself or the fun things in life. Let go once in a while, relax, unwind and reap the ensuing rewards.

4. Set Realistic Goals: Set realistic and attainable goals for yourself that include all of the necessary specifics, including the timeframe and what you want to accomplish by then.

5. Find a Gadget That Works for You: Whether it’s a PDA, your Blackberry, Outlook, or a simple calendar on your desk, find something that works for you, something that you’ll make good use of to help keep your time organized, which will in turn make it way easier to get the rest of your life under control.