LiveBlogging: Getting Organized
January 10, 2009 by John Hewitt
In an effort to get some blogging in while I’m getting organized, I am going to Liveblog my organization efforts.
Day 1: 12:00 noon to 5:00 PM
The story to date:
I bought Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
- Three Paper Holding Trays
- Plain letter sixed paper
- Pens
- Post-its
- Paper clips
- Binder clips
- Stapler and staples (Red Swingline of course)
- Scotch tape
- Rubber bands
- An automatic labler (i fudged on this because I have one at the office)
- File folders
- A calender
- Waste basket
I also bought a new desk and two Ottomans that open up for storage. My wife went along and bought here own things. Total bill, about $600. So far, a pricey proposition, but we do what we have to.
Day 1: 5:40 PM
Opening packages up I cut my fingers twice.
Day 1: 5:55 PM
Found cool stapler graphic. Now I have to get some work done.
Day 1: 6:10 PM
My In/Out/Pend boxes need some assembly. It is taking longer than I would have thought. Also, I am having an internal debate. Should I set up my desk before I gather my stuff, or get everything organized and then set up my desk last. I’ll let you know what I decide.
Day 1: 6:27 PM
The baskets are finally together. My thumbs are sore. I have decided to wait until everything else is organized before switching desks. That is the first project I will put into my basket.
Day 1: 6:55 PM
I have decided that the smaller of the two Ottomans will hold games related items such as my Dungeons and Dragons books while the larger will hold books that i don’t intend to read in the near future but still want to keep. I am getting rid of most of my books, however, because I have discovered that I prefer books on audio for pleasure and the Internet for most reference needs. This will help me create a less cluttered, more “zen” office. I will still have a small bookshelf for books that I use frequently or intend to read soon.
Day 1: 7:47 PM
I’m about halfway through my books now. I had already purged a bunch of them earlier this week. It looks like I am going to keep even less of them than I expected. Most of the books I am keeping are poetry and author-signed books with just a few references.
Day 1: 9:00
Finished sorting through my books. Moved old bookshelf to the garage. I had to adjust the new bookshelf to the two different general book heights, which leaves a small shelf in the middle. I’m sure something on my overflowing table (in box) will fit there.
Day 1: 10:17
I’ve begun to make progress on my desk, which I had piled with all of my items to process except for the ones in the closet. I’m about halfway through the pile. Most of the items have been thrown away, a few are filed and others have been put back in their place. I’ve also identified about 5 projects (things that will take more than a couple minutes) that I will have to tackle based on what I have found. I still have a long way to go, but it is a start.
Day 2: 1:37 PM
Back at it. The table is clear enough to see most of the items now. So many things that have been left untended.
Day 2: 4:42 PM
I am halfway through the closet now. There were a lot ofpapers to go through, mostly three-year old bills and such that needed shredding.
Day 2: 6:36 PM
The closet has been cleaned out and then repopulated. Most of the space will hold my office supplies, so that they don’t need to be seen unless I am using them.
Related links
- Writing Productivity -- Using an Idea Log (0.500)
- Building a Financially Sustainable Writing Career: Body Work (0.500)
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- Creating a Peaceful Home Office (0.500)
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Contact John Hewitt
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Email: hewitt@poewar.comPhone: (520) 261-6104
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I know just what you mean! Somedays I find I can’t do anything until I have a perfect pen. That may require a trip to several stationary stores until I find the perfect instrument.
My latest distraction is the IPhone I bought!
Paulas last blog post..A Whale of a Day
Congrats and good speed! Just where do you happen to be unloading most of these books?
Jasons last blog post..Painted with a hair from the back of a housefly
@ Paula
Perfection is so hard to find.
@ Jason
Most are going to be recycled.
You’re making me feel like re-organizing my workspace! I love organizing, but it never lasts… And my organizing is usually very unorganized and ends up creating more of a mess than there was to begin with. Oh well, it’s a start, I suppose. Have fun!
You have inspired me! I have a desk that MUST be cleared and organized before next Monday (classes start again!) and have been putting it off and off and off and . . . you get the picture. Tonight, I will make a start at the mountain in the corner. They say there is a desktop computer under there somewhere.
Greatings, humans;
In my studies of your species, I’ve noticed that you find it very… beneficial to organize yourselves. It’s almost like a strange form of meditation. You write lists, categorize piles of papers, staple some papers together, unstaple others, buy new things, throw old ones out… Well, I guess whatever helps each one of us to de-stress is good. When my castle gets too cluttered I just burn it clean, but that’s just me. Very bachelor-ish, I suppose.
God I should so be doing that.
Unfortunately I can’t find a desk I like lol. Not only that, I’d need two of them, because the other half is no longer content to use the corner of mine that I allow him to have.
I did receive a great diary though, that helps to at least get part of my stuff organized.
Oh, I’m in your boat! I’m so disorganized. I mean, I know where everything is, but it’s all in disarray. I like to call it organized chaos, but really, it’s just chaos! And, strangely enough, I find I get a lot more done if my space is neat.
I have the same issue electronically. I love downloading little organization programs, but I never really keep using them (with the exception of Evernote 2.2). But you’re inspiring me. I think I’ll clean off my desk!
Good luck with the organization!
VG
Venessa G.s last blog post..Hustlin’ the Words!
I’m on a new GTD kick. Trying to tighten up my system. I’m re-reading the book. I just reorganized my A-Z system but I still have a nice size stack of paper to sort…I’m excited though
Michelles last blog post..Why Alphabetical Filing Works