Organizing for Dummies

by Eileen Roth and Elizabeth Miles

Book Overview

Organize your office, your home, your life

What's the favorite four-letter word of people who are less than fully organized? "Help " So many technological, social, and economic changes affect your life that you need organization just to keep up, let alone advance. Many people have two jobs - one at the office and one taking care of things at home. If you have a family, you may count that as a third job. Caring for elderly relatives or have community commitments? You can count off four, five, and keep right on going.

No matter what life stage you're in, getting organized can make every day better and help you achieve your long-term goals. Organizing For Dummies is for anyone who wants to

Polish his or her professional reputation Experience less stress Increase productivity Build better relationships Maximize personal time

Organization isn't inherited. With the human genome decoded, the evidence is clear: DNA strings dedicated to putting things into place and managing your time like a pro are nonexistent. Instead, organization is a learned skill set. Organizing For Dummies helps you gain that skill with topics such as:

Understanding how clutter costs you in time, money, and health Training your mind to be organized and developing a plan Cleaning house, room by room, from basement to attic (including the garage) Creating functional space for efficiency and storage Time-management strategies for home, office, and tavel Scheduling, delegating, and multitasking Making time for your family Managing your health - physical and financial Finding time for love Organizing and cashing in on a great garage sale

Getting organized is about unstuffing your life, clearing out the dead weight in places from your closet to your calendar to your computer, and then installing systems that keep the good stuff in its place. Organizing is a liberating and enlightening experience that can enhance your effectiveness and lessen your stress every day - and it's all yours simply for saying "No" to clutter.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764553003
• ISBN13: 9780764553004
• Release Date: November 2000
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

GREAT BOOK

I used this book when I was trying to get my new house organized. It had helpful ideas for each room in the house. It was a long book...but was easy to read. You can also jump from chapter to chapter depending upon your current needs.

Best for the clutter-afflicted who want their lives in order

My family raised me in an insanely messy environment. My father is likely one of the worst packrats alive, and my mother continuously hides her junk in countless bags. A few years ago I realized my own extreme clutter was a reflection of the disarray in my mind and, cyclically, reason for even further confusion. Perhaps this book isn't for those who already know where cleaning supplies are kept and how planners are used efficiently. But I highly recommend this book if you've not been blessed enough to have learned the aforementioned time-management skills other college students know as truisms (there is SOME reasoning behind the "for Dummies" title!). For beginners, this book will lead you section by section to a home as well as a life that finally has everything in place!

What a difference!

I bought this book as a sort of gag for a friend who keeps claiming that he wants to get organized. On the way home I started flipping through it and ended up keeping it for myself. It came along just in the nick of time for my move to a new home. All my life I have been a clutter queen; now I can actually part with things I don't need and showcase the things I really like. My home and work environments are much more functional and enjoyable places to be. It's been several months since I picked the book up and I'm impressed by how much it helped me develop the skills to stick to my promise to get my act together!

Group Like With Like

I found this book wonderfully rewarding to read through, anywhere at anytime. I brought it with me when I traveled and I learned several great ideas: my favorite is "group like with like". That single idea cracked my shell and has helped me organize my entire pack-rat house, as well as my parent's basement. Every room in the house is detailed, and the mnemonics (memory devices) are useful as well, such as P-L-A-C-E (Purge, Like with Like, Access, Contain, Evaluate). Very well written, and organized! The time management section were very useful as well, such as travelling tips. The "Part of Tens" section at the end was very interesting as well, but I won't give away any secrets!

This book was inspiring!

This book changed the way I organize my things to such an extent. Now I come home to an orderly apartment (which is important when you live in a place the size of a postage stamp.) If you want to get organized and feel better about your surroundings, this is the place to start.