"I was very excited to receive the First 30 Days emails. I am in the midst of a great many changes in my life. I so appreciate the encouragement given in your daily emails. I definitely learned how to embrace change as a big positive in my life."
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Our Getting Organized Experts

Peter Walsh

Peter Walsh

Design professional and star of TLC's Clean Sweep

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Meryl Starr

Meryl Starr

Organizing expert, author and personal consultant

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Debbie Stanley

Debbie Stanley

Author and owner of Red Letter Day, a professional organizing...

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Meet all of our New Directions Experts»

Ideas for a Simple, Clutter-Free Life

A Lifelong Process

Completing an organizing idea is only the beginning, as there will be a constant flow of things into your life. You need to have a plan in place and make the commitment to stick to the plan.

“Organizing is a process, not an event,” says Leist. “You have to make it a habit and repeat your process faithfully. If not, it will break down and be impossible to get organized.”

Ann from Middlebury, CT, was having a major problem with her closet. Her solution: “I color coordinated my clothes to save time picking outfits; and I put shoes in plastic containers, so I could see which pair is inside each box.” Now, not only does Ann like the way her closet looks, she has a system in place to keep it that way.

Ann has applied this philosophy to her entire household. “I feel in control most of the time, and getting organized makes my life flow easily,” she says. Think about the way your life "flows" and then go to it! You're in control. Time to tame the chaos once and for all!

 

Posted: 9/25/07
marvinwilliams

Becoming organized requires a whirlwind of activity, but I've found STAYING organized requires a system. Many highly successful people have taken the stress out of being busy by choosing an organizer for notes and projects that agrees with their personality. A helpful article on balancing many projects at once without forgetting anything is called The Secret: Link

DeborahD

This is great how do i make sure it will come to my email? There was not a box to click!

Only37Constant

I've only read the first page, and already I've gotten some great, usable ideas. Sometimes I can read through an entire book on the subject and not get a quick jump start like this. This is great!

Anonymous

My personal organizer recommended NOT starting with what was bugging me most, but something small and achievable. In my case, I did my pantry, which wasn't that bad, before my study, which is a disaster with eight boxes of paper! This way, I felt a sense of accomplishment to tackle the rest of the apartment!

  • By Anonymous
  • on 6/22/08 4:22 PM EST
Anonymous

My personal organizer recommended NOT starting with what was bugging me most, but something small and achievable. In my case, I did my pantry, which wasn't that bad, before my study, which is a disaster with eight boxes of paper! This way, I felt a sense of accomplishment to tackle the rest of the apartment!

  • By Anonymous
  • on 6/22/08 4:22 PM EST
Ballerina

I feel that I've received a most beautiful, useful gift today. A friend in Florida sent me a quote from "First 30 Days" ... and my daughter and I immediately enrolled in the program. We're both plagued with extreme accumulation and clutter, and what we've read today is truly encouraging.