Lisa’s Super-Easy Free Organizing Tips

• Remove plastic dry cleaning bags and empty wire hangers from your closet. You’ll have more space instantly, and keeping the plastic on is bad for your clothes – it can trap moisture.

• Super-easy clutter clearing: Toss anything that is expired – coupons, medicines, food products, warrantees, etc. (Note: For old insurance policies, if there are any outstanding claims, wait until they are settled before destroying the policy.)

• Create space in your file drawers: Remove all empty folders. Everyone seems to have them.

• Put an empty shopping bag in your closet for clothes you want to donate. As soon as you come across something that you no longer love or that doesn’t fit, drop it right in the bag. This is a game-changer if you have kids.

• Do a quick check for duplicate gadgets in your desk and kitchen drawers. You don’t need two staple removers or more than one ice cream scoop.

• Easy paper purge: When you get rid of a product like an appliance or a TV, toss the manual too. For products you still use, check if the manual is online (most are), and let go of the paper.

• Remove any mystery keys from the key chain you use every day. If you’re feeling brave, toss them.

• Quick coat closet organization: Hang all coats facing the same direction. Extra credit: put all long coats next to each other. This instantly creates space below the shorter coats. On a roll? Keep going in your clothes closet.

• Lighten your load: remove stuff you rarely use from your wallet, purse or work bag.

• Place items in kitchen drawers with all the handles towards the front of the drawer. Especially knives! Grab and go, quickly and safely, and your drawers will instantly seem more organized.

• Arrange for automatic payment of as many bills as possible, either as a debit from your bank account or as an automatic charge to a credit card.

• You can omit the “www.” when specifying a website in your browser. Less typing. Faster surfing.

• Put together a travel bag with all the personal items you need when you take a trip (small sizes of toiletries and cosmetics; ear plugs; eye shades; razor, etc.) This will speed up your packing time. And ensure that you never arrive without a toothbrush.

• Set your email program to check for new messages only every half-hour or so. This is an easy way to begin weaning yourself from the email obsession. You can work towards a goal of checking email only a few times a day.

• Stop telemarketing calls by adding your phone number to the National Do Not Call registry at www.DoNotCall.gov

• Schedule shorter meetings. Work expands to fit the space available!

• Create a “to shred” bin or folder. It’s more efficient and less distracting than shredding every sensitive document individually. And when you need a break, shredding can be oddly soothing. Have a ton of shredding? Get a service to do it for you. Your time is worth it.

• Label the chargers to all your current electronic devices while you still know what they are for!

• Request that your name not be sold or rented to other organizations when you buy from a catalog, order tickets to an event, make a charitable donation, etc. Nip junk mail in the bud.

• Make copies of all the important cards you keep in your wallet – driver’s license, credit cards, insurance ID, etc. Don’t carry your Social Security card with you.

• Make a list of all your computer passwords, log-in IDs, PINs, etc. Keep it in a safe yet accessible place. Or, use a password manager like 1Password.

• Stop receiving offers from credit card companies by calling (888) 567-8688. This is one of the easiest things you can do to cut down on the mail you receive.

• Tech peace of mind: install an automatic computer back-up system and anti-virus program. I like www.Carbonite.com (you can access your backed-up files from anywhere) and McAfee.

• Put a label with “Reward for return” and your email address or phone number on your cellphone (don’t use the cellphone number!), day planner, iPad, digital camera and other important items that you might lose.

• Consolidate your charge cards. Less mail, fewer bills to pay, less hassle if your wallet is stolen.

• Use a separate email address for online shopping and when registering for websites. This will keep you focused on important messages and eliminate spam in your main account.

• Visit www.MissingMoney.com  to see if you have any unclaimed assets at financial institutions. I found $357 in an account that hadn’t been touched since I was 3 years old.

• Write it down. (Or type it. Or dictate it.) Otherwise, you will forget it.

• When you get stressed, remember this mantra: “All there is to do today is whatever you got done today.”

Want to be more organized and productive?

Try a few of these tips and notice the difference it makes. Do you feel inspired to take on more? Let me know how it goes! I love to hear about organizing successes… and I’m here to help with any difficulties.

Lisa Zaslow is the founder of Gotham Organizers  and is a nationally recognized expert and speaker on organization and productivity.

For over 15 years, Gotham Organizers has helped thousands of individuals and businesses to be more productive, more organized and less stressed.

Get in touch for a free phone consultation to see how we can help you!