Organizing Plain and Simple: A Ready Reference Guide with Hundreds of Solutions to Your Everyday Clutter Challenges

Average customer rating:

Creative Ideas! Good Tips

You're Smart, You're Disorganized, Smallin can fix that !

Not worth it

too much information

For the plain and simple

Organizing Plain and Simple: A Ready Reference Guide with Hundreds of Solutions to Your Everyday Clutter Challenges
Donna Smallin
Manufacturer: Storey Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Organizing Sourcebook : Nine Strategies for Simplifying Your Life

The One-Minute Organizer Plain & Simple

Making Peace with the Things in Your Life: Why Your Papers, Books, Clothes, and Other Possessions Keep Overwhelming You and What to Do About It

Unclutter Your Home: 7 Simple Steps, 700 Tips & Ideas (Simplicity Series)

Home Organizing Workbook: Clearing Your Clutter, Step by Step

ASIN: 1580174485

Book Description

Desk drowning in papers? No room for the car in the garage? Santa still sitting on the roof in May? A less-is-more philosophy is great, but we all still have way too much stuff. The home office swallows up whole rooms, as does the family computer station. Then there's the home gym, the TV room, and the playroom, not to mention our collections - books, CDs, toys. Time management experts agree that when the minor things that take up space in the mind are eliminated, there is room to think about the big things. The same goes for the home. The visual clarity that comes from de-cluttering rooms, finances, and time promotes mental clarity, peacefulness, and contemplation. When everything is organized, it is easier to enjoy the meaningful things in life.

Organizing Plain & Simple is like a course from an expert teacher, grounded in the fundamentals and enriched with philosophy, tips, anecdotes, illustrations - everything necessary to make home and life run more smoothly. Donna Smallin takes a personalized, nonjudgemental approach to explaining how to assess each individual's situation and suggesting where to start organizing - room by room - and then covers how to stay organized. Then she offers advice on organizing time and finances, as well as organizing for the seasons and for special events - the birth of a baby, combining households, a move, kids going off to college, successful downsizing. Smallin presents a broad range of innovative solutions in the running feature "One Challenge, Three Solutions" that includes tips for solving classic organizational issues from a wide range of professional organizers.

Customer Reviews:

Creative Ideas! Good Tips.......2007-07-15

In addition to the valuable information in this book, it is filled with tips and checklists that are well put together. The book begins by talking about organizing in general and then focuses on specific rooms, finances, time, home life, and transitions.

You're Smart, You're Disorganized, Smallin can fix that !.......2007-07-04

Donna Smallin's book delivers ! Organizing Plain and Simple, offers people a reasonable and concrete way to dig out from under the chaos. First, you declutter. Her excellent suggestions on how to finally accomplish this daunting task gives one hope that it can be done. No organizing cliches here, instead, yellow panels of ideas and actions targeted to specific problems appear among the text as quick, handy action steps to move you forward in your efforts.
She tells you what to write on labels, how to select storage options, ( disorganized people rarely measure, that's a problem), what to do if you can't seem to discard a particular item and reminds you that what you really want is to be surrounded by what you love. You learn how to keep what is left so you can find it everytime, and not spend money to replace "lost" items.
Donna Smallin is the sensible friend, who knows you and wants you to succeed, and she is guiding you to be able to do it yourself and to understand why and how.
You even get a reward at the end...the organized life you deeply desire...that now has room for better things, personal confidence, career success, pleasant surroundings and the time and ability to share your hospitality with others.
READ THIS SMART, INTELLIGENTLY WRITTEN BOOK AND RELEASE YOURSELF FROM CHAOS, CONFUSION AND CLUTTER FOREVER ! You deserve that joy.

Not worth it.......2007-06-27

A lot of what is in this book is just plain common sense that you probably already know. The reviewer is correct that this book is also lacking in focus - it's all over the place. I did not find this book either helpful or useful.

too much information.......2007-04-13

This shows the importance of finding self-help books that suit your personal needs. Someone who lives alone in an apartment will have different problems from someone who lives in a McMansion with five kids and three dogs. I'm always on the lookout for organizing and decluttering books and my place is always a mess. Fighting clutter is a never ending battle. However, while this may be a great book for some people, it wasn't tailored to what I needed. I feel overwhelmed by it. I don't need to know how to pack for a vacation or organize a move, for example. I'm good at those things. I don't need to know how to run a garage sale (not in this area). I don't need to know how to invest or pay bills or buy things on sale. What I need to do is keep the clutter at home under control without spending a fortune doing it. The book does have some good parts, but I'd say about 50% was useful to me. This doesn't mean I think the author did a poor job or that this book won't be a valuable resource to the next person. I did get it on sale, but I'll warn you that these books need to be carefully selected.

For the plain and simple.......2006-08-24

This book is 'oragnized' into sections - Getting Started, Organizing Room by Room, Organizing Finances, Organizing Time, Organizing Home Life, and Organizing Transitions.

Who needs an entire section telling you the benefits of being organized - isn't that why I bought the book? The author takes 'plain and simple' to new heights...for example - "To organize your refrigerator, start by uncluttering it."

I was hoping for something with more substance. There was nothing in this book that I didn't already know. If you're looking for something very basic as far as what to do in your home...you will like this book.

Confessions of an Organized Homemaker: The Secrets of Uncluttering Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life

Average customer rating:

Full of Practical Ideas
The only Organizing book you'll need!
Practical information in a breezy book
Enjoyable Read, Timeless Advice
Great book, great ideas

Confessions of an Organized Homemaker: The Secrets of Uncluttering Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life
Deniece Schofield
Manufacturer: Betterway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Cookbooks | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Home & Garden Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1558703616

Customer Reviews:

Full of Practical Ideas.......2007-03-30

As a professional organizer, I have read quite a few books on organizing. This book was very light and easy to read, which I liked. In addition, it has practical ideas for using inexpensive (and sometimes free) storage containers. Many people are on a tight budget, but with the suggestions made in this book, you can find the products inexpensively and at your convenience.

If you don't want to read this book cover-to-cover, there is an index in the back that can be used to find solutions to a problem area you want to tackle.

I'd recommend this book as a resource for tackling each room in your home.

The only Organizing book you'll need!.......2007-02-24

I was a 28 year old working woman who was overwhelmed with my domestic responsiblites and drowning in a sea of mess,clutter and chaos. Thanks to "Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" now my home is well put together and neat. No longer do I stress out over grocery shopping, laundry, and planning meals. I was a constant last minute person, doing the laundry when I was down to the last towel, grocery shopping only after I had exhaused all meal possibilites it was terrible. I even served chicken thighs on hamburger bun havles with gravy on top! Thanks to Deniece Schofield I have my life back. She covers everything from finding storage spots to creating your own grocery lists where the items are grouped together by catergories. She lets the reader apply what works and leave what doesn't. This book is perfect for newlyweds and young people who have moved out of the house. Buy it and you'll see what I'm taking about!

Practical information in a breezy book.......2007-01-04

Each chapter naturally leads into the next, so the writing flow is smooth, but what sets this book apart from others of its kind is the sheer volume of ideas. The author doesn't provide a one-size-fits-all mentality and allows the reader to draw his/her own conclusion(s) and adapt to his/her own environment. More pictures would have been nice.

Enjoyable Read, Timeless Advice.......2006-11-17

I really enjoyed this book. The ideas aren't necessarily original compared to other household organizing books, but it was more enjoyable to read than most. I enjoyed the author's anecdotes and personal remarks throughout. It made it more fun to read something that was already full of good advice. I'd love a new and updated version that brings us more up to date with the technology that is omnipresent today, but even though this is dated, it doesn't feel that way. Instead I'd call it "timeless". I will keep this and enjoy reading it and referring to certain sections over and over again. A great household resource.

Great book, great ideas.......2006-08-23

I own this book for several years now, and reading it really help me to get more organized. I reorganized my kitchen and I love it this way - cooking and backing became more fun. The chapter about how to organize the kids room was very helpful, as with three kids inevitably a lot of toys/puzzles/lego pieces are accumulated - and - by the way - that's exactly how I store kids puzzles, and yes, kids DO the puzzles more then once! Thank you, Deniece, for sharing your ideas with us!

Organizing for Your Brain Type: Finding Your Own Solution to Managing Time, Paper, and Stuff

Average customer rating:

The only place to start
Useful and Practical Information, Fun to Read
Organizing for your brain type
Different slant on the Organizing problem comes up short
Very helpful information

Organizing for Your Brain Type: Finding Your Own Solution to Managing Time, Paper, and Stuff
Lanna Nakone
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Personal Transformation | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Time Management | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Health Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Home & Garden Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0312339771
Release Date: 2005-04-14

Book Description

An astute, fun guide to organizing that offers tailored and specific advice-that actually works-on how to get and stay organized Based on Lanna Nakone's experience as a professional organizer and the science of brain function, this engaging, practical book begins with a fun quiz so readers can determine which of the four distinct thinking and organizing types they display: -Maintaining Style (routine) -Prioritizing Style (logical) -Harmonizing Style (interconnected) -Innovating Style (creative). Then, matching their brain type with a custom profile of maintainable organizing routines, readers will be able to effectively tackle the stacks of paper, poorly managed time, and clutter in their homes and offices. Readers will also gain insight into the other brain types and how each type can best work with and understand the others. Organizing for Your Brain Type turns the task of managing life into an enjoyable experience.

Customer Reviews:

The only place to start.......2007-08-05

Like so many people, I have read plenty of organizing books. I try to implement the recommended systems, but, if I even get the system in place, I can't sustain an uncluttered environment.

In Lanna Nakone's book, I learned that traditional systems of organizing only work for people who are already natural organizers. Only by understanding the way your own brain works, can you begin to implement organizational systems that will last for you. Read this book first, then you can sift through other organizers' advice and select what will ultimately work for you.

Raleigh area residents can find free support using Ms. Nakone's system at http://declutter.meetup.com/107.

Useful and Practical Information, Fun to Read.......2007-02-21

I am very busy, so I do not have a lot of spare time to read. I liked how this book was concise and practical, and yet still fun to read. It is organized well so that I could quickly get the information I needed to help get myself organized, and then go back later and read about other types.

I especially liked the section which showed how people with other brain types viewed people with my type; it was uncanny!

I liked it enough to order two more copies for friends.

Organizing for your brain type.......2007-02-19

One of the best organizing books for a chronically messy person! Actually, I'm not messy...I just do things differently. Easy to understand, easy to follow.

Different slant on the Organizing problem comes up short.......2007-02-09

I found the ideas in the beginning of this book to be interesting -- and obvious. Of course everyone is not the same and needs different organizing techniques. It is a nice idea to have different ways of organizing in one book, geared towards the different ways people think.

However -- the quiz to figure out what "type" you are had some flaws. The answers are exaggerated to make it easy to select "your" answer, but some of the questions are things that aren't relevant (to me), and some of the answers didn't fit me at all. Once one type became clear, I found I fit around half of the qualities for that type.

Given the point that we are not all one type, I would have expected more information on how each person may have more than one style. This was not addressed at all.

While this books has some new ideas, I found most of them fell in the category "You are different, you don't have to do things like ." There are different suggestions for each Style, but I found them too general.

In addition, there is a "sensory" quiz, to let you know if you are a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic person. I found this interesting as well, but did not get conclusive results on the quiz. The suggestions for the sensory preference within each style were, again, interesting.

All in all, I will use some of the ideas that I read in this book, in particular, some of the ideas behind why my "style" likes and dislikes certain things. I will mix that in to all of the other information I have read about organization and hopefully continue to develop something effective for me. I would not recommend purchasing this book, though, at least not without a dry run at the library. In addition to feeling it was incomplete, the writing style was sometimes irritating, with stories that weren't always on topic. I also think the author is of the "Harmonizing Style", as the way she wrote that chapter is markedly different from the others. Although she says each style is just the way certain people do things, no one style is better than any other, the treatment of Priorizing Style people isn't as kind in the end chapter about working with different styles.

Very helpful information.......2005-12-04

As the reviews say the book consists of looking at how we organize our life using 4 brains types. There is the Prioritizing type, the Maintaining type, the Innovating type, and Harmonizing type. Overall I found the book well written and enjoyed how the author looked at how each brain type functions overall. She talks about ways each brain type can: use a calendar more effectively, use storage space, deal with paperwork, organize your home and office space, and organize your environment. Also, at the end of each brain type chapter, she gives a nice bullet point summary of key points so that you don't have to go back and re-read in detail.

My only problem with the book was the testing method in helping to find your brain type. The test was 50 questions (too long) and many of the questions where things I had problems relating to. For example some questions asked:

You are reminded about going to the opera when:
1. Check your planner a day in advance
2. Notice post-its over the house
3. Friends shows up at door step
4. Your Palm Pilot's alarm goes off 15 before you are to leave

While Typing, you notice your dog is looking at you with those huge hungry eyes you:
1. Tell him you feed him at the same time
2. Your dog never looks hungry there food on the floor all the times
3. Throw him your half-eaten doughnut form breakfast this morning
4. Tell him to lie down and wait until you are done

You normally try to avoid conversations that:
1. Involve the future
2. That go into great detail
3. That deal with figures
4. That is too touch-feely

For me these questions (and some others) depend on situations. I may talk touch-feely at one time, and depending on the day or my mood, I might feed the dog now or wait. The test would have been more effective had it dealt with typical situations. My guess is she was trying to offer something different than the other books out there on organization that gives tests using every day situations, but her test did not work for me. Also, by her own admission, she says some of the test questions "seemed a little over the top" and what I found was because some of the questions were over the top, I scored in a different brain type category (Prioritizing style) when after reading the other brain types, I am clearly a Maintaining type.

My only suggestion would be is to take the test, but make sure you read the other types to see if they don't fit you better. The the book is arranged in a way that you can scan the other brain types easily. Overall the book is very good and offers good tips and info.

The Economic Organization of the Household

Average customer rating:

The Economic Organization of the Household
W. Keith Bryant , and Cathleen D. Zick
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0521805279

Book Description

Surveying the field of the economics of the household, the second edition of this text reviews the theory of the consumer at the intermediate undergraduate level. It applies and extends it to consumer demand and expenditures, consumption and saving, time allocation among market work, home work, and leisure, human capital emphasizing investment in education, children and health, fertility, marriage, and divorce. Influenced by Gary Becker and his associates, the models developed are used to help explain modern U.S. trends in family behavior. Topics are discussed with the aid of geometry and a little algebra.

Download Description

Surveying the field of the economics of the household, the second edition of this text reviews the theory of the consumer at the intermediate undergraduate level. It then applies and extends it to consumer demand and expenditures, consumption and saving, time allocation among market work, home work, and leisure, human capital emphasizing investment in education, children and health, fertility, marriage, and divorce. Influenced by Gary Becker and his associates, the models developed are used to help explain modern U.S. trends in family behavior. Topics are discussed with the aid of geometry and a little algebra. For those with calculus, mathematical endnotes provide the models on which the text discussions are based and interesting applications beyond the scope of the text.

Household Winners for Working Women: Your Personal Organization Tool Kit to Declutter and Design an Comfortable Home

Average customer rating:

pretty good
AZURE Your Way to an Organized, Comfortable Home
Solid, useful, and highly recommended ideas
Making My Space
It made my wife very happy.

Household Winners for Working Women: Your Personal Organization Tool Kit to Declutter and Design an Comfortable Home
A. Kingsley Bishop
Manufacturer: Greystone International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Time Management | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Spiritual | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Cookbooks | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Home & Garden Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Parenting Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Accessories:

ASIN: 1929798067

Book Description

This book is full of strategies for battling chaos and uses the AZURE System for organizing household areas from individual rooms to carjack prevention to paper systems. It is geared to working women but anyone wanting a more orderly household can use it. The book is also a minor battleplan. Why? Women, in a way, are also warriors. We fight drunk drivers, glass ceilings, child abuse, land mines, poverty, and injustice all over the world. We also need to attack clutter, time wasters, money robbers, and energy drains especially in our own homes. This is your code book. Take what you need to win.

Customer Reviews:

pretty good.......2006-07-06

I did like this book because it offers a "battle plan"-you feel empowered just reading it. Some of the ideas in the book are very very practical and I would have never thought about them. However...not all the ideas are all that original, and I was doing lots of the things described anyway. Another problem is that the author, instead of showing more about organizing paperwork, refers her readers to a different book... Overall, it's a pretty nice read, but for the organizing freaks out there-don't expect an epiphany!

AZURE Your Way to an Organized, Comfortable Home.......2003-03-07

Written in a conversational style, Dr. Bishop guides us through a delightful process of decluttering and organizing our home environments--to Assess, Zone, Unload, Rearrange & Enjoy. Chapters address creating organized rooms and work and storage spaces throughout the home. This comprehensive manual is especially valuable for the numerous checklists for project planning and for documenting important family and household information. Also includes extensive, useful Resources, Apprendix, and Bibliography sections.

If reading from beginning-to-end is not your style, start by learning Dr. Bishop's philosophy of AZURE-ing (p.340-41) and move to Chapter 4 to create your own Personal Decompression Chamber. Then, in your personal care retreat, read the remaining chapters that will guide you in the process of organizing your other home environments, and simplifying your life to enjoy it more!

Solid, useful, and highly recommended ideas.......2002-09-08

Household Winners For Working Women: Your Personal Organizational Tool Kit To Declutter & Design A Comfortable Home is a highly practical and "user friendly" guide for keeping one's home free of useless encumbrances and enhancing a cozy, liveable space in which to better enjoy life. Written specifically for working women with limited time for housework, individual chapters address everything from an easy-to-access closet, to choosing groceries that offer maximum nutrition and delicious preparation with minimum fuss, to car cleaning and car jacking prevention tips, Household Winners For Working Women is packed cover to cover with solid, useful, and highly recommended ideas, suggestions, and advice.

Making My Space.......2002-07-23

I like the author's use of humor as well as the included lists for organization. It is possible to organize one area at a time. I have read Alexandria Stoddard in the past and like how this author incorporates her ideas especially for the Decompression Chamber. I live in a one room apartment so I can develop my own Cozy Corner.
This book is more an advanced course in organization than other books I have used in the past. This previous knowledge is often assumed. The book also has another problem common to books on organization. Many of us rent and for that reason cannot add built-ins to where we live.

It made my wife very happy........2002-05-28

I purchased this book as a gift for my wife. She is a fairly well organized person but she said that she needed to be better about certain tasks. So anyway, I gave it to her and she said it was perfect. The fact that she was able to read and zoom in on the relevant chapters to her pleased her to no end. I highly recommend this book. It is a great gift idea.

Labour in a Global World: Case Studies from the White Goods Industry in Africa, South America, East Asia and Europe (The Future of Work)

Average customer rating:

Labour in a Global World: Case Studies from the White Goods Industry in Africa, South America, East Asia and Europe (The Future of Work)
Theo Nichols , and Surhan Cam
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Labor Policy | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Job Markets & Advice | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Labor & Industrial Relations | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | International | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This book gets behind much of the generality about globalization and examines in detail the production of familiar white goods commodities in a range of countries--China, Taiwan and South Korea, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey. It makes a substantive contribution to the understanding of the diffusion of management methods, the role of the state in employee relations, the nature of trade unionism and the impact of social structure on production relations.

Business and Bureaucracy in a Chinese City: An Ethnography of Private Business Households in Contemporary China (China Research Monograph)

Average customer rating:

Business and Bureaucracy in a Chinese City: An Ethnography of Private Business Households in Contemporary China (China Research Monograph)
Ole Bruun
Manufacturer: University of California, Institute of East A
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Negotiating | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

New Business Enterprises | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

At Your Fingertips! A Household Filing System that Works for You

Average customer rating:

Helpful on filing system basics for home & personal use
The Definitive Guide on Household Records Management

At Your Fingertips! A Household Filing System that Works for You
Denise Dale , Alexandra Bradley , and Alexandra Bradley
Manufacturer: Streamline Information
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0968572707

Book Description

"At Your Fingertips! A Household Filing System that Works for You" helps you get organized by showing you a system that keeps track of personal schedules, information and papers. It helps you decide what to keep, where to put it and for how long. This practical blueprint for organizing information also explains why certain documents need to be kept for certain lengths of time.

By organizing your personal information and papers you will save your household time, money and space. Your will also avoid personal embarrassment, frustration and stress. No more sunny afternoons spent indoors tearing the house apart looking for papers and important documents like your passport! So, what are your waiting for? Let's get organized!

Customer Reviews:

Helpful on filing system basics for home & personal use.......2004-12-27

This is a good book which presents the essentials of a home filing system without a lot of fluff material that clutters up too many self-help organizing books these days. I appreciate the authors'professional and straightforward aproach.

This book taught me to separate my "reference materials" files from my "personal/household" files. I was filing "tap dancing" next to "taxes" and it was making me crazy.

However, because the book is written by Canadians for Canadians, and I'm not Canadian, the specific guidance on records related to legal issues such as taxes does not apply to me, and I'll have to figure out those things for myself with reference to US laws and our tax system.

The Definitive Guide on Household Records Management.......2004-01-02

The most common complaint given by anyone who would like to get better organized is that they have lost the battle of the paper war. They just can?t manage the paperwork needed to run the household, nor can they keep track of all the papers, documents and mail that floods into the average home on a daily basis.

I?ve seen quite a few clients who stored their financial records (in no logical order) in piles on tables and counters. One client spent a week sifting through piles of mail (open and unopened) and other papers looking for her income tax refund cheque before finally calling me in to help her get a handle on her paper problem. (We finally found it being used as a bookmark in one of the cookbooks in the kitchen.)

Now when I run into someone with paper problems, I recommend At Your Fingertips because it sets out all the criteria needed to handle paper properly. The authors are records management experts and in this little book they take you step-by-step through the process of setting up a household filing system. Nothing is set in stone, the authors suggest that you build on the information given in the book so you can adapt it to work with your own record-keeping needs.

The book is not large, but there is a lot of information packed into every page. It starts with a quick overview of the reasons why we have problems managing paper and why we should be concerned when our paper is not properly organized.

Chapter 1: What To Keep? The authors discuss what decisions need to be made when sorting and filing paper and give tips for doing so.

The basis of the system is explained in Chapter 2, Where To Put It? The system consists of four file categories:

? Fingertip Files - Current papers, bills, receipts, calendar, phone numbers etc.
? Household Files - Finances, utilities, education, employment and warranties.
? Permanent Files - Health records, vet records, birth certificates, etc
? Reference Files - Books, newspapers, clippings, info you want to keep, crafts

Each category is fully explained and there are suggestions of what to put where. The authors have even included things like cash register receipts and take-out menus so you can easily see how to customize your own system depending on the kinds of paper you are managing.

Chapter 3- For How Long and Why? This is an excellent retention guideline and will be a big help to those who are scared to throw anything out. You?ll find out what types of paper can be thrown out immediately after use and what types of paper should be kept and then you?ll learn where to keep it. This is the key to solving your paper management problems. Once you set up your categories and understand the retention times for the various paper types, you can set up a workable system and never have to wonder again what to do with any piece of paper.

In Chapter 4: Under Control, you?ll learn how to maintain your new filing system. There are helpful hints for a yearly purge, as well as tips on how to eliminate and curb the paper coming into your home.

If you prefer to manage your files in a binder, rather than a file box or cabinet, Appendix A and B give detailed instructions on setting up your Fingertip and Household files using three ring binders. Appendix C has a recommendation and contact information for filing supplies put out by a professional archivist. The book ends with personal acknowledgements from the authors and has a page for your notes.

I suggest you read through the book first to get an overview of the whole system. Once you determine what your paper management needs are, you can start adapting the advice to create your own customized system.

The procedures and advice offered is sensible and very detailed, most organizing books don?t cover paper management thoroughly enough, I?m sure you?ll find At Your Fingertips ? A Household Filing System to be THE definitive book on paper management. I recomment this book to all my paper challenged clients and participants in my online paper management workshop.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books