“The RoseBouquet”

Quick, help me brainstorm how to clean up my cluttered home office! A client is coming this afternoon, and contractors will be coming through here in a few days. I usually do a weekly tidy-up and cleaning on Saturdays, but in the summer things fall behind. If we brainstorm some ideas we can help each other.

You: (glancing about) Yeah…, where did this all come from?

Me: Well, the cat plays with his toys, and I have ongoing projects here, and here, and there, and that pile too. With my basement walls damp I dare not hide things downstairs. I tell you, this is a challenge that requires a second brain.

You: Okay, let’s begin in this corner here by the door and work our way around the room.

Me: Good plan! You’re helping me to think clearly again. Let’s see…, these things like the phone on top of the phone book and the box of tissues need to stay, I’ll pick up the pens and put them in this holder. My mug of water can go on this old wasted CD disk. But what about all these slips of paper?

You: Aren’t they garbage?

Me: Well, no… I might need this one, and this one… and these are brainstorming notes for a client’s site; I haven’t finished that yet.

You: I suggest you sort them, and throw out the ones you don’t need and find a way to file those you do expect to need.

Me: Right. I do have a trick for that! I have these boxes and vegetable oil jugs that I cut down and wrapped with wallpaper, and I file things in them that I need to dip into frequently. See, even an old ketchup bottle worked for me. That’s where I keep my blank note pads and card-stock cuttings. I have my passwords and key info for logins on all membership style sites in this pink box with the gold ribbon around the top.

Oh look! Here something I started once to file all my miscellaneous notes. This oblong, white cut-down oil jug has these larger used envelopes that I cut into pocket folders for notes and stuff. I guess… I just forgot to use it for a while.

You: I see you’ve already labelled some of them. This says, “Client Sites Notes.” This says, “Linux Notes.” Oh, you’ve got one called “AGENDA & GOALS.” What’s that about? Here’s, “Prayer Notes.”

Me: Yes, well, I have ideas at the craziest times, and I usually scribble them on a bit of note paper, and try to keep them handy in hopes I’ll get around to doing that soon. I had sorted all these papers once before, and started sorting them like this. See, I’ve even got some envelopes without names yet. I just need to develop a habit of putting my notes into the right folder as soon as I write it. Then when I’m looking for one, I just have to look in the right pocket. Actually, for some sites I need separate pocket folders - they generate more notes.

You: Looks like you never throw anything out until you’ve used both sides. Maybe never?

Me: (admitting sheepisly) - Sometimes. If you ever try to write a biography of someone else, you’ll discover how important little bits of paper can turn out to be. I admit it probably would be smarter to switch to notebooks, or binders, and keep everything in there. I would just pull out the pages once a year that need to be archived.

You: Sounds like binders would be the better way to go then.

Me: I do all my financial bookkeeping in this black binder here in this drawer. (Gulp!) Guess my drawers need some sorting too. But I do put all my receipts from purchases or invoices in the front of this binder, and on Friday evenings I go over everything, entering it in these special pages I made, then I also key it into my record-keeping program on the computer so it can spit out reports when I need them. I fill all the receipts in these two accordion folders after they are recorded twice.

You: Great. You have your bookkeeping done. What else could you do to sort out your drawers?

Me: Ummm… let’s see. If I moved this stuff from the large filing drawers behind me to that drawer a pace or two away, I could have space here to drop my desktop quick-filing caddies down there when I don’t need them.

Hey, things are clearing up!

You: What about those cards and knick-knacks on the book shelves?

Me: Well. Some of those cards are up for sentimental reasons, and some simply because I forgot to take them down. I can remove those and file them in this box where I keep used cards until I get around to doing crafts with them.

You: How about those boxes on that long desk?

Me: Oh, those are work projects. This is a binder of Uncle John I’m putting together with copies for… Right, you don’t want to know what all these are for. But I feel like they need to be where I can see them so I will remember I must get to them.

You: Why not hide them and just make yourself a decent, attractive note of projects to do near the computer?

Me: Yes– (sigh). That makes sense. But where will I hide them? This place is only so big, and I’m out of hiding places.

Me: (after staring and thinking for a few minutes). I suppose I could put those piles into a box and get that under my desk. There’s room for maybe one or two more. The other big pile there, I could just bring out a pretty little table cloth and drop it over that pile. That’s boxes of photos to scan, etc… and they are NOT going down to the damp basement.

That extra monitor there, I need to decide whether it will work or not, do some research, and if it won’t work I need to take those off to the recyclers. If I organize something attractively in those two baskets they can stay in the room, otherwise they will have to go into storage.

You: There. See, you’ve gone around the whole room. Now, gather up the cat’s toys and drop into that paper bag. Allow him just one or two at a time. Give a good shake to the door mat outside and a sweep and damp mop and your floors will be shiny and tidy.

Me: I do a weekly clean up, but if I did a daily tidy up too, it would be more presentable no matter who is dropping by on short notice. I will find a time slot to do that, and I think I’ll feel much better about my home office. Thanks so much for helping me brainstorm for the best ways. Two heads really are better than one, when it comes to brainstorming!