The Right Tools Make Getting Organized Easier

When an associate mentioned that she was feeling inspired to wash the windows of her home, I realized that the reason for her inspiration could also help people feel inspired to tackle an organizing project. She had recently purchased a squeegee and bucket and discovered that having the right tools provided her with motivation to do the job. In addition, those tools made the window cleaning easier and faster and provided great results. Before the squeegee/bucket approach, she rarely washed her windows and viewed it as a tedious, weekend-long task. With the right tools - and breaking the job into "evening" chunks - she got it done quickly and painlessly. Getting organized can be just as quick and painless if you have the right tools for the job. These tips will help you identify which tools can help you do just that.

Some advanced planning will help you get everything you need close at hand so you can stay focused on your organizing project. Here are some things to have on hand:
A vision of what you want - Although not often thought of as a tool, having a vision of your desired outcome, like having the right tools, will help you work more easily and quickly towards your organizing goals. Write out or draw a picture of your organizing objective for each space. For example, your vision might be to clean out and organize a spare bedroom so you can have guests stay over, or so you can have a place to work on your crafts.
Garbage bags - It's inevitable that somewhere along the way you're going to find some things to let go of, so have the garbage bags ready to do what they do best - haul away the things that are no longer useful to you. Depending on the receiving agency, they may also be used for items to be donated to charity, or to be given to friends or family members.
Cleaning supplies - Depending on how cluttered the space is that you're organizing, you may expose areas that haven't seen a vacuum or duster in quite a while. Having cleaning supplies at the ready will lend itself to having a clean space that compliments its newly organized state.
Boxes for sorting - Rather than wandering away from your organizing project every time you discover something that belongs in another room, have a box where you can deposit items that belong elsewhere. If it makes life easier for you, use sticky notes to label where each item belongs. At the end of your organizing session for the day, go ahead and put all those items in their appropriate place, even if that space isn't yet organized.
Manila file folders - Sorting papers into file folders rather than piles will make it easier to categorize them. By arranging the folders vertically, you'll see multiple categories at once and minimize the possibility of duplication. The folders will also make it easy for you to see which papers you've addressed and which still need to be reviewed.
Pen/pencil and paper - As you're organizing, you may find yourself thinking about other things (although I can't imagine what's more interesting to think about than organizing!), such as the phone calls you need make or what to have for dinner. Rather than distracting yourself by running off to act on these random thoughts, have a place to jot them down so you can clear your mind and get back to the task at hand.
Snacks and water - As you're working away, energize yourself with something to drink (I prefer water) and maybe a snack (I prefer an apple or walnuts). Don't tempt fate by traipsing off to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat - there a way too many temptations that will make it hard to get back to your organizing project.
Help from others - A non-judgmental friend or a professional organizer can also be a great resource to help you painlessly, quickly, efficiently get the job done.