Getting Organized, Tackling ClutterOrganized Writer… Does that seem like an oxymoron to you? If you’re an orderly sort of writer, lucky you. If you’re anything like me, you’re wondering if there’s even a desk under all the clutter. As much clutter as editors have in their offices, some writers have just as much, if not more. Need proof? Check out this page:

cataurl.com/rXKxs

I’m collecting tips, advice, and pictures of offices from all the writers out there so be sure to send me your office photo and tips/advice for how to stay organized. I’ll include them in future articles. Alice @ catadesignstudio .com (no spaces)

I recently asked some authors from CataRomance if they think clutter leads to writers block. Carol Stephenson doesn’t think so! “I thrive in a cluttered universe. The mere sight of someone’s organized office is enough to send shivers down my spine and throw cold water over my imagination. Many people have tried but all have failed to get me organized. I live in a Pigpen world during a book; you can follow my writing progress along the trail of research papers. I will sweep away all the clutter of one book before beginning another, but that’s the extent.” (Carol Stephenson
SHADOW LINES, Bombshell Madonna Key #4, 10/06)

Then there’s the other side of the spectrum. When I asked author Shannon Hollis if she thought clutter contributes to writer’s block, she said “I definitely do, especially if you subscribe to the principles of feng shui… If you have clutter in the creativity, prosperity, and fame areas of your office, work definitely needs to be done!” (Shannon Hollis, FULL CIRCLE, May 2006, Book 5 of the White Star miniseries from Blaze)

If you’re not familiar with Feng Shui, there are dozens of books and websites on the topic. You might even google it to see if there is an online class to take. Shannon was nice enough to make a recommendation. “An excellent resource for ordinary folks who haven’t had training in this is ‘Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life’.” We’ve included a link directly to it at the bottom of this article. While that title sounds great, perhaps too good to be true, Shannon said “I kid you not — I reorganized my office using this book, and a week later I sold my first novel. That was nine books ago. It really works.”

“I definitely do,” author Susan Meier agrees. “If I’m having trouble in a manuscript and I notice my office is cluttered, all I have to do is clean up the mess and mysteriously my writer’s block goes away! I have no idea what the connection is, but I need at least a reasonably clean office to be creative.” (Susan Meier, Wishing and Hoping, Sil Romance, June 2006)

Here’s one tip from TheMiracleOrganizing.com: cataurl.com/UrWtS

“Each day, make a conscious effort to let go of at least one unit of clutter. The “unit” can be one item or one container-full. For example, I once received a letter from someone who had taken my Letting Go of Clutter workshop six months before. She wrote: “Ever since taking your Clutter class, I’ve been getting rid of one shopping bag full of clutter each day. I’m really starting to see progress!”"

This makes perfect sense for writers because we’re often such busy people with so many irons in the fire. When you find that your office is getting cluttered, resolve to organize one small pile each day. For instance, you’ve got receipts that need filing for tax purposes, get to it. If you’ve got pages from different print outs, introduce them to the filing cabinet. If your email is stacking up, take five minutes to go through it. You’ve got mail you need to reply to now, some you can reply to later, some that you’ll want to keep for follow up, some that’s trash, some you’ll want to read later. Reply to those you need to reply to now, stick everything that you can reply to tomorrow in a separate folder. Delete all the spam. For articles and announcements that you want to read later, move that to a separate folder. If all else fails, you can delete it all later if you run out of time to read it before it’s timely.

FROM ONE WRITER TO ANOTHER, A PLAN OF ATTACK

The article found here: cataurl.com/SBipF suggests coming up with a plan of attack before you tackle the piles of clutter. Another smart idea. Figure out what you want out of your office space. If you’re using the dining room table, you’ll probably want to serve food there occasionally so your space goals will be different than someone who has an office or someone who roams around the house on a laptop. Imagine the perfect system, how would it work? How would you use the space?

FOCUS

Sometimes you just need to focus. If you’ve written down your yearly, monthly, weekly goals, you’re halfway there. Now it’s time to focus on the various steps it takes to accomplish each day. So when you sit down to write ask yourself what you would like to get done by the end of the day. And focus on that. Once you’ve completed that task, move on to the next. But focus and leave the multitasking for later. Chances are you’ll be more productive.

10 STEPS TO ORGANIZING YOUR HOME OFFICE

Sometimes you just need steps. Follow these and you’ll be ten steps closer to your goals: ct.monster.com/articles/organizehomeoffice/

FINAL THOUGHTS
Remember, getting organized is a process. Staying organized takes a little bit of time as you go along. Keep your eye on the prize, so to speak. An organized office may be the key to you writing and selling that next book. Even if you don’t get everything organized today, tomorrow is another day. Any progress is good progress.

I think author Donna Fasano sums it up best. “I wouldn’t call my malady writer’s block…to me clutter is a distraction, but it’s just as bad writer’s block. Anything that keeps me from writing is not a good thing.” (Donna Fasano, WHERE’S STANLEY, 3/06, Harlequin Next)

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