Yesterday we discussed cleaning up your space. Dust bunnies and clutter probably don’t help your creative process. But is there something else holding you back?Have a look around. Does your work space work for you? If there’s something you’d like to change, now would be a good time. Want more pictures of the kids? Add some. Need more light? Get a desk lamp and add a mirror.

Changes don’t need to be expensive or time consuming. There are lots of ways to get organized and stay motivated. Plenty of websites have tips on decorating your home office no matter how small it is.

Think about how you used your space last year. Did you use is as much as you should have? If not, consider making it more inviting. If you sat down a lot but found yourself too distracted to write, consider streamlining your space so you can stay focused. So focus on getting focused.

As you put things back on your desk, consider their location. Are you right handed or left handed? Keep your pens and pencils close to your writing hand. Put the things you use everyday out where you can get to them.

If you’re one of those writers who thrives in chaos, go ahead and pile up your space. Get your little sticky notes stuck to everything, but do consider what you use most often and keep it close by.

If chaos doesn’t work for you, get organized. Take a few minutes right now to tidy your space and make a To Do list of how you hope to get and stay organized this year. Keep that To Do list visible.

You might also be interested in:

1. Start the Year off Write – Part 6 Organize your writing magazines.Get inexpensive magazine holders (like these from IKEA: cataurl.com/XwcXt ) and write the YEAR on the spine. Then, as magazines come in and you read them, put them in that years holder. If you keep all your magazines you’ll have a simple way of keeping them organized....
2. Start the Year off Write – Part 4 Now is also a perfect time to organize your file system on your computer. No doubt theres plenty of junk you no longer need, stuff that you do want to keep and things that need to be more organized. You might want to start by removing programs that you no...
3. Start the Year off Write – Part 1 This is PART ONE of an all new Five Part series by CataUniversity’s own Alice Anderson. Check back each day this week for a new part.January 1st is a great day to make a clean start. Be it in your career, writing, personal life, or health goals. Start by giving...