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 longer use. In Windows there is a Add/Remove Programs icon that will help you do this.Next up, organize your photos and graphics. I always start there just because it’s easiest and my photos and graphics tend to get placed all over the place.

Once that’s done, start with your files. Consider having a WRITING folder with all your books inside in folders of their own. You can get as detailed as you want and move things all around. Again, consider how you used your computer and your file system last year. Do you have a ton of unused icons on your desktop. Clear those off and organize the remaining ones. Add a favorite background. Feel better already? I do.

Have you backed up your files lately? Now is a great time to do it. You might even want to print out a hard copy. You could also print out your contracts and organized those. Get a folder out. Write CONTRACTS on the tab. Insert contracts and there you go. If you really want to be organized… take a Post-it and write 2007 on it. Stick the post-it off the edge of a 2007 contract. Use paper clips or staples to keep contracts together and put all 2007 contracts behind the first one. If you have contracts in 2006, 2005, etc. do the same thing and just keep piling them behind 2007.

Have old book ideas that you want to keep. Do they have a folder of their very own? If so, yay! If not, shame on you. Those ideas need a space of their own. Somewhere you can stick all those little snippets. Now… get out a new folder. Write IDEAS. Insert all those little napkins and other snippets of paper. Good. You’re getting more organized by the minute!

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