Launching a New Wednesday Feature: Organizing by STYLE

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January is a month for organizing. Tricks, tools and even sales abound, but if you don't know how to organize in a way that works for you, it's easy to waste both time and money.

Contrary to popular belief (and the glut of organization books on the market), organizing is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. "Obvious" tools such as binders and file cabinets really don't work for everyone, and can even be a hindrance instead of a help. Unfortunately, if you're one of the people they don't work for, it's easy to jump to the conclusion that you are the problem.

But I disagree with that conclusion. I believe that everyone has the capacity to get organized and that the trick to success lies in finding a method and tools that match the way you think -- marrying your personal style and your organizational style to create a process that underlies the way you organize everything.

I've spent a lot of time in the last eight years reading, writing, teaching and speaking about organization, and I've decided it's time to bring that information to my blog. Beginning next week, my Wednesday posts will have an organizational focus, and on Saturdays, I'll share an article, book or website that has to do with organization. Like my Friday Freebies, the Saturday posts will be a quick read, but all of them will contribute to the organization conversation.

Those who know me well may be chuckling (or even rolling on the floor laughing) by now. After all, even I have joked that my credibility as someone who knows anything about organization would be completely shot if anybody walked into my house unannounced.

But, it's for just that reason that I am a credible source. Naturally organized, but incredibly busy (and

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therefore ostensibly messy), I know what it is to struggle with organization, even when you think you've found the answers. To put things in a safe place, only to never see them again. To be ridiculously over-organized in some areas, and woefully under-organized in others. To make a to do list only to leave it on the table, or have it get buried under (a pile of) "visual reminders."

So let's do this. Let's get organized together, even if our baby steps go both forward and backward.

Better yet, let's get organized with STYLE.