Posted by shar on January 25, 2003, at 2:07:20
In reply to Re: seeking inspiration!, posted by coral on January 24, 2003, at 5:08:45
Coral,
Even in a 'messy' office there is some organization. You (I would bet) know where to look for something, or what stack a document is likely to be in, where your favorite pen is, etc.Identify the system you now have, what the features are, what implements you like to have handy, what you like to use to keep papers in, where you keep phone numbers and notes to yourself, what you have by the phone...and also, the things that create problems by their absence, such as never enough paper at hand, or having to search for scissors, etc.
By consciously recreating what works, you can get the best containers for the job, even if they aren't pretty. Come to terms with your own ways of operating.....hey! you know this stuff...you train people on it!! But, I think trying to implement a system that isn't you is going to ultimately be frustrating and won't work.
I've been sharing my living space for going on 7 weeks, and there's been a fair amount of organizing happening. My WHequivalent said he'd never seen so many redundant systems (he may or may not know that this occurs because I am powerless over pens and other writing implements). He set about collecting them all (I forget his point in doing so) AFTER I came home and found my sacred pen box in THE TRASH!!! if you can believe it. It is a Starbuck's box, very sturdy, attached lid (so no taking the lid off and laying it down and losing it amidst the general chaos), and perfect size. So, we had an interesting discussion about whether I had any Klingon blood in me because they also have a lot of redundant systems (such as two hearts and duplicate other organs).
The redundancy is that I do things in different areas of the house (like I pay bills and grade homework at the dining room table, write in my journal while sitting on the futon with the tissues handy, have to make notes if I'm doing research and stuff on the computer, etc.) and I want office supplies already there when I go to do whatever I'm doing. So, every area has scissors, pens, pencils, paper; some areas have tape and stapler also.
I have, at different times in my life, tried to do all these different things at a desk, but I always migrate to other areas--always the dining or kitchen table, usually the futon or sofa, always the computer area. And it is a big hassle if I've moved all my stuff to the desk because I'm always going back and forth.
So, I tip my hat to organization by leaving each area with supplies, but keeping them in decent looking containers that I can move out of the way when needed (I have a nice basket by the futon, two covered plastic containers near the dining room table that I can slide into the china cabinet, and a box and pen holder by the computer). Most other supplies are in plastic drawers on wheels (I know it sounds weird, but they're like little chests of drawers, and some are big with 6 large drawers, and one is small enough to fit under the desk and has six small drawers).
Am I rambling yet?
So, that's my recommendation. Before you change anything, look at what's there, make it official, get aids to help keep it that way but better.
Also, if paper is one of your problems, I recommend using not regular file folders, but those kind that have the little expandable bottoms, so you don't hate getting out the file on something. That trick helped me really start using files for the first time in my life. And, I get the colored ones, and it can help keep track of things (on a couple of routine files I can just look for the yellow one or green one instead of reading all the little titles on the folders).
There, I've probably said 1,000 times more than you want to hear. Good luck! It'll be great to have a new computer!
xoxo
Shar
poster:shar
thread:35567
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030120/msgs/35777.html