Ten Tips for an Organized Workspace
by Karen Potter

I know two things for sure. Chocolate is life, and clutter causes stress. If you can't work because you can't find your workspace, trouble is bound to follow. Consider these tips a master class on how to be the most organized person on your block!

A Place for Everything and Everything in Its Place.
It's as true now as it was in Grandmother's day. Whether your office is a separate room or a corner of the living room or bedroom, all your work-related "stuff" should be there. Sweep through the house, gathering up as you go, then head to headquarters.

Handle items one at a time and handle each item only once.
Even if you start out with a mess, don't let it overwhelm you. Pick up the item closest to you and deal with it. If it's a bill, pay it (you don't have to mail it right away). If it's a receipt, file it. If it's a book, shelve it. If it's a piece of junk mail, put it in the throwaway pile, but don't throw it away...yet.

Develop a filing system and use it!
You may want to stop by the local office supply store and pick up a box of inexpensive file folders, or if you're the thrifty sort, you can recycle manila and other large envelopes that come in the mail. Label your files, avoiding "miscellaneous," and put them in alphabetical order in a box or basket where they are easily accessible but not underfoot.

Be ruthless.
You need to keep your income tax records for at least seven years, birth certificates, mortgage papers and deeds, etc., but you do not need to stockpile cancelled checks from twenty years ago! Let them go!

Get a paper shredder or, at the very least, a sharp pair of scissors.
I confess, I'm completely befuddled by paper. I hate to throw anything away. It wasn't until I got my first paper shredder (I'm now on my fourth!) that I was able to let things go without worrying they would fall into the wrong hands, especially those of identity thieves. This is where you retrieve your junk mail pile and go through it, shredding anything that has your name and address on it, especially those pesky credit card offers we all seem to get each week. Some clothing catalogs have your account number on the mailing label. The orange grove I use for Christmas gifts includes a list of my friends and families names and addresses with every mailing. Shred those, too. Never throw anything away without looking at it first. (Noodler note: I use the shreds as kitty litter. Some humane societies also use shreds in their kennels. Call, ask, donate!)

Get Time on Your Side.
If you have the space, get a year-at-a glance calendar and put all your important deadlines, birthdays, special events, etc., where you can see them. If you're lucky, you might get to block out a few days to label "vacation." Decorate those with colored pens, stickers and glitter. They're too few and far between.

Use a planning system.
This has been by far my biggest time saver, and I never would have believed it if I hadn't tried it. I use the same planner to combine my work and personal lives and I keep it with me (almost) all the time. Trying to maintain two calendars is an exercise in frustration; the one you need will never be close at hand. Any combination of calendar, appointment tracker, address book and notepad will do. Use one color ink for your work life, another for your personal business. Gather all the notes you've written on stickies, all the return address labels you've torn off envelopes, all the business cards you've collected and enter the information in your planner. The benefit of employing this organizational method is getting to shop for your planner and the appropriate color pens (one of my favorite pastimes).

Expect more of yourself.
Promise that you'll keep your workspace neat and tidy. Clean off the top of your desk at least once each week...at the start of each work session, if you can.

Avoid the basket trap.
It's easy to cram things into decorative baskets and store them in the closet, on shelves or under desks or beds. If you have to have a "junk drawer" (that's what we called it when I was growing up), limit yourself to just one, and empty or organize it monthly. Handle each item only once, because there is...

A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place.
That includes you. Once the tools you need for success are where you can find them, the sky's the limit!

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TOP TEN (or so) Favorite Christmas Carols

"Away in a Manger" -- I used to love to sing it as a lullaby to my children when they were babies. - Diane Perkins

Toss-up between "O Holy Night" and the "Coventry Carol (What Child is This?)" - Delle Jacobs

"Silver Bells" - It just reminds me of all those great old movies and the romantic notion of Christmases past. - Trish Milburn

"O Holy Night" and "The Christmas Song". Or maybe the piano dancing music from Charlie Brown. - Stephanie Feagan

My favorite Christmas carol was "Joy to the World". It was the happiest, most joyful, song of the season. - Jennifer Smith (aka Ila Campbell)

"Silent Night" is my favorite Christmas carol. It was also my Finnish grandmother's favorite. She immigrated to Canada in the early 1920s and by her first Canadian Christmas, she was still feeling overwhelmed. Then she heard people singing "Silent Night" and although she didn't know the English words, she recognized the song and felt more at home. My grandmother passed away more than twenty years ago, but when I hear that song at Christmastime, it's as though she's here, listening with me. - Lee McKenzie

"O Holy Night" - Priscilla Kissinger

Ooooh, this was a toughie, but I'm going to have to go with the "Wassail Song", which is basically a caroling song where people ask to come in and have a drink. "Wassail, wassail, all over the town/Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown..." Or "toon" and "broon," depending on how old the version you're singing is. As with all of my favorite carols, it's in 3/4 time, and rollicks right along. - Kiki Clark

"Do You Hear What I Hear?" - Mary Fechter

"O Holy Night" - Jill Monroe

I have two. I love the "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel's "Messiah", as much as a signal that the program is almost over as for the wonderful joy with which it's sung. I also love "Jingle Bells." When my niece, Jennifer, (now 27) was little, she used to sing the chorus to the music of the verse. "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bells all way; jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bells all way-a; jingle bells, jingle bells..." the same words over and over. I don't think she learned there were other words to the song until she went to school. Not surprising, though. We live in Florida, and don't do a lot of dashing through the snow. - Karen Potter

My favorite carol is an uncommon one, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." I really love the message. I just have to quote it. I didn't realize until I looked it up to quote the words that the verses were written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Cool.

I heard the bells on Christmas day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled a long th'unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head: "There is no peace on earth," I said, "For hate is strong, and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men."

Yet pealed the bells more loud and deep: God is not death, nor doth he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men.

Then ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day A voice, a chime, a chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

I guess I always loved the words because of the sentiment in verses 3 and 4. I especially think of it now when we have no peace and hate seems so strong. But this carol reminds me that in the end God's peace will rule and bring good will to men. Hope my little sermon didn't offend anyone. But what's an inspy writer supposed to do. <G> - Merrillee Whren

"Silver Bells" - Lorelle Marinello

How can I choose a favorite carol? There are so many beautiful ones. And I love to sing them all. However, I'll choose "Silent Night" in memory of my grandmother. When we sang "Silent Night" in church on Christmas Eve, my grandmother would always have tears in her eyes because it brought up memories of her childhood in Germany when her family would gather around the candlelit Christmas tree and sing "Stille Nacht." When she'd start to cry, I would hold her hand real tight, not understanding the pain from a beautiful, but sad memory--a place and a time that no longer existed, beloved family members who had passed. I understand now and when I sing "Silent Night," I remember her. - Debra Holland

Favorite Christmas tradition

Using the old Christmas decorations that were from my childhood, a set of angels playing instruments, setting up the ceramic Christmas tree that my aunt made, decorating the Christmas tree with all the old ornaments I used to place on the tree when I was a little girl. - Diane Perkins

Another toss-up. For 24 years, ever since the eruption of Mt. St. Helens, I have collected ornaments blown from glass with ash from the eruption. I haven't always been able to buy one each year, but eventually I managed to catch up and am now one ahead. Now I have a white Christmas tree with purple lights, and all sorts of specialty ornaments on it. I have several Swarovski crystal snowflakes that my daughter gave me, some brass ones from my other daughter, some snowflakes my mother crocheted years ago, and other special gifts from friends. And I just picked up a red velvet and gold Tudor Rose when I was in England that will fit in well. Second special tradition: brow-beating my Christmas-curmudgeon hubby into enjoying Christmas after all. - Delle Jacobs

Candlelight Christmas Eve service, then home to watch Charlie Brown Christmas and drink hot spiced cider by the fire. And Christmas breakfast, which we have just after we open presents. A lot of my husband's family drops by for my famous egg casserole, and the kids bring their favorite new toy to show off. - Stephanie Feagan

My favorite Christmas tradition was placing the star on the tree. There were three of us kids, so we rotated whose turn it was each year. Part of the tradition was to look through the photo albums to find a photo of one of us doing it, then doing the math to figure out whose turn it was. - Jennifer Smith (aka Ila Campbell)

As far as I'm concerned, there are two seasons -- Christmas and the season leading up to it! I love everything about this holiday so it's hard to pick a favorite tradition. Will you settle for three? I spend a lot of time in December making final preparations for the holiday, but it never quite feels like Christmas until I set aside an evening--usually about a week before the big day--and watch White Christmas. When those doors swing open at the end of the movie and everyone is singing and the snow is falling . . . then it's Christmas! We decorate our tree on Christmas Eve, then my family gathers for a buffet supper and we sit by the fire and admire our handiwork. After everyone's gone to bed, Santa and I fill the Christmas stockings. Everyone at our house--big and small, old and young--has a stocking. Christmas dinner is the best meal of the year and ours is as traditional as it gets. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberries . . . the works. There's simply nothing better than a house filled with the scent of roast turkey, and I love the way the dining room looks when the table's been set with a lace tablecloth and china and candles. I always prepare way more food than we can eat because the leftovers make the holiday last a few extra days. My family says I get too carried away, but I know they wouldn't have it any other way! - Lee McKenzie

On Christmas Eve, we sit together (hopefully in front of the fire) and read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" followed by the traditional Christmas Story and sing Christmas carols ("Silent Night", "Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel", "Oh Holy Night"). Oh, and we change our answering machine to a little ditty to the tune of a Christmas carol. The girls always have fun coming up with that. - Priscilla Kissinger

When I was a kid, my dad used to read "'Twas The Night Before Christmas" out of a dog-eared copy of the poem. Mom always made gagging noises when he got to the line "and threw up the sash." - Kiki Clark

Getting out my decorations the day after Thanksgiving. I always find something I've forgotten I have. - Mary Fechter

The candlelight Christmas Eve service and making cookies with my girls to leave out for Santa. - Jill Monroe

Putting up the tree. Most of my ornaments were made by my grandmother, who passed away many years ago. Seeing those ornaments again each year and revisiting the memories that go with them is a special time for me. - Karen Potter

My favorite tradition is buying an ornament each year with the date on it. I have ornaments dating from 1975. I just bought my 2004 ornament on our trip to Charleston, S.C. - Merrillee Whren

Decorating the Christmas tree. I love buying a few unique ornaments every year. Putting them on the tree for the first time is a thrill. Seeing old ones I bought in previous years brings back warm memories of Christmases gone by. - Lorelle Marinello

I have so many favorites that it's hard to choose. My extended family celebrates Christmas Eve. Almost everyone has a stocking made by my grandmother when I was little, except the current generation who each have a stocking we bought for them. I love buying stocking gifts for each family member. On Christmas Eve, these stockings are stuffed so full that the presents also spill over onto the floor underneath. They are always the first presents we open up. - Debra Holland

To read last month's Top 10 article, click here

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