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| | The **The Business Consortium** Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | Views: 683 | | Oct 02, 2007 4:08 am | | Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # | 
Julie Bestry | | To determine what I'd write for my first post as The Business Consortium's organizing expert, I envisioned what "The Business Consortium" brought to my mind. I pictured an important "someone" (a banker, a CEO, a CFO) behind an imposing, polished oak desk. Then I thought about the desks I see every day when I work with my small business clients. Not imposing. Not gleaming from polish. Not entirely visible under the piles of STUFF. I knew we had to start by talking about desks.
Remember when you were a kid, how finishing every bite of food on your plate qualified you to be a member of the “Clean Plate Club”? As adults watching our waistlines, we’d do better to get rid of the clutter in our work areas (rather than the crumbs on our plates) and join the Clean Desk Club.
Of course, this is not primarily about aesthetics of tidiness. An organized desk preserves four life/work essentials: sanity, functionality, security and reputation. As many of us here operate our businesses in a home environment, these four qualities are even more likely to evade us than they do our colleagues with office space. The essentials are:
SANITY – Don’t doubt it for a minute--clutter is distracting. It’s already hard enough to pay bills, sign permission slips or plan business strategy with the environmental clutter of phone calls and interruptions deterring your focus. Tangible clutter on and around your desk too easily hides your work PRIORITIES under sedimentary rock-like layers while sending out a siren call, forcing you to cast your glance on low-priority attention-stealers. Having to select 4 pens from your pencil cup before finding one that works is enough to drive anyone around the bend. Clear the decks…and clear your desk…to turn chaos into calm.
Are you about to swear to me that you have to have everything out or you'll forget to do it? Well, if yesterday's #1 super-important task is buried under today's #1 super-important task, is it really reminding you of anything?
FUNCTIONALITY – An organized desk helps you save time and money, allowing you to focus on the essential tasks at hand. With reference papers put away in labeled files (instead of toppling piles) and action items awaiting your attention in a tickler file, you can concentrate on your priorities.
My mantra is: “Don’t put things down; put them away!” Define homes for reference and research files, action items and office supplies based on the Prime Real Estate principle—the more often you use something (or should be using it), the closer it should be to you.
This also means that to be functional, you're going to have to PUT THINGS AWAY. Think of it as an insurance policy; it may annoy you to pay premiums, but you'd prefer the small cost to a large loss. The ten seconds it will take you to put away an important client folder where it belongs, plus the ten seconds it will take to retrieve it—a combined investment of twenty seconds—may be a petty annoyance, but that's far superior to sweating the minutes, hours or days searching for a lost document.
SECURITY – Who wanders by your desk? Customers, vendors, consultants? Friends and family, maintenance staff and colleagues? Even in a home office, where only the UPS guy, babysitter and pizza delivery gal see your desk, it’s crucial to protect sensitive data from disclosure—whether that’s your Social Security number and bank data, clients’ proprietary information or personnel files. The more clutter in your desktop environment, the harder it is to know when something is missing or if prying eyes have settled on them.
Lock sensitive papers and computer backups in fire-safe drawers or filing cabinets; secure laptops with security cables and desktop computers with passwords (and firewalls); shred any sensitive data you no longer need. Don’t post sensitive information on your walls and the periphery of your computer screen! (Take a look around—can you see your IDs & passwords, account numbers or intellectual property? Then so can everyone else!)
REPUTATION – If clients and colleagues seem reluctant about trusting your judgment, or if your family fears giving you important papers to deal with, the problem may be your desk. Many people assume a cluttered desk represents a cluttered mind. While it’s more important to be sane, functional and secure, preserving your reputation by keeping your desk clear of clutter and maintaining essential items labeled and at arm’s length will help you achieve your goals. Anecdotal research has shown that elementary school teachers are swayed in favor of students with organized desks. Is there any doubt that supervisors, customers, patients or mothers-in-law might be similarly swayed?
Whether you're a member of Corporate America or the head of I'm-Paying-Vendor-Bills-So-You're-Making-Dinner Inc., whether you’re a CEO or aspiring to be one, join the Clean Desk Club for an organized, calm, secure and more productive environment.
You've got a small block of prime real estate—pretend you're being charged by the square inch. Do you really want to give over that much space to an artsy tape dispenser when you haven't used Scotch® tape more than twice all year? I challenge you to set a timer for ten minutes and see what you can put away, throw out, or otherwise move to help you become a member of the Clean Desk Club.
Do you need any further inspiration to organize your desk? Share with us what's on your desk that shouldn't be (because it's messing up your sanity, functionality, security or reputation) or tell us about your drama.
--
Julie Bestry
Best Results Organizing
"Don't apologize. Organize!"
organize@juliebestry.com
Visit http://www.juliebestry.com to save time and money, reduce stress and increase your productivity Private Reply to Julie Bestry | | Oct 02, 2007 8:43 pm | | re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # |
Julie Bestry | | Just so you all know, professional organizers aren't immune to the slow creep of clutter. My desk is small, so I use it primarily for computer-related work. That means that sometimes, when I decide to look something up on the net, the item that prompted my attention doesn't quite get put back quickly enough.
What's on my desk right now that doesn't belong?
1) A Sprint flyer with my (non-working) scribbed user ID and access code; Sprint keeps telling me it will work eventually, but it doesn't, and I can't stand waiting on hold. So, the flyer is right in front of the computer, waiting for me to either set it on fire or drop Sprint. :-)
2) A small bottle of an herbal remedy my acupuncturist (!) gave me. I don't ever take anything without Googling the ingredients, and the first ingredient in this little mixture translates from Latin as flying squirrel poop. Seriously! No, I'm not going to take it! And yes, as soon as I finish typing this sentence, it's leaving the desk and going to my bag, where I can give it back to the acupuncturist.
What about you? What's on your desk?
--
Julie Bestry
Best Results Organizing
"Don't apologize. Organize!"
organize@juliebestry.com
Visit http://www.juliebestry.com to save time and money, reduce stress and increase your productivityPrivate Reply to Julie Bestry | | Oct 02, 2007 9:08 pm | | re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # | 
Susan McCool | | Mmmmm...Flying Squirrel Poop....give me some of that ;)
Hmmm...well, I have this problem. When my hubby tries to "help" by "cleaning" the house, I suddenly get a stack (usually a messy pile) on my desk of anything and everything because he doesn't know where it goes. Now, EVERYONE knows that they are NOT to touch my desk. So, I have to put everything away. So, he didn't really "clean" he just replaced the mess to my desk. Although, he doesn't see it that way.
So, when I am busy working non-stop for different client deadlines, I end up with this MASSIVE, growing pile of STUFF on my desk.
Is it irritating? OH YEAH! Is it distracting? Definately. Because all I want to do is stop what I am doing and put that stuff away. But, I know that I can not because then I wouldn't get my client work done.
My only remedy is to tell hubby not to help clean. Which, I think, is exactly what he wants to hear!
So, my question would have to be...
Do you have any tips for cleaning your desk off in a jiffy? Something that can be done in between client deadlines?
Best,
Susan McCool
Spotlight Marketing & Design
...Guiding balanced business owners to enjoy the spotlight of success!
http://www.spotlightmarketinganddesign.comPrivate Reply to Susan McCool | | Oct 03, 2007 12:15 am | | re: re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # |
Julie Bestry | | Oh, Susan, you've got good questions...the ones you asked and the ones you left unasked. And, it sounds like you have two easily solved problems...and a sweet-intentioned hubby.
First, he's piling things on your desk. That's easy--get a basket or bin where everything he pulls from somewhere else (anything he recognizes as out of place) and literally walk him by the hand and show him that from now on, anything for which he can't identify the correct location goes THERE, in the bin. Tell him that if it ends up on your desk, you'll take it immediately to his side of the bed and pile it all up THERE. Make it clear that your desk is no more appropriate than his sleeping area. :-)
More importantly, he's bringing you things when he doesn't know where the items' HOMES are. You say he piles it up for you and then you "have" to put the items away. Nope. Instead, the next time he's gathered a bunch of items from where they were laying...yep, you got it...grab him by the hand (think the "water" scene from The Miracle Worker") and show him where each thing goes.
In general, the problem sounds like most married couples' households. It's your house, and he's the guest. He can only guess where things belong if you don't make sure he knows exactly where things belong. This means you need to let him in on the thought processes regarding where something's "home" is, and be open to his alternate suggestions. Consider labeling where things go--in some houses, we label the inside of kitchen and bathroom cabinets because husbands otherwise LITERALLY don't know where the canned goods or toilet paper rolls belong. For the most egregious cases, we write out a house index. Laugh if you like, but it's just like how you teach nursery school and kindergarten kids to put everything away in the classroom.
All of that aside, to organize your desk in a hurry...is like rushing to brush and floss before heading to the dentist. It's not about occasional efforts, but maintenance...day in and day out.
My clients are shocked, but from the very first session, EVERYTHING gets put away. Away=home. Homeless items get dirty, wrinkled and misplaced. So, all reference items have a home in the file cabinet. All action items belong in a tickler file, "parked" on the date where you believe you're most likely to do it. Instead of 50 unprioritized tasks (that the papers represent) piled up on the desk, each day may have two-to-six papers/tasks.
You have only two eyes and two hands. You can hold two things at once, but you can't READ two things at once. You can only concentrate on one project (or element of a project) at a time, so anything else in your workspace is a distraction. Put everything away except what's related to what you're working on RIGHT NOW. If you're going to work on it at 3p, but it's only 10a, it stays filed away until 2:59p.
I know, I know. This sounds harsh and foreign, but if you try it for one week and stick to it, you'd be amazed at how much calmer you are.
So, basically it's about maintenance--take five minutes before you go to lunch, and ten minutes before you leave the "office" for the evening, and work from left-to-right, methodically, and pick up ONE item at a time and take it to where it belongs. Everything goes in one of these spots:
--filing cabinet if you aren't looking at it now/next
--tickler file if it's a task to perform more than five minutes from now
--"away" in its home (loose envelopes back in the envelope drawer, the telephone book back on the shelf or under the phone riser
and so on...When you aren't working, the only things that should be on your desk (the prime real estate) are pens, stapler, calculator, staple remover, computer, notepad...what other things do you need constantly? Reference items (passwords, procedural lists, checklists, phone numbers, etc. can all go in a "business bible" (more on this in coming weeks) in sheet protectors in a 3-ring binder. Every professional should have a small shelf next to the desk or on the L-shape (side area) for essentials like the dictionary, phone book, business bible, commonly-used reference books...
If, when you're not working, there's nothing on your desk except what should always be there, it will make it much easier to keep only the work you're...um...WORKING...on. :-)
We don't need perfection, but we need daily routine maintenance. Clearing the unnecessary debris is exactly like washing your face or brushing your teeth. Aim for happy desk hygiene. :-)
--
Julie Bestry
Best Results Organizing
"Don't apologize. Organize!"
organize@juliebestry.com
Visit http://www.juliebestry.com to save time and money, reduce stress and increase your productivityPrivate Reply to Julie Bestry | | Oct 03, 2007 12:46 am | | re: re: re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # | 
Diana Kennedy | | As I am packing to move to Kansas City, I am finding more and more clean space in my house.
The cleaning "bug" seems to be catching me at the office too.
I just moved some stacks off my desk onto another surface area. I find it visually and mentally distracting to have all that "stuff" on my desk.
I am getting better at "processing" stuff instead of just moving it around!
I am also finding that you can get a lot done in 10- 15 minutes.
If I can get something out of my eyesight, it helps. Find a "home" for it.
This is all very new to me! haha~
I will be watching this weekly topic with eagerness!
Bring it on!
Diana Kennedy - Life Enrichment Facilitator
http://www.dianakennedy.comPrivate Reply to Diana Kennedy | | Oct 03, 2007 7:20 am | | re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # | 
Marilyn Jenett | |
Is that poop from a flying squirrel? Or is poop that's flying from a squirrel? Seriously, I wonder if there is such a thing as a flying squirrel. I think I have heard of them. :-)
You can eat off my desk. Okay, I know that's not in sync with squirrel poop, but you know what I mean. (Cracking up here...lol)
A desk manifestation story...
I had a very large dark brown desk which didn't make me happy. I gave up my highrise office several years back (after 16 years) to work from home and I wanted a desk that was smaller and pretty - a light colored oak that was refined for a residence - and quality, not cheap veneer. And yet large enough for my 21" monitor, printer, file folders, elbow room, leg room, etc.
The issue was I just could not bring myself to go shopping for a desk. I knew I couldn't order anything from a catalogue - I would have to see it, sit at it, and feel it.
I'm fussy. But I just avoided taking the trips to stores to look for one. When I happened to be in a store like Staples, I would take a quick look around, but everything was either too large or cheap looking or I could smell the glue from the veneers.
Then early in the year I conducted my first live Los Angeles "Evening of Prosperity" at the Beverly Hills Country Club. One of my students was a therapist who had a home office and who taught laughter yoga classes elsewhere. Her name was Kim.
About a month after I conducted that class, I was at Staples picking up a copy order in their Copy Center. As I was leaving, Kim was coming into the store and we bumped into each other face to face. She told me that she came to the store to look at a name brand desk that was advertised on sale because Staples would no longer carry it. They only had one in this store and one in another store. Since I had "desk" on my mind for some time, I walked back with her to the furniture department and there on the showroom floor was the desk she came to see - MY DREAM DESK! It was 48' long instead of the 60" one I had. It was a lovely light oak - real oak finish over veneer, pull out keyboard tray, right hand drawer and file drawer. It was the perfect color and size - just as I had imagined but never saw in a store before. I sat at it and it felt perfect.
They only had one of these and here it was - fully assembled and ready to go.
Suddenly Kim said, "Marilyn, you take this one. My husband and I will pick up the other one at the other store." She told me she was sure that she wanted me to have this one, so I purchased it and told the sales person I would arrange for a pick up. The desk was marked down to close-out price - about a third of it's retail cost.
There's more....
I called Kim to thank her and ask if she got the other desk at the other Staples. She said that as they were driving to the other store, they suddenly passed a council thrift shop and she had a strong hunch to tell her husband to stop the car. Inside the shop, someone had donated a beautiful full size executive desk with matching bookcase and chair, all in excellent condition. She got the entire set and her home office was newly furnished for the total sum of $125! She realized that she really wanted a full size desk and the one that I had purchased would not have worked for her after all.
I guess we can call it desk karma :-)
I cannot work around clutter so my desk is always neat. And especially now, I don't want to hide that wonderful oak finish. Spending time at a desk that makes us feel good really makes a difference. I recommend that once you declutter your desk ala Julie, really decide if your desk makes you feel good. Is the color right? The size? It's easy to procrastinate (as I did) but manifesting a new workspace can really lift your spirits.
Marilyn
Contact me about the four-week Manifesters Program starting next week!
http://www.feelfreetoprosper.com/manifesterslive.html
Feel Free to Prosper
http://www.FeelFreetoProsper.com
http://prosper-network.ryze.comPrivate Reply to Marilyn Jenett | | Oct 03, 2007 1:19 pm | | re: re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # |
Susan McCool | | Oh, yes....there are really flying squirrels. We have them where I live. There are also fox squirrels. They are red and have beautiful tails like a fox. Sometimes, you see just the tail and you aren't sure if it is a squirrel or a fox...lol. Atleast, where I live :)
Susan McCool
Spotlight Marketing & Design
...Guiding balanced business owners to enjoy the spotlight of success!
http://www.spotlightmarketinganddesign.comPrivate Reply to Susan McCool | | Oct 04, 2007 3:34 pm | | re: re: re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # | 
Jennifer - BusinessIIBusiness | | Well I guess I consider myself a neat freak 3 days a week and the other 4, I'm normal?
Is this even reality?
Call me strange...but for 3 days out of a week my desk is usually very clean and then by the end of the week...WATCH OUT!
I guess that would be a problem with consistency?
Jennifer Cannon
CEO/Founder: http://www.BusinessIIBusiness.com Business Owners Networking
CEO/Founder: http://www.WomenIIWomen.com Women Owners Networking
CEO/Owner: http://www.LegnaMarketing.com (eMail Marketing for Small Business)Private Reply to Jennifer - BusinessIIBusiness | | Oct 04, 2007 6:13 pm | | re: re: re: re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # |
Julie Bestry | | Hee, Jennifer. The question is, is it a problem for YOU? At what point does your efficiency or productivity drop? Maybe you're fine until the third of the four "normal" days? Organizing guidelines are just that: guidelines for "best practices".
Consistency is built by repetitive action. If you keep the kitchen sink clear of piles of dirty dishes all weekend long so that everything appears spotless to company, but on the workdays it's so full you have to order pizza because you can't bear the thought of washing all the dishes just so you can fit the pot under the faucet to boil water, there's a disconnect. The point at which something becomes problematic or detracts from our efficiency is the breaking point.
Seriously, we should all strive for excellence, not perfection, right? Getting organized isn't an end, but a means to achieve all your goals. If your "stuff" hides your priorities and unfocuses your mind, productivity is lost. Each little stride we take towards getting organized improves our productivity.
Finally, in the interest of full disclosure, I pretty much never make my bed unless I've just stripped it and put on new sheets, or if company is going to be in the house. Otherwise, I get up and am not back in my bedroom until I go to sleep. I spent no time in the bedroom, so the state of the bed is inconsequential. So, you can see, it's not at all about aesthetics, but function. If I "used" my bedroom for any purpose except sleeping (wow, that didn't sound right --I mean, if I drafted articles or did phone coaching from there), then the issue might be different. But my desk, my writing table, my files and my bookshelves must be maintained daily; otherwise, I'd lose time and focus and break my concentration while searching for things.
Taking care of our "desk hygiene" tasks when things are crazy-busy is more important than when things are slow, specifically because when things are crazy-busy, we need everything to run smoothly. On a slow work day, we might have time to sort through mis-filed papers; on deadline, every minute counts.
Some some more ramblings.
--
Julie Bestry
Best Results Organizing
"Don't apologize. Organize!"
organize@juliebestry.com
Visit http://www.juliebestry.com to save time and money, reduce stress and increase your productivity Private Reply to Julie Bestry | | Oct 04, 2007 11:08 pm | | re: re: re: re: re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # | 
Linda Hall | | Susan ~
If you can say "round file", you can solve your problem in a jiffy. LOL
I have the same problem. I'm in my office working from early morning to late evening, which translates to "this is where I am all day, exactly where you THINK I am, and there's no need for a GPS tracking device".
So what happens is either Woody or my son will bring me something and say, "do you want this?" If I say yes, I usually find it in my office either when they leave the room or when I look up from my work later.
I've scolded them both but they've managed to develop this bad habit in a very short period of time, which means I'm constantly stacking stuff to the point where even I don't want to deal with it.
For the most part, my desk is clear when I'm done for the night and I stage the next client's work in an area near my desk for working on the next day.
Linda Hall, Owner
http://crosscountrybookkeeping.com
http://squidoo.com/crosscountry/
http://crosscountry329.proboards78.com/index.cgi (T.R.A.I.N. Forum ~ NEW!)Private Reply to Linda Hall | | Oct 05, 2007 5:19 pm | | Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? OFF subject...sort of! | # | 
Eileen Brown | | Hiya Julie and All.
You wrote:
"Finally, in the interest of full disclosure, I pretty much
never make my bed unless I've just stripped it and put on
new sheets, or if company is going to be in the house. "
I am going to tell you what my Mom always said:
"Two things about your house makes you a pig:
1. Dirty dishes in the sink.
2. An unmade bed."
She always said that if I would make my bed as soon as I
got out of it I would never miss the 1 minute it took me to
make it. Then when I was getting dressed, my bed was already
made and I could not lay something down on the bed and have
it get "lost" in the crumpled covers. SHE WAS RIGHT.
Anything else about a house can be out of order and any
unexpected company will probably not notice but dirty
dishes and unmade beds SCREAM pig, pig, pig.
It takes less than 5 minutes to load a dishwasher.
It takes 1 minute to make a bed.
Who doesn't have time for that?
These are not time management items. They are habits. It
takes 21 days to make a good habit and only twice to break
that very same good habit.
Anyhousen, that is what my Mom says. I trust her.
Hope this is not too far off subject.
Just my MOM's humble OH-pinions.
LOL.
Blessings.
Eileen :)
"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple." - Oscar Wilde
Business: http://www.buddywebworks.com/ ~ http://www.buddycopywriting.com/
About: http://www.bekansas.com/history ~ Cowpokes: http://abhp-network.ryze.com/Private Reply to Eileen Brown | | Oct 06, 2007 5:50 pm | | re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? OFF subject...sort of! | # |
Julie Bestry | | Eileen, I respectfully disagree with your mother, particularly because one point I've tried to make in my prior posts is the distinction between aesthetics and function. The two are closely allied, but not interchangeable.
The very perjorative term "pig" implies a lack of fastidiousness in terms of hygiene; as a professional organizer. A sink full of dirty dishes is, by definition, dirty; I comprehend how you could term that as piggish, though if I told a client or a colleague that doing such was "piggish", I'd deserve to be stripped of my certification, as such is a violation of our code of ethics. I can, however, discuss what behaviors are less functional than others.
Lack of cleanliness, and items out of place (to a lesser extent) seriously detract from functionality. Clothing not hung up gets wrinkled, and if tossed on the floor (if you wear shoes in your house and do not vacuum every room daily), less than clean. Similarly, if someone failed to change the bedding frequently (define frequency as you wish), that would be an issue of cleanliness.
MAKING the bed, however, is an issue of tidiness, unless the bed is used for something when one is OUT of it (which I advise against).
Cleanliness, tidiness and organization are sibling issues, but they are not identical.
I agree, in principle, that good habits breed other good habits. This is an element of the skill training I provide in every client session, whether for residential or business clients. However, a major stressor that people suffering from disorganization experience is a feeling of abject failure if their homes and lives are not PERFECT. In this regard, I offered my own example of a lack of perfection, albeit one that does not detract from any functionality, so that people understand the differences. (Making a bed vs. changing the linen is like the difference between styling one's hair vs. washing it. Celebutantes of the Style Network aside, one could not possibly declare that someone with clean but unstyled hair is a "pig".)
If one literally spends no waking time in one's bedroom except walking into and out of the room (as is my case), guilt should not be expended on the lack of tidiness, if there's no impact on functionality. So many of my clients feel so awful about their husbands still being in bed when they leave for the day, NOT because of the lack of couple time, but because they must choose between kicking their husbands out of bed long before they need to awaken (!) or skipping the making of it in the morning. (This assumes, as is often the case, that husbands will not make the bed.) Thus, I often share my own example, especially for the clients who, like me, do not dress, work, or use the bedroom for anything except a sleeping chamber. It conveys that we need not be perfect, or all live in the same way, to achieve our organizing goals.
Your opinion, Eileen, is greatly welcomed (as is everyone's), though I ask that from now on, NONE of us use perjoratives (like "pig") to describe behaviors so that no one here feels fearful of being judged or embarassed.
And I forgive you for implying your mother would think I'm a pig. :-)
--
Julie Bestry
Best Results Organizing
"Don't apologize. Organize!"
organize@juliebestry.com
Visit http://www.juliebestry.com to save time and money, reduce stress and increase your productivityPrivate Reply to Julie Bestry | | Oct 07, 2007 1:04 am | | Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? OFF subject...sort of! | # |
Eileen Brown | | Hiya Julie and All,
"LOL" - it was a joking sort of post. Written in a 'light-
hearted' manner and dashed off very quickly.
LOL = laugh out loud and was plainly typed at the end of
the post.
Implying that anyone here is a "pig" was not the intent. it
is a term used everywhere "out there" and not being
politically correct, is also not a term I would normally
use. In the 1950's the term was used liberaly in
advertising as well as in normal conversation to
denote "messy". Messy is not dirty. And yes, dirty =
dirty. Duh.
What my Mother said to me in 1960 to get me to make my
bed (and it worked, by the way) was a normal piece of
conversation and instruction to a 10 year old (me) and even
then she was not calling ME a pig. She was lovingly
helping me understand the "proper" (in her eyes) way to
tidy up ones space so as not to "feel bad" while in that
space and be able to find ones own posessions. Wouldn't
you agree? ...that tidy is in large part, the precursor
to "organization"? Or by definition tidy, "orderly and neat
in appearance OR procedure" tends to make true organization
much easier and plainer as a means to an end?
It's funny because when I read your post about not making
the bed, I did "laugh out loud" as I recalled what Mom
imparted to me on that afternoon many years ago and with
the same loving intent, I imparted to my daughter, when the
time came.
There was no "intent" to call anyone here anything that
denotes "piggish" in manner or appearance.
"Your opinion, Eileen, is greatly welcomed (as is
everyone's), though I ask that from now on, NONE of us use
perjoratives (like "pig") to describe behaviors so that no
one here feels fearful of being judged or embarassed."
I used the term that my Mom used with me because it was
that, her opinions, I was trying to impart . Plainly and
simply from a long ago conversation. I stated that is was
not my opinion and presented it in the proper context as it
pertains to my Mom and her instruction to me. I am not
fearful nor am I embarassed by what I posted, as it is not
my opinion. Why would you think it was MY opinion? I do,
however think I have been judged, and in error, I might add.
"And I forgive you for implying your mother would think I'm
a pig. :-) "
Oh boy, I did not say my Mother would think you were a pig.
I said what MY Mother told ME... unless of course, you have
had some conversation with my Mother that I am unaware of.
If admonishing me in public, in the forum, is your style, I can
accept that. I am sorry you are so offended by the word "pig".
Maybe we should move on to the word "if". "If" I post a word
that is objectionable to the membership at large I assume
Susan or some other nice person will admonish me in a PM
and we could have a concourse of interaction meant to be
polite to the extent that it is no longer understandable.
"Don't apologize. Organize!"
Apologies, the "I'm sorries" people feel they have to offer
is because they already know that the un-tidy appearance of
items strewn about is un-seemly. Wouldn't you agree?
Blessings.
Eileen :)
"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple." - Oscar Wilde
Business: http://www.buddywebworks.com/ ~ http://www.buddycopywriting.com/
About: http://www.bekansas.com/history ~ Cowpokes: http://abhp-network.ryze.com/Private Reply to Eileen Brown | | Oct 07, 2007 3:25 am | | re: re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # |
Eileen Brown | | RE: Marilyn's desk story.
I love this story. Reminds me of the furniture I have been
lusting over at a local office furniture store. It will fit
as I have measured and planned it all out even though the
current budget does not allow for "new furniture" as yet.
Sometimes something as simple as "wanting" (and of course,
lusting after) something new leads to working harder and re-
arranging work loads to strive towards that goal. Wants turn
to "needs" very quickly when we think we cannot live with
out the item or items any longer.
The furniture I have it fine and really in good shape except
for one drawer that hangs a bit and one leg that now needs
a brick to sit level. OK, maybe I am trying too hard to turn
that want into a need. yikes.
After reading your story it makes me know that great deals
are out there and reminds me to look harder and not work
harder for what I perceive as something I can no longer live
without.
My home office is not small by any means but is full so finding
the right pieces to all fit and be as useful as what I already have
would be a hard task for even a seasoned decorator. Some
of the pieces were custom made and anything new would not
automatically just "go in" where some of the pieces fit. However
the new stuff I want would fit, which is astounding given the
dimensions.
My desk is always neat too except for two large wood baskets
that are the "catch all" for the entire office. It is amazing what I
find in there when I go through those. I try not to let things pile
up in those baskets to "brimming" but it does happen from time
to time. Last time I found two pot holders, a long lost printer
handbook and some doctors forms I swore I had not received.
Maybe I need to clean out those boxes more often. And if
(uh, when) I get that new furniture I will simply paint those two
boxes to match. I CAN afford the paint. lol.
Blessings.
Eileen :)
"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple." - Oscar Wilde
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About: http://www.bekansas.com/history ~ Cowpokes: http://abhp-network.ryze.com/Private Reply to Eileen Brown | | Oct 07, 2007 10:25 pm | | re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? OFF subject...sort of! | # |
Julie Bestry | | Actually, Eileen, the intent of the smiley face at the end was to note that I wasn't taking the original statement, that your mother said that not making one's bed was one of two signs that someone was a pig, seriously or personally. Since I was sure you WEREN'T intending to state this as your opinion, I thought what I wrote would assure everyone that I took it in good humor. I'm so sorry if that wasn't clear.
The implication, if taken seriously, followed a basic formula.
-I said I don't make my bed.
-You said your mother said not making one's bed makes one a pig.
-Therefore, if one took you seriously, one might think you were implying that your mother believes that I (in not making my bed) am a pig.
Since I felt pretty confident that you meant to be humorous in posting your story, I meant to reply in the same manner, even including the smiley so no one would miss my humorous intent. And I'm not quite sure (unless you're kidding now), why you thought I might think it was your opinion--that's why I jokingly said I "forgive" you for implying SHE (your mom) thinks that.
As for using your quoting of your mom's term "pig" as a jumping off point, I figured it was the perfect time, while we are all just starting out in this topic, to set some groundwork and undertstanding vis-a-vis what is preferable. I've been on other groups where someone referred to another poster's life example as "disgusting" and we all spent weeks trying to get the thread back on track. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to open up that conversation.
I hope we're all well squared away now and happy campers.
--
Julie Bestry
Best Results Organizing
"Don't apologize. Organize!"
organize@juliebestry.com
Visit http://www.juliebestry.com to save time and money, reduce stress and increase your productivityPrivate Reply to Julie Bestry | | Oct 08, 2007 4:24 am | | re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? (Eileen) | # |
Marilyn Jenett | |
Eileen,
You wrote...
"It is amazing what I find in there when I go through those."
I believe you are still in good shape as long you there is nothing moving or that bites. :-)
In Lesson Four of my Feel Free to Prosper program, "Release is Magnetic", I cover three areas of the principle of release. One of those areas is about cleaning out the clutter and creating a vacuum for prosperity to rush in. From Lesson Four...
[Excerpt]
"Part II Clean Up the Clutter
Create a Vacuum
Nature abhors a vacuum. We have heard that, but what does it mean? It means that it is a law of nature that when a vacuum, or empty space is created, nature rushes in to fill it. So you can create a vacuum in your environment by eliminating clutter and unneeded possessions and in your emotional life by eliminating worn out relationships. In their place, new prosperity and new good will come rushing in, as you will have created spaces and a welcome living environment and emotional environment to receive your good. You release the old to accept the new."
[End]
Another area of release that I address in that lesson is releasing our end result...
[Excerpt]
"It is possible to “try” so hard to create what you want that you actually end up pushing it away. This is called the Law of Reversed Effort. Strain and intense effort will not get your result. A relaxed acceptance of your desire will. I mentioned earlier that trying implies a negative – it implies that you might not make it. It counteracts our earlier work on “accepting it now”."
[End]
Now, with regard to your desire for the new furniture.
The reason that Kim and I manifested our furniture was this...
Kim was a student of mine and was learning the prosperity principles. I have been applying them for decades.
"Wanting" or "needing" is not the secret to manifesting.
In fact, when we want and need, we can actually push what we want away from us. Why? Well, I explained part of this above with regarding to releasing our end result.
But there is more to this...
Here are a couple of more excerpts from Lesson Three of Feel Free to Prosper, "Accept It Now" that explains more about the way these laws of manifestation work...
[Excerpts]
"There is only one reason you do not have what you want. You do not have what you want because your consciousness is filled with the thought of not having what you want. As long as the thought of not having remains in your mind, you will continue to not have. So if you accept this premise, then the way to have what you want is to change your consciousness to the thought of having what you want."
"The subconscious mind will create for us and attract to us those circumstances that it accepts to be true in the present moment. Our job is to condition our subconscious mind to accept what we want as an existing reality. We covered the following statement before, but I want you to think about it again very carefully: Tomorrow never comes. It is always the present moment or now in consciousness. When what we call later or tomorrow arrives, it will actually still be the present moment. It is always NOW. And what we are thinking and feeling NOW is what determines our future, its outcomes and experiences."
Copyright © 2003-2007 Marilyn Jenett, Feel Free to Prosper
All rights reserved
So, although in a sense I had wanted a new desk, I had also "released" it from my consciousness in general and allowed the Universe to bring it to me in its own way. I believe this is what Kim did also. There was no "trying", no force, no pressure.
Once we accept in consciousness that we already have what we want, knowing that it truly does exist for us, we can relax and wait for the prompting and direction to bring it about - it may be guidance to go somewhere like Kim had, or being in the right place at the right time, as I was, or perhaps a sudden increase of cash to fill the need. Or the appearance of that perfect result at the perfect price to accommodate our budget.
There are an unlimited number of ways that the Universal Mind can direct us to our desired result. Dr. Josephy Murphy used to say, "People win cars all the time." :-)
But that direction will come when we are in a relaxed state of acceptance, not when we are "trying" to make it happen.
Feel Free to Prosper
http://www.FeelFreetoProsper.com
http://prosper-network.ryze.comPrivate Reply to Marilyn Jenett | | Oct 12, 2007 12:21 am | | re: re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # |
Diana Kennedy | | Re: Marilyn's post, I am accepting in consciousness that I can have order around me.
I am not having "piggy" thoughts about my home even though the dishes are ________ and the bed is __________.
I am seeing that in the past those weren't my priority or best skill.
I claim order in my thinking and order in my world!
Yay Universe!
Diana Kennedy - Life Enrichment Facilitator
http://www.dianakennedy.comPrivate Reply to Diana Kennedy | | Oct 12, 2007 5:43 am | | re: Organization Tuesday: Are You A Member Of The Clean Desk Club? | # | 
Sharilee Guest | | Very interesting thread!
My mother must have been friends with Julie's mother as her view of house cleaning was very similar. I don't really remember her saying anything, but I distinctly grew up knowing that there were just some things that HAD to be done in order for a house to be in a livable condition-- dishes, beds made, and bathroom mirrors cleaned. The way I have taught my children is that if these things are done in a room-- that's half the battle won. Of course-- my daughter brings a whole new meaning to half the battle won. Even a bed being made doesn't help much when you can't see the floor! Augh!! I gave birth to an artist of the most creative and chaotic kind!
I developed a great way to always have the bed made and still not have to spend more than a few seconds each morning-- I sleep on top of the bed with my big mink blanket over me! So in the morning I fold the blanket with the tiger's head just right to put at the foot of the bed (15 seconds), do a few pulls at the corners (5 seconds), fluff the pillows and stack them (5 seconds each) and voila-- designer bed in less than a minute!
This little habit has become a good lesson on the power of example. I couldn't understand where all of my afghans kept going until one day when I started making rounds and found that each bed in the house had an afghan on it and a perfectly made bed. Yup--- for better or worse the kids followed my lead and don't sleep under the covers!
The truth is, it probably has more to do with my need to always be ready to respond when needed than taking time to make the bed. If someone needs me in the middle of the nigh I want to be ready to jump up and go-- which explains why my pajamas could be worn in public if necessary! I never do-- after all, how long does it take to pull on a pair of jeans and shirt!?! But if there were an emergency in the middle of the night and someone needed me RIGHT NOW I would rather be in a pair of sweats than a nightie! I'm a single woman and get away with this!!
Back to the office cleanliness-- I LOVE to organize and keeping things nice and neat is extremely important. Believe it or not, one of the most useful tools I've ever found is the organizer that was designed as part of the show The Apprentice and sold at Staples. I have one and got one for my daughter as well. I love mine-- although with the new direction I am taking I need to go through and clean out some of the compartments and replace what's there with what is more relevant in my life right now!
Sharilee Guest
Founder, AmericaTakingAction.com National Education Network
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