Sunday, March 25, 2007

Getting organized in three easy steps

Three easy steps? If that was true, I'd love it, lol.

I am looking at my desk. It has this on it:







There are books, coffee mugs, photos, pens, CD's, a speaker, two telephones (that don't work) my address book (that purple book beneath the NY Yankees CD holder) 'Guns, Germs, and Steel' by Jared Diamond (I'm almost done with it) a pack of tarot cards, 'Going out in Style' by Chloe Green, (great fun!) my son's schedule for the university, a note from my daughter's teacher (about the German book she's translating) and various and sundry things. Just stuff. I have to organize my desk.

I also have to do a second draft of a first draft I sent off last week. (It was accepted but I have to do the second draft before it can go to editing.) I have another English student! So I have two on Tuesday, three on Wednesday, and two on Friday.

Here is how I keep organized - my calendar (Rugbyman Calendar) and my weekly schedule.


I have two other calendars in the kitchen, and one in my bedroom, (but not as nice as this one).

Calendars are what keeps me organized. What about you?

8 comments:

Rhian said...

Your desk looks almost like mine. Mine is a wee (okay - alot) worse. I've given up on maintaining steady organization of workspace. I just rely on semi-annual purges. And i live by calendar and lists. It's the ONLY way i can keep on top of everything. I stopped using legal pads about a year ago and started using notebooks and found that actually works better for backtracking.

Sam said...

You're back!!!!
I cleaned up my desk for the picture. LOL. Well, sort of. It really is messy.
Notebooks might be a good organizing idea - I'll give it a try. I put everything on my calendars, but the spaces to write are tiny. lol

Bernita said...

Yup.
Calendars.

Anonymous said...

OMG. I don't know how you work. There is nothing on my desk but a keyboard and coffee cup. Occasionally I'll have my notebook.

I'm too easily distracted.

I use the calendar on my computer for most things and my PalmPilot for the rest. Even my shopping list. I love my gadgets.

Daisy Dexter Dobbs said...

Gee, Sam, your desk looks like the after picture to my before. LOL

Organization, huh? Well, I do have a bulletin board loaded with photos and a calendar and sometimes I even remember to jot things on it. But there’s no hunky guy on mine--it’s just a commercial calendar I got in the mail (and then ripped out the face of the salesperson so there’s a big hole in the center LOL). Mostly I just have dozens of little sticky notes or stuff jotted on napkins or other torn scraps of paper tacked here and there and littering the space on my desk in a haphazard fashion. The trouble is that I even need reminders to make me remember to look at the original reminders. And then I can’t find them until after the fact! LOL

So I think when it comes to organization I get a failing grade. Except for what’s inside my computer. It’s all perfectly, neatly logically organized down to the last minute detail. Go figure.

Daisy Martin said...

I organize my desk about a month ago. Somehow things have crept back on it. My sons tax forms, a half eaten bowl of very stale rice crackers. some little fuzzy people magnets my granddaugter made me, colored sharpies, cam corder that I haven't used yet, fuzzy life saver, a Ernie Pyle book, etc etc.

I have to say I LOVE your calender! I have to get myself an inspirational calender like that. ;-)

Wynn Bexton said...

My deesk is smaller so not quite so cluttered but it sure can get that way. Usually before I start some new writing I'll tidy it otherwise it's too distracting. I have two bulletin boards, one in front of me and one on the other wall. And yes, I have to write stuff on calendars or I forget. I also keep notebooks and memos.
I could use a bit more shelf space but once I get a flat-screen monitor (soon) my desk will have a little more work space. Otherwise I end up with papers and books spread all over my bed and then I have to dump it all at bed-time. My new apartment bedroom is rather cramped, but I'm making do.

Jill Monroe said...

Oh, man - I'm cleaning my desk, too. Tax time and I'm searching for receipts.

And promising to be MUCH better at filing next year. But I promise this every year.