GET A GRIP ON ORGANIZATION

Organization is not for the faint of heart. It takes hard work, discipline and a genuine devotion to new habits. Organization creates efficiency, which will help you get a better grip on some of the challenges life throws you. The BIC Grip Permanent Marker can help you get a handle on household organization. It writes boldly, clearly, and doesn't dry out, even if the cap is left for up to two weeks. Most of all, like every good tool, it is easy to grip and comfortable to use. With the BIC Grip Permanent Marker you will be able to get a "grip" on organization and make your life a little more efficient.

Getting Started

Before you start, keep these three principles in mind:

Pace yourself
Focus on one task and schedule your organizational assignments in one or two-hour blocks of time. Devoting more time increases the risk of not finishing the task that you set out to do.

Be decisive
Make a decision and stick to it. Indecisiveness will only slow down the process of organization and perhaps add more confusion.

Label everything
Don't assume your memory is better than it really is. Make sure to label all of your boxes, the filing cabinet and file folders. With a BIC Grip Permanent Marker, label everything that isn't easily identifiable.

Get Rid of Your Junk

It's time to say good-bye to some stuff that's been lingering in your closet. You may think you need it, but unless it's something that has a great deal of value to you or an antique dealer, it's probably junk. Be brave and make the hard decisions. Nobody said this was going to be easy. Be steadfast in your commitment to organization, and you'll be able to walk into your closet without the risk of an avalanche.

Focus on one area at a time
As Ben Franklin wrote: "Little strokes fell great oaks." Pace yourself. Don't try to do everything at once. Start on your closet and work your way down to the basement.

Sort the clutter
Label three boxes: "KEEP", "GIVE AWAY" and "THROW AWAY." Sort everything you find into one of those boxes. Consider donating the "GIVE AWAY" box to a nonprofit organization or hold a yard sale.

File it or trash it
With any scrap of paper you find, decide whether to go to the trouble of filing it or throwing it way. Chances are that if you can't take the time to file it, it probably isn't that important.

Don't make piles
A pile is an arrangement, not an organizational system. Chances are that you won't even remember what is in the pile ten minutes after you've built it.

Clip, don't clutter
Unless you're collecting old magazines, you should be tossing them when you're finished reading them. If you've found an interesting article, clip it and file under a folder called "Interesting Articles." Keep in mind that many articles can be found online and can be saved digitally.

Sort the mail when you get it
If it is a bill, file it under a folder for bills. If it is a letter, read it and keep it if it is important to you. If it is an invitation or a reminder of an important date, mark it on the calendar. If it is junk mail, throw it away.

Fix it or get rid of it
Whether it is a broken item or a shirt that is missing some buttons, it's time to make a decision. Either fix it or give it to someone who will. One piece of advice, consider the time investment of a fix-it project. Fix-it projects take time and organization, both of which you may not have.

Don't touch something more than three times
Can't decide on whether to keep something or throw it away? If you keep revisiting the same item, you probably can't think of a reason why it is so important. Trash it.

After you've won the war on clutter, change your ways. Spend a little time every day to address the small amounts of clutter. Put things where they belong and make the tough decisions when it comes to things you may not need.