Instructions for Organizational Skills

Have a Place for Everything

• To stay organized, everything must have a place. Whether it's your kitchen utensils, your work papers or your books, items need to have a designated area. Buy a file organizer or some shelving units. When there is a place to put everything, you will be less tempted to make messes or leave things lying around until you can't find them anymore. You can even make your own organizing systems out of cardboard boxes or baskets.

Have a Running To Do List

• Have a notepad -- or use your computer or cell phone -- to keep track of everything you need to get, do or accomplish in the current week or day. If it helps, make separate lists for work, home or your personal life. Get a divided binder or use an online calendar system if you'd rather not carry something around. Whatever works for you, make sure you have a way of keeping track of everything from your grocery list to your business meetings. Writing things down ensures you don't forget even the smallest details.

Schedule Your Life

• Staying organized requires that you plan ahead. It's virtually impossible to make time for appointments and get everything done unless you schedule things in advance. Your hair appointments, coffee dates, business lunches, yoga classes and personal time should be put on the calendar. Map out your day or week so you know exactly how much time you have for certain tasks or appointments. Also, try to give yourself an extra 15 minutes or so for each appointment. That way, if you're running late, you've already budgeted time for it.

Throw Things Away

• If you want to stay organized, you must be able to part with things you no longer need. Clothes, books, trinkets or papers that are taking up space in your home or office add clutter and disorganization to your life. Make it a regular habit to weed through old junk -- maybe once a month -- and toss out what you no longer need. As a general rule, if you haven't used or needed an item the last few months, it's probably unnecessary to keep.