How to Organize (Just about) Everything : More Than 500 Step-by-Step Instructions for Everything from Organizing Your Closets to Planning a Wedding to Creating a Flawless Filing System

by Walsh, Peter

• ISBN13: 9780743254946
• ISBN10: 0743254945
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780743276580
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-01-11
• Publisher: Free Press
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

Professional organizer Peter Walsh presents this witty and enormously practical guide to getting it -- and keeping it -- all together. With more than 500 easy-to-follow how-to instructions,How to Organize (Just About) Everythingis packed with shrewd advice and insider tips to make your home, your workplace -- indeed, every imaginable aspect of your life -- run more smoothly. Step-by-step solutions help even the most organizationally challenged take on:KidsSchedulesStoragePhotosListsPoliticsEducationRemodelsMealsWeddingsFinancesHolidaysPartiesVacationsEmergencies

Table of Contents

FOREWORD

A NOTE TO READERS

GET ORGANIZED

1 Get Organized

2 Set Priorities

3 Write an Effective To-Do List

4 Run Errands Efficiently

5 Hire a Professional Organizer

6 Meet Deadlines

7 Deal With a Flood of Mail

8 Overcome Chronic Disorganization

9 Organize Your Thoughts

10 Set Up a Reminder System

11 Organize Your Contacts

12 Get Rid of What You Don't Want

13 Say No Without Feeling Guilty

14 Balance Home and Work

15 Live With Less

16 Set Goals

LIFE'S NITTY GRITTY

17 Streamline Your Morning Routine

18 Organize a Chore Schedule for Kids

19 Organize Your Chores

20 Never Be Late Again

21 Schedule Television Watching

22 Design a Healthy Lifestyle

23 Plan to Avoid Junk Food

24 Choose a Weight Loss Plan

25 Design Your Workout Schedule

26 Schedule Doctor Visits

27 Prepare for Cold and Flu Season

28 Get a Drastic Makeover

29 Arrange to Meet an Online Date

30 Plan the Perfect Date

31 Mastermind a Breakup

32 Plan Your Social Calendar

33 Meet Mr. or Ms. Right

34 Marry Up

DAILY DEBRIS

35 Find Your Keys

36 Tidy Up in 15 Minutes

37 Conquer Clutter

38 Actually See the Bottom of Your Purse

39 Organize Your Shoes

40 Sort Your Sock Drawer

41 Return Rentals on Time

42 Take Control of Your Junk Drawer

43 Organize the Medicine Cabinet

44 Schedule Car Maintenance

45 Organize Pet Supplies

46 Manage Garbage and Recyclables

47 Prepare Grab 'n' Go Activity Bags

48 Keep Your Car Clean and Orderly

49 Deal With a Pack Rat

50 Sell Stuff Online

51 Organize Your Bookshelves

52 Categorize Newspaper and Magazine Clippings

53 Organize Your Photos

54 Arrange Photos and Pictures

55 Arrange an Art Collection

56 End Collection Chaos

57 Live Better Through Labeling

58 Organize Jewelry

HEART & HOME

59 Plan Your Dream Kitchen

60 Conquer Your Closets

61 Organize the Linen Closet

62 Organize Your Laundry Center

63 Create a Sewing Center

64 Get Ready for the Housecleaner

65 Organize Cleaning Supplies

66 Organize Spring Cleaning

67 Keep the Family Room Organized

68 Set Up a Bathroom Schedule

69 Organize Bathrooms

70 Organize Entryways and Mudrooms

71 Organize a Dorm Room

72 Organize Your School Locker

73 Make Your Home Safe for Small Children

74 Organize Kids' Rooms

75 Organize Sports Equipment

76 Organize Kids' Play Spaces

77 Safeguard Your Home Against Allergens

78 Prepare for Skyrocketing Energy Costs

79 Use Feng Shui to Organize Your Home

80 Design a New Home With Feng Shui

81 Design Your House

82 Use Home Design and Planning Software

83 Establish Your Home's Space Plan

84 Incorporate Universal Design Principles

85 Plan a Remodel

86 Plan a Multimedia Center

87 Turn a Basement Into a Media Room or Playroom

88 Organize the Attic

89 Organize the Basement

90 Organize the Garage

91 Organize a Toolbox

92 Set Up a Woodshop

93 Organize Your Wine Collection

94 Plan a Successful Estate Sale

95 Plan a Yard or Garage Sale

96 Prepare Your Home for Sale

97 Plan a Move

98 Downsize Your House

99 Organize a Studio or Small Apartment

100 Manage Warranty Documents

101 Manage Home-Improvement Paperwork

102 Merge Two Households

103 Decorate for the Seasons

104 Prepare a Vacation Home for the Off-Season

105 Prepare Your Home for Nature's Worst

YARD & GARDEN

106 Prepare an Organic Vegetable Garden

107 Plant a Kitchen Herb Garden

108 Plan a Butterfly Garden

109 Design a Bird Garden

110 Design a Children's Garden

111 Plant a Cut-Flower Garden

112 Design a Shade Garden

113 Design a Dry Garden

114 Plan for a Long-Season Container Garden

115 Organize Gardening Tools

116 Add a Potting Bench to a Yard

117 Schedule Fruit Tree Maintenance

118 Lay Out a Sprinkler System

119 Plan and Plant a Lawn

120 Design a New Landscape

121 Plan an Outdoor Kitchen

122 Design a Deck or Patio

123 Design a Water Feature

124 Design a Garden Path

125 Set Up a Compost System

126 Winterize Plants

127 Schedule Yard Work

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

128 Store Anything

129 Store Bulk Purchases

130 Storage Solutions for Any Room

131 Capture More Storage Space

132 Expand the Capacity of a Small Room

133 Organize Craft and Hobby Materials

134 Organize Art Supplies

135 Organize Gift Wrap and Seasonal Decorations

136 Organize Kids' Schoolwork and Artwork

137 Organize Movies, Music and Other Media

138 Store China and Family Heirlooms

139 Store Out-of-Season Clothes

140 Store Your Wedding Dress and Other Textiles

141 Store a Fur Coat

142 Store Bicycles and Gear

143 Store Ski Gear

144 Organize Camping Equipment

145 Store Paint and Other Hazardous Materials

146 Organize a Storage Unit

147 Store a Boat for the Winter

148 Store a Car

EDUCATION & CAREER

149 Decide Which College Is Right for You

150 Get Into a Top College or University

151 Ace the College Admissions Tests

152 Organize Your College Applications

153 Plan Your Course of Study in College

154 Organize a Research Paper

155 Get Into Grad School

156 Get Into an Elite Law School

157 Prepare for the Bar Exam

158 Get a Degree While You're Working

159 Work at Home With Kids

160 Go Back to Work After a Long Absence

161 Set Up an Internship

162 Plan a Sabbatical

163 Work Abroad

164 Join the Peace Corps

165 Produce a Newsletter

166 Organize Your Job Search

167 Prepare for a Career Change

168 Open a Restaurant

169 Become a Physicist

170 Become a Concert Violinist

171 Become a Cowboy

172 Become a Brain Surgeon

173 Become a Rabbi

174 Become a Catholic Nun

175 Organize an Exhibition

176 Develop a Reality-Show Concept

177 Become a Talk-Show Host

178 Become a Photojournalist

179 Become a Movie Director

180 Become a Model

181 Become a Stunt Person

182 Become a Tour Guide

183 Organize an Archaeological Dig

BUSINESS & WORK

184 Conquer Your Paper Piles

185 Create a Flawless Filing System

186 Organize Your Briefcase

187 Organize Your Desk

188 Organize Your Workday

189 Get a Handle on E-mail

190 Organize Computer Files

191 Schedule Appointments Efficiently

192 Take Control of a Conference Call

193 Prepare for a Meeting

194 Prepare for a Salary Review

195 Climb the Corporate Ladder Effectively

196 Add a Workspace to Any Room

197 Organize a Home Office

198 Organize a Home Network

199 Choose the Best Phone System

200 Decide on an Accounting System

201 Make a Networking Plan

202 Plan Your Business Travel

203 Write a Business Plan

204 Set Up a New Business

205 Create a Marketing Plan

206 Amass a Real-Estate Empire

207 Polish Your Presentation Skills

208 Prepare a Speech

209 Prepare a Pitch a Venture Capitalist

210 Plan an IPO

211 Delegate Responsibilities

212 Hire an Employee

213 Fire an Employee

214 Pass on a Family Business

215 Stay on Top of Your Sales Game

216 Restructure a Company to Increase Profits

217 Form a Board of Directors

218 Organize a Shareholders Meeting

219 Plan a Company Picnic

220 Plan a Company Retreat

221 Defend Against a Hostile Takeover

222 Organize Your Office for a Move

223 Prepare Your Business for the Unthinkable

224 Reorganize a Failing Business

225 Dismantle a Business

FINANCIAL PLANS

226 Set Up a Budget

227 Get Out of Debt

228 Design a Savings Plan

229 Simplify Bill Paying

230 Prepare Your Taxes

231 Organize a Loan Application

232 Organize Important Documents

233 Save for Private Schooling

234 Organize Your Financial-Aid Package

235 Plan for College Costs

236 Buy Life Insurance

237 Choose a Health Insurance Plan

238 Start an Investment Club

239 Track Your Investments

240 Survive Bankruptcy

241 Plan for Retirement

242 Prepare a Prenuptial Agreement

243 Create a Living Trust

244 Make a Will

245 Execute a Power of Attorney

246 Plan Your Elderly Parents' Estate

247 Plan Your Estate

248 Teach Your Kids About Money

FAMILY AFFAIRS

249 Plan Your Family

250 Budget for a New Baby

251 Orchestrate the Perfect Conception

252 Plan for Artificial Insemination

253 Prepare for an In Vitro Fertilization

254 Prepare for a New Baby

255 Organize Your Maternity Wardrobe

256 Set up Maternity or Paternity Leave

257 Order Baby Announcements

258 Organize an International Adoption

259 Foster a Child

260 Organize Your Life as a New Parent

261 Prepare for Childbirth

262 Stock a Diaper Bag

263 Arrange Quality Child Care

264 Blend Families

265 Create a Household Organizer

266 Coordinate a Family Calendar

267 Plan Family Meetings

268 Organize Home Systems for ADD

269 Prepare for a New Cat or Dog

270 Homeschool Your Child

271 Set Up a Carpool

272 Stay on Top of Kids' Clothes

273 Choose the Best Elementary School

274 Organize Kids for Back-to-School

275 Win the Homework Wars

276 Plan a Field Trip

277 Plan Your Child's Activities

278 Plan Your Children's Summer

279 Pack for Summer Camp

280 Choose a Summer Study Program

281 Create a Schedule for Family Computer Use

282 Plan to Keep Your Kid Safe Online

283 Organize a Genealogical Search

284 Prepare for Your Child's Departure for College

285 Organize Your Empty Nest

286 Plan for Boomerang Kids

287 Plan an Amicable Divorce

288 Make Child Custody Arrangements

289 Organize Medical Records

290 Plan for Elderly Parents' Care

291 Prepare for the Death of a Spouse

292 Help Your Elderly Parents Move

293 Organize a Home Medication Regime

294 Arrange Hospice Care

295 Make Your Final Arrangements

296 Archive Family Records

FOOD & ENTERTAINING

297 Plan a Week of Menus

298 Organize Grocery Store Trips

299 Set Up Online Grocery Shopping

300 Organize Recipes and Cookbooks

301 Plan Theme Menus

302 Create Effective Shopping Lists

303 Cook Ahead

304 Determine the Shelf Life of Foods

305 Organize Food from Warehouse Stores

306 Efficiently Use the Refrigerator and Freezer

307 Organize Cutlery and Kitchen Tools

308 Organize Cupboards and Drawers

309 Organize the Pantry

310 Efficiently Use Space Under the Sink

311 Stow Pots and Pans

312 Make the Most of Your Counter Space

313 Cook for One

314 Plan Healthy Lunches for Kids

315 Plan Party Foods Ahead

316 Throw a Dinner Party

317 Finish Dinner on Time

318 Pull Off a Last-Minute Party

319 Throw a Dinner Party for Your Boss

320 Plan Dinner Party Seating

321 Plan an Outdoor Party

322 Impress a Date

CELEBRATIONS & EVENTS

323 Plan a Wedding

324 Create the Ultimate Wedding Checklist

325 Budget for a Wedding

326 Find the Perfect Wedding Ring

327 Plan an Elopement

328 Set Up a Bar

329 Hire an Event Planner

330 Hire a Photographer

331 Hire a Caterer

332 Plan a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party

333 Prepare to Be the Maid of Honor

334 Execute Best Man Duties

335 Hire a Band

336 Hire a Bartender

337 Plan a Shower

338 Organize the Rehearsal Dinner

339 Plan Your Honeymoon

340 Plan a Baptism

341 Plan a Bris

342 Throw a Party

343 Prepare for House Guests

344 Plan a Child's Birthday Party

345 Plan a Successful Slumber Party

346 Plan a Bar or Bat Mitzvah

347 Plan a Quinceañera

348 Plan a Retirement Party

349 Plan a Funeral According to Custom

350 Plan Ahead for a Low-Stress Holiday

351 Stay Within a Budget This Christmas

352 Prepare a Holiday Feast

353 Throw a Hanukkah Party

354 Organize a Holiday Craft Party

355 Plan to Spend Christmas Solo

356 Plan the Perfect Holiday Gift Exchange

357 Organize Gift-Giving in Advance

358 Stick to Your Diet During the Holidays

359 Plan a Holiday Open House

360 Reorganize Your Life After the Holidays

361 Stick to Your New Year's Resolutions

362 Plan the Perfect New Year's Eve

363 Plan a Seder

364 Plan a Special-Event Party

365 Organize a High-School Class Reunion

366 Plan a Family Reunion

COMMUNITY WORKS

367 Start a Knitting Circle

368 Organize a Book Club

369 Set Up a Food Tree

370 Organize a Bicycle Scavenger Hunt

371 Run a Sports Tournament

372 Publicize an Event

373 Plan an Organizational Meeting

374 Sharpen the Focus of an Organization

375 Improve Your Child's School

376 Plan a Prom

377 Organize a Community Theater Troupe

378 Plan a Concert in the Park

379 Organize an International Concert Tour

380 Organize a Film Festival

381 Plan a Fund-Raising Event

382 Organize a Pancake Breakfast

383 Plan a Toy Drive

384 Hold a Barn Raising

385 Organize a Charity Walk or Run

386 Build Low-Income Housing

387 Build a Community Play Structure

388 Throw a Block Party

389 Set Up a Neighborhood Watch

390 Create an Evacuation Plan

391 Hold a Voter-Registration Drive

392 Run for Local Office

393 Organize a Petition

394 Organize a Recall

395 Get an Initiative on the Ballot

396 Organize a Protest or March

397 Fight City Hall

398 Organize a Boycott

399 Organize a Class Action Lawsuit

400 Manage Growth in Your Community

401 Preserve Open Space

402 Save Historic Properties and Landmarks

403 Set Up a Nongovernmental Organization

404 Build a School in a Third World Country

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

405 Plan a Trip

406 Plan a Trip With Children

407 Travel With Teens

408 Book Airline Tickets

409 Rent a Car in the United States

410 Rent a Car Abroad

411 Make Hotel Reservations

412 Arrange Executive Accommodations

413 Plan a Cruise

414 Plan a Motorcycle Trip

415 Plan a Train Trip in the United States

416 Ride the Rails Abroad

417 Prepare a Vacation Countdown Checklist

418 Prepare an Itinerary

419 Pack for a Trip

420 Pack for a Business Trip

421 Pack for a Week in One Carry-On

422 Pack a Day Bag

423 Prevent Lost Luggage

424 Load a Backpack Properly

425 Plan an Elderhostel Trip

426 Organize an RV Vacation

427 Plan a Trip With Aging Parents

428 Organize a Sailing Team

429 Plan a Sailboat Cruise

430 Plan a Bicycle Trip With a Tour Company

431 Travel Abroad

432 Plan a Vacation for Widely Different People

433 Plan Spring Break

434 Plan an Overnight Getaway With Your Spouse

435 Plan a Vacation Separate From Your Spouse

436 Plan a Trip to a Different Culture

437 Forage Abroad

438 Mail Packages Back to the United States

439 Plan a Trip to a Politically Unstable Region

440 Get Travel Insurance

441 Get Immunizations for Traveling

442 Book an Adventure Vacation

443 Travel the Silk Road

444 Plan a Climb of Mount Kilimanjaro

445 Pack for a Safari

446 Organize a Hunting Trip

447 Pack for a Fishing or Hunting Trip

448 Plan a Fishing Trip to Alaska

449 Pack for a Camping Trip

450 Lead a Backpack Trip

451 Hike a Famous Trail

452 Plan a Tour of the National Parks

453 Organize a Backcountrv Ski Trio

454 Organize a Car Rally

455 Plan a Whale-Watching Trip

456 Pack for a Voyage at Sea

457 Plan an English Canal Trip

458 Plan a Cross-Country Airplane Voyage

459 Plan the Perfect Day Abroad

460 Plan a Visit to the Louvre

461 Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge

462 Plan a Trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras

463 Plan a Day at Disneyland

THE UNEXPECTED

464 Formulate a Family Emergency Plan

465 Prepare for an Act of God

466 Assemble Emergency Kits

467 Prepare for Surgery

468 Plan Your Recovery

469 Survive a Heart Attack if You're Alone

470 Survive if Your Car Breaks Down

471 Deal with Amnesia

472 Fight an Ebola Outbreak

473 Fight a Forest Fire

474 Survive Being Lost

475 Conduct a Search and Rescue Operation

476 Plan an Invasion

477 Survive a Political Coup

478 Plan for a Terrorist Attack

479 Rescue a Hostage

480 Outsmart Pirates

481 Deliver a Baby

482 Make an Emergency Landing

483 Make a Jail Break

IN YOUR DREAMS

484 Become a Movie Star

485 Become President of the United States

486 Win an Academy Award

487 Become an Olympian

488 Train for a Major Athletic Event

489 Win the Tour de France

490 Run a Marathon

491 Learn to Fly

492 Become an Astronaut

493 Live Off the Land

494 End World Hunger

495 Become a Rhodes Scholar

496 Write the Great American Novel

497 Cure the Common Cold

498 Save the Earth

499 Live to Be 100 Years Old

500 Die Rich

501 Be Happy

INDEX

CONTRIBUTOR CREDITS

Excerpts

Foreword

Is your household a fine-tuned model of efficiency? Or do you simply close the door when the piles and heaps get out of control? If your home, your calendar and your inbox are bursting at the seams, rest assured, that you're not alone: We're all guilty of acquiring more and more stuff and have fewer places to put it. Schedules are overrun with commitments, checkbooks stagger under ever-increasing debt loads, and closets long for breathing room. Where does it end?

Being organized is the key to a simpler life, in which the things we own reflect who we are and everything has its place.How to Organize (Just About) Everythingcovers the typical organizing dilemmas -- closets, garage, desk -- but goes beyond mere cosmetic fixes to the root of the problem. You'll find tried-and-true strategies that will help everything from the hopelessly scattered to the chronically late -- bringing relief to the most hard core pack rat.

This definitive guide will help you organize your life from cradle to grave whether you're planning your family or planning your estate. Tackle affairs of the heart and meet Mr. Or Ms. Right, arrange a wedding and orchestrate the perfect conception. Stay on top of your kids' schedules, homework and birthday parties. When you need to get away from it all, investigate a trove of travel tips to help plan your honeymoon, a fishing trip to Alaska or the perfect day at Disneyland. Discover a surprising range of topics in chapters devoted entirely to improving your community, planning celebrations and events and dealing with life's unexpected situations.

Your first tip: Start with chapter one (Get Organized) and get a handle on the basics. You'll learn how to Write an Effective To-Do List, Overcome Chronic Disorganization, Get Rid of What You Don't Want and Set Goals. Check the difficulty level for each topic -- the more paper clips, the more challenging the task -- and the Tips, Who Knew? and Warning sidebars for additional insight. You'll be primed to declutter your home, streamline your workday, plot your career, master your finances and much, much more.

Thanks to all of our authors and professional organizers for expertly distilling organizing principles into concise topics (read more about them on the Contributors page). A top of the hat to Julie Thomson and Ginny McLean for diving into the breach with flair and to managing editor Jennifer Block Martin for nailing it time and time again with style and grace. Special thanks to Brynn Breuner for deftly steering the project and without whom this book would never have seen the light of day, and to Ken, for making me brave.

So, conquer that clutter, find your keys and welcome deadlines with open arms. WithHow to Organize (Just About) Everything,you'll be ready for anything life throws at you.

Peter Walsh

Copyright © 2004 by Weldon Owen Inc.

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Excerpted from How to Organize (Just about) Everything: More Than 500 Step-by-Step Instructions for Everything from Organizing Your Closets to Planning a Wedding to Creating a Flawless Filing System by Peter Walsh
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.