Don’t expect any time off from work because of this special week, and the only gifts you’ll receive are those you give yourself. But if you’re sincere about getting organized, why not capitalize on a week devoted to reducing clutter?

Just as in previous columns, I suggest that you define a goal or goals for the week and post them in a visible location on your computer monitor or refrigerator. The first step is to look around you and identify the one area that truly qualifies for the label “clutter.” Why not set a goal of eliminating that troublesome clutter area by the end of next week. The gift you will give yourself is a little peace of mind and less stress about an area that you see regularly but just never devote any time to.

I’m going to publicly set my goal of organizing my office bookcases. These bookcases are actually not in bad shape, but I’ve been rearranging my office and identifying some unneeded books for donation. Therefore, I’ve got holes here and there and I’d like to finish this project so I can better utilize the space. The other end of the organizing challenge that I’m posing to myself is to catalog the books so I actually know what I have and where to find them. I started doing this several years ago, but never kept up the system. And like any good genealogist, I’ve got a constant stream of new books entering my shelves that need to be assigned a spot on the shelf. The reality with a project like this is that I, like most people, have a finite space for storing books. My husband hasn’t yet approved the addition of a room for storing all of my genealogical supplies, so I have to learn to live in the allotted space. That means that I have to periodically cull the books I have and part with those I no longer need. I’ve also learned to trust my public library and historical museum. If there’s a book that I think the library or museum could use, I will frequently donate it to them knowing that they’ll have it available to me on their shelves in case I need access to it again. This thinking has helped free up a lot of space.

Another spring organizing day, National Organize Your Home Office Day, was celebrated yesterday (22 March). But, it’s not too late to make your home office the model of efficiency. Maybe you could find one thing in your office that you could de-clutter today, in addition to your clutter-busting goal for next week. How about your filing? Have you caught up on cleaning out your to-be-filed box? What shape is your inbox in? Sometimes we have to force ourselves to work on dreaded office functions just to get caught up. It’s hard, but you’ll feel so much better once you begin–and sometimes just beginning gets you past the inactivity stage.

If you still feel like you need a nudge to get you going, check out these links on organizing tips: “Getting Organized: 10 Tips to Help You on Your Way,” by Lisa Kanarek and “Elbow Room: Making the Most of Your Small Office,” by Cynthia E. Griffin.

And, if you feel that your home office is a bit on the unusual side, HomeOfficeLife.com wants to hear from you. The organization is holding a “Search for the Most Unusual Home Office” contest until 31 March 2000. Prizes include scanners, voice recorders, digital cameras, and more. If you think your office is unusual, visit the contest site at http://www.homeofficelife.com/contest.html.

Now, we’ve got some work to do, so log off the Internet and start planning how you’ll celebrate National Clutter Awareness Week.