Room to Organize

These tips will arm you with the attack plan you need get started organizing that closet, drawer, or entire room.

START SMALL. Even a single drawer gets you on track. Set a timer for an hour, and stick to the task until you hear the buzzer. Or, start with the most urgent clutter for quick gratification -- the stack on the table, the heap on the floor.
STICK TO IT. Don't get sidetracked from the goal at hand. If you discover a to-do, jot a note and do it later. If you find something that belongs in another room, toss it in a box marked "deliveries," then return wayward items after you're finished sorting and organizing.
ALLOT TIME. Most rooms take about a day to reorganize, writes Julie Morgenstern in Organizing from the Inside Out. An office? Two or three days.
PARTNER UP. Offer to exchange organizational muscle with a friend for extra energy and support. She helps you, then you help her.