Need Help Organizing My Desk

i would suggest an extra desk for the kids that would help withtheir stuff and i like to use those little drawer things that you can by at wallmart, by files and file the paperwork in categories ect. or my husband uses accordian folders for his business.hope it helps.S.

FlyLady has some helpful info on her website about dealing with paper clutter and keeping a desk organized.
http://www.flylady.net/pages/chaos_control.asp

She also has more info on dealing with paper clutter but you may have to search the website for it.

Blessings,
T. Walker
www.MomRN.com

go to real simple's website. they have AWESOME organizational stuff!

I don't have any tips on organizing your desk because mine looks the same but I read you like to read Christian fiction and I do to so I wanted to recommend a series of books to you they are by Beverly Lewis. She writes mostly about the Amish, it always inspires me when I read her books, they have such a strong faith and are able to live so simply and stay so strong in the face of adversity. They make me slow down and appreciate my life and all god has brought to my life.

My desk is not what I'd like either! But,what has helped me is I have a vertical file on my desk, to left of the computer. I use file folders for all the bills that are monthly and /or currently due.(credit cards(the devil!LOL)..medical, utilities etc...that way as I pay them, I simply file the statement for each. I have a folder for my son's school work, that I purge fairly often. Long term files are in a file box (like taxes). Right now, above my head I have slots for current bills due, envelopes,stamps,etc. Take charge of the paper tiger before it gets you. Insist that your kids do the same. Each time they log off the computer, ask them to take care of their papers. There are really very little papers we need to keep. As I get the mail each day, I open, I toss junk and file the bill or if it's a great day, I fill out a deposit slip for any checks I get in the mail!! I like to keep articles for future reference, too. I keep them in their own file....which I go through often. If I haven't used the info, I toss it out! Good Luck!

I have the same things....only in bags!! I have my Bible study bag, which holds my Bible & study materials (pens, highlighters, and so on); my volunteer group bag (I lead a support group so I keep all stuff related to that in this bag including pens); my school bag (my notebooks, pens, highlighters etc..); my gym bag (water bottles, iPod, lotion, shower stuff, flipflops) ; my cycling bag (helmet, shoes, raingear, energy bars, and all things cycling); etc..

And anyways, it's all kept in one bag so that when I need it, It's all there, but neatly 'hidden' from view. I like to get nice bags...so they don't look trashy just sitting around the house. So, i can leave my Bible study bag next to my chair and it blends with the decor etc..

I also use a Franklin (Covey) Planner which is GREAT to organize all of the above on a daily, monthly or yearly basis.

Hope that helps!

For all the "need to keep" stuff do what I do, I have one of those file folder boxes. It'll hold quite a few hanging folders, depending on how much you put in them. In mine I store the bills that need to be paid, the bank stuff, insurance paperwork, etc. Also, what about one of those stacking shelf systems? My desk looks like a tornado hit it most of the time too.

I hate dealing with paperwork and filing. I have a drawer that I use for my filing and I make myself do it once a month. When it comes to bills and such I save only what I need to. A lot of time the important information will be 1 or 2 pages so I shred the rest. When I do my filing I usually put on a movie that I've seen several times so I can enjoy myself a little bit while doing a task that I hate, but I won't have to pay attention to the movie to know what's going on. I hope this gives you some ideas.

I can commiserate, I always seem to have 4 or 5 unfinished projects on my computer table and the things I need for my projects are within easy reach meaning that the children can reach them as well when they have computer time. Or my husband can shift things just enough that I lose a vital piece. Until we get my son's computer back, well I have to share. Plus I've learned to put away my "toys" before I give up my space and I schedule computer time for each child so there are no fights.

I heard the greatest thing on Mission: Organization one time and most of my advice is going to come from that show on HGTV

The organizer said, most information is so readily available on the internet that you don't really need to keep paper. I have no idea what kinds of papers you're trying to keep so I'll touch on the ones I can think of.

The most important thing you can do is install shelves near that desk to put boxes, binders and project baskets on, well out of the reach of the children. Allowing lots of room to intermix decorative items and pictures.

School papers from the kids, Each child should have a decorative acid free box to put drawings and school papers in. Every month you pick the one's you want to save and put them either in a different box for long term storage or into a scrapbook. (Large things that won't fit in either should be photographed with the child.)

Bills, there's a file thingy that has the days of the month on it. you slip a bill into the slot representing the day of the month on which the bill is due and you'll never be late again.

Other papers that aren't reference materials, go into a lateral file or, stacked in-boxes. Mark them Immediate action (things you need to sign and return right away/ your bills can also go here), Action (things you're trying to decide on), and file.

Your filing system:
use red colored hanging files and folders for health and family, Green for income and investments, Blue for bills, yellow for reference materials that pertain to your house and belongings. Other colors will be reserved for projects and interests. Like Geneology of each side of the family, garden plans, Art shows, Family or school reunion planning, info or memoriabilia.

I would suggest you keep all of these files where your husband and you can access them but the children cannot, meaning not in your desk. A locking fireproof filing cabinet is the best place.

You could also set up an action center in another room or on another table or shelf in the same room for the other orgainizational items to keep them away from the computer.

One mom was given a locker looking set up for her children to put their stuff from school in. Each locker door had the picture of the child and the inside was wide enough to set notebooks and project papers in. The back was open so mom didn't have to open the door, she could just turn the whole thing around to empty out the cubbies/lockers.

A young bachelor was given stationary boxes and baskets to empty his pockets into and a place to sort the mail with a shredder right there to handle junk mail. The were kept in a built in book case that had typically been his catch all and often ate his wallet and keys.

Activities such as scrapbooking, games and othere things you may do there should have their own shelving zones and lateral files.

send me a message here if you have a particular problem, I've seen them all but I can't think of every prospect in this small box.

Two books I really recommend are Organizing From the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern and Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Karen Rauch Carter. They both have great guidelines on how long to hold onto paperwork, what you should keep, etc. The second title deals a lot with Feng Shui principles, and although I'm not sure if I believe in them, it really motivated me to clear out a TON of clutter. I threw away a outdoor garbage can's worth of papers from my desk after reading that one!

I know how you feel. I tend to be a packrat, but I'm trying to break myself of the habit. One suggestion I have is to go through your paperwork and see what you absolutely need to keep. For example, receipts for things you'll file on your taxes, the last couple of bills for the cable, internet, etc. Anything that is questionable, go ahead and keep it. If you don't need it, toss it. Now, for the stuff you've kept, get a scanner and scan it onto your computer. Sometimes, taking a picture with a digital camera and loading that onto your computer will work too. Now you have everything you need at your fingertips and don't have to worry about losing everything. You can back all that up on a disk or CD and put it in your car, and then you've protected yourself against fire. Also, another thing I have done is to make a file of everything and email it to myself. There's another protection. If you don't want to do all that, get an accordian folder and organize everything by subject and date. Hope that helps you out!

Hi R.,
Well I have a some suggestion's
1) as far as your "paperwork" I would make a file for each subject or thing that it involves. Such as if it's your kid's school work you can get an all in one copier/printer/scanner and even fax scan each item and save it onto disc you could do this with each individual child, that way you would have it all saved.
2) As for your receipts copy them and do the samething save them to disc for taxes, business or whatever.
3) As for your 6 spiral notebooks...you could get a 3 ring 3' binder and then by the dividers to go inside and label each one by category, you can get the ones that are clear and different colored and also have a vertical pocket on it so it is also like a folder. Then you could add notebook paper in between each folder and refill as needed. Or make a 3 ring smaller binder for each category (but it would take up more space than 1 would.)
4) You could even do the 3 ring binder for each child and schoolwork that they are curently working on.
5) You could get a 3 stack tray and label each tray such as "to be filed", "needs scanned", "needs looked at" (this tray could be for bills that came in, things like this).
6) You can get those hanging folder holders that go on a wall take those and mark one for your kids for "in box" and "out box" (out box could be for work they have completed, and you have looked at and them have them do the correct thing with it, you could put a post it note on here saying needs scanned and shredded or filed whichever the case and have them file their own work). In box could be things that they are returning to you. This would be yours to check over, look threw. This would only be used for school work.
7) Also write a list of all the things that go on at the desk and who does them and the last person at the desk is responsible for making sure it is clean and tidy for the next person who may need to use it.
8) After you decide which ideas will work best for YOUR desk I would have a "pow wow" with every family member and explain the organizing strategy. And what they are supposed to do.
9) You might even look at getting a bigger desk or getting smaller student desks for your children or buying shelves so not everything is sitting on top of the desk.
10) For your files you can get the hanging file folders and then you could get a filing cabinet if you don't already. If you have one in your desk you could make this one for bills, receipts, bank statements, etc. this one would be for you and your husband. Then you could take your file cabinet(s) and make a drawer for your kids and misc. items.

I hope I gave you some ideas that you might be able to use or "tweak them" to fit what you have. Happy filing, W. mom of 4