Work productivity, time management, organization, tools and tips

Actually, Claire, I advise my clients against using anything that is horizontal for storing things, even "temporarily". I have found that for most people who have clutter issues, horizontal storage makes things visually and mentally disappear. That is why people have HUGE piles of "to do's" that they never quite get to. They toss everything in one pile and soon that pile becomes so intimidating that it "disappears" visually, even though it is screaming at the person on the energetic level.

The only exception to this non-horizontal rule would be storage of items that are identical, such as different written forms that you would send out in a packet, different types, colors or sizes of paper that you would use for printing, etc.

Just my two cents!

Also, I wanted to say thank you so much for your email Inbox tip! I went from well over 500 emails to about 75 last night. I so much appreciate your advice!

I would love it if your readers would come on over and take my survey about email inbox volume: http://www.its-not-about-your-stuff.com/2006/08/i_did_it.html

warmly,

Jessica Duquette

Jessica,
For people with serious paper clutter problems, I haven't found any way of storing paper so it doesn't "disappear" or fade quickly into the background. I have seen offices with paper gathering dust in vertical desktop file holders, wall file holders, trays, baskets and chair seats, combined with a forest of Post-It notes placed so they "can't possibly be missed."

The single in-box method should be used together with a process for sorting the paper. If the paper isn't being sorted, it doesn't really matter what kind of container it's in. But if there's only one place to look, the sorting process is more doable and fewer items get lost.

What do you recommend then, if not horizontal storage?

I just took your poll. So far, the fat in boxes are ahead!