
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, October 4, 1993                   TAG: 9312300017
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Almena Hughes
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

HOW TO BE NEAT

Professional organizer Stephanie Culp, an Oconomowoc, Wisc.-based consultant and author of five books on organization and time management, says time and clutter are the main banes of getting organized. These tips can help people find time, cut clutter and streamline their lives:

Push past procrastination. Don't worry about finishing an organizing project; just start.

Set specific goals and then establish priorities among them.

Be selective about what to keep and learn to let go of the unneeded. If you don't use something within six months, re-evaluate whether you really need it.

Master your mail. Set up baskets marked To Do, To Pay, To File and To Read. When the mail comes in, open and sort it immediately. Try to handle mail only once.

Write everything down - appointments; things to do; shopping list; special dates. Use your lists, cross off items as completed or carry them over for follow-up.

File things in large envelopes instead of regular file folders. You won't have to worry about small or odd-shaped items getting lost, and the envelopes have a neat appearance.

Always put things, especially keys, eyeglasses and other frequently used items in the same place so you won't waste time looking for them.

Use colored files, towels, clothes hangers and so on to separate and categorize at a glance.

Remember that there is no right, wrong or infallible method. Organize according to whatever arrangement seems logical to you.

by CNB