File this under tips to keep on your desktop

Let's see ... an article in the magazine in 2011 ... directed in the top 20 of the vacuum cleaner a handwritten note to me: "Where did I say it?" The results of laboratory tests in 2005 ... cholesterol ...

A new season; a clean desk.

Or sleep rarities keeps me and sends me to my office and my file folders, directories, regular old newspapers clippings, printed information and occasional urgent time, like pieces of acorns.

What is the prospect of a clean desk is so fascinating? Fainting at the thought.

Imagine a bright office with elegant naked order and tranquility. Records circumcised so strong that on both sides hang their tracks files free air. A junk drawer hides his name.

Who would not want to reach nirvana as an organization?

And I have to work. Hours and days later I went with some reflection on how the herd thin paper and the desire to perform a public service by sharing.

Here, in my experience, there are some basic rules.

You can get rid of the autumn of 2006 and the guidelines for the Snowbirds to Chicago Botanic Garden.

You can throw these items in 2011 the newspaper hits impressive high-tech gifts for the winter holidays, as they are likely to be poor in 2014.

You have the impression of a route for a passenger flight took her daughter in the year of 2007.

You can blockbuster membership card to lose in 2003.

This cholesterol test in 2005? My rule of thumb would be thrown away.

It turns out that professional organizers have their own guidelines. Medical results and passed the exam with Amy exchanger, a certified professional organizer, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers is.

Except she said, because if you change doctors, it is easier to put a piece of paper with the results of the research laboratory of the medical records.

I held my collection of my own golden rules for professionals to hear. Exchangers listed some other rescue: birth certificates, death certificates, marriage and divorce records. Records of purchases or sales of assets. Current insurance. Whatever the tax return materials you need support when they were tested.

Also advises the firm hand in the mill, and use it for everything from a calendar year - or even if you can handle emotionally, over the last month.

As for the thorny substance - what she calls Fun information, articles and catalog pages CLIP still not people - they will suggest two questions: Is it really take the time to look? Can you get the information elsewhere, like online?

The questions to the quick of my application documents to cut "garden". It is full of information. I never saw something in him.

I got everything without throwing up, if he could find the strength.

Pooja Gugnani, a professional organizer and founder of the union with you, offering a balm for the wounds of the Journal of the mower.

"If there is something you absolutely do not believe that you can find online, you can scan it," she said. "And if you do not have a scanner and is absolutely necessary, I would say you need to have either a folder or a folder."

In this case, the implementation of the recommended "one-in, one-out" rule, threw an object every time you to add it become not a bunch of slush.

It is a difficult exercise to exorcise your office. All set these interests and plans on file and forget. All information about the great quality comparison of different brands of socks in an invisible element from the day it was sent. All documents unusable simply accumulates.

I pushed through sales targets in 2008; a 2005 article in a beautiful garden I have not seen since 2005; I print the information for a shower curtain monitoring of the ship, bought a long time ago.

The task seemed insurmountable. For professionals, lawyers intimidate strategies:

"Always with areas first, such as offices begin," Gugnani said. "This gives you a workspace."

Sit down with three bags or containers advised exchanger, "one for recycling, one for ground, one of the things you want to keep."

And when the work is too overwhelming to fight 'a handful at a time, even if it means that these tanks are next to your desk sit for a few weeks, "he said." Did not make more progress if it have, at all. "

When I threw the paper, I dreamed of a paperless office. Maybe one day I will not have an office with all cabinets - just a laptop and serenity.

Although apparently not.

"Much of the work that I do now is help people de-clutter their computers - your e-mail, file folders," Gugnani said.

I went along and asked me why I was up by a spam credit card application stored from 2011 and to supplement my rules.

You should not file a paper with "social media" label articles about the life of digital printing, because it hurts.

You can save everything from sentimental value forever.

And you can save an item, when as a historical artifact.

This card can live from Blockbuster.

blbrotman@tribune.com

Copyright © 2014 Chicago Tribune

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