Decide on a reward you will give yourself when you finish sorting your box, such as a new outfit, tickets to theatre or ballgame, or my favorite, a chocolate milkshake.

I've developed a technique called TEASER which will give you 11 actions you can take to help you sort through your boxes of clutter. What? Teaser only has six letters...you'll see. First yell, "What is ALL this STUFF!" Get a garbage can or bag, 10 boxes and label them with following:

Toss it ~~ It's not yours, you don't know who it belongs to, it's outdated, it can't be repaired, you don't need it. End it ~~ You don't want it, you want to cancel it, or you don't read it. Act on it ~~ Needs an action, such as your signature, phone call, or immediate attention. Store it ~~ This will have three boxes: Current Stuff, Things I need to Reference, and Historical Stuff. Enter it ~~ Information you need to enter into your planner or computer. Refer/Recycle/Read it/Repair ~~ It belongs to someone else or you think they need it. ~~ Use it again or put into a recycling bin. ~~ Something you want/need to read. ~~ Something that can be fixed.

Be ruthless, determined, and honest and start sorting ALL your STUFF by using TEASER.

Your next step to take is to schedule a date and time (don't forget your reward) to act on items that you sorted.

~~ Call, write, or email items you want to END or stop from coming into your life. ~~ Decide how and where you will STORE your current, reference, and historical papers or 'stuff'. ~~ Sit and ENTER all your information. ~~ Pack up and take items that you are REFERRING to someone else, RECYCLING, or taking to get REPAIRED. ~~ Put READING material in area you like to sit and read and create a TO GO reading folder to take with you whenever you leave home or office.

Congratulations! You have taken first steps to "overhalling" your home, office, and car. Keep up good work. If you want to know more or need additional help with your home clutter, Check out a one-on-one teleclass at http://www.overhall.com eleclasses.htm

Remember, YOU control your STUFF! Don't let your STUFF control you or make you sick.

Smiles, not Piles, Janet L. Hall The Organizing Wizard, Janet L. Hall, is a Professional Organizer, Speaker, and Author of 'Secrets of a Professional Organizer and How-To Become One.' She is owner of OverHall Consulting and Organizing By Phone. Subscribe to her FREE organizing newsletter at http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm or visit her web site at http://www.overhall.com

Copyright Ó 1999, 2000, 2001 by OverHall Consulting P.O. Box 263, Port Republic, MD 20676 All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy, or distribute so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting author is attached.