Once paper is off your desk, you should be able to see surface, which will probably be littered with books, pens, soda cans, memo pads, and CDs, if it looks anything like my desk. Take one category at a time, like CDs, and put all of them away. Then books, and so on.

The rest of your office may be cluttered in same way as your desk, with stacks of papers and books scattered around. Use same method. Start with paper, don’t touch anything twice, and declutter by category—CDs, books, etc. after paper.

De-cluttering doesn’t have to mean deep-cleaning, though you may get motivated and do that. Really it just means getting clutter out of way so you can work. Letting go of it is as simple as realizing you don’t need it where it is right this minute, and putting it somewhere else—even if that somewhere else is recycle bin.

A good rule of thumb is, if you can get that piece of paper again, especially by printing it off your computer, you don’t need to keep it. Now, you might, if it’s important. But just use this as a rule of thumb.

Happy clearing!

Gratitude gets a bad rap as being some sort of “feel-good” thing, but it’s not. Real, true, deep gratitude comes from soul. It’s not some pop-culture thing. It’s not something you say to make yourself look good or to make someone else feel good.

Real gratitude is truly appreciating what you have, and feeling it’s enough. Sure, there are other things you’d like to have. There always will be. But in gratitude, you realize that if you don’t get new car or new house, it’s enough.

We should be “grateful for gratitude” because it’s one of fastest ways to appreciate our lives and feel happier. This simple technique, practiced every day, can change your life.