This article was originally published in The Simplifier #72.

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Article: Trying to Contain Your Enthusiams

By Shawn Tuttle

It’s back-to-school time and kids are getting supplies for the new year. Have you, too, been picking up organizing supplies for an office that “slipped away” over the summer? Perhaps you’ve been hoarding creatively-labeled files, containers for rogue papers, and sticky notes to capture random thoughts?

In terms of organizing, the concept of “containers” is seemingly easy to get. (So easy, you might not even call it a concept.) This container is for pens, that one for paper clips, this one for files. You sort things and store them in containers. What else do you need to know? Well, we all know containers are a key tool for organizing; however, most people have unleashed only a fraction of their power. One of the functions for which they are often overlooked is as productivity tool. Properly used, containers help you increase efficiency and focus while decreasing muddle time (i.e., time that slips away while looking for things or piddling around in low-priority activities.)

I often hear people say, “I’ve tried a bunch of different systems and they just don’t stick.” That’s because they don’t realize it’s not about the container. 

For one thing, containers are much more than just things you buy at your local office supply store. The store may provide you with the means, but you supply the meaning. You might ask, “What meaning?” The meaning behind the container, where you’ll find the smoothly-running systems that (should) keep your office in order. Integrated systems help you combine form with function – they reflect you, your work style, your type of work, and your space.

Learning from your kitchen
You know how important it is to have the right tools for the job. You don’t use a hammer to screw in a bolt, right? Giving the individual parts of your office the same respect will also have positive results.

The “rules of use” of a container needs to be specifically defined. If this seems a little confusing in terms of the office, let’s take a look at the kitchen, where there are many examples of clearly-defined containers:

- Clean silverware goes in this drawer.
- Mixing spoons go in that jar on the counter.
- Dirty dishes go in the dishwasher. 

For the same reason you wouldn’t put a spoon covered with this morning’s oatmeal back in the silverware drawer, you shouldn’t mix project reference files with “take action” items in the office–they just don’t belong together!

Having the spaces well defined also makes it easy…

…to put away groceries:
Yogurt on the top shelf, veggies in the fridge drawers, and cereal in the cabinet above the counter. 

…to make dinner:
Ingredients from here, spices from there, pots and pans over there, utensils in here, etc.

…and to unload the dishwasher:
Plates on this shelf, infrequently used bowls on the top shelf, silverware In the drawer, and glasses in that cabinet.

The success of all the different aspects working together—the physical containers, designated rules of use, consideration of how often an item is used, the location of recurring activities, and the order of events—is evident in the ease of use of the space.

Become a “master chef” of your office
Wouldn’t you love an office that flowed as smoothly as a well-run kitchen? This happens with a systems approach. You identify different types of info and materials that enter your world and think through each stage that each type of item goes through–all the way from entering your office to their final (appropriate) resting spot. When considering containers,  the question you’ll ask isn’t, “what can I put in this basket?”, but, “which container will best serve “X” function?” 

The container and its rules of use become inextricably intertwined. Take the inbox for example. 

What goes in it? 
YES – Only new incoming items.
NO – ” Take action” items that you are saving for later, bills to pay, or stuff that was hanging out on your desk at the end of the day.

How does stuff get out of the inbox?
YES – One item at a time. Ask: “What is it?” ” What needs to happen with this?” (from article: Inbox Zapper) and follow through until it has reached its next resting place.
NO – Rooting around looking for something easy to Zap or picking up multiple items at a time.

Following these rules of use, the container that you’ve labeled the Inbox serves one function only: a holding place for incoming items until you are ready to Zap them, one at a time. 

Understanding what’s allowed and what’s not allowed in a container wipes out unnecessary ambiguity. Decisions become quick because there is less second-guessing. It gives you a feeling of empowerment because things aren’t falling through the cracks. It gives you peace of mind because you know where to find what you want when you want it. You’ll have greater productivity with less wasted effort. 

This is a big piece of the natural professional‘s foundation set-up. For those who want direct support in figuring this out for your work flow, you can hire an organizer who focuses on systems. (I work in person and over the phone.) 

For the do-it-yourselfers, you’ll find most of the systems to handle the different types of info that passes through the typical office in previous newsletter articles and blog posts: the Inbox Zapper, the Easy Access Station, Filing 101, and the Reference Binder, for starters. 

Once you get the basics set up and get your mind in to the step-by-step habit, it’s a lot easier to see what’s falling out of the loop. Instead of working to ignore the growing pile of indistinguishable papers taking over your desk, you’ll be quick to guide the stragglers to their rightful places. 

A well-designed kitchen accommodates the chef and her habits. She knows exactly where her clean knives and mixing bowls are stored. She’s able to perform her art with ease and efficiency because she is well supported by her environment. If creating this environment–whether a kitchen, or an office–were super-simple, everyone would have it dialed in already! It’s a complex weave of supplies, tools, containers, equipment and their relationships with each other that create the opportunity for a smoothly flowing space. The time and effort spent understanding and planning it out is well worth it!.
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Shawn Tuttle is founder of Project Simplify.