e four distinct clutter categories, each with its own strategic solution. It is likely that you are affected by each of them. Those categories are:

SITUATIONAL Situational clutter usually arises from specific events. You are engaged in a project that generates a temporary mess

It’s your first moment back at your desk after the annual meeting. The telephone is already ringing, 314 email messages lurk in your inbox, the staff meeting starts in 20 minutes, and your coffee just spattered on something marked “Urgent.” You look up at that ticking clock, feeling smothered by all the demands on your time and attention. Everywhere around you are papers and projects you need to work on. You look at a framed statement on your wall. “Have nothing around you that you do not know to be useful, believe to be beautiful, or love.” You sigh, remembering that you wanted to live and work that way, but something always gets in the way.

You get to your meeting on time; continue successfully through your day, and driving home you think back on the challenges you are facing. You ask yourself, “How do I get into this clutter mess so frequently? I’m not a disorganized person, and most of the time I accomplish the work I need to do – but all those piles of paper are so frustrating!”

After more than 25 years of working with people from every profession, region, age and outlook, we can assure you that there are four distinct clutter categories, each with its own strategic solution. It is likely that you are affected by each of them. Those categories are:

SITUATIONAL Situational clutter usually arises from specific events. You are engaged in a project that generates a temporary mess –

smothered by all the demands on your time and attention. Everywhere around you are papers and projects you need to work on. You look at a framed statement on your wall. “Have nothing around you that you do not know to be useful, believe to be beautiful, or love.” You sigh, remembering that you wanted to live and work that way, but something always gets in the way.

You get to your meeting on time; continue successfully through your day, and driving home you think back on the challenges you are facing. You ask yourself, “How do I get into this clutter mess so frequently? I’m not a disorganized person, and most of the time I accomplish the work I need to do – but all those piles of paper are so frustrating!”

After more than 25 years of working with people from every profession, region, age and outlook, we can assure you that there are four distinct clutter categories, each with its own strategic solution. It is likely that you are affected by each of them. Those categories are:

SITUATIONAL Situational clutter usually arises from specific events. You are engaged in a project that generates a temporary mess

that you wanted to live and work that way, but something always gets in the way.

You get to your meeting on time; continue successfully through your day, and driving home you think back on the challenges you are facing. You ask yourself, “How do I get into this clutter mess so frequently? I’m not a disorganized person, and most of the time I accomplish the work I need to do – but all those piles of paper are so frustrating!”

After more than 25 years of working with people from every profession, region, age and outlook, we can assure you that there are four distinct clutter categories, each with its own strategic solution. It is likely that you are affected by each of them. Those categories are:

SITUATIONAL Situational clutter usually arises from specific events. You are engaged in a project that generates a temporary mess

frequently? I’m not a disorganized person, and most of the time I accomplish the work I need to do – but all those piles of paper are so frustrating!”

After more than 25 years of working with people from every profession, region, age and outlook, we can assure you that there are four distinct clutter categories, each with its own strategic solution. It is likely that you are affected by each of them. Those categories are:

SITUATIONAL Situational clutter usually arises from specific events. You are engaged in a project that generates a temporary mess

e four distinct clutter categories, each with its own strategic solution. It is likely that you are affected by each of them. Those categories are:

SITUATIONAL Situational clutter usually arises from specific events. You are engaged in a project that generates a temporary mess – like a meeting, crisis, deadline, annual report or new initiative. This is a natural and normal part of life and work in a complex, sped- up world.

To conquer situational clutter, recognize its temporary nature, set an end point by which it will all be cleaned up, and move on with your life. One meeting professional marks time on her calendar equal to one day of “reentry” time to restore order, for each day she has been away. Another schedules a temporary employee to assist him every two weeks. He delegates tasks to this “partial assistant” that would have been assigned to the person whose job got cut in the last downsizing.

EMBEDDED Embedded clutter reflects years of accumulation and benign neglect. The longer you have lived or worked in a specific setting, the deeper the layers go. Many people report that an extended campaign to banish embedded clutter takes at least one month of focused clean-up activity for each year they have been in the setting. Naturally, if you are getting ready to move, you may have to do the job in a few weeks. So you put everything in moving boxes and promise yourself you’ll organ