|
| |
Spring Cleaning For Writers
By L. C. Dumke
As a home and garden writer, spring cleaning is serious business to me. I write
about it and preach the benefits of it, so I feel like a hypocrite when I don’t do a great job on my own house each March. In fact, each year, I plan the event for weeks. I purchase cleaning supplies in “Super Economy” sizes, and even force my family to take part in the ritual. Some years, I’ve even bragged about my success for months
(“We filled 20 garbage bags and donated ten boxes of toys and clothing to
charity…”).
I began this year’s spree in my kitchen, and then continued through all the other rooms in my house. But I left my office for last, because as I surveyed my workspace of the past seven years, it was clear that I needed more than just cleaning. I needed a thorough job specifically designed for a writer’s needs, one that would help me to cleanse my space as well as clear my mind. Who
knows? If I really did it right, maybe I could jump-start my creativity.
So I spent a day going through every inch of the room, noting areas and systems that needed improvement or simply didn’t “feel” right. I developed a detailed plan for the job, and the results, so far, have been fabulously streamlined and
productive.
If your office needs a spring overhaul that’s more than just a good dusting, try these steps:
Start with the basic cleaning:
 | Before you clean, get as much as you can OUT of the room to facilitate easy access to all areas, especially those that are typically blocked off. Remove all your books, knickknacks, and other items from bookshelves and scrub those shelves until they shine. Also clean the items you removed before placing them back into their original (or a new) location. |
| Move your furniture and dust, mop, and retrieve all those stray paper clips and Post-it Notes that have fallen behind your desk and other areas that are not frequently seen or cleaned. Remove dust bunnies from your computer cables, keyboard, mouse and other computer-related areas (like your printer).
Check your air conditioning vents, heating vents, and ceiling fans for dust and dirt, and give them a good dusting. Dust off your artwork and anything else on your walls or
desk. |
Out with the old, in with the new:
| Box up your old files (the ones you’re not likely to need again) and move them into storage (like into a dry basement or a closet). Label the box with the year and the contents, in case you need to retrieve something later. |
| Transfer important computer files you won’t need again (like completed projects) to a floppy, a CD-ROM, a Zip disk, or whatever media you prefer, and store in a safe, accessible place. Then free up computer disk space by deleting those files from your hard drive. (Don’t forget to clean out your e-mail box.) |
| Clean up your Internet bookmarks by deleting outdated, dead, or useless links. If your bookmark list is lengthy, create folders so you can keep bookmarks separated into logical categories. |
| Update your contacts list. Clean up your address books (paper-based, on your computer, or in your PDA) and weed through your business card collections and relieve yourself of contacts you don’t
need. |
Get organized:
| Revisit your resume, references list, and portfolio and update everything. |
| Create an interactive resume using a CD-ROM and a simple publishing program like Microsoft Publisher. Making copies is cheap and easy. If this seems like too much work, get a free Web space account and create an online resume so you can just e-mail a link to prospective clients and employers. (Also maintain an updated paper version, since some clients and employers prefer hard copy resumes to keep in their files.) |
| Study your filing system and decide if improvements are needed. Even a small change—like color-coded folders for certain types of projects—can make a significant difference. |
Select your tools:
| Pick up a hands-free phone, glare-reduction screen for your monitor, copy holders—whatever you need to work productively. (But don’t go overboard. Having too many tools, or the wrong tools, can make you less productive.) |
| Get ergonomically correct by adjusting your computer keyboard, mouse, monitor, and chair to reduce work-related strain and the possibility of injury. (See this
inc.com article for more details.) |
Just for fun:
| Shake things up a bit by moving around some furniture, supplies, and accessories. Remember to keep your office design logical. (For instance, keep paper near the printer, keep your phone within easy reach of your chair, etc.) |
| Bring something you love into your office. Hang your favorite piece of artwork above your desk, tack love letters to your bulletin board, or line a shelf with aromatherapy candles. It’ll make your space more special and more pleasant to work in. |
| Give your desk a makeover using Feng Shui, the 3,000-year-old Chinese discipline of space arrangement. See this
ivilliage.com
article for more information. |
Once you’ve completed your writers’-style spring cleaning, sit back and enjoy your success!
L. C. Dumke is a freelance home and garden writer. She is the author of
How
To Decorate and Furnish Your Apartment on a Budget (Prima/Random House, 2001).
| |
Sponsored links
Ring binders
Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer!
How to find a
book publisher
|
