How to tidy up your clutter: Getting organized will help writing

I love books, but I hate clutter. The clutter of books and papers is as much the bane of my existence as it is my pride and joy. Since my living room is large, I have six tall bookshelves where books are neatly stacked and arranged alphabetically (NO!), plus boxes full of more books. The problem is that I have absolutely nowhere to put them. I already have two tall shelves full of books in my bedroom. I love to read, especially when it comes to the Victorian era. I am, after all, a historian. Not everyone likes to read, but most writers do. In talking to other writers, I’ve found that the clutter of books and paper, and general disorganization, often poses serious problems to the writing process. This article will look at some common issues and ways to get organized to make the writing process easier for you and hopefully me too!

As for me, I am surrounded by a literary blanket of books, all within my reach. It’s like a nervous disorder. If a book is too far away my eyes start to twitch and glaze over! There is never too much knowledge to consume. The problem is that this mess seems to keep eating away at my work area, like a Pac-Man with a stomach full of energy pellets munching on blue ghosts. Unfortunately my workspace is missing this game.

Geez… my apartment is starting to look like a library with heart disease, its arteries clogged with a messy accumulation of papers, books, and cluttered bookcases. So how do I go on a book diet without sacrificing my literary inspiration? What health regime can I put in my apartment? This has to affect my ability to write, having to navigate Cape Hope’s mess of books every time I try to work!

Sometimes I wonder why I still keep the boxes of those books that were sent to me several months ago. Maybe I subconsciously plan to move when the books take over my apartment and eventually use up all my remaining living space. GAME OVER. I can see the conversation with my real estate agent now:

Real Estate Agent (bewildered look on her face): But ma’am, you already have an apartment. They are expensive in New York. Tell me, why do you need two?

Me: For my books.

Real Estate Agent (bewildered look on his contorted face): Shall we go again?

Me: My books are growing in number like rabbits on Viagra. They are spreading like a virus. I think they are plotting to take over the world.

Real Estate Agent (bewildered look on her contorted face as she slowly creeps toward the door): Uhm…Kay? I just remembered, I have another appointment to show a house in Jersey, I better go. I don’t think the other applicant has a growing army of books intent on enslaving the planet. I think it might be a code violation in New York City or something.

Me: Hey, leave me your card, I’m going to need more apartments soon, those books are spreading fast. They are insatiable. Is incredible. I think they have their own account with Amazon so they can buy more of their own or something. Maybe I’d better not give them my new address, huh?

Unless you want to put up with one scene like this, or as in my case, many scenes like this, it’s better for you, your cohabitants, and perhaps the Known Universe if you just keep the clutter in your books under control. Try to pack and store books that you have read many times. Thrift stores also buy old books, and you can always sell them on Ebay. You might be surprised to find that you can get a pretty penny for your old books, and it will free up space for you to work. Writing is cathartic, but it’s a difficult thing to do if you don’t have the proper space to sit and work. It’s hard enough writing as it is, any further distraction can kill your effort, and a growing legion of books consuming your work area is certainly a distraction.

The most important key to successful writing lies in getting organized, period. If you have clear, concise notes, an outline, and good research that you can easily access and read, you’ve won half the battle. However, you must be able to find your research to use it.

As for me, I am very grateful for my post-it notes. They are a lifesaver and also save space. They’re dotted all over my desk and tray table, reminding me what to do or where I left off my work. They help me stay focused. It will help you write if you can find some system too, like my sticky notes, to help you stay focused on the task at hand.

Wait a minute, where was I??? Oh yeah, this post-it note says that she was talking about the importance of using notes to keep track of where you are in your writing. See. It works.

Sometimes my desk looks like a landing field for sticky notes. Every day I struggle with the burden of navigating the clutter of paperwork as I am constantly typing. Sometimes my bills get caught up in the mess. It’s only when I’m threatened with late charges that I dare to try to track them down. Bill collectors don’t like the “my paperwork ate my bill” excuse. Not even a little bit.

So now my living room and dining room have become my office and also my writing area, since no one comes to visit me. Maybe they do and are lost in the mess, I’m not sure. Anyway, I leave the mess right where it is. Even so, from time to time my son passes by, always adding his bit: “Hey mom, when are you going to organize this mess?” I reply “IT IS organized and I don’t touch anything. I know exactly where everything is…” I promise myself one day I’ll get to cleaning it up.

Does that have a familiar ring? It’s amazing how in the midst of so much chaos one can still be organized, isn’t it? I have the option of cleaning up the clutter or as a last resort I can always try this, build a new addition over my living room. I will keep adding more floors as my clutter continues to increase. Of course, that could turn out to be expensive, unless you’re related to William F. Lamb, the guy who designed and built the Empire State Building. But that’s not practical, is it, and it doesn’t help my writing one bit. Instead, it’s better to incorporate cleanup as a pre-write step. Whenever I’m ready to sit down to write, I’ll clean for 15-20 minutes first. That not only clears me a space to work, but it gets my blood and brain pumping. A clear mind and an alert body make for a great writing experience.

Oh good. The most important thing when the time comes is to clear your space, organize your notes and get down to business. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started, writing those first few words. The best thing you can do is write a few sentences about what you see in front of you or whatever you are thinking about. You can play a game at the beginning, such as trying to describe an apple without descriptive words such as size, texture, or color. Something like “Eve’s delight and Adam’s bane sits comfortably on her perch inside my fruit bowl, so delicious and so ripe, I can eat it right down to the core.” You can try any exercise that might work to get you started. Once you get started, throw away your openers and get down to writing. When you’re writing and when you’re done writing, there’s nothing more satisfying. I like to describe the dangerous wall of books and what they are doing as they get closer and closer to me. Whatever works!

Speaking of which, the books have finally completely surrounded me and my pets, closing in ominously. I think they are ready to attack. The phone is ringing off the hook (probably some collector angry about a bill buried in the post-it junkyard on my desk). Forget writing. Forget about work. Forget organizing. I’m going back to bed

Maybe just read a book. Now that you know how to organize yourself and are ready to write, maybe you’ll write a great book that I can read one day! Good luck and good writing.