A Peach of a Choice (your multitude of organizing choices)

My first summer back in North Carolina, I went to the state Farmer's Market on numerous occasions to buy peaches (and other local produce). Since each stand gives you a taste of their products, I had a great time deciding which types of peaches I liked best. Because I definitely preferred some varieties to others, I started a "preferred peaches" list. When I went to the Farmer's Market the next summer, I took my list...only to find out that I must have gone during a different part of peach season because the available varieties were not the same as any on my "preferred peaches" list. Not to say that I didn't like some of the available types; I was just a little discouraged that my time-saving technique of having a list didn't work.

I'm sure you're trying to figure out what having a large variety of peaches has to do with organizing. It's this: there is no one way to organize. Nor is there a "right" or "wrong" way to organize. There aren't "good organizing containers" versus "bad organizing containers." There are organizing containers and methods that are more effective depending on someone's personality, needs, requirements, challenges, situation and preferences.

So if someone says they've used Filing System Y for organizing their papers and it doesn't work for you, it doesn't mean that you're not organized. It simply means that you might need Filing System X instead. If a friend tells you about this "wonderful, fabulous, magnificent" container, it may or may not work for you. Even if on the surface you seem very similar. The same is true about paper planners or smartphones or any number of other organizing gadgets.

Think about an office "cubicle farm." All cubicles within the farm are probably configured the same in terms of their desk space, drawers, overhead bins, etc. But that doesn't mean that the way each cube is organized has to be the same. The placement of reference books, office supplies, files, etc. can usually be set to the preference of the person in the cubicle. So if there are file drawers on the far left and right within the cubicle, the person can decide what types of files go in each drawer. They can also decide if they want hanging files only, manila files only or manila within hanging files. How they want tabs positiioned on the files is also a matter of choice. Another option is how pens and pencils are contained. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

So while I like peaches that are not too tart, not too sweet and slightly firm, you might like very sweet, slightly mushy peaches. And while I prefer my calendar format (whether in paper or electronic) to be week-at-a-glance and vertical days, you might prefer a day-at-a-glance. It's a choice. In peaches, there are lots of choices. In organizing there are a bzillion choices! It can be overwhelming and discouraging. But when you find what works for you, there's nothing like it.

Let us know if you need help with your multitude of organizing choices.