Take the Time to Purge

by Lisa on May 9, 2012

The following post is from Lisa of Working Naked:

source: Rita H Cobbs

I’d love to invest in a storage facility. You know, the ones where people pay $120 a month to store $50 worth of stuff.

I know it’s hard to get rid of things, especially if you’ve had them for a long time.

My cousin used to have a basement loaded with boxes that she’d had almost her whole life. A few years ago, her basement flooded and she had to get rid of everything. Last year she finally admitted that she was relieved about the flood. If it hadn’t happened, she still would have had a basement full of boxes she didn’t need to keep.

You don’t have to wait for a disaster to clear out your office (or maybe even your garage). Consider these questions to help you take the plunge and purge.

Are you using out-of-date equipment?

Figure out what your time is worth, and whether or not you can afford to waste time each day using unproductive equipment. In other words, stop being cheap, step up to the plate and buy a new computer. If your desktop is close to dying, consider whether you should invest in a laptop instead. You’ll be able to take the laptop with you when you travel, work from a coffee shop, or meet with clients.

Are you struggling with outdated software?

If a computer program is too complicated or has more features than you need, buy a different one. Your colleagues or even your neighbor may use a certain program that works perfectly for him or her. That doesn’t mean the same program will work for you. Before you invest in new software, try it out first. Most websites offer a trial period. Keep in mind that technology is supposed to help you save time, not make you waste time.

Can you avoid information overload?

Fight the urge to keep every magazine or newspaper you’ve ever received. If you know that you’ll never read something, get rid of it. If you ever need an article from a past issue, it’s probably available online. The same advice is true with e-mail newsletters. Before you sign up to receive an online newsletter, decide whether you’ll have time to read yet another one. Once or twice a year, look through your list of e-mail newsletters and unsubscribe from at least half of them.

Are you facing your fear of purging?

Some people are afraid that the minute they throw or give something away, they’ll need it again. The reality is that when you need something, you may not be able to find it. Consider this: if you own something, but you can’t find it, it’s of no use to you.

De-clutter your home office by peeling away each layer. Start with information and items you haven’t used in a year. Then move on to items you could store in your garage, basement or attic. The other option, of course, is to donate the items you don’t use.

Your home office probably looks a bit different now than when you first started working from home. When you take the time to declutter your office, you’ll save time, money (by not buying duplicate supplies), and your sanity.

What has motivated you to clear out your home office?

	Home office expert Lisa Kanarek is the founder of WorkingNaked.com and the author of five books about working from home, including Organize Your Home Office For Success. Lisa works with entrepreneurs and home-based employees through seminars and individual consultations, to create functional home offices that meet each individual’s working style.

Karina H

Thank you for this summary. It’s helpful.
Monique Burkes

I have the kindle as well. I didn’t try to nook, but I am pleased with my kindle. I have no apps on it except a solitaire game. That might not even be an app. I have no clue.
Rana

I would have to agree with you. I have a Kindle because I love to read. My husband won an iPad last year and we love all the apps. I can watch Netflxs in my room while someone is watching on the tv in another room. When the Kindle Fire came out I was seriously considering buying one for me but we share the iPad(family of 4).

My mother-in-law has the Nook Tablet and does not like it. She says it takes forever to load apps and books etc. She wishes she had bought the Kindle Fire. Like you if I was going to buy a tablet, for cost reasons it would be the Kindle Fire we use Amazon for everything. The iPad is too expensive. Like I said the only reason we have one is because it was a gift.

Thanks for sharing all of your information.
P_mcnally

I am surprised that no one ever talks about either the Samsung Galaxy or the Motorola Xoom. I own the Xoom, and you would be hard pressed to find it’s equal. At $499, its the same price as the Ipad, BUT, it comes with 32gb of memory versus 16gb on the Ipad. It has Dualcore, so its really fast, and it works on the Android market, so it has plenty of apps, including Angry Birds. It has two cameras, so I can Skype, and I cruise the web and check all my emails easily. Plus, I can download and read books like the Kindle, but with the option to do a lot more. Check it out sometime.
- http://blog.michellemista.com/ Michelle Mista
  
  Thanks for chiming in about the Galaxy and Xoom! You’re definitely right — either the Galaxy or Xoom are more direct competitors with the iPad. I chose not to mention dedicated Android tablets in the original article is because there’s SO many Android tablets to choose from, which is the Android OS’s advantage and disadvantage.
- Chandler
  
  I’ve only been able to play with the galaxy a couple of.times but it seemed really great and a totally legit competitor of the ipad. However i think when ppl see the galaxy and the ipad as the same price and same capabilities, their going to pick the ipad if only for the fact they can say they have an ipad.lol.
http://beyondthedefaults.com/ Abby Butts

I have an iPad 2 and Asus Transformer tablet that runs Android. I like them both and some days I prefer the size and shape of the Asus more than the iPad 2. But nothing beats my Nook eReader when I want to read a book. The back lighting of the tablets gives me more eye strain and the apps tend to distract me from reading.
- Stacey Pittsinger
  
  Abby I agree with you about the eye strain. I bought the Fire for my 7 year old and I already had a Kindle Keyboard. I love reading books on my Kindle..gotta love e-ink!
- http://blog.michellemista.com/ Michelle Mista
  
  Good point about the eye strain! Thanks for pointing that out.
Cindy @ Once Upon a Loaf

My iPad HD gets delivered on Friday. I have both previous generations and a Kindle. At first I thought I’d never read on iPad but was sorely mistaken. Everything from novels to photography books look amazing, and no packing two devices. Buck stops with iPad for me.
Catherine

I recently went through this whole tablet comparison for myself and ended up with the new Asus Transformer Prime. I love it! I can’t wait for my docking keypad to arrive now so that I have a netbook too.
- http://blog.michellemista.com/ Michelle Mista
  
  Thanks for the addition! I’ve heard some great things about the ASUS Transformer as well.
Michele

We have an iPad 2. I love it. I read on my kindle app often and no eye strain here (it’s got a sepia? mode and it reduces the brightness of it). A camera was a big plus for us, as my husband has it in afghanistan with him and we are able to skype with it. Sometimes the size of it is a PITA…like when I want to read a book at the dr’s office. It’s heavier and bigger than the nook or kindle. But so far, that is my only complaint
- http://blog.michellemista.com/ Michelle Mista
  
  Good point about the size of an iPad! I love that my Kindle Fire fits easily into my shoulder bag without worries; I’d feel nervous about toting an iPad around.
Emily

Great comparison – thanks for not making it super technical and jargon-y
I have an iPad for use at work and a Kindle Fire at home. I LOVE my Fire. It’s so portable and basically does everything I need/want it to.
Anonymous

I have never had an iPad or any Apple products. Had not thought about a tablet or reader but hubby got me a Fire for Christmas. I am sure it has many weaknesses when compared to an iPad, but I love it for what it is. The only thing I wish is that it had a keyboard that I can plug in. But other than that, I love it!
Chandler

Lol i’m on my nook tablet as i type… i love it. My sister has an ipad 2 (despite my protests that she should wait if not for the 3, for the prices of the 2 to go down..) she absolutely adores the thing but she doesn’t do anything with it that’s worth the $500. I mostly see her playing angry birds like you… i was also offered the ipad but i decided the nook tablet was more worth my money, er, my parents money lol. I’d done extensive research on the nook and the kindle fire. I loved the fire and everyone i know that has one is thoroughly infatuated as well. I really didn’t like the “carousel” like interface at all. . The kindle is also $50 cheaper (article forets that) but despite all the pros of the fire i kept coming back to the nook. I love barnes and noble so it didn’t take much for me to love the nook. I love reading on it, using the internet, looking over and editing documents, i even have some of my school textbooks on it. The nook has more memory than thekindle with the option of the sd card. And to the person below that said the nook is slow? I’m sorry she regrets her purchase (you can always return it i think though..) i think it’s her internet connection. If you look on youtube with kindle vs nook tab speed, i’v seen the tab come out about 1 second faster every time. Sorry to go on a little rave there but no one was sticking up for the ole nook so i figured i’d better lol. Oh! And incredible battery life and the fact i can carry it around places. I don’t think i’d let an ipad see the light of day.. lol
- Chandler
  
  Also! I don’t know if the kindls is also doing this but all magazines in the nook store give you a 2 week completely free trial. They also have a lot of free books both older and new.
Amanda

Not being able to find what I need prompted me to HIRE my sister, an organizing fanatic, to come purge and organize my home office.
WorkingNaked

What a great solution! You have an organized office and your sister had fun helping you.
Mary

“Carrying a large sum of cash can make you a target for thieves.”

How do the thieves know you are carrying a large sum of cash???
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Sheena

Fully agree with the de-cluttering of information overload. I have purchased many books and e-books and they are all waiting to be read. But, I have a solution – my graduade daughter is coming home for a few weeks so I’ve asked her to read it and only pass me the interesting bits!
http://www.adjuvancy.com/wordpress Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A.

The one line that I love most (probably because it’s my guiding principle- and i use my rephrase here)- collecting data is not intelligent. Using it when you need for what you need is!