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Is your house so messy you can never find what youre looking for? Are you often late for work because you can never find your car keys? These tips will help save time and keep you more organized.

Keep things in a place that makes sense. Drop your keys in a dish by the front door so you wont waste time looking for them throughout the house. Put anything you need to take with you by the front door- outgoing mail, your briefcase or the library books that need to be returned. This will save you time in the morning because you wont be running around trying to gather what you need for the day.

Straighten up as you go. Pick up the newspaper and put in the recycle bin instead of leaving it on the coffee table. Fill the dishwasher after every meal instead of once a day. Put your groceries away rather than leave them on the kitchen table. How can you possibly know what food you do or dont have if last weeks haul is still in the bag? This makes the kitchen an appealing place to enjoy a meal instead of a constant reminder of chores that need to be done.

Finish one project before starting another. I have a friend who has started to update his bathroom, never finished the project and is now working on his kitchen. His house is constantly in a state of confusion and he never manages to get any project completed because its now so overwhelming.

Keep your bathroom tidy. Wipe up the sink and vanity top after you shave or wash your face and put your toiletries away. Doing these small things as you go keeps the bathroom looking cleaner in case unexpected guests stop by- you wont have to be embarrassed if they ask to use the facilities.

Organize your closets. If your closet is filled to capacity, you cant see what you have. Instead of squeezing everything into your closet, keep out of season clothes in the spare bedroom closet. Keep shoes in boxes or shoe racks. Donate any garments that no longer fit or if you havent worn them in the past season. Dont hang onto things you cant use anymore because there is someone out there who will be grateful to have it.

Keep your important documents and papers in a safe place. Birth certificates, passports, marriage license, divorce papers, the deed to your house and the title to your car should be filed in a fireproof lockbox. Better yet, they should be kept in a safe deposit box at a bank close to home so its convenient for you to retrieve them when needed. If you keep important financial information on your home computer, its a good idea to backup to a flash drive and keep this at the bank too. The cost of a safe deposit box is worth the peace of mind knowing you wont have to replace these documents if they were ever lost in a disaster.

Taking small steps every day to keep organized will help keep your casa cozy and clutter-free.

Copyright 2006 Kathy Swann

Kathy Swann has over 25 years experience in office management, payroll and Human Resources and also works as a consultant/bookkeeper for several small businesses. Using her organizational skills, she has helped many of her clients streamline their office systems to save time, money and maximize efficiency.

She is the author of "How to Win When You Understand Money: A Handbook for Teenagers. Purchase this e-book at http://www.suncatcherpress.com