Clean Sweep

Step 3: Get Down To Business

Nothing affects productivity more than piles, random Post-it notes and general chaos. To get your workspace in order, try these clutter-control suggestions.

• Switch to paperless and manage most of your finances with e-bills and online payments, says Karli Bertocchi, founder of Chicago-based Organized With Style.

• Use a document-scanning device to manage receipts, notes, photos and other paper not available digitally, she says. (Just be sure to back it up on a flash drive or with an online backup service, privacy settings set.)

• Arguably, mail is a gateway to chaos paper pileup, so stop junk mail, says Francine Jay, author of The Joy of Less, a Minimalist Living Guide: How to De-clutter, Organize and Simplify Your Life. (Contact the Direct Marketing Association to opt out of direct mail, and visit CatalogChoice.org to eliminate unwanted overload.)