For years I have been keeping an eye out for clever organizing ideas and clever products - simple concepts that can have a surprisingly positive impact on your life.

Following up on my earlier post about the bin - One of the greatest products I have found and use in recent months is the Simplehuman Cabinet Trash System.

Mounting simply in a cabinet, this bin stores all your plastic grocery bags in the bottom part, ready for use - the top has a special frame that allows you to fit a grocery bag as your bin bag, with the side parts of the frame securely holding the handles.

Although perhaps not so suitable for a large household generating lots of rubbish, for a smaller place it is ideal - simple, effective, environmentally-friendly and easy-to-use.

Genius.

I am not the first person to suggest this, but the single most important organizing tool in your home or workplace has to be the humble rubbish bin.

All sorts of clutter comes into your home and life - packaging from your shopping; letters and mail (junk or otherwise); random bits and bobs that you accrue from work, life, hobbies etc. Incoming clutter is almost never-ending, and the single best thing that you can do to start managing this clutter is to start using your bin more.

10 Tips to Make More of Your Bin 

1. “Think Shrink” - Every time you bin something, do your best to compact it as much as possible - break down cardboard boxes, cut up plastic bottles, tightly crumple paper and plastic bags… It all reduces rubbish volume, saving time on your rubbish processing and reducing impact on landfill sites.
2. Keep a bin near where you process your post/mail - envelopes, junk mail and unwanted letters (ones that don’t compromise your privacy), can be dumped instantly.
3. Have a dedicated bin in your office which is “To shred” - letters and documents that need to be shredded for privacy reasons can have a dedicated, simple end location.
4. Keep a bin near the food preparation area in your kitchen - Food scraps and rubbish can be binned as you go.
5. When you return home with your grocery shopping, take a little time to empty any loose or individually-wrapped products into a sensible storage container - You don’t need to keep the outer wrapper from a pack of chocolate bars! Any rubbish can go straight away.
6. Get a storage system for left-over plastic bags - don’t bin them! Some supermarkets will take them back, or keep hold of them for future use.
7. Strategically place bins around your home - never be too far from a place where you can junk the stuff you don’t need!
8. Recycle where possible - If you have space and inclination for several bins, you can do a lot for the environment by making sure you effectively recycle your rubbish.
9. Don’t flush it, Bin it - A lot of bathroom rubbish gets flushed, instead of binned… This is bad for the environment and can cause serious problems in sewers - get yourself a decent bin for your bathroom (with a flip lid or cover ideally), wrap any embarrassing items in toilet paper and make sure to empty regularly. Job done.
10. Embrace your Bin! - Used effectively, the bin is the swiftest and most convenient way to reduce clutter and simplify your life. Go bin something…

I’ve just read a great post on Wired, entitled Ten Reasons To Throw Away Your Cellphone (via Digg).

It’s fairly succinct, but does touch on a few interesting points:

1. Cellular Phones are a LOT more expensive than people realize.
2. Cell phone use can be a social hazard - Driving whilst using a mobile phone is stupid and dangerous and has already casued several tragic fatalities.
3. Being always available sounds nice in theory, but constant interruptions at all hours are actually very tiresome. Think about what else you could get done if you didn’t have to worry about your mobile all the time.

I’ve spent several brief periods of my life phone-less and dependent on landlines, and despite feeling a bit out of sorts at the time, I was probably better off. No crises went by without me knowing; I didn’t lose any money; my friends and family could still reach me if needed…

On the flip-side, I was less distracted and more productive; a little lighter on my feet and ultimately happier and more relaxed.

Makes you think.

Do you often come home from a long day at work, with your mind still buzzing from the days activities? Do you find that even though you are at home, some of the office stress has snuck in with you? Maybe a long daily commute home leaves you tired, wired and a bit frazzled?

After a recent career move, resulting in a greater responsibility, I found myself coming home every day still feeling stressed and under pressure - not good for me, not good for my girlfriend. I figured there had to be some simple ways to trigger a more relaxed state of mind when I came home.

5 simple steps to minimizing work-related stress when you arrive home:

1.  Stay organized at work - Track your priorities, manage your tasks, write down your To-dos… The topic of managing yourself at work is far too long to get into here, but by doing so, you are clearing your mind of all the distractions from work, making it easier to disconnect when you get home.
2. Enjoy your commute - Whether you are travelling by car, train or bike - use the time to relax a bit; get some fresh air, listen to some music, enjoy the scenery (if you can) and use your commute home to rid yourself of some of that stress.
3. Look forward to getting home - If you’re dreading getting home then you will just be exacerbating your stress levels; if you know that your home is going to be neat, tidy and organized; that your evening will be pleasant and relaxing and that you can forget about work for a while, you will be re-focussing your energy on a more positive experience, and reducing work-related stress.
4. Disconnect - A difficult thing to do in the days of BlackBerries, remote email and corporate mobile phones is to simply disconnect yourself from your work communications - switch them all off and enjoy a bit of peace. The likelihood of you being needed for something that can’t wait till tomorrow is realistically quite small, so give yourself and your family a break!
5. Use an Anti-stress Basket - The main tip I implemented was to put a simple basket on my shoe rack, just inside my front door. On this basket I put an “Anti-Stress Basket” label, and in it I keep a small tear-off pad and a pen. Every day when I come in, I see this basket (a strong visual reminder) and remember not to be stressed; If there is anything that is particularly bothering me, I’ll write it on a bit of paper and chuck it in the basket; lastly, I’ll take a few deep breaths and continue indoors. Bonus Tip: It’s very enjoyable to empty the basket into the bin once a week and throw out your stress for good!

The web is loaded with hundreds of different tools to help you get the most out of your computer and the internet, and it can be difficult to know which ones are of use. This post is focussed upon helping you find and use the software that will help you be more organized and productive.

Despite a large number of Google detractors out there, Google has a huge range of very useful tools which are almost all available for free. I use several Google Tools on a daily basis, and find all of them give some measurable productivity boosts.

Gmail
Gmail is one of the best email clients I have ever used, especially those that are online-only. With loads of storage; clever tools for finding, tagging and filtering email; and a great standard user interface. I moved my personal email traffic to Gmail back in the days when invites were being fought over, and not regretted it once. If you’re not already using it, I’d recommend giving it a try.

Google Calendar
I spent 2 years waiting for this to arrive, and instantly set-it up with all my recurring events. It’s the nicest calendar I’ve used online (and there have been a few) and it has the benefit of being tightly integrated with Gmail. It has everything you could wish for from an online calendar including slick integration with invitations, automatic event reminders and the same powerful search tool that underpins Google Search and Gmail.

Google Reader
I have recently migrated to using Google Reader (online edition) as my de facto Feed Reader. It has a neat, intuitive interface and integrates very well with Firefox. A few simple clicks are all it takes to add new Feeds, and I can update and track them from multiple computers (Important for me as I regularly use several different machines).

Google Notebook
Google Notebook is a great tool for anyone who spends a lot of time online - I like to organize my online experience so that I have access to all the information that I need, and Google Notebook allows me to clip useful information from websites, organize notes and information and get to it all from wherever I am. Notebook is a tool I am using more and more as time goes on.

Google Webmaster Tools
Not one for all our readers, but Google does offer a huge range of Webmaster Tools to help you out with analyzing, planning and managing a website. I use AdSense, Sitemaps and Analytics daily to monitor this very site you’re reading. I recommend them as worth a look if you run a website.

An important step in getting organized is understanding your surroundings and possessions, and beginning to delineate what is useful and what is clutter.

Wikipedia defines clutter as “A confusing or disorderly state or collection; or the creation thereof.” I think this is a good starting point, but can be difficult to put into useful practice. To help identify clutter, look around you and start asking these questions of your surroundings and belongings:

• Does it have a useful purpose?
• Do I use it for that purpose?
• Does it do its job well?
• Do I need to keep it?
• Is it the right size/shape?
• Is it too poor to use?
• Is it too good to use?
• Is it too fragile to use?
• Have I outgrown the use of it?
• Is it obsolete?
• Do I like it?
• Is it sentimental?

Busting clutter is usually the first step in getting organized, and becomes a lot easier when you begin to understand what clutter is. When you start to identify the things around you that are useful and valued, and that which is definitely clutter, you can start to gain control of your environment and will probably feel better for it. Of course, identifying your clutter achieves nothing if you don’t do something about it!

I am a big list-maker - I get it from my Mum, who always had lists for everything. I write lists for my shopping, lists of where I’d like to go, lists of peoples birthdays and occasionally lists of lists.

I have always used Daily To-Do Lists, even before I got involved with personal development in my early twenties, but one of the best lists I ever wrote was my Not To-Do List.

It’s a simple concept - Have a think and write down all the things that you frequently do when you aught to be doing something else… Those things that you like to do, the things you pretend are productive or important, or the things that you know are just plan wasting time. Any activity that gets in the way of you doing something productive, or any activity which tends to drag on too long.

I find that having a list like this, which I keep on a 3″ x 5″ index card, gives me a gentle nudge whenever I am starting to drift off on a project.

Here are some suggestions for your Not To-Do List:

• Do not check your email more than twice a day
• Do not stop for a “meditation break” unless you actually meditate
• Do not try to beat your score on Wii Tennis
• Do not channel hop the TV indiscriminately
• Do not check your phone for text messages (that’s what the beep is for)
• Do not tidy your desk in the middle of the day
• Do not eat the cakes your colleague brought in
• Do not keep checking your eBay auctions
• Do not browse the Digg recent list
• Do not play with your mobile ringtones
• Do not tidy your DVD collection
• Do not straighten the cushions on your sofa
• Do not browse eBay for bargains
• Do not tweeze your eyebrows
• Do not eat all the biscuits (or pies)
• Do not forward joke emails
• Do not send irrelevent text messages
• Do not flick through your cookery books looking for things you won’t cook
• Do not check your portfolio with a little smile
• Do not index your comic collection
• Do not open a bottle of wine (alone)
• Do not go to the shops for chocolate (always have a stash)
• Do not browse the trailers on the Apple website
• Do not pick up your phone every time it rings
• Do not write long blog posts when you should be working
• Do not throw your pants at your partner (business or domestic)
• Do not plan your next Toastmasters speech
• Do not ponder whether you can hack it
• Do not tell your boyfriend he’s going grey
• Do not check for grey hairs
• Do not watch Big Brother
• Do not re-write your To-Do Lists
• Do not wonder if the guy in the tank-top is gay
• Do not start decluttering your Inbox (Ctrl + A, then Delete)
• Do not check your Google AdSense, Analystics or PageRank
• Do not play games on your BlackBerry
• Do not look in a mirror to see if your underwear shows
• Do not reshuffle your Hipster PDA
• Do not water your plants
• Do not start learning to juggle

I wonder if anyone can guess how many of those were on my list?

There are loads of things that could be added, and each one of us knows the things they should and shouldn’t be doing. Don’t drop a meaningful project to write a Not To-Do List, but next time you’re putting off something you know you should start, think about what would be on there…

Continuing the theme for this week of organizing your personal environment, the next topic to tackle is your keys and keyrings - one of those combined items that everyone, regardless of gender, has to carry in modern life.

After optimizing my wallet, my key bundle was the next thing that I decided to sort out many years ago. At the time, I realised that I was carrying 7 or 8 different keys, with several keyrings and other paraphernalia all in one “convenient” bundle. I’d never considered this a bad thing before, and at one point had even considered myself “cool” and “grown-up” because I had a multitude of places that I had access to. It wasn’t until I sat down, took out the prodigious collection of metal that I had accumulated and looked at it that I realized I had an opportunity to optimize!

How to Unclutter your Keys

1. Check out your bundle - This step is simple… Get out your keys, whether they are in one or several bundles, and have a good long look. You might be instantly surprised at how much you are carrying.
2. Identify what keys you are carrying - Take a good long look at your keyring, and make sure you identify each key on there. If you are carrying keys you can’t identify, it’s probably a safe bet that you don’t need them, at least daily. Put the keys you can’t identify in a one pile, the ones you can in another.
3. Identify what else you are carrying - This is keyrings, karabiners, tools, torches etc. If these items outnumber your keys then you are on the right page. Take time to think about why you are carrying them - Are they useful? Are they keepsakes? Sort them into essential and non-essential piles.
4. Reassemble intelligently - Beginning with the keys you know you use daily, start putting things back together. Keep related keys together on the same ring. Keep car keys seperate from house keys. Attach only those keyrings that serve a useful purpose (see below for info on sentimental keyrings).
5. Consider mutiple keyrings - If you have several logical sets of keys (e.g. daily, car, garden and garage, windows etc.) then I’d recommend keeping them on seperate organized keyrings. I don’t have enough keys to warrant one at present, but I am a big fan of those boards you can get with the little hooks on - a great way to intelligently store all your sets of keys in one sensible place. Tip: Put the key board somewhere central, but out of the sight of windows (So intruders won’t spot them).
6. Dealing with sentimental items - Most people will probably have some sentimental items, or keepsakes, on their keyring. Great. Nothing wrong with that. But think… Is hiding that item in the bottom of your handbag or pocket the best place to keep something you treasure? Can you enjoy it there? Is it being cared for? When I first did this, I took my sentimental keyrings (there were two), and hung them both from my rear view mirror in my car. Result: Lighter pockets, and I could see my treasured items more frequently.

Further Points

• If the array of keys you carry daily could be used to club someone unconscious, then it might be time to pare it down a bit.
• Too many bills from your chiropractor? Wondering why you get backache a lot? Why not stick your entire bundle of keys on a set of scales and weigh them…
• If you run or bike outside, and need keys to get back in, get a copy made of the main door(s) that you need access to and keep them seperate - only take the keys you will absolutely need.

Many people believe that things like the way you speak, your reading speed, IQ, intellect and other factors about you remain the way they were when you were born, and don’t really change as things move on. As a keen personal development student, I like to debunk this myth as often as I can.

Your voice, which you use many times a day without thinking, is one of the easiest things to improve - though it helps to have a bit of guidance in doing so. The benefits of improving your voice can be considerable, from improved communication with others, increased confidence at work and in social situations, eloquence and possible a viable political career (pursue at your own risk).

How to improve your voice and speech via Digg.

Following up on my post yesterday about sorting out your pockets, I thought that this tip from the boys at Lifeclever would be of use to anyone who is currently trying to cut down on pocket clutter.

How to organize all your rewards cards from Lifeclever.