Getting organized by Stephanie Winston - a book review!
I have had several books that have inspired my sales career over the years. I have written about a couple of them. See you at the Top by Zig Zieglar and The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz. I read both of these books when I first got in to sales some 25 years ago. I actually forgot about another book that has had a big impact on my career and life. This one isn't really a motivational book but an organization book. Linda Scanlan wrote a post called "Is your life organized" which brought it to my mind again. I told her I had a wonderful organization book but would have to look for it. I figured I would still have it as I rarely get rid of books and sure enough after much looking there it was. My copy was written back in 1978 although I did notice on Amazon that she updated the book in 2006.
I read this book for the first time back in the early 1980's and at the time I totally re-organized my house and my life from top to bottom. I was talking to my husband
this evening about the book and he can still remember when I did it. I was not born with that organized gene so for me it has been a work in progress. Stephanie gave me the tools to lead a relatively organized life the last 25 years. One of the things that I loved about the book was that she told me how to organize; when you aren't born with that organization gene you really need it spelled out.
I remember a cute incident that happened right after I first organized everything. I had someone come over to babysit my children and she had to get in my medicine cabinet. We had a mutual friend and after getting in my medicine cabinet she told my friend that I must be really organized. The mutual friend, (who knew me well), responded to her by saying "oh no she read a book". Anyway all these years later I am still using many of the techniques I learned from this book.
To give you a brief overview; Part 1 is over the organizing principle, Part 2 is time and paperwork (which included setting up an office, Part 3 is money and Part 4 is the home (she goes over every room in the home). Like I said for me it was a life changing book. I can't say I don't still have those messy tendencies. Every once in a while I have to go through and re-organize but underneath the clutter is a system of organization so it doesn't take me long to organize the clutter.
You can order these from Amazon for almost nothing. They still have the original book Getting Organized and the 2006 Getting Organized revised and updated addition is also available. I myself ordered the revised edition this evening. After dusting off the cobwebs and looking through the book I realized what an impact it had on my life and decided I needed to check out the new revised addition also. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
For all your Spring TX Real Estate needs, contact me today!
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty
Cell: 832-721-8332
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Debbie, I guess I had not thought about books on ebay. I do buy lots of other stuff on ebay. I'm a huge reader and got a bunch of books for Christmas so I probably better not go there for a while.
Kathy, if they system works for you that is what it is all about. I really had forgot that my system came from this book until I read the post from Linda.
Marchel ~ Glad to see there are others that share the wisdom of those who have gone before us! I always say, if it is to be learned, you can probably find a book that explains it. then you just have to,live it!
Best wishes to you for 2008!
Marchel - this is a great post for the new year. One year I read Clutter's Last Stand by Don Aslett and my house underwent a huge transformation. Unfortunately I've slipped back into my messy tendencies and hope to get back on track this year again. It's very difficult to run a business and live in chaos.
Karen, I will have to check out Clutter's last stand. I'm basically a messy person so for me staying organized is a constant battle. Everything in my house has its place but I'm really bad about not putting it in the place that I have made for it (lol). I do have to say I can't even imagine what our house would be like if I had not read Stephanie's book years ago.
You are right about it being difficult to run a business and live in chaos. When I get really busy is when I should be the most organized but for me those messy genes come out at that time then I spend lots of time looking for stuff. Being today is the 1st day of 2008 that sound like a great goal. Maybe we should report in to each other through the year and see how we are doing with it? I have always found I do better if I am held accountable.
That sounds like a great idea. Don Aslett's book is very good - it really helped me get a better perspective on clutter.
Sometimes I think part of my problem is that we don't have enough room for everything we NEED. and it LOOKS like clutter but it's not. But I'm also afraid that if we were to move into a bigger place, we would end up actually filling it with true clutter.
Karen, I'm on my way to the mall so will check that book out. I'm really not a big shopper so who knows how long I will last but have a belt to exchange for my husband and today I have the time.
You are right the more room you get the more clutter you get. Our two cross country moves decluttered our house but over the last 11 years we have managed to bring a lot of clutter in.
Marchel,
Thanks for this book recommendation...it's something I need to constantly focus on as I'm so easily distracted.
I'll order the book today!
best of the coming year to you,
Jo
Jo-Anne, it is so easy to become distracted. I constantly have to re-organize myself. The basic organization is there but I get busy and don't take the time to put things where they belong.
I ordered her revised edition off of Amazon yesterday. It will be interesting to see what changes she has made.
Jason, I don't have that organization gene either. I have become organized but it has been a long process.
Jason, isn't that a great book to start your sales career off with. I read it 25 years ago when I first got in to sales. I dusted it off when I started my own company three years ago and then I bought the updated version for both of my young adult children.
Gary White, you are so right. I constantly have to stay on top of my organization or it ends up underneath the clutter (lol).
Gary Woltal, I don't own Amizon stock but I sure help them keep it at a high level. I did more than half of my Christmas shopping with them. My kids just give me their wish list and I let my fingers do the shopping. It is GREAT! I just heard about another organization book "Clutter's last stand". Next time I do an order I think I will order it. At the moment though I have a stack of Christmas books to read so I need to get through them before adding more.
Marchel, one of my techie geek friends who is into everything new just got the Amazon Kindle e-Book reader. It's wireless and may be another gift for yourself, an avid reader.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FI73MA/ref=nav_swm_ref/002-8176484-9988034
It may save you from stacking so many books!
I am not nearly as organized I used to be, not sure what happened. Life changing? Ok, maybe I do need the book.
Marchel, I've ordered the book! I can only see myself improving...provided I actually READ and DO what it says in the book! LOL
Seriously, I intend to tidy up my life. Thanks for the link love!
Gary, that looks really cool. I guess that would be why it is temporarily out of stock. I'm a great one for laying in bed and reading I wonder how it would work?
Cynthia, I have ordered the new version. For me it was a life changing book. I'm now always looking for ways to organize and I was not born with that organize gene.
Marchel, I think I have this book - the cover looks so familiar. Now if I can just find it in all the clutter! LOL Also have read "Clutter's Last Stand" and it forever changed the way I looked at souvenirs. He has a great line and I can't quote it, but it made me think twice before I bought something for friends or relatives. Buy them something they can use or consume, not something to gather dust on a shelf, and be a future garage sale candidate :) Now I'm off to find that book...I know I have it somewhere...
SHARON, Thanks for reviving this book post!! This was one of those books that changed my life. I'm not naturally an organized person but this book helped me to become organized.
Thanks for the recommendation. Maybe tomorrow I'll get organized.