How do you keep organized?

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Author Message David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 184 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 05:16 pm:    Even though I love organization, I always seem to be the most disorganized person in the office. Does anyone have any good ideas about simple solutions for keeping records, files, product literature (loose), notes, mark-up copies, etc. Thanks! Anonymous   Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 05:46 pm:    .... and e-mails. Ralph Liebing Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 39 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 06:50 am:    Not a solution to general disorder, but train yourself to remember what is in each pile, on your desk. It amazes folks when you can locate something in quick order, despite the "Appearance" of disorder. Hey! We deal in multiple, assorted maga-myriads of information to assist others, so at some point there has to be a "repository", which in this instance, is called US! [i.e., a useful, and valuable facility for the retention and storage of information for current and future use, and hindsight retrieval and review. Buck-up-- you're in the majority!!!! [Peek-a-boo, I see you over the tallest pile on my desk! William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 231 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 09:35 am:    David, There are 2 kinds of organization efforts required as I look at it. One to do with projects, one to do with general information. For projects, I have a 'backup information' folder that I put all that is given to me about a project. When the project is underway and active before it goes out to print, I keep the folders on my desk - one is 'done', the other, 'to do'. Hopefully (-grin!) it all ends up in the done folder. When it goes to print (or becomes inactive), I file these with a copy of the originals and a record copy in a filing cabinet. When the project is completed (constructed and finished), they go to storage. This also includes everything from consultants. Emails are printed out and go into one of the 2 folders of to do and done. I also create a folder in outlook for a project and put emails in there for issues that I need reminding about or want to have handy. This includes by my sent and sent to me. I have a computer project folder too - this contains the project manual, and it also contains a top level folder that holds files in their original format that are received from others. General information is the real major problem though. Basically I have a similar approach to project information. Anything that is of special interest to the office in general, I give to our librarian who catalogs it. But copies that I want to retain, they go on my bookshelf. Loose things in a 'box' type holder that lets them stand up vertically. I just put them there - and then I go through it from time to time to see if it is still something I want to hang on to. Emails, I have a number of general information folders and sub folders in outlook. And same with general computer files I get that I want to keep. Is that organized? Maybe. Maybe not. Afterall, the true secret to dusting is not all this new "Swiffer" stuff on TV, its the compressed air can! One test of organization is if you can use the compressed air can and nothing blows away! Remember, the true test for becoming a Fellow is the ability to pull any information requested from a single large pile on your desk - whether the information is in the pile or not, you have to be able to produce it. You are already CCS so that means you know how to get information actually in the pile out of it easily. Now you have to go to the next level! William John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 122 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 - 08:36 pm:    A clean desk is the sign of a sick mind. John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 123 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 - 08:52 pm:    The great promise of the Overall Construction Classification System (OCCS) is that it will have a unique digital (alphanumeric or numeric) identifier for every conceivable subject related to the construction industry. After it's promulgated and you've gone insane trying to understand it, you can sit in a corner all day creating cyber-files and filing .pdf format documents of every bit of information about your projects. Then you will only be a few mouse clicks, keyboard clacks, mumbled curses and frantic calls to your IT guru away from finding what you're looking for. In the meantime, I'm using expanding file folders for each project, localizing the clutter into these files which contain the meeting notes, printed e-mail, work plans, catalog cuts, and other "stuff" that isn't good enough to spread in my garden. I put an identifying code on each document that corresponds to the project identifier I use in the specs. I am currently using a three-character identifier which, along with the five-digit Masterformat number is the eight character file name I use for spec documents. (Yeah, I know about long file names under Windows 95, et. al. I'm a Ludddite.) But it works pretty well. John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 153 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 09:30 am:    I have piles on my desk. Each has a general category associated with it (in my mind) which can be somewhat fluid. I keep folders in my file drawer by project, by Masterformat number (for limited uses), and by non-project tasks. I also have a Word document that is my master to-do list for long-term corporate-type projects and initiatives so I can keep track. About every month when I can't find something, I clean everything off my desk -- read it, file it or through it away -- then start all over again. Somehow, this seems to be the best I can manage, but it works well for me. DennisHall (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Saturday, November 01, 2003 - 11:30 am:    I clean desk, backboard, cridenza, office floor, and two other desks where I "organize" stuff about every three months or so. I have just spent the last 4 hour throwing out paper, some of it I have not seen in two years. My desk is clean and I feel sick. Monday, I won't be able to find a thing. Friday, I could not find my desk.