ONE BY ONE

This approach is a very slow, tidious way of tackling things. If you don't watch it, it might turn into the "headless chicken" before you know it. I rarely use it, as it is very time consuming, but sometimes it is the only way to go.

It only works for a restricted area. Like a dresser top. Or a drawer. You pick up one piece. You stare it down until you know what to do with it and where to put it. Then you go and put it there.You will not rest until it is were it belongs, even if it is just the trash. Now here is the tricky part. You go back to your little area and take the next item. Until every single one of them is taken care of. If you fail to do that and just pick up a random item anywhere you are already on the headless chicken path.

As I said. It is slow. Tiresome even. You don't see progress fast. But that is why it works. Because you aren't sorting or resorting. It isn't about restacking or finding a "place to put it until you know where it goes". You actually put things were they belong and they won't resurface somewhere else 3 days later.

So when you are battling a small area full of clutter. One by one might be the way to tackle it!