How Relying On Visual Reminders Leads to Clutter & How To Remedy It

June 11, 2013

Often I’ll meet with a client whose desk or other surface is strewn with papers, bags, packages, objects of all sorts. When I ask them about the individual items, they explain that each has been left out because it requires various action, whether it’s returning, mailing, repairing, dropping off, etc. They want to ensure to remember– or more accurately, to not forget–to attend to whatever task is associated with the physical item. Fearing that if it’s put away they won’t get around to it, they keep it all out in plain sight.

This isn’t necessarily a failing strategy in principle; a visual reminder can be hugely helpful. The pitfall comes when these reminders accumulate, which, almost inherently, they seem to do. The result of those good intentions is a whole big pile of seeming clutter, not one of item of which is distinguishable as an individual task, let alone a priority.

The remedy is, as all the best ones are, the most obvious solution. Rather than keeping the thing itself out on your work surface, add the required action associated with it to your to do list. Add as many tasks as you have onto that one list, go wild. In the end, you’ll still end up with only one paper sitting on  your desk, a comprehensive reminder list. Keep that list right square under your nose, and your individual tasks will not only stay in the forefront of your mind, you’ll be able to instantly discern one from the other, rather than having to rustle through a whole pile in order to find the one you’re looking for (which hello, you probably won’t be looking for at all, seeing as how buried under all that other stuff you’ll have forgotten all about it entirely).

If, for instance, you have a question about a piece of paper– you need to make a call to verify some details pertaining to it, go ahead and keep that paper in its file, rather than pulling it out. When you actually do intend to make that phone call, fetch the paper from its file, make the call, cross it off the list.

In other words, bring the physical item out of its storage space and onto your work station at the moment you are going to take action, and not before. Until then, trust in your reminder list to capture the tasks associated with the items.

Got any tips or tales of your own on the subject of visual reminders? Do be a dear and share them with the class. 

Image credits: Bobby Kelly, The Everygirl, Martha Stewart

3 Comments

  1. Jordan McBride on June 10, 2013 at 7:45 am

    Great advice! I do both – I have a tray/inbox that I put things requiring action in during the week and at the end of the week, I make sure it’s empty and things have been put/filed where they need to. I also make a to-do list… on that same adorable zebra notepad! 🙂

  2. Emily @Random Recycling on June 11, 2013 at 10:43 am

    I’m inspired to go clear off my desk now. I’m a big list maker but the visual clutter needs some attention.

  3. Wise Brunette (@WiseBrunette) on December 27, 2013 at 5:55 pm

    I suffer from visual clutter. The to-do pile becomes a towering mess. In my new office space for 2014, I plan to organize my design work and my piles of papers. I’m a big fan of lists, but somehow my desk still manages to become a mess. Perhaps more storage and to-be-completed files would be helpful!

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3 Comments

  1. Jordan McBride on June 10, 2013 at 7:45 am

    Great advice! I do both – I have a tray/inbox that I put things requiring action in during the week and at the end of the week, I make sure it’s empty and things have been put/filed where they need to. I also make a to-do list… on that same adorable zebra notepad! 🙂

  2. Emily @Random Recycling on June 11, 2013 at 10:43 am

    I’m inspired to go clear off my desk now. I’m a big list maker but the visual clutter needs some attention.

  3. Wise Brunette (@WiseBrunette) on December 27, 2013 at 5:55 pm

    I suffer from visual clutter. The to-do pile becomes a towering mess. In my new office space for 2014, I plan to organize my design work and my piles of papers. I’m a big fan of lists, but somehow my desk still manages to become a mess. Perhaps more storage and to-be-completed files would be helpful!

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