Before we begin, let me please say this to those of you who would rather pile than file your papers—it's okay. No, I'm serious. There is nothing wrong with leaving papers in piles as long as you can find what you need when you need it. See, getting organized isn't going to be as bad as you thought. The truth is, there is no right or wrong way to deal with paper. There are no Paper Police that will issue you a citation (yikes, more paper) if your papers aren't nice and tidy, filed away in alphabetical order and cross referenced chronologically. Right-brainers are much more likely to want to leave paper out where it can be seen.The problem is, we live and work in a left-brain world where papers MUST be filed or else. Or else what?

I know a lot of people who have everything—and I mean everything—put away and they can’t find a thing. So stop apologizing for having your papers organized in an unorthodox manner. “Excuse the sticky notes and piles of papers, I'm gonna get to it soon,” we say meekly to those who ridicule and reprimand us for our unique way of working. Well, I'm here to tell you that it's okay to be who you are. There is no shame in being a right-brainer who by nature is visually oriented and likes papers out where they can be seen. What this article will do is show you how to make sure that the paper in your life keeps flowing and when it does come to rest, you can find it again—whether that means it’s in a pile or a file.

Check off the ideas you plan to try on your piles of paper.

Focus on the positive
A pile of papers on your desk can be a distraction as it gathers dust (especially when unfinished or unresolved). Here's a great idea. Put some kind of positive reinforcements on the top of each pile.

Get a spine
When you have stacks of paper and files for various projects and purposes, wrap a large piece of paper around each grouping and create a spine. Now you can label each area of your pile and with a quick glance get a clue of what's in the stack.

Clipped
For a lot of loose pieces of paper, use a clip board. You can have one for each area of your life or each project you are working on. Label the clips so you know which is which and hang them on the wall. Underneath the various (but related) scraps of paper clipped together can be a pad of paper which acts like a master list of things to do and remember.

In the zone
Divide your desk into quadrants and pile by zones. For example, a pile on top of a filing cabinet contains folders and papers waiting to be filed. This way the pile is in a place that makes sense and they reside close to their final resting place. You may also want to designate different drawers to throw papers in. Label and limit each to one topic or type of information. You can control the chaos by setting some parameters for height and space designated for each pile. For example, maybe you keep piles limited to one table. When the pile starts to spill over, go through and thin out, throw out and straighten up the papers. Designate one space for unfinished projects and the papers that go with them.

I can see clearly now
Put piles in clear containers. This works because you can see what's inside, containers are portable (take them with you to tackle at the beach or park) and piles don't topple over when you put the lid on. With containers you can sort papers by action, project, priority or whatever you want (and left-brainers will believe you are neat and clean. Ha!) A clear plastic rack on the wall puts papers up where you can see them and clears off counters and other surfaces. You can also achieve similar results by placing wicker baskets on top of your desk or on the floor.

Think inside the box
Author J.K. Rowling (of Harry Potter fame) puts her papers in open boxes and marks the outside with a numbering system so she knows basically what's inside. Rowling likes this system because she still has to shuffle through the papers in each box to find what she's looking for, which will usually trigger an inspiration or idea. Anyone can use boxes for managing overflowing papers. Put projects in progress in a series of bins and boxes, do the same for things that are completed and need to be archived—just be sure to label the outside. For current papers, an open box close at hand is best. For long-term papers create a dead storage like the police have for old case files. The papers are still there if you want to "reopen a case," but they are not taking up valuable space "in the precinct." Only "open cases" are kept in your office. If you want even less paper in your life, enter this information on a sticky note inside your computer.

Undecided
In publishing, editors create what is known as a "slush pile." This consists of unsolicited manuscripts (those not sent in by literary agents). Every once in a great while these manuscripts are read, and a bestselling book is discovered. Anyone can create a "slush" pile. This is where you throw papers you don't think, but aren't absolutely sure, you will want again. Keep the slush box near the door—which is one step closer to the trash. Go through it from time to time and pull out anything of value, but basically this is where your junk papers go to die.

The pending pile
Here's how to have a clutter-free desk, the right-brain way. Using a box or a big drawer, drag everything on your desk into it at the end of the day. Put the most important stuff on top to begin the day with. If that seems too crazy, leave papers out on your desk but keep them in file folders so that you appear to be living with less clutter.

The basics
Apply the basic rules to each pile. For instance, when making a pile, put the larger stuff on the bottom (book or binder) with the smaller stuff (disk or sticky note) on top. Group like things together with everything related to a person, project or thing in one place (a pile or file). If you are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of paper piled up around you, tackle it one pile at a time.

About the Author

Lee Silber is the author of Organizing From the Right Side of the Brain and numerous other books. A popular speaker and successful entrepreneur, he has created more than a dozen companies, but has never held a regular job. You can visit Lee's website at http://www.creativelee.com and contact him for speaking engagements at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .