There is one aspect of organized living that I think gets highly under-emphasized by organizational professionals and how-to magazine articles and books. That is: simply the act of picking up after yourself. Or, put another way, putting things away. I know, it isn't a sexy answer, and even may sound overly simplistic. It isn't even really any fun, either, because it doesn't involve buying anything and it does involve the one commodity we all say we don't have enough of: time. Time we'd rather spend being entertained, relaxing, spending time with our friends, or doing one of our hobbies.

But trust me when I say this: The time you invest in picking up after yourself will greatly increase the time you have to do other things in the long-run. Putting things away is the most cost-effective, highly productive ways you can keep your home or office organized. And when things are organized, life is simple, and life is good.