One of the disadvantages of loving organizing is that any time a new organizational product comes along, you want to try it out.

Packratishness runs in my family. I blame it on my genes because I certainly don’t want to take responsibility.

Unfortunately, this state of denial has consequences―wasting time finding things, stress from clutter, unhappy family members, and other unintended results.

Email is a way of life in the twenty-first century. It’s an efficient way to communicate. What I love about email is being able to send a message any time of the day and not feel like I’m going to wake someone up or interrupt them in what they are doing. Since I’m forgetful, it’s great to email something as soon as I think of it and not be afraid of forgetting about it later.

There is a great selection of online tools out there to help you manage your tasks. And better yet, many of them are free! Free is good. So is less stress through managing your task load.

If you find delight in throwing things away, try using a card system. There is something physically satisfying about shuffling different cards for tasks and then tossing one into the garbage can (or, preferably, recycling can!) when you are done.

Does this sound like your staff meetings? Various people show up and straggle in. As random topics are discussed, the discussion drags on and half the group looks asleep. After it’s over, people leave wondering what decisions have been made. In the end, the meeting seems like a waste of time—or, at least, an inefficient use of time.

Meetings are a fact of life. Meetings can be very beneficial if they allow those attending to be productive and accomplish something. However, it’s also easy to tie up your day in meetings. Here are 5 ways to make sure that your meetings are valuable and save time for all involved:

Somebody needs to invent a Deluxe Ministry Organizing Machine. Press the button — and voila! Instant organized ministry. Flip the switch and you’ll never have to hunt for that information again. Maybe Instant Ministry Organizer Powder would be better — just add water and your desk is immaculate as papers shuffle themselves into files. Or hire the Robotic Ministry Organizing Personal Assistant and it will whip your leadership team into shape —you get a convenient scapegoat when things go wrong, too!

Unfortunately, these tools are not yet available in the twenty-first century, so we have to rely on advice and good old elbow grease. Below are some tips and resources that will help you be better organized and more effective in your ministry.

It seems like such a fundamental and simple principle, but it’s too often forgotten.

People are lazy. Period.

• We’re not going to get up to walk around the room just to throw away a piece of paper. Leaving it on the desk is so much more convenient. Even better, crumple it up and try to make a basket. If we miss, oh well, we’ll get it later.
• We get out a tape dispense to get a piece of tape… and then walk away with it still on the table.
• We borrow a pair of scissors from a drawer downstairs. We leave it on the counter upstairs — we’ll put it away later.

What happens? A big mess. Things everywhere. You can’t find something when you need it. Time wasted.

That’s why this fundamental principle will save you time — you can find something when you need it, and put it away immediately. It will be there next time and you don’t have to hunt around for it.