In just four hours of concentrated work I cleared and processed four in-trays, one bookshelf, two desks, the floor, the top of three filing cabinets and a table. The only casualties were a cheap office shredder and a Dymo labeller tape. I tell a lie. The third casualty was stress and confusion. This morning the accounts office was a mess—now it is serene and workable. I wish I’d taken before photos. These are the after photos.1
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The process was simple as I walked from place to place in the office treating each as a collection point. As I looked at each file or piece of paper I labelled it @file or @project or if not needed placed it in a bin or shred pile (for sensitive material). Rubbish and shredding were handled as I went with the filing done in the last hour. Out of all that I have approx eight projects to define and organise into my system.
There was no doing in this. Just processing. That’s what made it possible.