How Do You Organize?

Illustration: Andu Martin

“I take everything out of my closet, color-code it, and put it back in. It takes a couple of days because I have four different sections.”
—Model, 21

“I make lists for the following day every night before I go to sleep. Errands, office duties, everything. I can’t sleep unless I do it. The lists are in project-management format and are arranged according to geographic location. If it’s on the list, it will get done. The rest is just chaos.”
—Personal assistant, 53

“I work and live on Microsoft Outlook—my schedule, calendar, birthdays, everything. And I have everything backed up on my BlackBerry. At home, I find it nicer to live in less clutter. I have to give my wife most of the credit. I just do what I’m told. She’s my Microsoft Outlook, and I love her for it.”
—Sales executive, 53

“At work, I carry around a notepad. I stay organized there, but personally I’m a wreck. My drawers change depending on how often I do my laundry. The biggest available drawer gets clean T-shirts.”
—Auditor, 24

“I’m not too organized at work. I take a pad of paper with me wherever I go and work from that. But I lose stuff at work. At home, it’s different. Everything is folded the same exact way. Shirts always go in the same drawer. I’m not obsessive about it. I just like things to look neat and clean.”
—Accountant, 24

How Do You Organize?