As a personal organizer, I'm often talking with people who want to be more organized but just can't figure out how to make it happen. Many times, looking at a messy office or a crowded garage or closets jammed with stuff can feel like being at the bottom of a mountain knowing you'll never make it to the top. You know the view is spectacular, you know you'll feel great once you've reached it, but it just seems to be an impossible task.

The first thing I tell my clients is to start with the little things. Every journey begins with a single step, so concentrate on taking just one step. Ignore the mountain, look to the small plateau just ahead.

Chose one very specific place to begin, such as your desk. Schedule one hour to decide where things should go - not to tackle all the tasks piled there, just to organize them. Be honest with yourself and throw away anything that you know you are never going to get to. Find a place for everything, and then simply make it a priority to always put things back in that place. For one month, stick to it. Then celebrate your victory!

In the next month, add one more. Perhaps one closet? You will find that as you make it a habit to put things away, it won't be as hard to do. Not only that, you will discover that as you remove the clutter in your surroundings, you are also removing it from your life.

The second thing I encourage people to do is begin planning. This is the one that everyone balks at, and yet will make the most difference. Once again, start simple. Schedule one hour on Saturday or Sunday to look over the week. Make decisions about meals, when you'd like to exercise, spend time with family or working. If you don't make decisions about where to spend your energy, you will end up living reactively instead of proactively.

This is not to say there won't be times when something comes up, and you have to deal with it. But if you have a framework for your week, there will be less of those instances. Also having the plan in mind, you are less likely to just flip on the TV to fill time.

Then spend just 5 minutes either the night before, or first thing in the morning to brush up on the day. Look to see what you need to take with you when you leave. Can you get to the bank on the way back from dropping the kids? While you are waiting to get the oil changed on your car, do you have phone calls to return? This 5 minutes can help you maximize your time, and give you the needed extra for family, friends and fun.

Lastly, at least for this beginning, plan to be on time. You can. It's a choice. Planning the extra time to get ready and out of the house, or the extra time you need in case of traffic will de-stress your life more than I can explain. The rushing and frustration with traffic on an on-going basis takes a toll on your psyche. Not only that, when you are late it is disrespectful to the other person or people you are meeting. You are blatantly saying, "My time is more important than yours. Therefore, I am better and more important than you." But when you chose to be on time, when you are consistent with this, your colleagues, family and friends WILL notice. It establishes respect, trust and esteem. I guarantee it.

I will warn you though, prepare to wait for the other person who is late. It takes some time before others catch on. Live by example. Be the change. It's empowering.

So let's recap. Here's what you can do right now:

1. Chose one specific, small area to find a place for everything and schedule one hour to do it. Then put everything back in that place for one month.

2. Schedule one hour this weekend to plan your next week.

3. Over that next week, spend 5 minutes either the night before or first thing in the morning reviewing that day. Figure in the extra time needed to be on time.

Start there. Celebrate each win. You CAN do it!