Good Piles vs Bad Piles

I have a little known fact to reveal to you.

Every pile is not a bad pile.

Don’t think that every pile you see must go. There are many times when piles are quite appropriate. I have a couple of piles on my counter that are for upcoming things in my life - birthday cards, appointment paperwork, tickets, coupons. Inboxes are useful in a work environment, but the fact that they have a special name doesn’t change the fact that they are piles.

The biggest warning sign that a pile is deviating from usefulness is if it could be classified as a “catch all.” That is the kind of pile you definitely want to avoid, as it serves no purpose other than as a place to dump things.

One way I make sure my piles are extra useful is to keep them in order of when I will need each item, so that the top of the pile is always the next upcoming event or deadline. Not only will the most urgent thing you need always be right on top (thus decreasing frantic digging at the last minute), but it can also serve as a reminder of important things coming up.

What are some ways you use piles to help keep yourself organized?