I recently participated in a group post with four other mystery writers, in which we talked about how we get and stay organized. (Read the post here.) I felt like a fraud because I rarely “get” organized, and I’ve never in this life of mine stayed organized for long. It doesn’t matter what kind of organizational system I attempt: Day-Timers, calendars, iPhones.

Thanks to my pal, Cindy Brown, I discovered a fantastic method for the organizationally challenged: Personal Kanban. If you like Post It notes, this is the method for you! (Here’s an overview.) I just started using the system, and it seems OK. I mean, it’s pretty, that’s for sure, and it satisfies my irrational need to jot things down willy-nilly on colorful bits of paper. Slap them on the wall — voilá — I’m organized!

The secret is to actually refer back to my wall. Hopefully I’ll get the hang of it. It’s not like I don’t pass by this area in my kitchen twenty times a day.

We’ll see how long it lasts. I’ll probably use this method along with my tried-and-true thumb-pad method for to-do reminders on the fly.