Book Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

I recently picked up Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, and I thought it would be fun to include a book review every few months on the blog (I will, of course, keep the book choices relevant to freelancing, editing/writing, and business in general). As a freelancer, the way my home is organized directly affects my productivity. I was interested to see if Kondo's method (aka the KonMari Method) could help me better organize my home, leaving more time to build my business and work more productively.

Clutter affects us in many ways and comes in various shapes and sizes. It’s not just a pile of junk mail on the table or clothes in the closet that don’t fit but can come in the form of toxic relationships, possessions from a past relationship or broken friendship that give off a negative vibe, and/or an overflowing e-mail inbox. Clutter adds stress to our lives and distracts us from the things that truly matter.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is an absolute gem. From an editorial standpoint, I found it to be extremely well written. It’s a relatively quick read (213 pages) and has a clear and helpful index and table of contents. Besides wholeheartedly recommending this book to those who are looking to bring order into their lives and work (if you aren’t one of the millions of people who have already purchased it), I thought I’d include some of the ways reading this book has improved my life as a freelancer. I hope you find these tips to be helpful!

I’ve reset my morning and evening routines for better productivity.

Each evening, I make sure that everything is put away in its proper place before I go to sleep. In addition to giving me a fresh start in the morning, I am actually able to get better-quality sleep knowing that everything has been taken care of prior to bedtime. Before reading this book, I would tidy up the apartment as part of my morning routine, thinking it would kick-start my productive spirit and energize me for the busy day ahead. This partially worked, only I would get into “home mode” instead of “work mode,” and before I knew it lunchtime would have passed on most days without much editing to show for it (however, on occasion I would have an extremely organized kitchen, complete with an alphabetized spice rack). I now have a new morning routine, which I’ll outline in detail in the next post, and I’ve been able to hit the reset button on my productivity.

I am now surrounded only by things that bring me joy, which has improved my energy and overall happiness.

When I look around our home, I can’t help but smile because the possessions I’m surrounded by, each and every one, bring me joy, which is the primary theme of the KonMari Method. Each piece of furniture, artwork, and décor is something that my husband and I picked out or was a gift that truly suits our style and needs (and not something we kept because we felt like we had to). Photographs elicit happy memories and fresh candle scents invite relaxation. To learn to let go of what no longer serves us is such an important life lesson, but to then be surrounded only by what we hold most dear generates such an uplifting feeling. As for my workday: happier thoughts + more energy = less stress + more getting done.

Tidying has become so much easier, which means more time in the day for the important things in life.

Once I had decluttered and assigned everything its own place (and I mean everything), I was amazed by how much faster and easier it was to have the apartment clutter-free, and, most importantly, it’s been near effortless to maintain. There’s no more shutting the door to hide the mess on the other side or taking extra time to decide where something should go. I no longer have items I didn’t remember I had because they were stashed away in storage, and I can now better organize our belongings in our tiny one-bedroom apartment with lots of room to spare (my favorite tip was her method of folding rather than hanging certain clothing items—it has seriously changed my life!). Since I spend drastically less time picking up, I have more time to work on the things that mean the most to me. I’ve felt the weight of a heavy load being lifted off my shoulders, and I’m ready to take my business—and my life—to the next level.

Have you guys read this book? What did you think?

On Chasing Your Dreams

Before I started my business, I was working an entry-level office job where I often had to “create” things to do. I was bored, and I didn’t feel like I was contributing to society or using my talents appropriately. While I was grateful for the work, I knew I needed something more.

According to a Gallup poll, in 2013, 70 percent of people described themselves as “disengaged” from their work. I personally know many people who are unhappy with their jobs, but very few do anything—or feel they can do anything—about it. Why is this?

Leaving your job, no matter how unhappy you are, means going outside your comfort zone, into the unknown.

Whether it’s a tiptoe, a step, or a giant leap, going outside your comfort zone can be, well, uncomfortable. Do your research, determine what you need, and see what matches up. Lean on friends and family when you have doubts, and remember why you wanted to make a change in the first place.

As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal. —Robin S. Sharma

Some people won’t understand why you’re doing what you’re doing.

As with any decision, big or small, you will likely have naysayers. In my case, I had an array of responses to my decision to start my own business, from “I’m so excited for you” to “Isn’t that a bit risky? Why don’t you just keep a ‘normal’ office job like everyone else?” While it's smart to take varying opinions into account when making a big decision, in the end, it’s up to you. You are in charge of your own happiness, and your decision doesn’t need to make sense to everyone else as long as it makes sense and is meaningful to you.

Trust your instincts and make judgments [based] on what your heart tells you. The heart will not betray you. —David Gemmell

You are waiting for the “perfect time.”

Life can really get away from us if we let it. Time seems to fly by in an instant, and we wonder how it’s even possible. If you allow it, you might find yourself losing five, ten, even twenty-plus years in a job that isn't fufilling. Don’t put a date stamp on chasing your dreams. It’s easy to say, “But maybe I’ll get a raise next year” or “When the kids are older, I might try something else,” but why put your happiness on hold? Take the time to regularly evaluate where you are in life. Is it where you thought you’d be? Is it even better? Are you happy? Don’t be intimidated to take a step toward your happiness, even if it’s a small one.

If you wait for the perfect moment when all is safe and assured, it may never arrive. Mountains will not be climbed, races won, or lasting happiness achieved. —Maurice Chevalier

Life is short, and each day is a precious gift. If you feel that hunger, that longing to try something new, think about what you need to do in order to get there and feel empowered to make it happen.

All too often, we feel that we are not living the fullness of our lives because we are not expressing the fullness of our gifts. —Elle Luna

What’s the Difference between Copyediting and Proofreading?

“I am a freelance copyeditor and proofreader.” This is my simple reply when asked what I do for a living, and I have become less and less surprised when my statement is followed by confused looks and questions like, “Isn't that the same thing?” or “So you spell-check documents?”

Copyeditors Are Not Proofreaders

The duties of a copyeditor are quite extensive and difficult to describe in one neat, simple sentence, so it’s not surprising that many people are unclear on what it means to be a copyeditor. But before we get into the nitty-gritty of it, let’s get one common misconception out of the way: copyeditors are not proofreaders—although many copyeditors are also good proofreaders. The Copyeditor’s Handbook (3rd Edition) describes it best:

Copyeditors work on an author’s manuscript and are concerned with imposing mechanical consistency; correcting infelicities of grammar, usage, and diction; and querying internal inconsistencies of fact or tone. Proofreaders, in contrast, are charged with correcting errors introduced during the typesetting, formatting, or file conversion of the final document and with identifying any serious errors that were not caught during copyediting. (2011, 11)

So, copyediting comes first, then proofreading—they are two different and distinct stages in the publication process.

What Does a Copyeditor Do?

Let’s break down the main responsibilities of a copyeditor based on the previous quote from The Copyeditor’s Handbook (this list is not exhaustive):

Imposes mechanical consistency. Correct errors in spelling, capitalization, hyphenation, and punctuation (what’s the difference between a hyphen, an en dash, and an em dash?), as well as make changes to ensure a manuscript conforms to the appropriate editorial style (in academic editing, this would often be either Chicago, APA, or MLA style).

Corrects infelicities of grammar, usage, and diction. Amend wording that is likely to distract or confuse a reader. A copyeditor will use various editing resources as well as his or her own judgment to make these changes, as the rules for this facet of editing are often subjective. A good copyeditor will know when to hold back and when to make a change. A helpful question to ask while editing is: “Is this sentence technically correct as the author has written it?” If the answer is “yes,” leave it. Never change a sentence that is technically correct simply because you would prefer to write it another way.

Queries internal inconsistencies of fact or tone. “On Monday, March 15, 2016,” is an example of an item that would need to be flagged for the author and not just simply changed as there is more than one possible change. For example, it is possible the author meant Monday, March 14 (“Monday” is correct), or the author might have meant to write “Tuesday” instead of “Monday” (making “March 15” correct). Although copyeditors aren’t responsible for the factual accuracy of a manuscript, a good editor will flag any consistencies he or she finds and ask the author to confirm.

What Does a Proofreader Do?

Based on the definition from The Copyeditor’s Handbook, a proofreader checks for errors in the book proof, which is normally in PDF format. A proofreader should be on the lookout for problems such as incorrect change in font style or size, line break errors, inconsistencies in chapter headings, and so on. He or she will also read through the book from start to finish and identify any errors that were not caught during the copyediting stage (because no one is perfect!).

I hope this information is helpful! Please feel free to leave comments/questions below!

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Einsohn, Amy. The Copyeditor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications. 3rd edition. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2011.

Tips for Organizing Your Workspace

The ability to organize your workspace, both physically and digitally, is an essential part to efficiently running your business. I find the more organized I am, the more productive I am. It’s just part of the equation, but it’s a big part. When an item is out of place, I spend unnecessary time looking for it, hence, less time actually working. When my apartment is cluttered or messy, I'm distracted from my work and feel the need to use time during my workday to clean. Working from home already has its challenges, so I find that having everything in order just makes things that much easier.

Now, I’m not saying you need to be perfectly tidy all the time in order to get stuff done (I know I’m not despite my best efforts), but there’s something to be said for a clean, clutter-free workspace and a good system of organization. Here are a few tips for organizing your workspace:

Set up a filing system.

I have a mixture of hard-copy and electronic documents, but it works for me. I try to keep the physical paperwork to an absolute minimum and scan and save the rest. As long as you can easily and efficiently find what you’re looking for, many methods will work. One thing that has helped me decrease paper clutter is opting for electronic statements for bills. I can log on and access the information at any time without the paper clutter.

Declutter.

Clear your desktop and any drawers and shelves and start from scratch. What do you really need? What do you use every day? For me, it’s my laptop, keyboard, mousepad/mouse, additional monitor, reference manuals, a few select books, and various office supplies (pens, pencils, scissors, etc.). I also always have a drink at my desk, so a coaster is a must (I picked up some cute Kate Spade coasters here). Once you have your workspace cleared, wipe down your desk, file/shred paperwork accordingly, and rebuild with the essentials. Keep things you use every day within reach, and remember: keep it simple.

Keep decorations simple.

I really enjoyed adding a bit of my personality to my workspace, but there is such a thing as too much. Find a good balance—choose elements that motivate you but don’t distract you. Some of my favorites are my “Be Brave” print by Charm and Gumption, a framed photo of my business logo, a framed card my sister sent me (it says “You’re the Bee’s Knees"), and photos of my husband and me. I chose to make a gallery wall above my desk so I could keep the top of my desk clear and clutter-free (check out HomeGoods for super-cute and affordable frames). For a photo of my gallery wall, see "How I Started My Business."

Create a system for incoming paperwork.

I have an inbox-style tray in my desk drawer that I use to keep incoming paperwork in one, neat place. It not only looks nice, but it helps me keep track of things I need to take care of. Once or twice a week, depending on what I have coming in, I go through the pile, take care of anything outstanding, and file/shred accordingly.

Organize your office supplies.

The Container Store is my favorite place for organization. I keep my pencils, pens, paperclips, and other small supplies in trays inside my desk to keep them together and easy to find.

Do you have other tips for organizing? Feel free to leave any feedback or questions in the comments section below. Happy organizing!