Here, Morgenstern shows how the simple act of getting organized can do more than give you a little extra closet space -- it can empower you to reach your goals.

Kicking out clutter vs. organizing
First, you need to learn to recognize the difference between de-cluttering and organizing -- and know which one you really need to do. If you're holding on to stuff that's no longer useful in your life, you have to de-clutter before you can even think about getting organized.

"You need to bring forward the treasures and release the trash," says Morgenstern, "because you can't move forward until you clear enough space that you can see where to go next." Imagine what you want to do with the physical -- as well as the emotional -- space you're about to open up. "Getting rid of the old stuff that's no longer relevant untethers you from a past that's weighing you down," she says. "You gain a confidence from shedding that will help you refine and redefine your goals."

Tackle your toughest clutter zones
When it's time to get organized, the key is to take on small areas at a time. Start your efforts with these three manageable projects:

The kitchen junk drawer -- Pull out every item and group similar things together. Then reassign as many as you can to better homes: the random tools go to the toolbox, the coupons go in your purse, arts and crafts supplies go in a stand-alone bin the kids can access while you're in the kitchen cooking dinner. The items you do want to keep in the junk drawer -- spare keys, pens, paper, change, take-out menus, rubber bands -- can be separated with dividers and small containers within the drawer.

The surface of your desk -- Chances are your desk is littered with a combination of things you need to do, things you need to file and things you probably should throw out. Start by categorizing them. Then make sure you have an inbox, a file drawer and an outbox. The biggest organizational mistake people make is leaving out on the desk everything that needs to be done. You run the risk of losing track of important things in piles and may ultimately wind up missing deadlines. "If you track and schedule your to-dos in your daily planner, then all of your work in progress can live in the file drawer and you won't need to leave piles of papers out as a reminder," says Morgenstern.

The mud room -- Morgenstern describes this area as the "landing and launching pad for your house," and, as such, it should be organized in a way that makes everything you need to leave the house with easily accessible. Analyze your space and decide how you can best utilize it by installing a bench, cubbies, hooks, shelves, etc. If you have a family, designate one area for each member's gear. By the door, Morgenstern suggests leaving an "errand tote" -- simply place things like library books, dry cleaning and outgoing mail in it as you come across them and then they'll all be ready to go when you head out to run errands. She also recommends laminating a checklist -- you could have one for each family member -- and hanging it by the door. It will help ensure that you never leave home without your keys, gym clothes, cell phone, lunch and any other essentials.