HOW, AND WHERE, TO GET STARTED\Now that you've decided to clean up your act - and living space\- time and method crucial to results Stories by Lori Moody Daily\News Staff Writer.

Stella Macey of Stella's Organizing Service in Castaic said that when it's time to organize, she asks questions first.

"What's the most important thing to you? What would give you the most relief?" she said.

Once you decide on the room or area most in need, whether it's a closet, medicine cabinet or whole room, look it over and make a game plan.

"Write it down on paper," Macey said. "Think of tools you'll want.

"Say, in a home office, you might want shelves in a closet. So when you start putting things away, you'll have a place to put them."

Make sure you have four boxes or plastic trash bags on hand: one for items to be given away; another for things that require action, such as repairs or cleaning; a third for items that belong in another room in the house; and the fourth for things to be thrown away.

If you're dealing with a room, Macey likes to clear the floor first. "Start from one corner to another," she said. "Work your way around the room, sorting and tossing as you go around the room."

Make decisions. "Always say to yourself, 'Do I really need this? Can I get it elsewhere if I need it? If I do need it, where can I put it so it's useful?' " Macey said.

Don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Do a little at a time, or, if you feel overwhelmed, set a stopping place - or a timer.

"Say you're going to start with a bookshelf and you have 10 shelves: 'I'm going to do at least two of those bookshelves,' " Macey said. "Set in your mind a time limit or quantity limit: 'I'm going to go in there and spend 15 minutes in there every day.' Most likely, people want to keep on going."

If you must store something out of the way, put it in a box with a date so that when you come back later, you will be able to see how long it's been since you've used it.

KITCHEN

A common organizing problem is failing to clear the refrigerator or pantry, Macey said.

To help, first, place things by categories - for instance, cereal on one shelf, pasta and potatoes in another spot, canned goods in another. Getting a "lazy susan" can help you see quickly what you have.

"In one kitchen, the gal had six cans of pineapple chunks. She never eats pineapple chunks but once a year," Macey said. "She had 20 packages of Jell-O because she could never find it.

"That's what happens. People keep buying because they can't find it."

Least-used items can be placed toward the back. Spices can be placed on a rack on the door or on a lazy susan.

"Spices go from A to Z," Macey said. "People laugh at that, but you can find them. Just little things like that make a difference."

Similarly, group things in the refrigerator. Put leftovers in clear containers on a separate shelf. "You're more apt to use your leftovers if you can see them," Macey said.

Who hasn't gone through the bowels of their cupboards to unearth the just-gotta-have gadget that was used once or twice. Remember fondue pots and yogurt makers? Maybe it's time to dump the relics.

And if you have to constantly move the blender to reach the more frequently used toaster, rearrange.

This is the time to examine pots and pans. Are surfaces too worn? Can they be repaired?

Go through your plates, glasses and coffee cups, plastic containers. Are there many mismatched pieces that you don't use?

"You only need so many," Macey said. "Always match up what you have."

Macey uses inexpensive sweater-size plastic boxes for storing potatoes, onions, pasta and rice. Keep the lids underneath the boxes so you don't lose them.

"It's like a portable drawer," she said. "I also use those boxes underneath the sink for soap."

A shoebox-size plastic box is handy for envelopes of seasonings, salad dressings and drink mixes. Wire racks mounted on the wall or in a cupboard are useful for stAoring foil and plastic wrap.

BATHROOM

Most bathrooms can never be too big. And they seem never to have enough storage.

A large shower caddy can hold shampoo, conditioner and other toiletries. Plastic or acrylic organizers can keep hairbrushes, makeup and other items neatly sorted. Decorative baskets also are useful for everyday toiletries.

An acrylic file-folder holder can be mounted on the wall for magazines.

Store excess medications, first-aid supplies and suntan lotions in plastic boxes that can be kept elsewhere, such as a hall closet.

"If you can hide it, it's better," Macey said. "You don't want visual clutter."

CLOSET/STORAGE

If your closet-organizing skills are limited to the throw-it, hide-it and just where in the heck did I put it variety, it's time to come out of the closet.

"You can add 20 to 30 percent more space if you properly rack it," said David Hochberg of Lillian Vernon.

The catalog company sells a variety of closet organizing devices including shelf dividers for $9.98, a three-shelf shoe rack for $32.98, and sweater/shirt bags for $19.98.

Consider investing in a do-it-yourself closet-organizing system such as the one offered by Hold Everything. The Dallas-based Container Store, which will open its first West Coast store in June in Costa Mesa, also offers a closet-organizing catalog in which customers can call or fax measurements in.

"I would say the biggest, No. 1 frustration is not utilizing their space efficiently, and then, not having enough," said Melissa Reiff, vice president of sales and marketing for the Container Store.

There also are a number of companies that will come to your home to redesign closets.

Or as Tom Billman, owner of Always Better Closets put it, "helping someone emotionally challenged (with) their closet. We come in quite unemotional," he said.

The company designs closets that start at about $300, with the average costing $1,000, and incorporates a variety of materials includingA wood and laminate.

Sometimes just sorting your clothes can work wonders; for example, dress clothes on one side and casual clothes on another, Macey said.

If you're handy or have a friend who is, remove the bar from the closet and cut it in half.

Add a supporting piece of lumber in the middle and reinstall one piece of bar for long-hanging clothing such as coats and dresses. On the other side, replace the other piece of bar, then another bar lower down, so short items can be double-hung.

More inexpensively, look for hangers that can hold more than one item. Shoebags not only can be used for shoes, but for jewelry, scarves and hose. Plastic stacking drawer units and baskets can provide additional storage.

GARAGE

"The garage is usually the place where they can't park the car because they have too much stuff," said Tom Nevermann of the Moving Doctor in Beverly Hills.

"I like keeping things off the floor because they get buggy and wet," Nevermann said. "Also, look what you're putting in the garage. If you're putting old clothes out there, they can get moldy."

Install shelves. Consider storing paint cans and other heavier objects on low shelves or in cupboards with latches so they can't fall and damage your car, he said.

To save room, hang things. "Pegboard is great," Nevermann said. "It gives a garage a real finished look."

Don't forget the rafters. Install boards to hold window screens and other lightweight items in storage.

For one client, Nevermann painted parking stalls for bicycles and other kids toys. Hang miniature license plates with your child's name to individualize the space. "The kids loved it," he said.

Store bats and other sporting equipment in bins or trash cans. Keep electrical cords in plastic shoe boxes. Put smaller items, such as nails and screws, in stacking plastic drawers placed on shelves or mounted on walls.

Now that the garage is tidied, move on to the car. Keep a trash can in the garage so you can throw outA trash every time you drive in.

Small wire baskets can hold checkbook, radio cover, kids' toys and other items while you're driving. The baskets are also useful for keeping reading material handy when you know you'll be waiting in line.

Don't have a trunk? Keep cardboard boxes on hand for trips to the grocery store. Put your bags in the boxes to keep the contents from rolling all over the car. Over-the-seat organizers are helpful for holding maps and other items.

WORK/HOME/OFFICE

"Paper, along with time, is the No. 1 priority and the No. 1 problem, because people get inundated," said Susan Silver, president of Positively Organized in Los Angeles and author of "Organized to Be the Best! New Timesaving Ways to Simplify and Improve How You Work" (Adams-Hall Publishing; $24.95 hardcover, $14.95 softcover).

An organizational system means using the right tools and habits.

"For example, let's suppose you should have right places to have paper," said Silver, a founding member of the National Organization of Professional Organizers. "You should also have a system when paper should be acted upon or not acted upon."

Begin with your desk.

"Your desk is not a self-cleaning oven," Silver said.

Colored file folders can keep active daily paperwork neatly organized. She also recommended a desk file sorter or "tickler" system, such as an accordion-style file that opens like a book and has days and months noted.

Beware of horizontal file caddies, Silver said. "If you have things vertically, you can see what they are."

Developing a routine is crucial to staying on top of things such as mail. Deal with it every day, or select certain days of the week and stick with them.

If you work at home, make sure you're not co-mingling work and personal items. This is especially critical if you don't have a separate space for your home office, Silver said.

"Clutter builds up very quickly," she said. "It creates stress. When you have too much stuff on a work Asurface, it stresses your circuits. Sensory overload can set in. You can't clearly see what you need to do."

CALENDAR

Each year, Bonnie Neely, 57, of Granada Hills attempts to use a planner. Each year, she ultimately gives up.

It's not that she is disorganized; in her work as a visiting nurse, she has to keep patient schedules and maintain paperwork.But with the planner, "it gets boring," said Neely, who is the sister of CSUN's Dorena Knepper. "I cannot stand to be restricted. If I'm restricted and supervised, I feel panicky."

Silver, on the other hand, said she loves planners.

"But they're not necessarily for everyone," she said. "First of all, try it out, see if it will work with your style. If your life is extremely busy, you may find it useful."

Consider the features you need. Does it have room for telephone numbers and addresses? Calendar? Pages for planning and lists?

If you need an index by subject, try a loose-leaf telephone directory. An example would be using the R page for favorite restaurants. If somebody tells you about a great book, note the title in the B section.

Size is going to be a major consideration. Is it easy to carry? Is there enough room to write? What about style? How will it appear to your clients or in your work?

"I see people using planners and sort of using it as scratch paper," she said. "Some people are very color-oriented and visual, and you have to add something to it, maybe color coding, dots or different color pens."

CAPTION(S):

PHOTO

Photo (1--Color) "Start from one corner to another," suggests Stella's Organizing Service's Stella Macey in dealing with a room. "Work your way around the room, sorting and tossing as you go." Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News (2) Married for five years, Brian Link, holding son Griffin, and Lila Gruzen, holding son Connor, have found their organizational skills tested with the addition of the twins, now 7 months old. Gus Ruelas/Daily News (3--5--Color) no caption (Kitchen) (6--CAolor) no caption (Garage) (7--9--Color) no caption (Bathroom) (10--12--Color) no caption (Closet/Storage) (13--15) no caption (Work/Home/Office)