Summertime is a good time to take a look around to see what you can merge and purge from your home and your life. The end of the school year is normally nutty for me, so my office can become a bit of a dumping ground.

It can be overwhelming and sometimes, one just doesn't know where to start.

Normally, I pick a spot, usually by the computer, and work my way out. When I hit a pile or a bag with receipts and books, I dump it and tackle that for a spell.

Last week, I decided to try something different. See that mess in the top left-hand corner? That's my closest/filing area. On Day 1 of Operation Office Merge & Purge, I plunked myself in the closet. That's right - I put myself in a corner. No breaks until I could actually walk out of the closet.

It was an interesting way to do it. Each time I looked out, I could see my sunny (albeit messy) backyard. But at least, I could look out the window and have the sense that I was getting closer to the sunshine.

I see the benefit of being far away from the temptations of the computer and smartphone. Not sure if I'll do it again that way. The first little while, I felt trapped. I worked my way quickly to open up a path.

At the very least, it felt good to tackle the not-so-fun task of organizing my office and cleaning up my mess from a different angle. It felt fresh.

The next time you tackle de-cluttering your space, approach it from a different angle or start in a different place. You're in for a new experience.