Karen,
I would say the main thing when you are in a room and want to organize from square one - make zones. This would be grass roots...where to start if you have an empty room. Look at the main area of where you will be. For instance in an office at your desk. Draw an imaginary circle around you (arms lenght out). That is where you will need to put your essentials. Things you use daily or several times a day....phone, stapler, scissors etc.
Zone B is another circle out - things you use every few days.
Zone C is all the way out. Things you use in that room, but not real often. (extra office supplies, old archive files etc.)
Here is an post I did on it:
http://www.organizewithsandy.com/2009/0 ... ll-it-can/Thanks!