SATURDAY SCOOPS
Straighten up!

Advertiser staff and news services

Here's the holdup that keeps many people from uncluttering their lives: They are perfectionists.

"You see a project that needs your attention, but you think it will take you hours and hours," says Donna Smallin, author of "Organizing Plain & Simple" (Storey Books, $16.95). "The reason you put it off in your mind is you think it has to be perfect."

The key is just getting started, even if you work on a mess five minutes at a time. When you get everything in order at a certain level, then worry about perfecting your system.

"The trick is that not every solution has to be perfectly sensible, perfect or without humor," says Bill Adler Jr., author of "Outwitting Clutter" (Lyons Press, $14.95).

Adler jokes that one of his favorite uncluttering solutions is to pawn your clutter off on somebody else, for example, distributing toys among his in-laws' houses under the guise that his kids will have something to play with when they visit them.

We asked Smallin and Adler for organizing tips that make the difference in uncluttering their own lives:

Start a "tickler file": A tickler file is basically a reminder file and a place to store information that you're going to need on a future date, Smallin says.

Here's how it works: Make one file folder for each month of the year and one folder for each day of the month (1 through 31). Use the files to keep track of things like airline tickets, birthday cards and directions to a meeting. Once you've addressed everything in the current day's folder, put it behind the others. At the end of the month, your papers for the next month should be ready to be filed in the daily folders. For example, at the end of January, take all the papers you've filed in February's folder and distribute them in the daily folders.

Use your computer's address book: Adler uses his e-mail address book to log in information about the whereabouts of household goods.

For example, Adler says his family typically displays their American flag only on the Fourth of July. After that, they store it somewhere in the house and tend to forget where they put it. So Adler made an entry in his e-mail address book for "American flag." When he wants to locate it, he simply looks in his computer file to see where he has stored it.

Carry a spiral notebook: Smallin carries a small spiral notebook with her at all times (often in her purse). In it she writes shopping lists, phone numbers, Web sites and books she wants to read.

Unclutter geographically: Adler organizes by putting objects near areas where they are likely to be used or needed. Now when he gets a new product, he tapes the instructions under the object or nearby so they are close at hand.

Cut the clutter, but ask these questions first

If you're not sure what to do with an item that you're not quite ready to part with, Donna Smallin, author of "Organizing Plain & Simple," says to ask yourself these questions:

• Have I used this item in the past year?
• Will it be needed on a definite date in the future?
• Do I love it?
• Does this item serve a worthwhile purpose in my life?
• Do I need to keep it for legal or tax reasons?
• Is it more important to me to keep this item rather than have the space it occupies?
• Has anyone else in my home used it in the past year?
• Does someone in my household love it?
• Could I get another one easily if needed?

Scoring: There are no right or wrong answers, but a "yes" answer to any of these questions provides a possible reason to keep that item. If you answer "no" to every question, it's probably a good idea to toss the item.

'Attack of Clones' featured at Sunset on Beach

Tonight's movie is the sci-fi adventure "Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones" at 7:15 p.m.; tomorrow's is the romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon, "Sweet Home Alabama," at 7:30 p.m.

Food booths and entertainment are offered from 4 p.m. Admission is free. 523-2489.

Catch classics by Kurosawa at Restaurant Row

Each film will be screened for a week; the other films are:

• "Yojimbo," beginning March 7. The 1961 film stars Toshiro Mifune as a masterless samurai who wanders into a gang war.
• "Rashomon," from March 14. From 1950, a story of rape, told through several perspectives.
• "The Hidden Fortress," starting March 21. Inspiration for "Star Wars," the adventure of two misfit farmer/soldiers, a general, a princess and a former slave girl. From 1958.
• "Ikiru," from March 28. From 1952, a bureaucrat finds his life has had little meaning.

Information: 526-4171.

Dogs get their days at Hawaiian Kennel Club all-breed shows

More than 450 canines of 75 breeds are entered in sporting, hound and herding competitions during the events.

Judging begins at 9:30 a.m. today and 8:30 a.m. tomorrow. Group judging is at 3 p.m. today and 2:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Admission is $5 general, free for kids 12 and younger. Bring the human family, but leave your four-legged, tail-wagger at home, please. (Woof!)

Felines will have a day to shine, too. The Hawaii All-Breed Cat Club is sponsoring a show 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. March 8 at the Ala Wai Golf Course Clubhouse. Admission is $4 general, $3 for those 65 and older, and for kids 12 and younger. (Meow!)

Run for women will take a whirl through Kahala

Ladies, walk, jog or run along the 6.2-mile path of the 26th annual Straub /Kapi'olani Women's 10K Race. It doesn't matter, as long as you get out there and exercise.

The race begins at 7 a.m. tomorrow, following a route from Kapi'olani Park, through Kahala and back. You can still sign up from 6 to 6:45 a.m. tomorrow at the late-registration table at the park. The fee is $30.

Check it out at www.straubhealth.com.

Big House Bar-B-Q revs up tomorrow at Koko Head park

BMX fans, it just can't get much better than this: The 2nd annual Big House Bar-B-Q starts at noon tomorrow at Koko Head District Park.

It's free, and fans can mingle with pro stunt bikers such as Leigh Ramsdell, Mike "Rooftop" Escamilla, Adam Banton, Colin Winkelmann, Heath Pinter, Adam Booth and Glenn Milligan.

Info: 947-0122, thebighousehawaii.com.

Ballet troupe continues tour on O'ahu and Maui

The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, led by former Joffrey Ballet principal dancer Tom Mossbrucker, continues a tour of the Islands with concerts at the Leeward Community

College Theatre and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

The troupe of classically trained dancers performs works from the some of the world's premier choreographers.

The LCC show begins at 2 p.m. tomorrow; tickets are $30 general, $25 those 60 and older, students and military; add another $5 for reserved seating. 455-0385.

Show time on Maui is at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday; tickets are $10, $18 and $25, half-price for kids 12 and younger. (808) 242-7469.

Mossbrucker also will conduct a master class for intermediate and advanced students, 4-5:30 p.m. Monday at the Ballet Hawaii studio at Dole Cannery. Cost is $10. Register at 455-0380.

Set digital recorder with no timing hassle

Oceanic Time Warner Cable subscribers who receive digital programming will be able to watch their favorite TV shows without the hassle of programming a VCR player each time. A digital video recorder offered to Oceanic's digital customers will program any show — one episode or a whole season — at the flick of a button.

"With the digital video recorder, our customers no longer need to worry about rearranging their lives to catch their favorite shows," said Nate Smith, Oceanic president.

Oceanic is going head to head with TiVo, a similar format that offers up to 80 hours of programming without videotape or timers.

Oceanic will upgrade current digital receivers to a DVR-enabled receiver for free. The service thereafter is $9.95 a month.

TiVo costs $12.95 a month, plus a one-time fee of $249 to buy the DVR box.

Oceanic owns all of its DVR boxes, so subscribers lease the equipment by paying the monthly fee and may call for servicing or new boxes if one fails.