A tip that works for me: Whenever I need to start organizing something (a closet, a desk, cupboards, whatever) I start with purging anything I no longer need. I throw out anything that's expired, worthless, wasting space, and donate anything that could be of use to others. You don't have to do it all at once; just tackle it one drawer/cabinet/whatever at a time.
And like nittany said: baby steps
Slow and steady wins the race. If you're looking at the big picture of everything you want to organize, it can be incredibly overwhelming. Just keep chipping away at disorganization and doing the best you can.
ETA: Also, have you read the magazine Real Simple? It has great tips for organization and saving time.