Take Breaks

From the Dec. Issue of O, the Oprah Magazine - An End to Overload - Four Ways to Break Your Multitasking Habit

by Lauren Dzubow

Humans work in cycles; we can concentrate for a period of time but then need time to rest. Every hour or so, take a quick walk around the block, or just step away from your desk for a few minutes.

Embrace Discomfort

From the Dec. Issue of O, the Oprah Magazine - An End to Overload - Four Ways to Break Your Multitasking Habit

by Lauren Dzubow

People often give up on difficult tasks in order to escape to something easier. "Any project that takes mental effort, or involves critical thinking and creativity, is going to be a little painful sometimes," says Maggie Jackson, author of "Distracted". When you hit a wall, don't just point-and-click--push past it.

Organizational Expert, Julie Morgenstern, is on The Nate Berkus show

Julie Morgenstern really is the pioneer that made the world aware of Professional Organizing. I'll be watching today's episode of The Nate Berkus Show to see how she turns a basement into a functioning office for two brothers.

Build Up Your focus

From the Dec. Issue of O, the Oprah Magazine - An End to Overload - Four Ways to Break Your Multitasking Habit
by Lauren Dzubow

Chronic multitaskers may have weakened their ability to focus, says Christine Hohlbaum, author of "The Power of Slow". Set aside a block of time - even if it's just five minutes - to deal with a mentally challenging task; once you accomplish that, extend the time further

Simplify Your Environment

From the Dec. Issue of O, the Oprah Magazine - An End to Overload - Four Ways to Break Your Multitasking Habit

by Lauren Dzubow

Simplify Your Environment

Humans are biologically programmed to pay attention to new stimuli, says Maggie Jackson, author of "Distracted" At your computer, close superfluous windows, turn off Twitter, and disable automatic email notification. Put unnecessary papers out of sight, and turn off your cell phone's ringer.

Are You Multi-tasking Too Much?

Have you ever felt exhausted at the end of a day but also felt that you haven't accomplished a thing? Do you spend much of your day reading emails? I want to dispel a big myth: Multi-tasking is NOT the best way accomplish and complete your tasks. Oh but wait, we've worked so hard at multi-tasking. Women excel at multi-tasking. I love to feel extremely busy; it makes me look good in front of my boss.

Are you interested in working more efficiently?

1. Multi-tasking leads to mistakes and miscommunication. Wile talking on the phone, do you find yourself reading emails? Do you really think you retained both forms of communication? Did you catch all the details? I'm sure you didn't. While on the phone, pay attention to the other person on the line. That sounds like common sense and politeness, but I know too many of us are not doing this on a regular basis.

2. Use your calendar to block out your day in small bits or larger chunks of time. Don't just make a to-do list, but schedule time to do each thing on it. Julie Morgenstern in her book "Time Management from the Inside Out", states the bottom line: "A to-do not connected to a when rarely gets done." Be truthful with yourself on how long you'll need to complete a project and give it that full time. If it's a big project, then break it up into multiple segments throughout the day or week. If you find your attention wondering then work in smaller bits of time. Creative projects need longer portions of your day. And if you have the type of job where you must answer the phone as soon as it rings, then you will need to block out your time with bigger gaps, because you will take longer to complete tasks.

3. Use the morning or your most energetic time to get the most important things done. Big projects, writing, creative projects, anything that needs your undivided attention do first thing. Because if you are pre-occupied with a major project and worrying over it, you can't really focus on anything else.

4. Now for the really big challenge: Don't read your emails throughout the day as they pop into your inbox! Emails have become junk food or even heroin to many of us. They are addicting and make us feel super busy and important. But I really want to strongly suggest that you schedule specific times to read your emails maybe every other hour, and especially not while you are working on something else. For example, while I've been writing this article, I have received 5 emails, but I have not clicked onto my inbox. Not even just to see who they are from.  I know that if I go to my mailbox it will take longer to regain my focus and get back in the blogging zone. By scheduling time to focus on emails I'll  have enough time to read, respond or mark for follow up, and delete or file. I think this is where many of you get in trouble with emails: You read the email in a hurry and leave it in their inbox to deal with later. But then fifty or a hundred more emails come on top of that one and all is forgotten. Maybe you'll remember something about it but think it's been taken care of. Scheduling sufficient time and focusing solely on one task at at time while minimizing interruptions is essential to working efficiently and getting your to-do list DONE!!

5. So this brings me to my biggest suggestion FOCUS! Focus on one thing at a time. Do it. Complete it. Wrap it up and put it away. File the paper work. And check it off your list. Don't move on to the next thing until you have completely finished the one you are working on. This is how so many of you have piles of paperwork on your desk. You didn't really finish the one thing before moving onto another.

So start by making a list of tasks and projects. Guestimate the time it will take you to complete. Break large projects into smaller bite-size projects. Now block out time throughout your day for each task. Be sure to schedule time for phone calls and emails. The more things you schedule - the more you will get DONE!!

Controlling Paper

By now you may have realized that I am a big advocate for saving as little paper as possible. I think the shredder should be your BFF (that’s Best Friend Forever).



So I’m going to give you some suggestions for limiting the amount of paper that comes into your home:

To stop all the unwanted catalogs go to this website http://www.catalogchoice.org/
It’s so easy, even you can do it!
Next, to stop all those credit card applications go to https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi
To opt out of ads or informational mailers go to https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/regist.action
And while were on the subject of stopping unwanted interruptions, there’s also a National Do Not Call Registry at https://www.donotcall.gov/
This allows you to opt out of telemarketers calls

Now that we have limited the amount of paper coming into your home, let’s set up some procedures for controlling the remaining paper:
1. Designate a specific place for bringing the mail into your home as well as other papers from work, school, and such.
2. Use letter trays, wall pockets, baskets, mail sorters, any type of container to sort the papers immediately upon bringing them into your home or office. The smaller the better so that you will keep up with the maintenance. Examples of categories would be action or to-do, bills to pay, something from your child for you to read or sign in order for them to return it to school, and to file. Also, use a Post-it or Clip-rite tab to remind you what action needs to be done. Please resist the urge to randomly pile the papers on your desk in hopes of getting to them later. Sorting the papers as you bring them in really will save you time in the long run. Spend a few minutes now to save hours later.
3. Any unnecessary papers are to be shredded right then, so keep the shredder in this same location. Again and I can’t stress this enough, resist the urge to pile the papers on your desk or kitchen counter to deal with later. You and I both now what will really happen and it isn’t pretty.
4. Now schedule a daily or weekly time to deal with your pre-sorted papers. Make the needed phone calls, pay the bills, go over your children’s school work, and file and shred as appropriate.

I’d like to give you some guidelines on saving paper:

1. You’ll want to save any papers/receipts that your accountant recommends for tax purposes. Please contact your accountant for what they suggest.
Again sort as you collect. Resist that urge to toss in a shoe box to sort on April 14.
2. Save only documents that you cannot easily get elsewhere.
3. Save only documents that you will truly want to access. If you can not come up with one really good reason as to why you may want to refer to this document in the future, then you probably don’t really need to save it.

Let me know what obstacles are getting in your way of controlling your paperwork. Remember organization is a lifestyle choice. It will not happen overnight, but with baby steps and implementing some new procedures and systems, you can be on your way to getting organized.

Organizing Your Closets

The change in seasons is a great time to organize your closets. The stores are filled with new styles that you want now but I’d like to encourage you to clean out your closet first. You’ll need a couple of large bags, one for donations, one for trash.



Let’s begin:

Start at one end or the other but move methodically through the closet so as not to miss anything.
You can break this up into sections (maybe work one hour at a time) or tackle the whole closet at once (possibly 2-4 hours depending on the size and amount of clothing)
Use your bed as a sorting area. Create 3 piles: Keep, donate, undecided.
Sort the section by section putting the clothes in these 3 piles. Once everything is out, try on the undecideds.

Keep this in mind when deciding what to keep or donate:

Keep only what fits now.
Keep only what you wear now. (that means in this past year)
Keep only what makes you feel Great.
Keep what others have complimented you on.

Do NOT keep

Extra sizes for “just in case”
Maternity clothes that are years old
Clothes that were specific to a job that you no longer wear.
Anything that needs repair especially if it’s been in need of repair for more than a year. If you really liked it, you would have taken care of that by now.
Anything that you have not worn in 2 years.
Anything that is not comfortable, especially shoes.

You may keep that one good outfit that you need on special occasions but that you may only wear once or twice a year. But it should fit, be in good wearable condition, and be flattering on you.

Now bag up all those items that are damaged and not worthy to donate. Take that to the trash.
Bag up all those items to donate. I’ll give you some suggestions on places to donate at the end of the article.

Put your clothes away in an orderly fashion. Suggestions would be to group by type of clothing, such as tops, pants, skirt, dresses, jackets, casual clothes, work attire, etc. You can further group by color or sleeve length on tops, for example hang your sleeveless, tops in front of the short sleeve, followed by long sleeves.

Keep only what fits in your space and what you can find easily. If your clothes are so packed that you have trouble wrestling the hanger off the pole, then you have too much in your closet. And you probably aren’t seeing everything, therefore, you’re not wearing everything. According to the National Association of Professional Organizers (www.napo.net) we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time.

Now make a list of items you need to make complete outfits. If you find yourself often saying, “I don’t have anything to wear.” It may be because you only have a hodge-podge of items, nothing that really goes together. Or possibly you’re not shopping wisely by buying items that are a great price but not a great deal. Or are you a fan of retail therapy? Buying while in a bad mood usually leads to bad choices. A good idea is to get to know the sales staff at your favorite stores. They are there to help you find clothes that fit and flatter your shape and style.

Okay now for the suggested donation centers in SCV:

The Assistance League of Santa Clarita
24364 Main Street
Newhall, CA 91321
661.255.1991
www.assistanceleague-alsc.org

Single Mother’s Outreach
24271 Main St.
Santa Clarita, CA 91321
661.288.0117
www.singlemothersoutreach.org

Domestic Violence Shelter
661.259.4357
www.dvcsantaclarita.com

Goodwill
24840 Pico Canyon Road
Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381
661.705.1040
www.goodwillsocal.org

Goodwill
26883 Bouquet Canyon Rd.
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
661.297.0303
www.goodwillsocal.org

"Lessons in Letting Go Confessions of a Hoarder" by Corinne Grant

Lissanne Oliver of Sorted! let me know that she is now carrying the book by Corinne Grant "Lessons in Letting Go Confessions of a Hoarder". Click here to order the book

"Lessons in Letting Go" by Corinne Grant

I follow another Professional Organizer's blog, Lissanne Oliver of Sorted! organizing & decluttering. Lissanne interviews Corinne Grant about her new book "Lessons in Letting Go - Confessions of a Hoarder" I haven't read the book yet but I will certainly put it on my to-read list. Here's some bits from the interview that intrigued me the most:

Lissanne: I thoroughly enjoyed this book: an easy and entertaining read. Very early on, I got a sense of how personal this story was and how brave you were to share it. I really bonded with you over this book. I think many readers will feel the same, and they will definitely identify with your story: I don’t know of any other book like it on the market. Do you feel vulnerable having it all out in the open?

Corinne: I don’t feel vulnerable, strangely enough. I think it’s a combination of having done so much stage work, where I’ve talked about myself, that the book feels like an extension of that, and also, just the fact that I’ve written and re-written so many drafts of the book, that at some stage, it just stopped feeling so deeply personal. I don’t believe in doing things by halves, and the story couldn’t have been told properly unless I was honest, and so, that was simply what had to be done.

You say “In the evenings I would waste my time rearranging and re-stacking piles of god-knows-what, trying to find the magical configuration that would enable me to feel like I was in control. The fear of doing something I might later regret over-ruled any desire to throw it out. If I threw out an old placemat, I might all of a sudden find myself completely unmoored from my past. If I threw out a cardigan my mother had given me for my twenty-third birthday, I might destroy the family bond that held us to each other. We don’t call our possessions ‘belongings’ for nothing and without Thomas beside me it felt like my belongings were the only things holding me together.” You spent a lot of time and energy trying to organise your stuff. How do you feel about that now? Do you have guilt about it?

That’s part of the illness I think of being a hoarder…I think it’s a very Western illness. We do place far more importance on objects – we almost imbue them with human qualities. I had an Indian taxi driver once and he was asking me about the book and I was explaining it and he was saying I just don’t understand what you’re talking about, I Just…. And I tried a few times and he said I seriously don’t understand. And I thought, you know what, you’re not going to! We are completely different people, culturally, to you in that respect just be thankful you’re not one of us!

I guess the point I try to make all the way through the book too is that you’re not going to learn to let go of the stuff until you figure out why you’re hanging on to it in the first place. And you really need to get to that the stuff is a symptom of the fact that you’re not dealing with shit in your life. In the book, as I’m shifting things around, I’m doing that instead of facing up to the fact that I’ve just broken up Thomas… Why did I break up with Thomas? Why did I leave him? I should have been focusing on that not making sure that I labeled a box of 20 year old video tapes. Hoarding’s a very good way of avoiding your life and yet, sitting there in the back of every hoarder’s brain is the thought that there’s something, that you’re just not quite on top of things, or there’s something that you’re missing.

And I think that understanding underpins your success, because people who don’t get that it’s not about the physical stuff, they’re never going to get on top of things.

It’s about a lack of identity I think too. If you’ve got a strong sense of self, you don’t need to be relying on other objects to do that for you. That’s what I figured out for myself, anyway.

That once I started figuring out who I was, then the stuff wasn’t important anymore. I could throw something out and not feel unmoored from my past.

Corinne really did some soul searching and found out some very important things about why she was holding onto the stuff in her life. If you think Corinne's story may help you Let Go of some of your stuff, click here.

Are you a Space Optimist?

So a couple of weeks ago I talked about being a Time Optimist and I'd like to stay with that theme and talk this week about being a Space Optimist. Are you nodding your head already?

Do you save things for the bigger home you'll live in some day? Thinking your living arrangement is only temporary?

Or are you saving things for someone else that may need them in the future? Are you saving the old bed and sofa for your daughter when she moves out on her own?

Do you hesitate to rid your home of items that you no longer are using because "maybe I'll need that some day."?

Keeping things that you inherited from relatives but the items aren't really your style?

Sound familiar? Then maybe you're a Space Optimist - keeping more stuff than you have room for in the home you are living in right now. You've probably heard the expression "living in the moment" or "live in the now". Instead of trying to decorate for a home that doesn't even exist today, try filling your life with the most important things for you right now. I use this often, I like it, it brings me joy. If you can say that about the things surrounding you, then you're on the right track.

Saving for a rainy day has it's advantages when it comes to finances or health insurance, but I'm talking about STUFF. It could become very overwhelming to save for every situation that you may encounter. Or saving things for years in the future, like that big home you dream of living in but meanwhile you've been in a small apartment for 15 years and don't see that changing any time soon. Or saving those pieces of furniture for your daughter when she moves out and she's only 10.

And I'll try not to go on a rant about "personal storage units". A personal storage unit should be used on a temporary basis ONLY!! Like when re-modeling your home and you need to remove furniture to allow for the construction. Or you're traveling for an extended period of time but are not keeping your current home. So often the stuff that goes into the storage unit is forgotten the moment it's locked. Think about the cost of saving the items versus the price to repurchase when and if you ever really need it.

Envision your life as you want it right now. Keep what works for you right now. Keep the truly useful and important objects. Keep the things that bring you joy. And please don't hang onto anything under obligation or guilt. Those negative emotions are some of the worst types of clutter. Out it goes!

Are you a Time Optimist?

I heard a great expression the other day in regards to someone who is always running late. She was referred to as a "Time Optimist". What a positive spin on something that is usually thought of as a negative?

As an efficiency expert, time is usually quite a challenge for most of my clients. The two key components to being unorganized is usually not making the time or putting off the decisions. Think about that stack of clutter on your desk or kitchen counter. Why is it there? Possibly you thought you would get to it in your free time. Or you couldn't decide what to do with some of the stuff, so you left it there "just for now". Which turned into a few weeks or months, again because you didn't make the time to deal with the stuff.

This can actually be quite an ah-ha! moment, as Oprah says. So many people throw their arms up in frustration as they exclaim, "I'm disorganized. I just don't know how to be organized." But what if it all came down to time?

What if you could be organized if you just put in the time? Now I know I'm over-simplifying things to make my point, but stick with me. What if you scheduled the time on a regular basis (that means daily or weekly) to do those tasks that you've been avoiding? Put the task on your to-do list, put it on your schedule and honor the commitment.

The mind set of all or nothing is getting in your way. Just take baby steps towards getting organized. Really 10-15 minutes a day can make a difference very soon. Conquering an entire cluttered room all at once is paralyzing. But spending a few minutes a day taking bite size pieces out of the clutter can be so much more manageable.

Take the first step towards organization: Take the top 5 pieces of paper in a pile of clutter and deal with those TODAY! File them, shred them, or take the necessary action to complete that task, such as make a call, mail it, or pay a bill. Don't be anxious over the bigger pile remaining on your desk. Focus on your accomplishment!! That will feed your motivation to continue each day. You can do it!

Email Control

As I was enjoying lunch with friends today, one admitted to saving lots of emails, just in case she may want them later. My first reaction was to reach for my phone to schedule an organizing session with her. This inspired me for today's blog.

So let me give you some tips on managing your emails:

1. Schedule specific time each day for emails rather than reading them the second they pop into your mailbox. This is where many of us waste huge amounts of time each day. If you don't take the appropriate time to read and answer your emails, you will waste time reading a message once, twice, three times, even more before you act on it. Just read it once, reply, do whatever action is needed and file or delete the email. Complete the task and then move on.

2. Create folders for various topics or people and file only the emails that you will truly refer back to again. Keeping all of your emails in one mailbox, will again cause you to waste time searching for it amongst the thousands.

3. If you need to take more time to find an answer for someone's request in an email, then quickly reply to them that you are working on this and when you plan to have their answer. Then flag the email, so that you remember to follow through. And put it on your calendar so that you make time to complete the task

4. Delete! Delete! Delete!
Delete emails that you will no longer need. Clutter comes in lots of forms - paper, digital, stuff - and none of it is good for you.

5. If you receive emails that you no longer want, then simply unsubscribe. One or two clicks is all it usually takes.

I hope this helps you. Please let me know how you control your emails.

Organizing Myths

Have you ever heard yourself say, "I'll get to these papers when I have some free time." Seriously?

How much free time do you have in a day? Maybe you have a few minutes a day totaling maybe an hour or two a week. Most of you probably have even less spare time.

So, in that free time you would like to...File? I'm guessing that was not the first thing that came to mind. No, sorting and filing papers is not usually thought of as America's number one past time.

So this brings me to a very big misconception that many people have about organizing: They'll get to it in their free time. In order to be organized, you'll want to make time, and yes that means scheduling it. Schedule organizing daily or at the minimum once a week. Work it into your daily routine starting Today!

Disorganization's best friend is procrastination.

So now you're asking what do I do with all these papers?

1. Take a pile of papers and sort them into these categories:
shred (most of the papers will be in this category)
file (only if you will truly refer to it in the future)
action (needs some type of action such as reading, phone call, fill-out and mail, payment, etc)
relocate (belongs elsewhere in the home or office)

2. Each day for the rest of this week, spend a few minutes accomplishing these tasks. Tuesday do the shredding, Wednesday do the filing, Thursday complete the necessary actions, and Friday relocate any papers that belong elsewhere.

3. Now as papers come into your home or office try practicing the rule of handling it only once. Put it where it belongs now. And if it needs action, put a post-it note on it to remind you what is needed and set it in a specific inbox or basket for you to do.

Try this for a couple of weeks and let me know how's it going.

I admit it - I'm a recovering perfectionist

So I got really excited over another Professional Organizer's blog. I had the pleasure of meeting Lissane Oliver at this year's Los Angles Organizing Awards show and since have read her book, "Sorted!" and continue to read her blog. She's smart, quirky and fun! Her recent blog, "Why Imperfect Works for Me" talks about perfectionism getting in the way of productivity.

Why imperfect works for me

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese philosophy that when something is created, it should contain an element of imperfection. From Wikipedia.org:

Wabi-sabi nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple
realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.

French philosopher Voltaire once said, The Perfect is the enemy of the good.

If you're a perfectionist, ask yourself this. Is it helping, or harming my cause? I know that many of you may not even even attempt a task or project unless the result will be perfect... that means nothing happens. That's definitely a case of The Perfect being an enemy of the good.

Sometimes we need to learn to let go of concepts and beliefs more than the stuff in our lives. Let go of perfect and embrace good enough! "It'll do" is often your best friend, you just didn't know it.

Such great words to live by, Lissanne. Thanks!!

Girls, You’re Gonna Love This Handbag!!

How many handbags do you have? And how often do you switch bags? Would you do it more if it were easier? Well I have discovered an Ingenious solution to varying your handbags each day as well as simplifying the storage of All of your handbags:
 the Miche Bag

The Miche Bag is a simple yet unique concept. It allows women in a matter of seconds to change the look of their handbag without removing its contents.
That’s Brilliant!

The bags are sold as a base bag (that’s the inside bag with all your stuff inside) with optional outer shells that snap on with magnets. Each month new styles are available with so many styles and colors to choose from that the only problem will be which to buy first?

All the outer shells store flat so you can keep them on a shelf or in a drawer for convenient space saving storage. Or you can purchase a storage bag that hangs on your closet pole for storing Lots and Lots of outer shells.

Miche Bag has even thought to create a little organizer bag that fits inside the handbags for extra organization. EXTRA Organization. I love it!

You really must check out this Amazing bag!! Teresa Hewitt is a local representative for Miche Bags. http://my.michebag.com/Teresa_Hewitt
Email her at teresamhewitt@yahoo.com

Junk Mail

We all get a lot of mail. Some of us get too much mail.
And much of it is considered JUNK MAIL!! So I've got some easy steps to minimize the amount of unwanted mail that comes into your home:

To stop all the unwanted catalogues go to this website http://www.catalogchoice.org/
It's so easy, even you can do it!

Next, to stop all those credit card applications go to https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi

To opt out of ads or informational mailers go to https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/regist.action

There's also a National Do Not Call Registry at https://www.donotcall.gov/
This allows you to opt out of telemarketers calls

This will cut down on the amount of mail you receive so that stops the clutter before it enters your Home. Though you may still receive some catalogues, junk mail or phone calls for a while, it eventually stops. However, some things still get through, like survey or charitable donation requests and political campaign ads. But it's a Really good start.

May I also recommend keeping a shredder near the area you read your mail or pay your bills. Get in the good habit of shredding everything that has personal information on it. And recycle all the catalogues and informational advertisements. Resist the urge to lay it on your desk or kitchen counter, even "if it's just for awhile".

I hope these suggestions help you control the clutter in your home. Let me know how it's working.

Is Your Stuff Such a Mess?

Is your stuff such a mess that it causes you stress,
and your files are in piles that go on for miles?

If the mess in your life is causing you grief,
then make a phone call to Kim at NEW LEAF.

Do you need to organize
and simplify the clutter in your head,
when you can’t find your pillows and sheets
to even make your bed.

Just don’t sit and cry then moan and groan,
if you can locate it, pick up the phone
and call Kim to pitch in and give you advice
on how to re-purpose, reduce and make everything nice.

The Cost of Disorganization

“Mom where’s my soccer cleats?”
“Honey have you seen my keys?”
“Mom I can’t find my cell phone.”
“Has any one seen the Smith file?”

Sound familiar? Sounds like disorganization to me. Losing things and wasting time searching for them is one of the biggest costs of disorganization. According to the National Association of Professional Organizers (www.napo.net) “Americans spend over 9 million hours each year looking for lost or misplaced items.” Just for a moment consider the amount of time you spent this week looking for things for yourself, co-workers, or family members. Not only was this a giant waste of time but I bet you were extremely frustrated. And that feeling tends to last with you for awhile. It can even set the tone for the rest of the day.

What else can disorganization cost us? Money. Again according to NAPO, “The average executive spends 180 hours per year looking for misplaced or misfiled documents.” That’s costing companies a lot of money. And what about all those commonly misplaced personal items, such as cell phones, sunglasses, and wallets never being recovered? There’s the cost of replacement. Also, missing deadlines can be costly. Ever have to pay a late fine on a bill? Maybe you couldn’t find the bill or lost track of time and forgot that the payment was due. And many Professional Organizers have stories of finding money in a client’s mass of clutter; from small change to gift cards to un-cashed checks.

So here’s a New Leaf Organizing Tip:

Near to the door that you enter your home (for most of us, that is the garage door) place a piece of furniture with a drawer or a small bowl or basket. As you enter, drop off all those items in that spot that you’ll need the next time you leave the home, such as, purse, keys, wallet, sunglasses, work ID badge. And it may be a good idea to keep the cell phone charger in this spot, so you don’t accidentally leave the house without it. And if you catch yourself not leaving everything in it’s designated spot, move it there immediately. Also, should you have to take something out of the ordinary with you the next day, place it in that spot with your keys. Practice this and it will soon become a good habit.

Stop the paper trail!

I was under the impression that the computer age was going to diminish the paper in our offices. But it may have gotten worse.

Do you fear that documents may get lost on the computer, so you print everything. Stuff you may never refer to again.
Print. Print. Print.

But now you’ve created another job for yourself.
Shred. Shred. Shred.

Piles and stacks of paper everywhere. Some of you are drowning in a sea of paper.
So before you hit “Print”, stop and think:

1. Will I really need to refer back to this document again?
2. Do I have the filing space to save this document properly and find it when I need it?
3. Or could I save this on my computer or flash drive in case I need it in the future?
4. If you need to print, then use recycled paper and recycle your shredded papers.
5. Keep your to-do list on your computer calendar or smart phone to limit the post-its and scraps of paper littering your home and office.

I'd love to hear from you. Let me know how you keep paper from taking over your office.

The Secret to Getting Organized

You know what the Secret to getting Organized is???

Doing the work. Plain and simple, you have to put some time and effort into it. AND it’s best when everyone in the home or office is involved and committed.

You can read all the organizing books for some great ideas and methods. Shop for all the coolest organizing containers and gizmos. But it really comes down to doing the work. But isn’t that the case for anything we want in life? The best things in life don’t come to those that stand on the sidelines. Life is not a spectator sport!

So how can a Professional Organizer help you become organized? 
I can help you get past that stuck, dear-in-the-headlights, paralysis. I can teach you the methods to working strategically and productively. I can keep you on track and focused to see results sooner. Or if you simply want me to take care of it all for you, I can do that too. BUT I will need your participation in making the decisions on what stays or what goes. Or do you want me to call the dumpster and just haul it all out? Yeah that’s what I thought. You’ll want to be a part of the process to some degree.

Want to change your life and get organized? I’m here to guide you through the clutter.
Order. Function. Simplicity. Harmony.

Computer Clutter

When clutter is mentioned we usually think of paper, stacks and stacks of papers every where. But there’s another type of clutter that is taking over our offices, homes and lives:
Computer Clutter.

We probably receive more junk mail through our computer than in the “old-fashioned” mail box. Every time we search a website or order on line, we hand over our email address. If you don’t stay on top of your email, it can quickly grow to staggering numbers. I’m going to take a wild guess and say that if you have hundreds or thousands of emails in your inbox, you’re missing some important information. There may well be something worth reading or replying too but now it’s literally buried under tons of emails.

Think of your computer as an extension of your desk. File documents, photos, and emails for easy retrieval. If you are on a PC, I highly recommend using Outlook for your emails. (Outlook offers a great calendar and contacts system too). If you’re on a Mac, use iMail. Create folders for keeping emails and keep only the emails that you will honestly need to refer back. Example folders would be work, recipes, photos, jokes, a folder for each member who uses that computer, maybe folder for clients or vendors we correspond with often. Now if you must keep an email put it in the appropriate folder. Try keeping only the emails that need your attention in your inbox - say the messages that need a response. Also, you can flag these messages to remind you to take care of these.

Just like your actual desk or workspace is for working and not storing, the same goes for your computer desktop. Store as few as possible applications, documents, and programs on your desk top. Storing too many programs or operating with many open at once will slow down your computer. It’s like having too many folders and papers on your desk when you are trying to write. Just not enough room to work efficiently.

Try clearing the clutter on your computer. And if you need more guidance, I’m here to help. And be sure to share your accomplishments.

Letting Go

"The process of clearing clutter is all about letting go. Not just letting go of your belongings - that is only the end result. The most important thing is learning to let go of the fear that keeps you holding on to them after it is time to move them on their way."
--quote by Karen Kingston "Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui"

An Organized Desk

One of the most common clutter challenges is the home office, particularly the desk. Many of us are working from home these days and the office can really become out of control. Here are 5 tips to help you get and maintain an organized desk:
1. The desk top is for working and NOT storing.
2. Keep only the things you need on a daily or hourly basis within arms’ reach. If some papers must be nearby, keep them vertically, maybe even on the the wall. In other words, do NOT keep papers flat on your desk. This invites all kinds of other Stuff to land in that exact spot, thus burying that paper on the bottom.
Also, set boundaries with your family members. Designate a specific spot for incoming papers.
Some things I like:
For small amounts of paper, such as receipts, I like Post-It Pockets.
The Container Store has quite a variety of Wall Pockets options.
4. Save only the documents you will truly need in the future. For some ideas on what to keep check out these web-sights:
CNN
Good Housekeeping
And please refer to your own accountant or financial adviser for specific information about your files.
5. Create a filing system that works for you. If you don’t have file drawers, then maybe a 3-ring binder? You can use colors or labels to identify different categories. Or use plastic hanging file containers that you can store in a closet.

I hope this helps you work more efficiently. Let me know what you think.

Next week, tackling Computer Clutter.

Don't forget another appointment

We all have a lot of things to do. Work meetings, projects deadlines, appointments, social events, errands and various tasks. Keeping your schedule under control will help you stay on time and get things done. Here's how:

1. Have one calendar, and only one calendar for everyone you are responsible. You can't meet that client if your child has a dentist appointment at the same time and you have the 2 events on different calendars
2. Digital vs. paper?
Digital is Great: compact & light weight, easy to make changes, easy to set recurring events with just a couple of clicks, you can set your devise to notify you within hours or minutes of any appointment
Paper calendar: you already know how to use it, serves as a paper record of everything you did in one year
3. At the beginning of the year, add every appointment you know and especially every recurring appointment. Even if it's something you do once a week and you've been doing it for 5 years, put it in your calendar. This will assure you of not mistakenly double booking your time.
4. If you have children, at the beginning of the school year, put every event, holiday, vacation, short days, teacher meetings in the calendar.
5. Use your calendar to PLAN. This is essential to being efficient. Put everything on the calendar, including all tasks and projects, such as writing for your book or blog, calls to make, answering emails, filing, organizing, networking appointments, lunch and coffee dates, facebook time, everything!
6. Schedule time to work on projects, such as I do for writing this blog. Don't just put the deadline on your calendar, (and this next point is the key to time management) but put the time necessary to complete the task before the deadline.
7. If you were unable to complete a task, move it to another time or day. Don't leave anything that needs to get done up to your memory or when you have free time.
6. Keep focused on today, but always keep an eye out for what's coming soon. I suggest you keep your calendar on your desktop or with you when you are out of your office. Refer to it throughout the day to stay on schedule and remind you of appointments.

New Leaf Organizing Tip:

Do you read your emails the second they pop into your box? Try reading your emails only at specific times through out the day. Then immediately sort the emails that you want to save into folders. Keep only those that need you to “take action” in your in-box. Now put that "action" task on your to-do list and schedule it. Multi-tasking can lead to less productivity and stress. Stay focused on the task at hand!