What is Your “P” That Keeps You Focused?

Posted on January 23, 2012 by admin

What is Your “P” that keeps you focused?                     

It’s now three weeks into your “P”romise to yourself to make a change in 2012.  You may be doing ok with your goal to do whatever you have decided to change.  You may not.  So I thought I’d share with you these five “P’s” to help rejuvenate you into achieving your goals.

Passion — How bad do you want it?  Is that space driving you crazy enough to begin the process to get it organized , or, are you willing to be satisfied to live with it just the way that it is?  You’ve got to want the goal badly enough to see results.  Don’t get discouraged – recharge your passion to change. 

Persistence — Nothing happens until something happens!  And sometimes, it takes longer than expected so don’t give up.  Something will step in the way of your progress, get back on the horse and try again, and again if needed.  If you give up…nothing will change.

Planning — If the road to defeat is paved with good intentions, the road to success is smoothed with actual planning. Successful Goals begin with a well-thought out plan.

Each plan should include:

    • Ways to break the main goal into smaller, easier-to-accomplish parts
    • A realistic timetable
    • Strategies and resources (including mentors) you can utilize
    • A system for tracking your progress
    • Fallback positions for when you encounter potholes and detours

People — Your family, friends and coworkers can be your biggest supporters.  Whether they work with you hands-on, cheer you from the sidelines or offer good advice and support, they can drastically make a difference in your success to reach your Goals.  They can give you the boost that you need to stay motivated and get the job done. 

Positivity — Mental attitude can carry you forward even when circumstances aren’t breaking your way. If you have waited way too long to make this your goal, (no matter what it is),  it can easily seem like a burden, a responsibility, a sacrifice, even a punishment?  It can be, if you decide to think of it that way. But you can also picture your path as an adventure, an opportunity, a competition, and a growth experience. The task is the same regardless of how you view it. The outcome, however, is far more likely to be positive if you remain upbeat and optimistic at each step along the way.

Remember that you don’t have to do it all at once.  Sometimes we view a lack of substantial progress as failure.  This is not true at all.  Progress is progress  no matter how small.  Make sure that you give yourself credit for a job well done.  And, if a project takes longer than anticipated it doesn’t mean that you should give up.  Keep on task, take the next step to reach your goal and don’t let yourself down.   Taking charge of your Goals and keeping a positive attitude is the key to success.   

Some of this material was taken from Harry Che, Goals on Track, weekly Newsletter.

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What To Do…With All Those Toys?

Posted on January 19, 2012 by admin

It’s that time of year again! No, not the post-holiday doldrums, but time to clean out the house to make room for everything Santa brought! Every year we do a mass toy cleanout and donate the items. The rules for cleaning out toys are very similar to the rules you apply when cleaning out your closet: Does it fit (is it age-appropriate)? Is it in good shape? Do you still use it?

Does it fit?

If you are holding on to baby toys or an exersaucer because you really think you might need it again in the near future, sure, keep it. But if your baby days are done, it is time to let go. If your child outgrew his Thomas trains years ago and you are reluctant to donate them, try selling them on eBay or Craiglist. Take a look around and if your kids haven’t played with something in the past year, sell or donate. If you plan to sell on Craigslist read this article for tips http://moneysavingmom.com/2009/03/guest-post-successfully-selling-on-craigslist.html.

Is it in good shape?

If you have puzzles missing pieces or broken robots, it may be time to toss them, but try Freecyling them first. http://www.freecycle.org/ is a free online community where people offer unwanted items to keep them out of the landfill. It is not needs-based, and you can choose who you give the items to. Crafters often use broken toys and puzzle pieces, so before you toss, try to find a taker! Do not donate items to charity that are broken or missing pieces, that is a big no-no and the IRS only allows a deduction for items in good condition. You can also ask for items on Freecycle! If you have toys in good condition to donate, check out these articles http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505144_162-37043554/old-toys-4-tips-when-donating-them-to-charity/ and http://www.ehow.com/how_2042415_donate-childrens-toys.html for some donation tips. 

Do you still use it?

Perhaps you have friends with younger kids and babies that come visit. By all means, save some baby toys for them. The Slip n’ Slide isn’t used year-round but if you do use it in warm weather then hang on to it. Don’t overpurge!

How do you begin your purge? I begin mine when the children are otherwise occupied. Our toys are stored in baskets and buckets, so I go through one at a time looking for items they don’t play with. This is also a great time to put all the Legos back in one place, since they tend to end up everywhere! This year I purged a large Hot Wheels track, lots of Happy Meal Toys, stuffed animals, and a box of baby clothes.

And in case you need tips or products to get organized, check out the following links:

http://organizedhome.com/get-organized/tips-organize-kids-rooms

www.clevercontainer.com/getorganizednow

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Keep Your Resolution Alive!

Posted on January 16, 2012 by admin

We are two weeks into the long list of New Year Resolutions that we planned to keep.   Truth be told, in my mind, a Resolution is a habit that we are committing ourselves to change.  And change is hard!

 There are always things that we can improve on – in our life and business – and a New Year just seems the logical date and time to make a change.  But, with everything else that we change – resolutions don’t work unless we commit ourselves to changing a habit.  The habits of choice are:  exercise, organizing and to quit smoking.

 As we finish the first 2 weeks of 2012 – Don’t Give Up!  Let’s re-evaluate your New Year Resolutions and Goals.

 First – Don’t expect that you should have reached your goal 100% already.  Developing habits takes time.  If habits were quick and easy resolutions not be a concern. 

Second – Every goal takes multiple steps to accomplish.  No matter how small, there is usually a list of things that have to happen in order to reach your goal.  Think about it…everything that we do takes multiple steps.  Keep it simple and specific. 

Just the simple act of brushing your teeth requires at least 6 steps (pick up the toothbrush, unscrew the cap of the toothpaste, put the toothpaste onto your toothbrush, brush your teeth, rinse the toothbrush, rinse your mouth and then put the cap back onto the toothpaste).  It just comes natural to you because you have been doing it the same way…forever.  Think about what individual steps you can take to help you achieve your goals and habits for 2012.

Third – After you have written down the first step of your goal – put it on your calendar.  Mark the date and time that you will work on your first habit.  No matter how simple this may seem, you are the person who will be held responsible for getting it done.  Hold yourself accountable.

Fourth – Keep everything positive.  Positive thoughts will make your goals achievable, rather than impossible. 

Fifth – Celebrate all of your success.  No matter how small it may seem. 

Reaching your goal takes planning and preparation.  Before you jump back into your Resolution, think about the steps required to make it happen.  Break things down into smaller pieces – make the steps doable, achievable and reachable (D.A.R.).

Post these steps into your calendar, on the refrigerator, in a place in your office that you have to look at frequently – the bathroom mirror is also a great place to post them.  Make sure that you keep them front and center of you every day.

As you reach each portion of your goal, Celebrate!  Give yourself credit for a job well done…and then add the next step onto your list – and continue until you have reached your goal 100%.  

Realize when you have just had a bad day and don’t beat yourself up over it!  You can’t change yesterday – but you can change today and tomorrow.  Remember that every day is a new beginning.  Routines and habits take time to develop and everything worth doing requires an investment that will change your future forever. 

 

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New Year – New Habits

Posted on January 9, 2012 by admin

You’ve made the commitment before but 2012 will be different!  This is Your Year!  You know what to do and how to do it and this year you are going to stick to it!  Get ‘ur done!  Stay focused and reach your goals.  You have bought every possible organizing supply and tool that is available because they all promise to get you organized, right!  And…they have to work because you just spent a ton of money.

So how do you ensure that you reach your goals this year?  Your mindset and habits will dictate your success, no matter what your goals are.  Just like starting a diet, getting your space and mind organized takes dedication, obligation and accountability.  It takes making a change in your daily habits and this isn’t always easy.

Think about what areas you find the hardest to keep organized.  Is it your paperwork – mail and filing; client follow-up; systems; or maybe your daily schedule?  Or, maybe it is that your time is drained by interruptions through email or phone.  Everything that we do every day is a choice.  (Of course, I’m realistic…emergencies can come up that require your attention).  But when you have your daily course of action laid out, interruptions are easily handled and the ability to refocus comes easy.

The key to keeping yourself on task is developing a habit/system to handle every part of your day.  It seems odd to think about something that something as simple as opening the mail should have a system but it makes such a difference.  Let’s just take the example of opening the mail.  I meet with so many people and home-based businesses that just find it “simpler” to open the mail wherever the happen to be at the time.  Because of this, there are receipts and paperwork in the office, kitchen, bedroom, car, in their pants pockets or purse,   And then…it just becomes too overwhelming to be able to get it all organized.  The thought of sorting, organizing and filing all of the paperwork causes stress and anxiety.  And now there just isn’t enough time to catch up.    

One of the best habits that you can develop as a homeowner and business owner is to schedule some office time for yourself.  It doesn’t take much time to get everything filed away, if you do it on a regularly scheduled basis.  Organizing and filing your paperwork on a weekly basis can take you a matter of minutes so stop procrastination now.

Another good habit to get into to help you stay organized is to identify your distractions and avoid them!  Disconnect yourself from your electronic gadgets.  Don’t allow yourself to become side-tracked by emails and phone calls.  Keep your attention on your project and goal.  Your intentions of having a quick 5 minute conversation can easily become a 45 minute catch-up session and not only cause you to lose time, but also change your attitude toward your goal.  When you are “in the zone” and working diligently on a project, another person’s concerns and/or issues can cause you to become totally distracted and cost you time, money and take your schedule off track.  Call your friend back when it is convenient for you.    Developing habits will help you get organized and stay organized – and save a ton of time too!

 

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The Difference Between Making Resolutions and Keeping Resolutions

Posted on January 2, 2012 by admin

Just about everyone “makes” at least one New Year’s Resolution.  One of the most popular  Resolutions is to Get Organized.  Every year we have the best of intentions that This Year will be The year that it Really happens!  Really…cross your fingers, hope to die!  You Will make the necessary changes and do whatever it takes, Right?  And you are willing and ready to jump in with both feet!  You’ll even write it all down, put it on our calendar and make promises to yourself  that this IS the year. 

The truth is that keeping a New Year Resolution takes more than all of this.  You must realize not just what you want to change, but Why you want to change.  When you look at your space, office, paperwork or life, does it just drive you nuts?  What are you willing to do – besides throwing in the towel and saying, I just can’t do it? 

You may consciously be self-sabotaging yourself , which is the reason that it hasn’t changed….Yet!  Ask yourself this question – If my space was organized what would it look like?  Close your eyes and visualize your space neat, tidy, organized and filed.  Picture yourself sitting at your desk writing contracts, filling orders, talking with clients, paying your bills and smiling at the increase in your bank account. 

What I know is that nothing will change until something changes.  In other words, until you take specific and methodical action to Keep Your Resolutions, they won’t happen and you will stay in the same rut in 2012.  And, no matter what plans your plans include and how detailed they are, it takes dedication and a change in your attitude to make it happen.

The words and thoughts that we tell ourselves every day will dictate what we accomplish, how we manage our time and whether or not we reach our goals.  So here are some steps to hold yourself accountable to reaching your New Year Resolutions!

First – Be specific about your goal.  Don’t start with “I want to Organize My Office”, this may be too big of a task for you to take on all at once.  Don’t even start with your “I want to Organize my File Cabinet”…even this may be more than you can really handle to start.  Begin with “I’m going to organize the top drawer of my file cabinet today”.  And then hold yourself to getting it done - block out the required time on your calendar and check it off of your list.

Second – Stop being a perfectionist.  This may mean that you hand-write titles on your files – they aren’t “labeled”.  So what!  Will you still be able to find what you need, absolutely!  If your time doesn’t allow you to color-code or label all of your files – put that on your list to do later in the week or month.  Don’t let the need for perfection stop you from reaching your goals.

Third – Stay focused on productive habits.  Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by outside sources, email, phone calls or anything else that will keep you from reaching your daily goals.  This is one of the biggest excuses used for lack of focus and time management.  Close your door, set your timer and concentrate on the task that will allow you to see results.  Remember that you are 100% in charge of How you spend every minute of your day.  (I totally understand that “life situations” will happen that are out of your control – but once they have been handled, you are back in charge!)  Set yourself up for success by being accountable to yourself every day and keep your Resolutions in 2012. 

I’d love to hear your plans and success!

 

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Is Your Home Office Ready for 2012?

Posted on December 26, 2011 by admin

Is Your Home Office Ready for 2012?

This is a great week to take some time to prepare for 2012.  We can schedule in a little down-time to catch up on the things that we haven’t had a chance to do all year.  Maybe that is just taking some time to rest!  Many businesses will take this week to catch up on paperwork, de-cluttering the office and closing up the books for the year. 

This whole process of closing out one year and beginning a new year can run smooth as clock work when your space is organized and your systems are in place.  Before you start preparing for your 2012 goals give your home office a check-up.  What paperwork is looming in a file box (or on the floor)?*  What systems have worked for you this year – and what systems need to be tweaked or re-vamped totally. 

Tweaking a system can be a great option to save time, money and a whole lot of headaches.  One of the best changes that I made in 2011 was to begin using my android cell phone to help me track my mileage.  I installed the mileage tracker application to my android phone and it has made it extremely easy to manage my car mileage for tax purposes.  It takes just a few minutes in my car to document my beginning mileage and a short explanation of where I am going.  This is a huge time-saver for me and I’ll soon be downloading it into an excel spreadsheet as my documentation for taxes.  

I am also finding that a lot of small business owners are in need of tweaking their filing systems.  Having the basic files set up the will enable you to manage daily paperwork can be the easiest and simplest way to stay organized.  It is so easy to just convince yourself that you will do the filing later.  By the time that an inbox is over-flowing and papers are stacked into wonderful neat and tidy piles throughout the office, the whole thought of tackling the paperwork becomes too much to consider.  Now, it will take hours of time from you day – and who has hours to dedicate to paperwork (better yet, who really wants to)?

Take some time this week to tweak your systems.  Remember to keep the necessary files that you use on a daily basis handy on your desk.  I recommend using a vertical filing system that is graduated.  Having the graduated slots to store your daily files makes it easier to just drop in your paperwork.  This eliminates the need to thumb through files to get to the one that you need.  You’ll be able to see what you need immediately.  This would be used for things like your current client files; a dedicated place to put your paperwork which needs to be filed and generic files for papers that are important to you and your business.  It will take less room on your desk and give you the ability to file papers away immediately, vs. stacking them in an “inbox”.  Of course, keeping paperwork under control takes discipline.  It must be handled every day (or at least every week)! 

*The floor should never be used as a filing system!

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Paperwork Got You Down?

Posted on December 20, 2011 by admin

If this is you…Stop it Now!

It’s almost here – another new year looming just weeks away.  Will this be the year that you fulfill your goals?  Or will you fall short, yet again?  I have found that most businesses have one area within their business that causes more stress and anxiety than any other… paperwork – it causes businesses to fall short in reaching their real goals and dreams.

Business keeps moving forward.  Payments come in and bills are getting paid, somehow.  Yet all the paperwork seems too overwhelming to be able to keep up with it all.  The mail goes unopened (because in the back of your mind, you really know when the payment is due).  You are missing out on opportunities to save money because the mail is not being opened.    The receipts are piled deep and wide or stacked high on a desk just waiting for something to be done with them  But by the time you get around to dealing with the receipts the thought of sorting them all, categorizing them, scanning, documenting them all  just seems like it will take forever.  So what can you do to keep yourself on track?  Here are some tips:

1.  Have a system to store all of your receipts right from the beginning.   Those tiny lunch receipts from your business meetings get lost in a purse or wallet on a weekly basis.   Use a basic coupon holder that you can keep in your purse, car, glove compartment or briefcase.  It should be small and compact.  Instead of having categories for your coupons, use each slot for a month of the year.  File your receipts, deposits and any other paperwork that you need to track into the coupon holder.  Once a week, pull the receipts and document or scan them into your system.  It’s that easy.

2. Develop consistency when it comes to opening your mail and make smart decisions, immediately.  All incoming mail goes into one of these categories:  file, pay, shred or trash.  Don’t keep what you “think” you will use.  Either you will, or you will not…there are no maybe’s!  If it is a coupon – you can find it online…keeping it will only allow paperwork to pile up and by the time you find it, the coupon will be expired anyway! 

3.  Schedule time in your week to be “in” your office.  Obligating yourself to time where you work on your piles of paper will keep you focused and hold you accountable to actually doing the work.  And, I know what you are thinking…I really just don’t like to do it, and I don’t want to!  Well, get over it.  No matter how technical we become, there will always be paper to deal with.  Along with designating this time, keep yourself focused by turning off your email and phone.  

Keeping control of your paperwork takes dedication and habit.  When you decide to let it wait until later – or next week – you will easily begin to lose confidence in yourself and your abilities to keep afloat.  Don’t miss out on the opportunity to keep your paperwork organized – be systematic and accountable to yourself. 

Linda Clevenger, Organization Direct

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Save Money Using Coupons

Posted on December 19, 2011 by admin

There is a lot of interest in couponing lately, and if you watch TLC’s Extreme Couponing you know that people take it very seriously. Extreme savings as shown on the show is not the norm, but with a few key organizational tools you can be on your way to slashing your grocery budget too.

Where to find coupons

Coupons are everywhere. You find them stuck on products  (called “peelies”), on tear pads in many stores, in the Sunday newspaper, on Facebook, in your email, and online. To find deals, be sure to “like” the product or company on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and sign up for their emails. Many products, like Seventh Generation and Kellogg’s, send out coupons via email regularly. Here is a list of great websites to find coupons:

Redplum.com

Smartsource.com

Savings.com

Couponmom.com

Coupons.com

Boxtopsforeducation.com

How to organize your coupons

Organizing your coupons is essential, and you have to find the system that works best for you. Some people organize by item type, brand name, or expiration date. Keeping grocery coupons separate from shopping coupons (like department stores) or dining coupons is a good idea, because you don’t need a Macy’s coupon at Giant! To get started on your coupon binder, check out this video: http://coupondivas.com/how-to-make-a-coupon-binder-that-saves-you-money

Or, you can check out this great coupon holder on our website.  www.clevercontainer.com/getorganizednow

Other coupon tips

Since so many companies and products utilize emails as a direct marketing tool, open a new email account solely for these emails. This way, the deals don’t clog your regular inbox.

Printing coupons can get costly so only print the ones you will actually use, but remember that there is a print limit on online coupons so if you see one you know you want, don’t wait!

Join a coupon exchange. Locally you can join the Stafford/Fredericksburg Coupon Exchange on Facebook here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stafford-Fredericksburg-Coupon-Exchange/121824021233566?sk=wall and share coupons you have to trade and ones you are looking for.

Know store coupon policies! This is very important as many store cashiers do not know what their own coupon policy is. http://thekrazycouponlady.com/2011/03/15/store-policies-2/ is a very good list of store policies and you can print the ones you need and keep them in your binder. Coupon policies change frequently, especially with the popularity of Extreme Couponing, so make sure you have the most current one.

Amazon has coupons! Search “coupons” and it will take you to “Your Coupon Book” where you can clip virtual coupons to apply to your order.

 For good deals on dining out visit restaurant.com where you can purchase gift certificates to local restaurants like Pancho Villa and Eileen’s, at a steep discount.

Learn to “stack” coupons. Most stores, such as Target, will accept a store coupon AND a manufacturer coupon for the same item. Read more about stacking here http://coupondivas.com/stacking-coupons-explained-how-to-coupon-stack-anywhere

To learn more

Visit these websites and sign up for their free newsletters to receive tips, updates, coupon match-ups, and other deals.

Coupondivas.com

Thekrazycouponlady.com

Moneysavingmom.com

Thethriftycouple.com

Gooddealmama.com

Finally, remember to check the store circular and make a list with your coupons before you go. Sticking to your list is the best way to save money at the store!

Posted by Cristina Gonzales for Organization Direct

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Is Your Home Office Organized?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by admin

Is Your Home Office Functional?

Home Office

We would all like to find just a little more time in each day to enjoy what we Really like to do.  The dream of working from a home office can quickly be exciting.  Take away the commute, the need to be “dressed” every day and the stress of the daily office routine.

Be honest.  What was this space being used before it became your home office?  Was it a storage area, workspace or a guest bedroom?  Turning it into a functional and operational home office can be difficult.  This is a common challenge for many solopreneurs and entrepreneurs.  Your designated space needs to function solely as a home office and nothing else!  It is not a bedroom, workout room or family room.  It is Your Office!  So how do you get it organized? 

1.  Turn your room into an office.  Remove what doesn’t belong.  Throw out the trash and broken things.  Place things that you don’t use very often into a donate bin.  Put things back where they belong – find them a home somewhere besides your home office.  Keep your vision in mind. 

2.    Setting up your home office.  You will need a place for files.  Even if you are a brand new business, you will need to have a filing system to make sure that you keep everything that you need handy.  The floor is not a filing cabinet!  I like the lateral file cabinets the best, are easier to work with and hold more files than the traditional file cabinets.

3.  Designate a space for mail.  Do Not allow your mail to pile up.  Open it every day!  Trash (or shred) what you don’t need, file what has a home and place bills in your Hot File.  Don’t give yourself the opportunity to be late paying bills.

4.  Keep only items on your desktop that are important to your daily work.  Everything you own should not be found on your desktop.  All other paperwork should be kept in a convenient file cabinet close to you – so that you don’t have to physically get up from your chair to reach it.  Other paperwork should, however, be kept in a file cabinet that isn’t within your reach.

5.  Manage your schedule.  If you are just starting your business, you may have to spend more time “in” your office.  Just as you would get up and dressed to drive to the office, spend time preparing to travel to your home office.  Eat your breakfast in the kitchen – and not in the office.  Schedule a.m. and p.m. breaks into your calendar to keep your mind clear and focused.   Act as if you are in an office – that is not in your home. 

Keeping your focus on what you need to do every day is an important part of your success.  Your daily schedule should include client work, planning and development, marketing, follow-ups and research.    Schedule every aspect of your business on your calendar to make sure that nothing gets left out.  Be willing to adjust as needed.

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Project Organization Made Easy by Smead

Posted on December 8, 2011 by admin

Organizing Projects is So Easy!

I got so involved in using my new Project Organizer from Smead, I almost forgot to post this blog.  It is all very timely that I have had many more project to juggle in November and December.  This has been a life-saver for me this month! 

I have been looking for a product just like the Project Organizer.  So many times, I would take a notebook to meet with a client, make some really important notes and by the time I got back to the office, I would find myself looking for those notes to pull together – among the notes from all of the other meetings and consults I had that day.  It wasn’t as if they were lost, they were just tucked away in the notebook and just the few minutes that it would take to pull the notes out was driving me crazy!  The Project Organizer has taken away the frustration of finding these prospect/client notes.  I even keep an extra few sheets of paper in the Organizer so that I can quickly make extra notes for each client’s needs.   

The Project Organizer from Smead makes it SO easy for me to keep everything together for up to 10 clients/projects at a time. Part of my services as a Professional Organizer is to make donations to local charities.  The receipts for their donations are made in the client’s name so I’m obligated to maintain and turn these receipts back to my clients.   

I  assign each client  a number in the folder and this is where I keep all of their information:  Prospect/Client Contracts, receipts, notes and documentation of time worked is all kept safe in the organizer.  Every piece of paper is kept neat and tidy and easy to find!   I write the notes in pencil so that when a project is completed, I can easily just erase the note and use it for the next client/project. 

Thanks Smead for making my business and life simple and easy.

 

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