Getting through the entire process can be long and tedious.  Getting started is part of the problem.  Buyt once you get started, how do you make sure that you finish?  When it comes to organizing piles of paperwork, the sorting system is general.  You start your categories such as:  car, house, bills, warranty and medical, just to name a few.  It is easy to remove paperwork from the boxes and sort through everything.  What can happen though is that the system easily falls apart because as the sorting becomes more detailed, it becomes more tedious.  And now you have multiple piles of paperwork instead of one box.  The box is looking pretty good right now! 

Taking all of the paperwork and putting it into a system that works is the stressful part – and how big of a space do you need to sort through everything can be deceiving.  In order to manage it all you may need quite a large space.  Last week we had this issue.  We ended up laying out every out on top of a bed.  This quickly became back-breaking work.  Bending over to pick up paperwork and sort through it quickly became discouraging.  So we needed a solution! 

The solution to too sorting through boxes of paperwork is to….. Purchase several vertical file systems – the wire kind that hold file folders work very well.  These are what I use on my desk to keep my most vital paperwork handy.  They take up very little space on your flat surface and will allow you to hold up to 8 files in a very limited space.  Simply drop the paperwork into the files.  An easy way to identify what type of paperwork is in each file is to simply take a colored sticky note and place it on the side of each file folder.  Using a black marker, boldly write the name of the file on the sticky note.  To make it even easier, rotate the sticky notes – alternating the sticky notes on the left and right, some lower on the file folder and some higher on the file folder.  The key is to be able to look at all eight folders and be able to easily see the file name.  To make it even easier, you can alphabetize your stick notes, i.e. auto, bills, house, medical, warranty.

Your first sort should be extremely generic – unless you already have noticed that you have a ton of paperwork that is very specific, i.e. to a certain medical facility.  If a file folder fills quickly, simply start a new file and set the first file to the side. 

If your goal is to organize piles and piles of paperwork, work through it a box at a time.  I don’t recommend that it all be pulled out at one time.  This can make the process seem overwhelming and keep you from making progress.  Also, paperwork isn’t something that you can just toss aside once the process has been started.  You’ll need to have a space that you can keep everything until the process is done and this may take a while.  Remember…you’ll want to sleep on your bed, eat on your table and walk on your floor again real soon!  Having the vertical file folders to hold the already sorted paperwork will allow you to easily remove the paperwork from the mainstream of your household (i.e. a guest room) and then pull it out again tomorrow to complete the process. 

Just in case you are wondering, why wouldn’t I just identify the file by writing on the tab, absolutely, you can do this but remember, you may have too much paperwork to fit into a regular size file. 

As with everything in organizing, you can adjust your identification process to whatever fits your needs and mostly, your personality!

 Linda Clevenger, Personal and Professional Organizer                                                         Specializing in Systems, Processes and Paper Clutter

Your organizing style works best when it works in conjunction with your personality.  If a process or system that requires your attention, on a daily basis, is inconvenient – you should consider taking a second look at your system. 

What am I talking about?  Let’s take a look at your office.  Does it really make sense to have a current client’s file – one that you are working in on a daily basis – tucked away in a filing cabinet that is clear across the room?  Personally, I don’t think so.  It should be located somewhere close to where you sit and work for that client.  Perhaps it is in a lateral filing system that allows you to have 8 files handy and within reach.   (I like these because I can see multiple files at one time).  If your client’s file has confidential information in it, this may change your strategy.  I would recommend that your client files be gathered and put into the very front of a filing cabinet so that they can be locked up in the evening. 

Of course, it always really bugs me when I walk into a doctor’s office and I see piles of files stacked over an entire countertop, knowing that my personal information is in that file and that it is so easily accessible to anyone and everyone.  I don’t know what I can do about that…but I’m thinking about it!

Should your files be color-coded?  Should your cabinet have pull-out shelves?  What type of storage will work best for your situation?  When making these decisions, think about what makes the most sense.  Try not to get caught up in the  glitz and glamour of the new and “must haves” of organizing.  There are tons of possibilities to organize the exact same area.  But what will work best for you? 

If your files will be color-coded be willing to spend the extra money for the color file folders and hanging folders.  This will also mean that your storage area may have to be organized in a different manner so that you can see all of your different colored file folders and hanging folders.  Does spending the extra money on this really make sense?  What you don’t want to happen is to start the system – and then not be able to maintain the system.  Instead of using the colored file folders, maybe you can use colored dots to identify your different type of clients or possibly use a different color of file label.  It really doesn’t matter, just as long as your system and process is quick, easy and maintainable.  You definitely don’t want to get stressed out when you think about the time and energy that it takes to make a new file!  Remember, time is money and there are probably 3 other things that you could be doing with your time.  The color of the file doesn’t determine your success!

Linda Clevenger                                                                                                                                                               Organization Direct

I started this journey over 10 years ago when I signed on with a National MLM Company – which I won’t name.   In the 7 years with the company I noticed one major flaw.  It seemed that every quarter someone (probably from Corporate), came up with a “better and easier” way to organize all of my supplies.  This usually meant me making a purchase of some kind of organizing bag for display purposes and reorganizing, yet again, how I was transporting my materials in order to hold appointments.  Here are my top 3 Lessons Learned regarding having a Traveling Office.

Now, as a true Entrepreneur, the issue is the same.  I need to have brochures, business cards, potential client forms, etc. available – and a way to make notes (and then follow-up with those notes).  Here are a few tips I have learned over the years:

1.  Have a specific plan for where everything goes.  Don’t allow yourself to be lazy and just place an item “somewhere” (for right now).  Odds are that you won’t remember where you put it, get frustrated and then your first thought will be…this systems doesn’t work for me!  When, actually, you aren’t working with your system.  Consistency in where everything is kept is crucial when organizing your Traveling Office.  I recommend using a portable portfolio or file box if you need to carry paperwork.  Keep extra copies of what you need filed away so that they can be found quickly and easily.   For your computer or tablet use a traveling tote that shows your professionalism.  To work with other professionals, you must be a professional yourself.

2.  Don’t allow papers to run around “loose” in your car.  They will get damaged or torn.  If you are carrying around brochures, your image will be based on whether your paperwork is neat and tidy or whether your paperwork has corners that have been turned down and torn.  And remember…you paid good money for those brochures – having to throw them away would not be a good ROI.  Again, keep everything within your Portable Portfolio or File Box in your car. 

3.  Keep an organizer in your trunk.   There are some great organizers that will fit in your trunk, even if you have a smaller car.  It isn’t professional to be caught scrounging through your trunk, looking for that one item that you need.  The system that I use is portable (you can use it to carry items back into your home office, if needed) and it folds up neatly so that it doesn’t require much room to store. 

Your “Traveling Office” is a reflection on you and your business – just like your physical office.  The biggest difference is that you’re traveling office will usually also serve as your family car or van!  So don’t forget to keep your personal items organized as well.  You don’t have to keep apologizing for the mess.  Like everything else in life, keeping your Traveling Office organized requires developing habits.  Give yourself time to get adjusted to your new system and tweak it as you go along.  Now is the time – Get Organized Now.

First – Sort through your paperwork and put it all into categories.  Some of your categories may be bills (which could be broken down into credit cards, household expenses and medical bills).  They may also be bank statements, newsletters, and general correspondence (that needs your attention). 

Second – If you haven’t filed for a while this may seem like a daunting task but don’t give up.  Gather your paperwork a handful at a time and use a large space for your sorting.  This is one of the few times that I would recommend using a flat surface for pile management!!! 

Third – Don’t get too detailed as you do your initial sorting.  Make this sort short and quick.  You will get detailed later. 

Fourth – If you have mail that you haven’t opened yet, take a minute to open it and take out all of the advertisements that are included in with your bills.  (There isn’t a reason to add all of that unnecessary paperwork to your piles).

Fifth – Once you have sorted everything into piles, take just one pile (the one that bothers you the most) and go through it.  Does it include bills that need to be paid?  If so, pull those out immediately and place them into a separate pile – away from the rest (you may find other bills in another pile and they all need to be kept together to ensure timely payment). 

Sixth – Continue working through your piles until you have gotten through everything.  If you get tired or depressed take a break.  But when you take a break, set a timer for 15-30 minutes.  Don’t allow your breaks get out of control – after all, you are on a mission to file all of this paperwork, right! 

Seventh – Since you are keeping your piles generic, you should be able to quickly and easily take one pile at a time and file it away.  If time is becoming a factor consider placing your piles into a portable filing system to be officially filed away at a later time.  However…as a reminder to yourself, mark a time on your calendar that you intend to file all of these papers away.  This is not a free excuse to only complete part of the process.  You must hold yourself accountable to filing everything away!

Paperwork is such a drain on businesses and families.  Statistically we receive more junk mail in one month than our grandparents received in their entire lifetime!  Hard to believe?  Not when you look at your piles of mail and paperwork.  The key to controlling your paperwork is to have a system that you can use daily – or weekly if necessary.  Keep ahead of the curve by making a quick decision about what can be shredded and/or eliminating immediately and avoid the paperwork chaos. 

Let me hear your success stories!!

Well, that isn’t the way that things are today.  Technology has made it more difficult to keep up with everything that is happening.  We feel the need to be “connected” 24 hours a day.  The term instant messaging took control of our lives.  There is the constant need to immediately respond to everyone and everything that is happening.  I have to say that it is very frustrating to me (and quite honestly, rude) to work with someone who is constantly checking email and texting on their phone.  As a Professional Organizer, I know that there are things that you can do to help you organize your day so that you don’t have to feel the need to be “connected” constantly.

First – Relieve your anxiety.  Know exactly what you “have” to do every day.  What needs to be done in order for you to:  be accountable to your job and family; what appointments do you have scheduled; what paperwork needs to be completed; which bills need to be paid.  You get the idea.  Knowing exactly what you need to get done is crucial to ensuring that you keep your day organized.

Second – Schedule a time to disconnect yourself from your cell phone, tablet and computer for a while every day.  Continually checking all of your electronic gadgets actually causes stress – which doesn’t help keep you organized.  It actually causes disorganization because it is a distraction from what you really need to be attending to.  Turn off all of your alarms, dings, bells and whistles that tell you that you have incoming mail too.  Talk about distracting!!

Third – Develop a system for handling every part of your home and office.  Have a process to handle your incoming and outgoing mail.  Schedule out what day (and even the time of the day) that you do specific tasks.  I remember growing up – my mom had a schedule for every part of the household duties.  It seemed really mundane at the time, even boring.  But I know that having a day assigned to your regular routines will help you get organized and stay organized. 

Fourth –  I don’t typically recommend multi-tasking, however, if you work in a home office there are a few things that you can do while you are working in your office.  Some of these things are:  laundry, cooking dinner in a crock pot, and running the dishwasher.  I only recommend that you do these types of activities because they don’t require your continual attention.   You can accomplish a goal and walk away – and back to your real focus.  Multi-tasking in most areas is simply said – distraction.  It is important to stay focused on reaching your daily goals.

Fifth –  End your day!  Don’t allow your work schedule to continue into the evening hours.  Taking time every day to  spend time with family, exercise, reading – anything besides work – is healthy and necessary.  This can be hard to do at first, trust me!  But taking time to relax and enjoy your life will increase your daily productivity.  This habit will also help keep you organized every day by staying focused on what really has to be done.  To your success!

Linda Clevenger, Organization Direct

What a home office needs to be functional is a good work space to be functional.  Your setup should be easy to maintain and free from distractions.  This means identifying a space that is designated just for work, without a television.

Some things to consider are:  have a comfy chair that allows you to work without causing stress on your back and neck, there should also be good lighting that won’t cause a strain on your eyes.  Since a messy pile of unfiled paperwork can definitely be a stressful distraction, create a workable and maintainable filing system. It should be simple.  Have a clearly defined set of drawers for your files (there are many options available now).  If your space is limited, consider making your files mobile – using a file cart that can be tucked away at the end of the day may be an option.  Keep only those things on your desk that you need to deal with – everything else should have an assigned home where it can be found quickly and easily–so that it can be found when it is needed. 

Your physical and electronic files should mimic each other.  Use the same systematic method to set-up each system.  This will help keep you organized and save time from searching for files when you need them.  Nothing will waste more time of your day than searching for your files. 

There are a ton of desktop office accessories available.  Keep the basic items on your desk.  A staples, pens and pencils, sticky notes and a pad of paper to take notes.  Be selective when you think about what you should put on your desk.  This is valuable real estate that you will need to be functional.  If your desk space is limited, consider file boxes that can be attached to the wall.  These can be used to sort paperwork and a short-term holding bin for weekly To Do Lists. 

If your home office is also your work office designate a separate space for your home and office files.  One solution is to divide a file drawer (if you are using a lateral file system) or designate specific file drawers if you are using a traditional file cabinet.  If you are using a lateral file cabinet it can also be used to hold your In box and To Do List.  A graduated vertical filing system can also be kept on top of the lateral file cabinet to hold those files that you need handy – but not necessarily on top of your desk.  And, they can also hold thicker files easily too.  Also, have a specific place to identify your mail.  This is, of course, after you have eliminated all junk mail. 

Linda Clevenger                                                                                                            

Speaker, Consultant and Professional Organizer

Organization Direct, LLC

1.  Use a simple coupon holder that you can carry in your purse or in the glove compartment of your car.  Instead of storing your coupons in it, however, identify each section for a month of the year.  Coupon holders usually have 13 sections available so this works perfectly.  Make it a habit to store every receipt into your coupon holder.    

2.  At the end of every month – of even at the middle of the next month:  remove the receipts, scan those that need to be kept for tax purposes and eliminate (or shred) the rest of the receipts. 

3.  Using the coupon holder for receipts also helps keep receipts handy and available – should you need to return an item for any reason.  You will save time and energy looking for the receipt in order to return your item.   

I also have a simple tax file that I use to hold all of my papers that need to be set aside for tax purposes, such as our property tax information, quarterly church donations, school donations, etc.  It is not broken down into categories.  Throughout the year I am constantly placing paperwork into this file.  Since I am not a “type A” personality, I am satisfied with knowing where I can find all of my tax paperwork.  Of course, if this isn’t your personality, you can (and should) set it up in a manner that makes sense to you.

When it is time to file taxes, the important thing to remember is that you have all of your documentation available to turn over to your Accountant (or to do it yourself if you still prepare your own taxes).  The information that needs to be scanned is put into a file on my computer, (and this includes anything that is on a receipt printed from a department store).  All of my other documents are easily available and within minutes I can have everything together. 

As with everything in your home office, developing a system and process that you follow to document your tax receipts and write-offs is the idea here.  You can use such things as Neat Receipts or portable scanners to scan documents – or you can scan them right from your printer/copier/scanner if that is easier.  Whatever system you use, make it simple and easy….complicated systems will stall your progress. 

 Linda Clevenger – Speaker, Consultant and Professional Organizer                                                                                                                                                                                       www.organizationdirect.com

Time Management is an oxymoron.  I’ve always said that we can’t manage time…we are in charge of what, when and how we use our time every day.  Distractions are unavoidable,  and how we gather ourselves up from the dust and continue onto the next obstacle will dictate our progress.  My good friend, mentor and business coach just wrote this article yesterday and I just had to share her words of wisdom.  

Time management is a hot topic!  There are all kinds of tools, techniques and trainings to help you take control and manage your time.  The funny thing is, I really don’t believe that you can manage time.  Albert Einstein proved with his theory of relativity that time as we think of it doesn’t really exist and that we have the ability to expand or contract our perception of time with where we focus our thoughts and energy.
 
So, instead of talking about time management to help us be more productive, I think the real issues are actually self management and schedule management.
 
When you are a business owner, you are the one who establishes priorities, determines deadlines and sets your schedule.  Because you have to wear so many hats every day, it is very easy to become distracted by the people, tasks and priorities competing for your attention.  In order to be productive and feel accomplished at the end of the day, you need to exercise some self management and schedule management strategies.
 
Identify your time wasters.  What are the things you do that eat up a lot of your time?  For the next week, carry a note book around and keep track of everything you do and how much time you spend doing it during your work day.  This will only work if you are willing to be really honest with yourself. 
 
Remove distractions.  Once you have identified your time wasters, eliminate them from your work day.  If there are things that are necessary to your business but end up eating up a lot of your time (social media, email), then plan them into your schedule for specific amounts of time and use a timer to indicate it’s time to move on.  During times when you really need to focus on a task, turn off your email, silence your phone and text alerts and close out your social media pages.

Know what works best for your personality.  Are you someone who needs large chunks of time to complete projects and tasks all at once or do you do better breaking the project into bite sized chunks and completing it in multiple small increments of time?  I personally do better with large chunks of time so I can really focus on a task or project.  When I am transitioning between tasks, I can end up getting distracted and wasting a lot of time.  Other people get overwhelmed with too much time and allow themselves to be distracted because they think they have plenty of time and end feeling frustrated and non-productive. 
 
Cluster your activities.  This is a tactic I have used for many years to manage my schedule.  Because I know I waste a lot of time during transitions, I group similar activities together.  When I have phone appointments, I do my best to schedule them around each other.  On days when I have a meeting or appointment out of the office, I schedule all my other out of office meetings on that day if possible.  As much as possible, I schedule meetings and appointments back to back.  I always leave one day a week with no scheduled appointments so that I can take care of the creative and administrative tasks of my business (newsletter, copy writing, content creation, marketing strategies).
 
Make a list of tasks you need to complete during the week and plan them into your schedule.  I still keep a paper schedule (yes, I’m old fashioned) so after I have clustered my appointments and meetings, I estimate how much time my creative and administrative tasks are going to take me and I write them into my schedule.  If you find yourself spending hours managing your email, schedule time to check it twice a day for ½ hour each time.  When the time allotted for the task is over, move on to the next task.
 
Schedule mini breaks into your day so that you can refocus and re-energize.  Every 90 minutes, take a 10 minute break to stretch, get some tea, step outside, get a snack . . . whatever it takes to refresh yourself.
 
By managing myself and my schedule in these ways, I was able to build my coaching business from the ground up while running my full time therapy practice and being a hands-on mom to my young daughter.  I would love to hear what you are able to accomplish with using these tools and techniques.

Do you have goals that you are striving to reach for 2012?  As we finish up the first quarter, take a look at where what goals you have reached this year.  Personally, I have completed 2 Goals.  One was to take a 10 day vacation….done!  The other was to hire my business coach/mentor, Melanie Yost….done too!  And what a difference it has made.  I knew that working with the right coach would help me launch my business all over again…but I never would have thought that taking a vacation would be “good” for business.  What a surprise!  (This was our first “real” family vacation in 9 years!)

What is your red light that keeps you from reaching your goals?  My personal red light was having to get over myself.  I needed the expertise of an outside source who could help me see the much bigger picture.  Drawing from the insight, expertise and experience from a business coach and mentor has allowed me to see the big picture of where and how  I can help businesses with their organizing needs.  When your focus can become crystal clear, obstacles seem to just disappear.    

Giving yourself the green light to:  move forward, make decisions (that are right for your business), have a direct line that will allow you take the next step – then another step, and another…. is the best feeling ever! 

With the first quarter of 2012 history, think of how you can adjust and overcome obstacles for the rest of the year.  Here are some suggestions that may help:

1.  Write it all down.  Keeping your desires, dreams and goals in your head is not a good idea.  It is much easier to remind yourself and stay focused on your goals when you can glance up from your desk and see them staring you in the face.  That is how I was able to complete 2 goals this year.

2.  Include time in your schedule to take care of yourself.   Running a business is usually just 1 of our “jobs”.  And, you really don’t know when “life” will happen that can distract your focus.  Let’s just say that 2008 and 2009 were interesting years!  My schedule had to be rearranged, and was interrupted quite often, and I put other family members in front of my own needs.  Now that I am taking personal time, even if it is only 30 minutes a day, I feel regenerated and revived every day.  Reading motivational material has also made a difference in my mindset and thought patterns.     

3.    Develop your business systems and processes.  Have processes so that when you are contacted by a prospect or potential client you make the sale.  Put a client management system in place that documents your progress and comments.  Allow your business to flow and avoid that stressful feeling of missed appointments and deadlines.  Know your daily schedule and be able to plan ahead.  Identify what sucks your time away and make adjustments.  Develop new habits that are productive and beneficial to your own mental and emotional health and your business.

Here’s to a productive and successful day, month and year! 

Linda Clevenger                                                                                                                   Organization Direct

1.  Make sure that important documents are placed in a secure box, i.e. Will, Living Will, Life Insurance Policies, Birth Certificates, Social Security Cards, and other important Court documents, including the Deed to the Home and any other pertinent home information.  The key thing to remember is that these items are in a fire-proof box.  The other piece to this is to have a good and reliable friend or relative know the location of the key to the security box.  Don’t keep both keys in the same location – keep one off-site.

2.  Document the items in the home.  Use a Home Inventory System to document anything that you feel is valuable and/or sentimental.  This also includes taking a picture of everything that you know (or feel) is of value.  It is easier to keep emotions in check when you have the documentation needed to prove the value of an item – or that an item existed.

3.  Scan all of your important documents.  I recommend scanning Life Insurance Policies – at least the Structure Page that states the value of the Policy, the beneficiary, the Policy Number and who to contact – when you need to reach a Company or Agent.  You can use this as a backup, should something happen to the security box.  After the items are scanned, save them on a flash drive or CD that is stored at an outside location.  A bank safety deposit box would be the most logical location, but if that isn’t possible, have a responsible and reliable friend or relative lock the flash drive in their home or office.  And remember, if you chose your Inventory List onto a CD, a CD is not necessarily safe in a fire-proof safety box.  Extreme heat can still melt the CD that is inside of the box.  Protect your CD’s in another way such as a Bank Safety Deposit Box.

Being left behind is stressful.  Having all of your paperwork and documentation in order can make the process of dealing with the process so much easier.  It can also save you money when you can hand organized paperwork over to an attorney to begin the Probate process. 

Having all of your pertinent life paperwork documented is one of the best gifts that you can give to your spouse, children and other important people in your life. 

 Linda Clevenger                                                                                                                        Organization Direct