Organizing Help

A New Perspective

2011-06-24T00:37:00.000-07:00

Does ‘getting organized’ always seem to be on your to-do list? Do you often find yourself saying “I really 'should' get rid of some stuff”, but then fail to follow up? Telling ourselves we should do something rarely motivates us to actually take action. Instead, we 'should' ourselves into a guilt-ridden state and then avoid beginning anything! What if, instead of feeling guilty about our failure to create change, we stopped and looked at the problem from a different perspective?

Try this exercise: Sit down in a comfortable chair and close your eyes. Mentally walk through your home or office, examining each room and its contents carefully. Once you are finished the mental tour of your space, begin to watch, in your minds eye, all of your possessions floating out of the room and onto the front lawn. Sit in the centre of each empty room and look around. Enjoy the empty space. How does it feel? Ask yourself “What would I do with this space if it could be set up any way I wanted?”

Imagine your space in terms of the activities you would do in that room. For example, perhaps you would like to read, do crafts or meditate. If these are things you enjoy, where would you make space to do these activities? How would your space look if it were exactly as you wanted it. Envision each room in your mind’s eye with as much detail as possible.

Now, look at all the items you placed on your lawn. Do these items fit with the mental picture of your space? Go through and choose items that are meaningful or useful and imagine bringing those items back into your space. Begin with the most meaningful items: possessions that represent who you are as a person or family—the things you would grab if your house were on fire. Next choose just those things that you use and love — item by item. Imagine where you would place each item and how your new space would look and feel when it was organized this way. What would your space say to you (and about you) every day?

Lining up your possessions with your personal or business priorities will enable you to let go of the things that are no longer meaningful, relevant or useful. Envisioning the emotional and physical benefits of choosing rather than simply collecting possessions will move you towards creating the life you’ve always wanted.

If you have been feeling discouraged or overwhelmed at the prospect of organizing your space, try focusing on what truly matters and let go of the rest. An environment that truly reflects who you are now and who you will become, will inspire you.

This month, why not try this perspective and see what wonderful simplicity can be created in your life.

Turn your Trash into Treasures

2011-04-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

I recently came acros a new website called SwapSity. SwapSity is a consumer bartering community that helps eco-friendly and budget-conscious Canadians go green through barter. The site facilitates online exchanges of items and skills between members. Virtually everything imaginable can be bartered on SwapSity, giving useful things a new lease on life instead of sending them to landfills. Beyond swapping stuff, they also encourage skills-swapping. It’s a great way to share your skills without the need for money exchange.

“Instead of sending perfectly good items to landfills, trade them and let someone else enjoy your castoffs,” said SwapSity founder Marta Nowinska. “Online swapping of unwanted possessions, free time or talents is a perfect solution for cost conscious Canadian consumers seeking a more affordable way to acquire goods and services during these trying times”.

This Earth Day, why not consider hosting your own swap event? Get a group of friends together to share items such as clothing, household goods, books, artwork, etc. It is a fun eco-friendly activity where everyone benefits by reusing items instead of buying brand new stuff!

It's Tax Time Again...Where Are Your Receipts?

2011-02-23T00:05:00.000-08:00

When it comes to handling receipts, it is important to have a plan in place ahead of time to ensure you can find them when you need to! Start by following the steps below to create a receipt filing system that will save you time, money and ease your frustration at tax time:

Step One:
The first step is to implement a system for your wallet, purse or vehicle - wherever receipts collect. The key to being able to find important receipts when you need them is to put them in the same place every time - both when you receive them and when you get home. Don't stuff them in your pants pocket or let clerks put them in the bags, and don't let them linger in your wallet or purse.

Step Two:
The next step is to (daily or weekly) empty your receipts into an appropriate file folder or container: one for short-term receipts, one for taxes and one for warranty items, reimbursements or rebates. Separate short-term receipts (like ATM slips and grocery receipts that only need to be kept 1-3 months) from long-term receipts (such as tax-related receipts or sales slips for major purchases). Some folks will have a third category: receipts that they need for reimbursement or rebates. If you're an employee who regularly travels or entertains clients, you'll want to include this category so you can get paid back for your expenditures.

Step Three:
At the end of each month, check your short-term receipts against any bank or credit card statements. If they are not tax related and you've satisfactorily used the item and checked that it has no warranty, the receipt can then be tossed.

Step Four:
At the end of the year, gather all your tax related receipts for the year and attach them to your tax return. Once your taxes are complete you can file the receipts away and start fresh again with empty folders for the new year.

Toss Every Month:

ATM And bank-deposit slips - after you've recorded the amounts in your check register and checked it against your monthly bank statement.
Grocery receipts - check first to make sure the item appears correctly on your monthly bank or credit card statement.
Sales receipts for minor purchases or any receipts for items that cannot be returned or claimed on your taxes - after you've satisfactorily used the item and checked that it has no warranty, the receipt can be tossed.

Toss After One Year:

Monthly bank and credit-card statements - if you don't itemize deductions to claim on your taxes.
Monthly or quarterly brokerage and mutual-fund statements - after you've reconciled them with your year-end summary.
Monthly mortgage statements - as long as your year-end statement clearly shows the total amount you've paid in interest and property taxes over the course of the year.
Phone and utility bills - as long as you don't have a home office, use your phone for business calls, or anticipate any need to prove long-term residency.
Paycheck stubs - after you've reconciled them with your annual T-4 slip.

Retain for Seven Years:

Annual Tax Returns and Receipts, if you deduct any portion for personal or business expenses.
Canceled checks and receipts/statements for annual mortgage interest and property taxes, deductible business expenses, child-care bills, out-of-pocket medical costs, or any other tax-deductible expense.
Your Tax Assessment Forms from Revenue Canada or tax summaries from financial-services companies.

Keep Indefinitely:

Property Tax Forms keep until you sell your home.
Home Improvement Receipts keep for as long as you own the home.
Investment Confirmation Slips that list the purchase price of any investments you own.
Insurance Papers keep for the length of your insurance policy.
Legal Papers or any receipts related to a legal dispute. Keep until issue is settled.
Receipts for Major Purchases or any item whose replacement cost exceeds the deductible on your homeowners' or renters' insurance policy.

Resolutions don't work, because resolve isn't enough - by Rhonda Victoor

2011-01-25T23:01:00.000-08:00

I often come across great articles that I just have to share! This one was written by my friend Rhonda Victoor. You can read more on her blog at www.rhondavictoor.com/blog/

I don’t have a crash story of my own. I’ve never died for a few minutes on a hospital table. I’ve never passed out at my desk with pure exhaustion from burnout.

No. My story is less dramatic. My big moment of realization came 5 weeks ago when I took a nap.

You see I'd been trying to set my New Year’s goals. I had resolve but no energy. So I took a nap. It didn't help - it only made me realize how utterly exhausted I really was. And I decided that needed to change. I needed to create a ritual for my energy.

Where is your energy at? Really? Close your eyes for the next 5 seconds and sink into it.

After more than a decade of coaching people in the rituals of high performance I’ve learned something about how they achieve great things year after year. They don’t manage their time. They manage their energy.

They don’t set resolutions. Because resolve isn’t enough. They set rituals.

A ritual is not a resolution. It’s not a habit. It’s more than that. It’s so engrained that you don’t even need to think about it, thus reserving energy for greater things.

According to Schwartz and Loehr, authors of The Power of Full Engagement, the prime example of a ritual is brushing my teeth: I do it absolutely every day, right after I eat my oatmeal and right before bed. I’ve never started the day wondering, “Will I brush my teeth today? Will there be time?” It’s an absolute, so I need not waste mental energy asking those questions: it’s a ritual.

But I have asked each of those questions about resolutions. About exercise. About working ON my business not in it. About being fully present at work or at home. For those things I’ve had resolve, but no absolute ritual.

So today we’re going to create an energy ritual. Next month we’ll explore focus rituals. Then visionary rituals and relationship rituals. These are my 4 rituals of high performance. They will cause you to stop trying…and start doing the things that make you wildly effective and deeply satisfied [that’s what high performance is really all about].

If this is going to work you need to critically think about when and where this ritual will fit your life BEFORE committing to it. Ask yourself:

- What makes my energy crash and burn? What ritual could curb that?
- What makes my energy surge? What ritual could inject more of that?
- What do I moan about missing in my life that used to energize me? What ritual could bring that back into present-day life (considering my new commitments)?

Now commit to just ONE new ritual that will be as absolute as brushing your teeth. And tell someone about it: up the accountability.

Rhonda is leading a series of mastermind groups starting this month. If you’ve always thought you’d like to be coached, but can’t afford the 1-on-1 model of coaching, this is perfect for you! Contact Rhonda by e-mail at info@RhondaVictoor.com or phone 250.712.0085.

Christmas Spirit

2010-12-23T01:49:00.000-08:00

This story was written by a friend of mine, Terri Knox, who is an amazing speaker and writer. She shared the story in her newsletter and I just had to repost it here as well. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I was on a mission! I went to Wal-Mart and headed directly for the Christmas aisle. A lovely gentleman who works in that department walked up to me and I said, “I need a house for baby Jesus.” He smiled and replied, “Do you mean a nativity stable?” I responded, “Yes!” He then asked me if I’d like it made of wood with cedar shingles and I responded with an enthusiastic “Yes that would be terrific!” I had no idea this would be so easy as I’d been on the hunt for such an item for a long time. He asked me what dimensions I wanted and I felt like I was requesting a personal order. My surprise came when George told me that he’d have it ready for me in three days as he was going to build it himself!

Most people know I’m passionate about service. Super exceeding clients or customers expectations is not an option. George demonstrated exceptional service! He had no idea that I deliver seminars and keynotes on such a topic. All he wanted to do was make my day! I gave him my contact number and he called to ask if I wanted him to build a cradle for baby Jesus.

Now you might be thinking…would Wal-Mart allow him to do such an extravagant thing? Yes, in fact his manager was more than impressed! Three days later I got the call to pick up my stable which he had in a cabinet at the store. Another wonderful surprise was he had no expectations of me paying him for this! Once I gave George the money I believed was a fair price (plus a little more) he was delighted and more than gracious.

How can we make a difference by delivering superior service to others? Just thinking of a way to do this is motivation in itself. You don’t have to do a George but the smallest act can make the biggest difference. It doesn’t have to be Christmas in order to be gracious as giving always feels better than receiving.

The Dual Office Dilemma

2010-11-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

My biggest organizing challenge is this: I have two offices, one at home and one at work. I find it very difficult to keep things organized between the two. I try to do different things at each, but there is overlap and often confusion.

With more and more people working from home rather than commuting to an office everyday, maintaining two offices is not uncommon. Here are some suggestions to help keep the confusion to a minimum:

Determine which activities will be performed in each office. For example, you might use your office at work for meetings, phone calls, quick e-mails and some standard paperwork while your home office may be used for writing, doing research or other activities that require more time or a quiet place to focus. Set up your space specifically for those activities.
In your home office, keep your personal documents separate from work items otherwise these can get muddled when you are trying to focus on one or the other.
If you have two computers, one at home and one at work, set up an online server for your files, calendar and e-mail system so you can access your electronic information from both offices.
Computer files are more portable than paper files so scan any documents you think you might need to reference rather than trying to move paper files back and forth.

Using technology can help you set up a virtual office wherever you choose. By clarifying the activities for each space and eliminating any extra paper you can streamline your work flow and achieve better focus.

Clutter's Last Stand

2010-10-22T12:19:00.000-07:00

This is an excerpt from the book entitled "Clutter's Last Stand" by Don Aslett. He does a great job of making fun of our clutter personalities. This one really struck a chord with me as I'm sure any of you who grew up on a farm will agree! Enjoy...

"Everything written in this book about clutter can be applied "double strength" to most farm people. Few city or suburban junkees can touch your bumper crop of good old clutter. Don't think I'm judging you harshly or unfairly - you know you're guilty.

Farmers keep everything because room is no problem - old tractors, machines, and vechicles they just park farther out in the field each time. They keep them for parts, of course. And the ancient circa-1880 junk they keep to snare a dumb city slicker who'll come along and pay $500 for a rusty milk can or a warped wagon wheel. Most farmers keep their old work boots so long that the boots can walk off by themselves - and the old gloves, hats, jackets, and coveralls they keep, alone, could stuff a silo.

They have enough bolts stashed somewhere to bolt the cover down on a MX missile, and as for tools, most have a $70,000 inventory. Yet they keep the wire and string from every bale of hay, and every bucket, can, barrel, sack, and container that ever ambled onto the place. (We'd all like to do that, so we all envy them.) They never throw away a worn or broken part, because if the new one breaks, they might be able to recycle the old one even twenty rusting years later.

But the absolute clincher is, once a farmer owns a welder and a blowtorch (which most do), nothing is junk. Everything - even a license plate frame broken in four places - is kept because, with a torch and welder, you can make or repair anything and must have scrap metal around. I've seen hundreds of farmers cut some good metal off an old truck bed, then keep the old, flaking skeleton for years, secure in the thought that they'd be able to pry a 10 cent lock washer off someday...if they need it.

Brethren of the soil, I've struggled with this myself through two generations of farms and ranches, and most of it is clutter! Haul it off and plant something where it was - you'll reduce the rattlesnake breeding grounds and help prevent injuries and divorces, as well as the profanities you utter every time you're looking through it for a part."

Business Card Organizing

2010-10-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

What should I do with my piles of business cards? They are scattered all over my desk and I can never find the one I am looking for when I need it!

To set up a contact management system that works with your personal organizing style, first decide which business cards you really need to keep. You may have collected a lot of cards over the years but consider which ones are still up to date and relevant.

Next, determine your preferred method of retrieval. Do you remember people by their first name or last name? Type of business or business name? Or where you met them? Maybe you are more visual and it is the business card color or design that triggers your memory of that person? Your natural tendencies will determine which is the best method for sorting your cards.

If you are a visual person, choose a storage method that allows you to easily see the cards as this will trigger your memory. Some common storage methods include:

Sort by Category:

Use an empty business card box and separate the categories using post-it-notes as dividers; or
Put the cards in a three-ring binder with clear plastic pages and use dividers to separate the categories.

Sort Alphabetically:

If you have a Rolodex with alphabetical dividers you can sort cards by last name, first name or business name.

If you are comfortable with technology and want to create a database in your computer, you can scan the business cards using a business card scanner or enter the information manually into your computer. This way you can sort the information however you like and arrange the information to best suit your organizing style.

As with any organizing, you will want to consider what works best in your specific situation and set up a system that will be easy to use and maintain. It may take a little longer to set up but this will save you so much time in the future!

Control Computer Clutter!

2010-09-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

My computer filing system has become unmanageable! I am constantly searching for lost files and usually end up recreating files that I know I have somewhere else. There must be a better way!

For many of us, the computer is now where clutter collects. Files, e-mail, programs, videos, music, games, the list goes on and on! While this may take up very little physical space in comparison to other clutter, the data needs to be well organized to be accessible when you need it.

We all know the feeling of searching for something on the computer only to find that we named the file incorrectly, created two or three copies, or somehow put it in the wrong folder. Below are a few tips to help you take control of computer clutter:

Create files in your computer to match the paper filing system in your office.
Use broad headings with obvious names. Think of the main folder as the "file drawer" then create subfolders.
Categorize computer files into "action," "reference" and "archive."
As a general rule, don’t build deeper than three subfolder levels.
Create a standard method for naming computer files. For example, letters can be named according to date and/or subject or recipient name. Pictures should be dated and filed by month, event or subject.
Try to limit the number of documents you keep in each folder. Create a new folder every time you accumulate more than 20 files. The fewer files you have in a folder, the faster a file can be found.
Remember to periodically review, purge, and refine.

Once you have cleaned up and reorganized your system, follow it without compromise until the new behavior becomes a habit. Behavioral experts say on average it takes 21 days to form a habit so be consistent and your efforts will pay off.

Ask the Organizer...

2010-08-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Organizing Help,

My desk is piled high with mail, papers, magazines, etc. I’ve tried many times to get organized but have difficulty figuring out where to start and what to do with all of it. What do I do?

When it comes to organizing any office, the first step is determining your personal organizing “style”, so that the systems you set up are based on your natural tendencies.

A typical “Piler” has stacks of paper on every flat surface they can find. These right-brained individuals have a strong visual orientation and need to see everything! That’s why when you open a drawer or cupboard you won’t find much there.

“Filers” are generally thought to be more organized, but one style is not necessarily better than the other. We’ve discovered many left-brained filers create systems that are so detailed they can’t find what they need when they need it. Then in their haste to put things “away” filers often create cluttered drawers and cupboards.

Whether you are a Filer or a Piler, it is important to work with your natural tendencies to achieve lasting results. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when organizing your office:

If you are a Piler:

Use desktop vertical file holders, corkboards, wall files and open book shelves
Color code files and use visual cues to find things at a glance
Label everything!

If you are a Filer:

Consolidate files by using broad categories to prevent over filing
Use drawer organizers and bins to separate items in cupboards
Make sure out of sight is not out of mind!

Organizing isn't always about how a space looks; it's about how a space functions so be sure to use a strategy that works with your style.

What do you Do?

2010-08-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

You're a Professional Organizer? What exactly do you do?

I get this response a lot and although I give a general explanation of my services, it is sometimes difficult to explain my process apart from the actual hands on tasks that organizing involves.

I was discussing this problem with a writer client of mine and we came up with the brilliant idea of creating a blog that followed us through the process of organizing her office and home, so that readers can understand what exactly I do.

She is a sole proprietor in her second year of business. The issues she faces are typical of a small business: challenges with life and work balance, scheduling and time management, paper and filing systems, computer and data management, record keeping and all the issues that come with running a small business out of a home office.

Each week we will be tackling a different area of her office or home with the goal of setting up systems to improve effectiveness and enhance her life.

Follow along and see the solutions we implement. You can also post questions of your own and watch for answers as they are posted

Happy Organizing!

Downsizing Your Home

2010-06-28T23:29:00.000-07:00

Recently I spoke with a woman who was interested in getting some help with organizing her parents home. They had lived in the same house for a number of years and had accumulated a great deal of stuff.

Quite often I come across situations where aging parents, who have worked hard for everything they own, are needing to downsize. When this happens, it is often family members who have to deal with the sorting and purging of items.

Here are a few tips to help with the process and make your downsizing experience a positive one:

Start the process sooner rather than later. Downsizing does NOT get easier with age. Waiting until you are forced to make the transition due to health issues will only make it more difficult for you and your family. Start when you are the one making the decision, instead of it being made for you.

Accept that some items may only be valuable to you. When deciding what’s of “value”, Boomers’ kids in their 20s and 30s are saying, ‘If it doesn’t fit my life, my style, I don’t want it’, although they are sometimes guilted into hanging on to family heirlooms. Keep the memories instead and sell or donate items to someone who can use and appreciate it.

Don't Get Sucked into the Storage Craze. Storage merely delays decision making and downsizing is NOT easier done in some hot, poorly lit self-storage unit. Storage is only okay if done for a short term and for some extremely good reason.

If you're going to accumulate and store anything, it should be new experiences and good memories. Unlike stuff, these truly do increase in value over time and can be savored later.

Sustainability in the Workplace

2010-05-20T22:36:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a sustainability workshop hosted at Spider Agile Technology in Kelowna. Spider creates pre-manufactured modular plug and play power solutions. In 2008 Spider joined DIRTT Environmental Solutions which uses advanced software to design, build and organize modular "green" office interiors that virtually eliminate construction waste and any future renovation waste.

We were given a tour of their facilities and I was amazed at the design of their workspace, not to mention the company itself. The space was as environmentally sustainable as the products they manufacture. Movable walls and access floors with solar panels, xeriscaped gardens and a gym for staff - balancing the need for a cost effective space that occupies less real estate while still maintaining a healthy, productive and inviting work environment.

Mogens Smead, the founder of DIRTT (doing it right this time), believes that “There’s more to the environment than going ‘green. It’s about behavior. You want to have an environment that’s conducive to health, productivity and that’s a reflection of your culture.” There’s no question that the DIRTT approach is relatively unique in the business world; employees don’t have titles or assigned offices, and on-site chefs makes sure staff are well fed. “We try to accommodate family and lifestyle issues, and that’s why our company has been as successful as it has been,” Mogens says.

The team at DIRTT challenges the traditional reduce-reuse-recycle focus for sustainability activities. “Recycling should be the absolute last resort,” Mogens says. “The smart approach is finding something that will completely sustain itself. Sustainability is the whole platform for our company. The bottom-line is it’s less expensive and it’s also the right thing to do.”

I was thrilled to see how these companies were making a difference and creating sustainable alternatives for future generations. As a Professional Organizer, I often see the impact of small changes in behavior. It doesn't happen overnight, but changes can be made one small step at a time.

If you would like more information about these innovative companies visit www.spideragiletechnology.com or www.dirtt.net.

E-Waste Event a Huge Success!

2010-04-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who came out to our E-Waste Recycling and Paper Shredding Event on Saturday, April 17th! It was a successful day with about seven truck loads worth of old, unwanted and broken electronics recycled and one truck of shredded paper. 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, Planet Earth Recycling and Okanagan Paper Shredding were on site along with Organizing Help to assist Okanagan residents to recycle responsibly. Below are some photos from the event:

Spring Clean Your Life - Inside and Out

2010-04-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

We just de-cluttered our house in order to put it on the market. It feels so good I wonder why we didn’t de-clutter it a long time ago. Why do we live with so much stuff we don't need? It's not just a house question but a life question too.

Why do we fill our life with so many things that weigh us down? Things we never use. Thoughts that hold us back. Habits that limit us. Distractions that derail us. Negative people that drain us. Fear that paralyzes us. And countless time zappers that sabotage our performance and productivity.

We spend so much time and energy on things that don’t matter that we don’t focus on what does matter. We fill up with so many things that generate negative energy that there’s no room for positive energy to flow into our lives.

So today I want to encourage you to Spring Clean Your Life-both inside and out.

Get rid of the physical clutter which might include a messy house, a pile of papers on your desk, mail spread out all over the counter, a closet filled with old clothes you never wear or old salad dressings in your refrigerator. When you attack that to-do list, go through your piles of paper, clean up your desk, or throw out the trash in your car, you clear out the old and make room for the new. This simply makes you feel better.

The same goes for mental clutter. Spring clean the junk in your mind and you’ll eliminate the mind clutter that prevents you from focusing on your priorities and you’ll make room for great thoughts, exciting opportunities, endless possibilities, and an infinite supply of joy that is waiting to fill you up. You just have to make room for the good stuff.

Spring is a time of vitality, renewal, and re-birth. Seeds sprout plants, flowers bloom and nature comes back to life. You can do the same. Just get rid of your clutter and your energy will soar.

Action Steps

1. Pick one space in your house and/or office that is cluttered. Organize it and throw out the clutter. Observe how you feel when you are finished.

2. Identify one toxic belief or habit in your life and let go of the clutter

Does physical and mental clutter affect you? What do you do to get rid of it?

Stay Positive!

Jon

This article was written by Jon Gordon, a speaker, consultant and author of the international best seller "The Energy Bus" and "The No Complaining Rule". For more information about Jon, visit www.JonGordon.com

Go Green!

2010-03-15T22:52:00.001-07:00

With St. Patrick's Day almost here and Earth Day just around the corner, it is time again to think about going green!

Here is Earth Day Canada's Top 10 Actions you can do to help the environment:

1. Smart Shopping
•Buy what you need, not what you want!
•Consider renting and borrowing things that are seldom needed
•Buy used items from garage sales and second-hand stores

2. Simple Savers
•Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
•Use aerators on faucets and shower heads
•Weatherstrip windows and doors

3. Transportation Alternatives
•Walk, cycle, car pool and use public transportation
•When driving, reduce idling and maintain correct tire pressure
•Consider car sharing programs or renting

4. Food Choices
•Choose local and organic foods that are in season, and support local food producers
•Eat less meat

5. Washing and Drying
•Wash full loads of clothes in cold water and hang to air dry

6. Heating and Cooling
•For summer air conditioning, set your thermostat to 24°C or 25°C
•For winter heating, set your thermostat to 19°C or 20°C
•Install ceiling fans and programmable thermostats

7. Close to Home
•Vacation, travel and work as close to home as possible

8. Bathroom Basics
•Take short showers instead of baths
•Close water taps while brushing your teeth

9. Careful Cleaning
•Choose natural, non-toxic cleaning products
•Make simple, natural cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, baking soda and water

10. Don’t Discard
•Donate, reuse and recycle items before throwing them into the trash
•Harmful materials like chemicals, batteries, electronics, etc. should be taken to local hazardous waste depots or recyclers.

On that note, don't forget about our E-Waste Recycling Event with 1-800-GOT-JUNK on April 17th, 2010 in Kelowna. Bring your old desktop or notebook computers, monitors, desktop printers, fax machines and televisions for recycling. Also joining us this year is Okanagan Paper Shredding who will be providing on-site paper shredding! For more information visit organizinghelp.ca

Love Your Labeller!

2010-02-20T16:42:00.000-08:00

Since organizing is usually thought to be such a serious topic, I thought I would share a funny video with you to show you the lighter side. Many of my clients absolutely love it when I use a labeller in their home or office and this video shows why labelling is so important...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLRzlL6Yjvc

I've Just Been So Busy Lately

2010-01-16T21:33:00.000-08:00

This is an article from a blog I subscribe to called The Art of Non-Conformity written by Chris Guillebeau. His words are a good reminder for all of us take a look at how being "busy" affects our life and those around us. Read on...

I've Just Been So Busy Lately

"Sorry I was rude to you the other day," someone said. "I've just been so busy."

Guess what: we're all busy!

Every one of us. It's not a very exclusive club.

And here's another reality check: because we're all busy, no one really cares about how busy someone else is. One way or another, we all make time for what's important to us.

In a group project, a person who freaks out about being busy will stall, defer, and generally keep everyone else waiting on them. They use busyness as an excuse for poor performance. Sometimes it's faster to put this person in a room by themselves and let them whine while you do their job for them.

A person in control of being busy will keep the project moving forward at all costs. They like deadlines, direct communication, and tough assignments. That's the kind of person you want on your team. If you're serving on someone else's team, that's the kind of person you should be.

The strategies for dealing with being "so busy" are pretty basic:

1) Be less busy. If being busy really prevents you from doing something you want, stop being so busy. It's not that complicated.
2) Stop complaining and enjoy it. Personally, I like busy. I had fun visiting the islands last week, but islands can be sleepy little places. In Fiji I sat by the pool for an hour, but then I got bored and went back to working on my projects.

Busy people tend to do more, not less - but either way, being "so busy" that you become overwhelmed doesn't help anyone.

To read more articles by Chris Guillebeau, visit chrisguillebeau.com

No really...you DO have enough time!

2009-12-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

This is an article written by my good friend Rhonda Victoor. She is an amazing Life Coach and Speaker and was a big help to me when starting my own business. Her unique perspective gives a fresh take on how to focus your time this holiday season. If you want to learn more about Rhonda, visit her new website at www.rhondavictoor.com.

No really...you DO have enough time!
Keeping focused through this season

Even though I started the month saying "I'm not going to panic, or rush, or stress this December"...guess what I'm doing? We have just days left in the calendar to cram in a few more sales...or wrap up that project due in January...or take care of all the holidays "to-do's".

This spring, as part of my commitment to you (that I would focus on just 1 BIG gem each month and act on it) I developed the mantra "I trust..." I trust I have enough time. I trust I'll be ready. I trust others that I've coached and lead will step up to the challenge. I trust.

So I pulled that mantra out again this month. I TRUST. And I added 2 questions to it. The first: What am I deeply grateful for today? This one is thanks to my friend Troy Payne. It grounds me, slows me down and shifts my perspective toward what I already have. And the second: What is really important for today...I mean really important? That one is thanks to THE most organized woman in the world, Linda Andersson. As a result many deadlines (often self induced) have been bumped to January, delegated (remember that simply means aking for help) or dropped completely.

What mantra do you need to repeat over the next few weeks to keep you focused on your most important work goal or family/life goal right now? Just one. Focus on one. Act on one. Just one BIG gem!

If you take January 1st as a time to refocus your goals, my colleague and friend Mara Vizzutti has crafted a dynamite list of reflection questions. I've printed them off to take with me over the holidays to Alberta where we'll be celebrating with droves of extended family in the week ahead. I challenge you to do the same.

May 2010 bring you the energy and focus to act on your BIG gems. May you awake each day with a calm sense of urgency that drives you to BE who you most want to be in your work and your life.

I look forward to playing a small part in your journey!

Rhonda
the BIG gem speaker
Info@RhondaVictoor.com

Tote Trac Garage Storage Organizer

2009-10-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

This amazing storage system can remove clutter from your life. It is a versatile storage organizer that can hold six totes and a bicycle or other large item. Tote Trac's Patent-Pending design, allows you to create clean, discreet storage in places you never thought possible. The Tote Trac system can be installed on virtually any ceiling, in your garage, under your garage door, in a shed, closet, or basement and it can even be mounted on walls.

Each Trac is 30 in. long x 5 in wide and is made of solid steel. It is easy to install with only 3 pieces, which allows for an easy one person installation. The only tools necessary for installation are a stud finder, drill and a 3/8 in. ratchet or driver.

No need to buy new totes, because Tote Tracs can be arranged to accommodate nearly any tote you might have. Just set up a new row of Tote Tracs based on whatever size tote you need to store.

Clutter Types

2009-09-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

When it comes to clearing out the clutter in your home or office, you may run into the following clutter types. See if you can recognize the type of clutter you are dealing with:

Physical Clutter ~ Any excess physical clutter in your home, office or life that prevents you from finding what you need, when you need it.

Environmental Clutter ~ Stuff that should be recycled or taken to a toxic waste facility, you just haven't gotten around to it yet!

Mental Clutter ~ This is the clutter in your head that makes you feel like there is way too much to do and not enough time to do it! It prevents you from thinking clearly and making quick rational decisions.

Sentimental Clutter ~ Items which evoke memories of people, places or things in the past that you just can't let go of, even though the memory is more important than the object.

Compulsive Clutter ~ Compulsive shoppers cannot pass up a bargain and end up buying multiples of things they don't need because "it was on sale!".

Rainy Day Clutter ~ Things you keep because “it might be useful someday!”

Hidden Clutter ~ The clutter in boxes or in storage you pretend doesn’t exist because you can't see it!

Unfinished Clutter ~ Projects, books, or crafts you start but never finish (and leave sitting out so you will remember to do it!)

No matter how much you ignore it, avoid it, or try to live around it, clutter doesn't just disappear. Discovering what type of clutter you are hanging on to and why can be the first step to eliminating it once and for all!

Emergency Evacuation Checklist

2009-07-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

With the recent fires in Kelowna and large number of people being evacuated from their homes, I felt it was important to provide a checklist that will help you prepare for a possible evacuation. Each person must decide what items to gather depending upon the time given to evacuate. Here is a compilation of the more useful items to take, what to do before leaving, and what to do now to prepare.

WHAT TO TAKE

Family
• Photographs of all family members
• Pets (if advance warning, take to an approved shelter)
• Pet ID tags
• Pet leashes
• Pet medications
• Pet water bowls

Documents
• Birth certificates
• Car insurance
• Computer backup disks
• Computers (time permitting)
• Drivers' licenses
• Health insurance card
• House deed
• Insurance papers
• Legal documents
• Marriage license
• Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
• Tax papers

Money
• Cash
• Credit cards
• Blank checks
• Check books
• Savings books
• Purse
• Wallet

Medications
• Analgesics
• First-aid kit
• Motion sickness tablets
• Prescription dentures
• Prescription glasses
• Prescription hearing aids
• Prescriptions

Jewelry
• Decorations, pins, awards
• Family heirlooms
• Gold, silver, and other valuable jewelry

Sentimental
• Irreplaceable keepsakes
• Original paintings
• Photos and albums, slides, movies, home videos

Food and Water (for three to seven days - if time permits)
• Manual can opener
• Non-perishable, ready-to-eat food
• Pet food
• Pet treats
• Water (at least one gallon per person and pet per day)

Toiletries (if time permits)
• Sanitary devices
• Shaving articles
• Soap and towels
• Toothbrushes and toothpaste

Clothing (appropriate for the season - if time permits)
• Change of clothing for each person (for one to seven days)
• Change of underwear
• Coats and jackets
• Gloves and scarves
• Hats and caps
• Infant supplies and toys
• Shoes and boots
• Sleepwear

Additional Items to Take (if time permits)
• Cameras and extra batteries
• Cell phones
• Portable radio and extra batteries
• Flashlights and extra batteries
• Reading material
• Recreational items
• Covered container to use as an emergency toilet
• First Aid Kit

WHAT TO DO BEFORE LEAVING

• Establish an evacuation plan, travel route, probable destination
• Determine where separated members will meet
• Notify friends and relatives by e-mail where to contact you
• Prepare an "information note" to leave on the door detailing who you are and where you have gone
• Close fire resistant window coverings, heavy drapes, and Venetian blinds
• Remove lace, nylon, or light material drapes and curtains
• Move overstuffed furniture away from windows
• Turn off appliances, thermostats, fireplaces, stoves
• Fill bathtubs, sinks, and containers with water
• Disconnect barbeque propane tank
• Leave one light on in each general area so firefighters can see your house in dark and smoke
• Lock doors and windows
• Make safety equipment obvious for firefighters (spigots, ladders, hoses, etc.)
• Place a ladder against the roof of the house on the side opposite the approaching fire
• Close or cover outside vents and shutters
• Plug air vents and openings that are close to the ground
• Remove combustible items from around the outside of the house
• Release any livestock in the area
• Turn off natural gas at meter
• Close garage door but leave it unlocked (disconnect automatic garage door opener)
• Turn on exterior lights
• Fill evacuation vehicle gas tank
• Follow any official agency's evacuation instructions

WHAT TO DO NOW TO PREPARE

• Clear driveway to at least 20 feet wide with 15 feet vertical clearance (for emergency vehicles)
• Clear vegetation from within 3 feet of hydrants and within 10 feet of structures, propane tanks, utility boxes
• Develop outdoor water supply with hoses to reach entire house, nozzle, and pump
• Remove trash and debris accumulations
• Have fire tools, ladder, and fire extinguishers available
• Keep evacuation vehicle gas tank full
• Post name/address signs clearly visible from street or road
• Practice family fire drill and evacuation plans
• Prepare a list of valuables to take with you (store together, if possible)
• Document an annotated list of all belongings
• Take still pictures or video of all belongings as a backup

Home Remedies

2009-07-16T01:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some interesting home remedies that use everyday products as solutions to common problems. I can't confirm that they all work, but I have tried a few and was amazed at the results!

Did You Know...

Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper

Sticking bicycle chain - use Pam no-stick cooking spray

Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish

Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby

To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste

Wine stains - pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.

To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.

Remove labels off glassware - rub with Peanut butter!

Baked on food - fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it. Soak overnight.

Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!

Dirty grout - use Listerine

Stains on clothes - Colgate

Grease Stains - Coca Cola. It will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries!

To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox, or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.

Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle. It will also clean a toilet. (Wow, and we drink this stuff)

Use Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it!

Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for minor burns

Soaking in a bath of regular tea helps ease sunburns

Meat tenderizer can take the sting out of bee stings

Deodorant relieves itching and swelling of mosquito bites (this one really works!)

Organizing Help - Change Your Habits, Change Your Results

2009-05-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

Since beginning my organizing career in 2003, I have come across many people who feel so overwhelmed by all the stuff they have accumulated over the years that they just don't know where to start.

While we would all love to be able to wave a magic wand and have everything perfectly organized, this is not a realistic expectation. Disorganization happens slowly over time. Months and years of bad habits can cause clutter to build up until finally that day arrives when we've had enough! We reach our limit and then expect to fix it all in a short period of time. When that doesn't happen, we feel defeated and fall back into our old patterns of behavior.

Just like any diet or exercise program, organization takes work! A Professional Organizer can help you to get started and clear out your past clutter, but in order to maintain organization you also need to change the habits that caused the problems in the first place.

If you are looking for a place to start, check out the FlyLady.net. This is a website that provides a humorous approach to getting organized. Their daily e-mail reminders may be just the thing you need to change your habits and get the results you are looking for.

Organizing Help and 1-800-GOT-JUNK? - E-Waste Recycling Event

2009-04-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

Organizing Help joined 1-800-GOT-JUNK? to host an E-Waste Recycling event in recognition of International Earth Day to demonstrate our dedication to clean communities and environmentally responsible junk removal. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? locations across North America held similar environmental events, so you can imagine the volume of electronic waste that was collected!

After a long day of collecting electronic waste, I am more convinced than ever that consumerism is the root of most, if not all, of our environmental issues. I was shocked at how a seemingly small 4 hour event could produce over five dump trucks full of computers, printers, faxes, televisions and various electronic waste!

See for yourself - here are a few photos of the event:

Organizing Help - Going Green

2009-03-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

Most people are concerned about the environment and really do want to recycle but setting up a proper recycling station that is functional, aesthetic and easy to use is the key to going green.

What To Recycle

If you are unsure of what to recycle, start small, start easy.

The following list describes items that are typically accepted at most recycling centers and curbside pickup:
- Aluminum Cans (pop cans)
- Steel Cans (soup cans, coffee cans, etc.)
- Newspaper
- Magazines

The next list describes items that are accepted, with some exceptions, and a few more rules:

- Corrugated Cardboard (shipping and packaging boxes - flattened and bundled)
- Paper and Paperboard (office paper, notebook paper, cereal boxes, non-Styrofoam egg cartons, some pre-packaged food boxes. Some paper items like paper milk cartons and drink boxes are lined with wax or plastic and are often not accepted)
- Glass (beer bottles, wine bottles, jars, etc. Light bulbs, Pyrex, ceramics, and mirrors are NEVER accepted.)
- Plastics (milk jugs, shampoo bottles, detergent bottles, vitamin bottles, plastic soda and water containers etc. Most centers will only accept those plastics labeled with the PETE 1 and HDPE 2 symbols. These can generally be found molded into the bottom of the containers. If you can't identify the type of plastic, don't include it. Most facilities also require that you remove the cap since it is usually made of a different type of plastic. Check with your local recycling center.)

To set up your recycling station, pick a spot that is convenient without getting in the way. For ideas, here is a sample recycling station from Martha Stewart's website.

Organizing Help - The Power of Love by Lee Silber

2009-02-11T08:20:00.000-08:00

Each month I receive a newsletter from one of my favorite authors, Lee Silber. He wrote the book "Organizing from the Right Side of the Brain" which is full of insightful tips for helping creative individuals get organized. Along with organizing, his newsletter offers great ideas and insights to improve your life. Here is a short sample from his most recent newsletter:

LOVE IS THE KEY TO UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL

We have all heard that if we love what we do we the money will follow, and that love conquers all. Well, I for one believe it. Okay, maybe in some cases when we do what we love and the money follows it isn’t as much as we had hoped for. Or, maybe love alone isn’t enough to save every (doomed) relationship. I’ll give you that.

Now more than ever many people are at a crossroads in their careers and must choose between what they truly want to do with their lives and what they feel they should (or must) do. I am writing this in the hopes that in these troubled times your dream job, or the hope of running your own company isn’t like a small boat on the horizon, once just out of reach and now almost impossible to see—and getting small by the minute.

Here is the good news. Suddenly it’s okay to scale back your lifestyle. There is now no shame in being resourceful or frugal. There has never been a better time to reinvent yourself and pursue work you love, even if it doesn’t pay as much as your previous career. The worst has happened, and it has touched nearly everyone around you—we’re all in the same boat.

That’s why it’s time to stop doing what everyone thinks you should do and do what you want to do—love to do. Sure, there are many reasons (and excuses) why this seems impossible. Yet, the truth is letting go of a few of the materials things that are like an anchor tied to your ankles, can free you to find work you love—even if you have to live on less—with the hope that your passion and persistence will put you on a path to prosperity . . . eventually. If you love what you do, no matter what happens you will enjoy the journey. ~ Lee Silber

To learn more about Lee Silber, visit www.creativelee.com.

Organizing Help - Unconventional Strategies for Life, Work and Travel by Chris Guillebeau

2009-01-14T11:13:00.000-08:00

I was recently sent a link to a website called The Art of Non-Conformity - Unconventional Strategies for Life, Work and Travel by Chris Guillebeau. Chris writes about how to "change the world by achieving significant, personal goals while helping others at the same time". His personal goal is to visit every country in the world by his 35th birthday on April 7, 2013. He has already visited 100 of 197 countries and has inspired many others to live out their dreams.

Now, if you are wondering "What does this have to do with organizing?", well, let me explain...

One of the things I tell people when they are feeling overwhelmed and need help to get organized is to:

"Start with a vision of what you want your life to look like. Rather than focusing on the things you don't want, visualize what you do want."

This is often the most difficult part and it takes some time to get a clear picture, but once you know your goals, the organizing is so much easier!

Chris has an "Ideal World" exercise you can download from his website that will help you to clarify your goals. He also has some great articles that are both helpful and inspiring. Enjoy!

Organizing Help - 10 Easy Ways to De-Clutter Your Home and Your Life by Peter Walsh

2009-01-08T02:29:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of meeting organization expert, Peter Walsh, when I attended the National Association of Professional Organizers conference in Reno, NV last year. Since starring in the television show, Clean Sweep, Peter has also appeared several times on Oprah and other television shows as well as written organizing books such as: "How to Organize Just About Everything", "It's All Too Much" and "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?".

Below are a few of Peter's tips from the Oprah website and if you are interested in reading more, you can visit his website at www.peterwalshdesign.com.

Is clutter taking over your home? Peter Walsh has 10 easy ways you can de-clutter your home and your life today.

How to Keep Your House Clutter-Free

1. Tackle messes one room at a time.
2. When you buy something new, practice the "in-out rule:" For every one new item, get rid of an old one.
3. Create intimacy in the master bedroom. Remember that improvements in one room can spread to the rest of the house.
4. Make cleaning up fun for your kids.
5. Create a vision for the room you're cleaning.
6. Teach your kids how to sort.
7. Use a hanger system to determine which clothes you wear most.
8. Ask yourself if you really need something. If you hesitate, you don't.
9. Establish a "magic triangle" in your kitchen between the stove, refrigerator and the sink. Keep the items you use most in that area.
10. Identify useful utensils with the cardboard box test. If you want to see what utensils you're really using, Peter recommends the cardboard box test. "Take all the utensils out of your drawers, put them in a cardboard box," he says. "For the next month, whenever you use one of these utensils, put it back in the drawer. If after four weeks it's still in the box, you don't need it."

Organizing Help - Goal Setting

2009-01-01T12:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Since this is the first day of January my thoughts turn towards creating New Years Resolutions or Goals to start the year off on the right foot. I have always felt that the beginning of a New Year signified something special, a chance to make significant changes in my life. But this isn't the only time of the year that goal setting is important. Having both short term and long term goals increases your chances of achieving at least some of the goals you set. Motivational Speaker and Author, Daren Wride, shares some of his goal setting tips to help you create your best year yet!

Here is a simple goal setting system you might want to work through as you prepare to enter 2009.

"Success is goals; all else is commentary."

Those are the words of the late Peter Drucker. His point is obvious: goals are important.

Here are some simple guidelines for setting and achieving your personal and career goals:

1) Begin by setting 3-5 lifetime goals. These are the things, which if you achieve them, you will consider your life a success. If you've never done this exercise, you might be surprised by what it pulls out of you, by the priorities it surfaces in your life.

2) Once you have your lifetime goals set, it is time for decadal, or 10 year, goals. This is difficult because while we usually get less done in a year than we think, we can achieve far more in a decade than we can imagine. So think BIG. And make sure those ten year goals contribute to your life time targets.

3) Set 5-10 annual goals which contribute to those decadal and lifetime goals. Make sure they stretch you and force you out of your routine in some way. Life as usual generally doesn't move us toward our deepest passions.

4) Finally, be sure to set some strategic 90 day goals. In fact, set three of them, and whenever you achieve one, cross it off and add another. I've found that 90 days is a short enough time period to keep up some pressure, but long enough to do something significant. And, of course, your 90 day goals should contribute to your annual, decadal and lifetime goals.

Learn more at www.www-SetGoals.com

Have a great start to '09!

Daren Wride
www.ThePowerOfaTeam.com
www.Reclaim-Your-Clock.com

You may view a video of the written content here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTH07EIaev0

Organizing Help - The 6 Characteristics of Highly Creative People

2008-12-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

Here is an interesting article I came across written by life coach, speaker, and author Michelle L. Casto.

Thomas Moore said, "We are all poets and artists as we live our daily lives, whether or not we recognize our role and whether or not we believe it." Human beings have an innate need to create. Even you! There is a continuum of creativity, ranging from being slightly creative to highly creative. The good news is that you can learn to be more creative by observing creative people and modeling yourself after them. Artists, writers, and creative types seem to have similar characteristics. Some of the personality traits listed below may seem eccentric, odd, even "out there"---but that is where creativity lies--- in the outreaches of our consciousness, in the depths of our souls. If you had the opportunity to speak to Picasso, Walt Disney, or Jane Austen, you would probably find out that they are ordinary people, much like you and I. The difference is that they have allowed more of their soul to come out and play and have freed themselves of convention and restriction. Creativity is essentially the art of discovery and an act of faith. When you create something--- a work of art, book, software program, dance routine, or role for a play, you discover parts of yourself that you never knew existed. Creative people have a strong need to express more of who you really are and often have to fight for that right. The character Isabelle in the movie, Fire and Ice, has a great outlook on what it means to be creative, she says, "To create, sometimes you must rebel."

1. Unconventional
Creative people do not feel the need to conform to society's standards. They often swim against the current and flow with their own way of thinking and living. They have original ideas that literally turn the world upside down and right-side out. Take for example, the 16th century Italian astronomer, Galileo, who proved that the earth revolved around the sun (instead of the other way around), which was revolutionary in his time.

2. Individualistic
Creative people want to find out what the truth is, and they have a strong need to decide for themselves what works and what does not. Often they are ahead of their time, and much of their work is appreciated/acknowledged after they are dead and gone. Many writers are famous for marching to the tune of their own drum, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote the book, Self-Reliance, and Robert Frost who penned, "two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less-traveled."

3. Inventive
Creative people live in the world of ideas, and don't always have the best interpersonal skills. Because they are so highly intelligent, and live in the realm of possibility, they are constantly coming up with bright ideas. They also take notice of what is missing in the world and/or what could be improved. Take for instance, Thomas Edison, who invented hundreds of things in his time, his most famous invention being the light bulb. He saw that there was darkness and then created light.

4. Driven
Creative people cannot "not do something"—they are almost compulsive until they can bring their internal vision into fruition. They have that "fire in their belly"---a passion to contribute to the beauty and betterment of the world. Because of their high drive, they can produce a lot in a relative short amount of time. Talk about drive---the material girl herself, Madonna, has not let public praise or criticism stop her from being a super star. She is a modern day Diva, multi-talented as a singer, dancer, and actress who has released hundreds of songs, albums, videos, movies, books--- all the while reinventing herself as someone new.

5.Visionary
Creative people have a guiding vision in their head, heart, and soul that they are often called to bring to life. Who else but Michelangelo could look at a large piece of marble and "chip away at everything that wasn't David?" According to him, "I saw an angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." One of his best-known works is the immense ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which took him three years to complete, where he often had to work upside down for hours at a time. If you ever have seen any of his work, you can easily see that it is a vision to behold.

6. Intuitive
Creative people are very in touch with their inner selves. They pay attention to the signs, synchronicities, symbols around them, and make use of that information in their work. They often act as a channel, where ideas and inspiration come from a higher plane. They allow the work to guide them to where it needs to go. The work clearly originates in their soul, not from their ego. Talk about ideas coming from out of the blue, remember how the scientist, Isaac Newton "discovered" gravity? He was sitting under a tree and an apple fell on his head! Had he not made a connection with his intuitive nature, he would have missed a major theory about the world we live in!

As you read this, do you find yourself relating to some of these traits? If so, it is time to start creating. Getting started can often be the hardest part, because we often limit our creativity by listening too closely to our negative inner voice. But so did all of these examples of creators. Even the famous painter Vincent Van Gogh struggled with that, but he created a remedy for that, he said, "If you hear a voice within you saying, you are not a painter, then by all means, paint, and that voice will be silenced." Robert Henri says, "When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature." Once you have created, you now have to put yourself out there for all to see. This is where your faith comes in to support you. Remember that if you are creating from your soul, it will not matter whether other people accept your work or not. You are simply doing what you are called to do as a human being, create.

Organizing Help - MacDonald's Law of Unseized Time

2008-11-27T01:10:00.000-08:00

I signed up to receive weekly time management tips from writer and speaker, Daren Wride and have found them to be very insightful. Here's the tip I received this week relating to Gordon MacDonald's principles:

MacDonald's Laws of Unseized Time: #3

So far we've seen that "unseized time flows toward my weakness" and "unseized time is influenced by the dominant people in my life."

The third of Gordon MacDonald's principles is:
Unseized time surrenders to all "emergencies."

There are indeed true emergencies, a time to drop everything and respond to a crisis. But, unless you are in a few emergency services type occupations (police, fire, medical) true emergencies are exceedingly rare.

An important part of time management is learning to discern the difference between a true emergency and someone else's urgent priorities, or sudden events that seem important.

Again, the key is priorities. Is this event, this person, this supposed crisis actually more important than the things you are working on right now? Likely not. Most of them can be rescheduled at a time that makes sense in your schedule. But, if you don't have a schedule, an up to date task list, a weekly routine, these "emergencies" quickly fill up your days and you never get the important things done.

Seize your time and boldy label 99% of these crisis events what they really are- interruptions. And then deal with them according to your well thought out plan.

For more information about Daren Wride or to sign up for his weekly time management tips, visit www.DarenWride.com.

Organizing Help - Clear Your Space, Clear Your Mind!

2008-10-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

Organization is something we all struggle with. It seems that no matter how hard we try, disorganization creeps back again and again. So, why do we even bother getting organized in the first place?

According to feng shui principles, clutter in any area of your life is a sign of stuck, stagnant energy. The more clutter you have, the more sluggish the energy becomes. If you have ever walked into a cluttered room, you have probably felt your energy drop dramatically. So much so that you may even avoid that room altogether and close the door so you don’t have to look at it!

Coping with clutter is rarely easy and staying focused and motivated to get the job done can be one of the biggest challenges. Here are a few tips to help get you started and stay motivated when it all seems like too much!

• Set Achievable Goals. Pick one area to tackle at a time - this could be a shelf, a drawer, a countertop. Picking one task and completing it is much more rewarding than trying to tackle an entire room or office all at once. When you don’t finish something it makes it much harder to get started again the next time.
• Start with messes and clutter you see every day. Assign every item (or group of items) a home. It dramatically cuts down on the clutter of items left out "for now" or "until I find a place for it."
• Use the One-In-One-Out Rule. Make it a general policy to get rid of one old thing for every new purchase.
• Work With Your Natural Tendencies. Observe what things pile up in your home or office and where they cluster then come up with a place nearby that becomes the official home where those things reside. It is easier to make the area look better with a basket or bin than to try and change a habit!
• Pick Favorites. If you have a favorite brand or item that you use frequently but four partially used items of another brand that didn’t measure up are sitting in your cupboard – give them away!
• Keep Only Things you Use or Love.
• Maintain your organized lifestyle with 30 minutes of upkeep each day.

Getting and staying organized is a lifestyle, not a crash diet. Start by making small changes and you will quickly see an improvement in your home or office space which directly affects how you feel about your life!

Organizing Help - Can You Afford Office Chaos?

2008-10-02T17:41:00.000-07:00

This is an article that was written by Marketing Coach, Larry Arrance, in his "No Results No Fee Newsletter". I thought I would share it with you since he did such a great job promoting my business! Thank you Larry!! If you would like to attend Larry's FREE Marketing Bootcamp visit www.kelownamarketingcoach.com.

Can You Afford Chaos?
If we looked up organized in the dictionary would it show a picture of your office? A few of us can honestly nod yes to that question. Unfortunately there is a very large number of business owners that try to operate in an atmosphere of clutter and chaos. No big deal you say, think again.

There are a lot of costs involved with a cluttered or disorganized office or work environment. It can rob you of profits by wasting your most precious commodity, time. Every time you have to needlessly search for something, rearrange the papers on your desk or rummage through your files you are losing money. Besides the loss of time and money it can drain your energy. Stop and think of what happens to your energy levels when you walk into your office and cannot see the top of our desk or in some cases the desk itself? It does not inspire you to tackle the new day of opportunities if looks like you are still working on yesterday.

A cluttered office can impair your earnings on a subconscious level too. As business owners we want to look successful, competent and be taken seriously. If our office looks like it has been ransacked we won't be looking for ways to bring clients or customers in to see us. Having a messy desk sends a message to you and your clients. If your clients see the piles of unfinished or unfiled papers it will make them wonder how well you take care of their files or information. On a personal level it sends your brain the message that you are inept and can't handle the workload. This is very damaging to your self-esteem.

I will not give you tips to tackle this problem. Why, because that is not my expertise. When you want the best results you call in an specialist or expert. In this case I would recommend you call a Professional Organizer. One professional who comes very highly recommended is Linda Andersson of Organizing Help here in Kelowna. You can check out her website at www.organizinghelp.ca for more information.

Let Linda help you clear a path to your success then we can put our energies into making your business as profitable as possible.

Organizing Help - Take the Time

2008-09-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

I came across this poem by Natasha Josefowitz and wanted to share it with you...enjoy!

TIME
You can’t buy time
nor can you sell it
You can lose it
but you can’t gain it back

We all live on borrowed time
trying to steal more of it
We talk of saving time
but all we do is fill it

Some people have time on their hands
others have no time at all
when in fact, we all have the same time—
we have all the time there is

Some people wouldn’t give you the time of day
Others take the time

We say it’s time to get up
and time to go
and time to work
as if time controls our lives

We don’t say
it’s time to love
or time to do nothing

We waste time
doing what does not need to be done
and what we have no pleasure in doing
We let others control our time

We don’t take the time
to think how we use
this minute, this hour, this day, this year
which make up this life

Organizing Help - Body of Purpose Retreat

2008-09-25T21:22:00.000-07:00

Do you have clarity on what you want and where you are going in your life? Is your body prepared for the joyful demands of a purposeful life?

Come spend the day with two dynamic women who have blended their passions for inspiring and healing to create an extremely creative & interactive retreat that is sure to restore your vitality and inspire your vision towards what your life was truly meant to be!

Date: Saturday Sept 27/08, 9am to 4pm
Location: Oranj Dance Fitness, 529 Lawrence Ave
Cost: $95.00- A portion of proceeds will go to “Room to Read” & “Cross Cultural Solutions”

Details: For women only (sorry guys!)
• Dress for yoga movements
• Snacks provided!
• Pre-pay & signup required

Call Melanie for details at 808-7070 or email mellymau@hotmail.com

Melanie Maure is the embodiment of her passion; balanced vitality. She brings every cherished moment of her 12 years experience in wellness consulting, fitness training, injury reconditioning, Pilates/Yoga instruction and body awareness for trauma and pain management to every body she meets. Melanie has been blessed with the opportunity to teach women how to love their bodies in a balanced way as they move through the challenges inherent with living a purpose filled life.

Meeting Crystal Flaman for the first time is a powerfully motivating experience. She’s authentic; she’s sincere, and she’s REAL in her belief that you can do anything you set your mind to! That is why Crystal’s career path as a social entrepreneur, speaker, facilitator, and business consultant is being catapulted into the next decade. Correction; that would be Crystal’s PASSION PATH... and she takes everyone she meets along for the ride! Crystal will show you how you can achieve your goals, objectives and dreams by focusing on you, your passion and strengths, and your vision for the future!

Linda Andersson - Organize your Home, Office and Life!

2008-09-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog site! Here you will find organizing tips and strategies for your home, office and life. Check back often and feel free to publish your own comments or replies on this site.