Tag Archives: organizing

What are you meant to do?

Some NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) colleagues and I participated in a service project this weekend at the University District Food Bank.  My “job” was to work with the food bank’s amazing Director, helping him declutter and organize his office so it would be more inviting to his team and donors.  About an hour into the organizing process, he stopped, shook his head, and asked me “how in the world can you do this every day? I’m exhausted!”  My response: “because  it’s what I am meant to do.”  I wake up every morning looking forward to helping people get unstuck, physically or emotionally, and move forward in their lives.

How do you determine what you’re meant to do?

  1.  Start with a Values and Needs exercise.  It’s important to know, at your core, what makes you tick.  Using myself as an example, my top Values are honesty, loyalty, and affection.  Anyone that knows me well, knows I’m a hugger; deeply dedicated to my family, friends and clients; and don’t tolerate dishonesty.  So, I would not do well in an occupation that doesn’t afford me deep, meaningful personal contact.  My top Needs include family, peace, and self-worth.  Again, those close to me know I will drop everything if someone I’m close to needs me; I don’t do well with conflict; and knowing I’m providing a valuable service to my family, friends, and clients is what drives me.  (Note:  The link to the Values and Needs exercise is an example only.  I do not specifically endorse the authors or their works.)
  2. What are you good at?  Years ago I participated in Tom Roth’s StrengthsFinder exercise.  Not surprisingly, my identified strong traits markers include Stretegic, Discipline, Relator, Learner, and Responsibility.  All of these traits serve me well as a Professional Organizer and Coach.
  3. What are you NOT good at?  Knowing what you aren’t good at (or just don’t want to do) is as important as knowing what makes you tick.  Deep down, I’m a bit of an introvert.  Get to know me and I’m very open and communicative.  But, in a crowd of people I don’t know, I’m a wallflower.  Hence, I would not make a great salesperson.
  4. What are your skills? Some occupations just flat require some very defined skill sets.  Although I’m a kinesthetic learner, I don’t have fine dexterity skills.  I should not be a surgeon.  But I am really, really good at process, so people are constantly asking me to organize projects and events (and I love it!).
  5. What makes you smile when you think about doing it?  I don’t like to garden. It does not make me smile. I know people that do love to garden and when they think about going outside and getting their hands dirty, they beam!  On the other hand, I love to organize stuff and help people move from where they are (physically or emotionally) to where they want to be.  It makes me smile even thinking about it.  What makes you smile?

Are you frustrated or unhappy doing what you’re doing?  If so, maybe you’re not doing what you are meant to do.

Cindy Jobs

www.organizetosimplify.com

Member Color - Web
National Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter Vice President
ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 website

Level I Certificates earned in Chronic Disorganization; ADD; Client Administration; Time Management; Mental Health; and Hoarding.

Level II Specialist Certificates earned in Chronic Disorganization and ADHD.

Coach Approach for Organizers
Graduate of the Comprehensive Training Program: Coaching Essentials; Strengths-Based Coaching; Brain-Based Coaching; Life and ADHD Coaching; and Organizer Coach Integration
Graduate-level training: Body-Based Coaching; ADHD Coaching Competencies

 

It’s National Clean Out Your Closets Week!

This past Monday marked the official first day of Spring, and for those of you in Washington state (especially the Puget Sound area), some absolutely beautiful weather days followed.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to put the parkas and snow boots away and pull out some t-shirts and golf shorts!

For many of us, deciding what to wear is our first big decision of the day.  It sets the tone.  It puts us in a certain frame of mind.  It prepares us for what lies ahead.  Is there a better way to start the day than with a clean, organized closet filled with just those items you love and feel great in?  I think not.

Here are five tips to quickly and painlessly clear some closet clutter:

  1. Schedule time.  If you haven’t done it in a while, an entire closet purge could take several hours.  Schedule at least 3-4 hours to get the process started (hopefully even completed).  Trust me, it’s a great use of time.
  2. Set yourself up for success. Get in the mood for some tough decision-making.  Grab a friend to help.  Turn on some tunes.  Schedule a significant reward for project completion.
  3. Have plenty of supplies ready.
    • If you are planning on changing your hanger style, buy twice as many as you think you need. Same goes for shoe boxes, underbed storage, belt hangers, etc.  It’s always better to have supplies to return than not be able to finish the project because you came up short on supplies.
    • Set up a system for removing what doesn’t deserve valuable closet space: resale, storage, donation, discard, gifting, etc..  Whatever you decided doesn’t deserve a home in your closet, needs to go somewhere.  Immediately put donations in your car. Move storage items to their new home.  Schedule a drop off/pick up date/time for items you are gifting.
  4. Touch everything and ask yourself the following: 
    • Do I love it and feel great when I wear it? (good color, style, fit, etc.)
    • Did I use it this season or can I see myself using it next season? (is skiing really still your thing?)
    • Am I keeping this because of guilt? (impulse purchase, spent too much, it was a gift, etc.)
  5. Put items away efficiently.  Anything that goes back in the closet should be grouped in an organizational system that works best for how you make decisions.
    • Do you select items by color (black vs yellow)?
    • Do you select items by purpose (work vs play)?
    • Do you store outfits together within the closet?

A functional closet can reduce stress (I’m certain most of us have felt the frustration of being late because we “can’t find anything to wear!”); save time (no more time wasted searching for that one black turtleneck you absolutely love!); and save money (how many times have we repurchased items we already own?).

Spring is here . . . are you and your closet ready?

Cindy Jobs

www.organizetosimplify.com

 

 

Member Color - WebNational Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 websiteCertified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

It Is Clutter Awareness Week: Can you identify clutter?

“Clutter is postponed decisions.”
— Barbara Hemphill

This is National Clutter Awareness Week.  Most of us think we can identify clutter when we see it, but can we?

Kitchen BeforeLet’s take a look at some of the items we can identify in the picture above and determine:

Clutter or Correct Place?

Stack of Ziploc bags.  Although we use Ziploc bags in the kitchen, the extra boxes probably would be better stored in the pantry.  Clutter.

Sleeping bag.  Does a sleeping bag belong in the kitchen?  No.  Clutter.

Small filing system:  The filing system may very well belong in the kitchen even though our first instinct would be that it belongs in an office.  If the kitchen is where the homeowner pays bills and does their filing, then it makes perfect sense.  Correct Place.

Pest control product:  There may very well be pests in the kitchen, but the pest control product more appropriately should be stored away from food.  Clutter.

Large slow cooker:  If this appliance is used on a regular basis, then this is the perfect place for it.  If it is only used occasionally, then it should be placed in a more out-of-the-way place.  Correct Place.

Lots and lots of plastic storage containers:  Plastic containers are certainly used in the kitchen, however, the sheer quantity of containers we see in this picture pushes them into the clutter category.  Clutter and Correct Place

There were lots and lots of decisions to be made while working with this homeowner, but she was motivated and determined to take back her kitchen.  Here’s how we left it at the end of our work together.  She’s happy to report to me (on a regular basis) that her counters are still clear and her kitchen functions more as a kitchen and less as a storage area.  I’m so proud when my clients can maintain and improve upon the work we do together!

Kitchen 4 After

Cindy Jobs

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

Organize to Simplify RGB www.organizetosimplify.com

Member Color - WebNational Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
 ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 websiteCertified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

Urgent vs Important

UrgentImportantMatrixThis morning as I was getting ready to head out on vacation I  realized, yet again, that my “to do” list was longer than the hours I had left to do get everything done.  What’s a girl to do?

Many times in both my career and personal life I’ve fallen back on the Urgent vs Important grid (thank you Stephen Covey!) to help me through the “what to do now” decision process.

Important & Urgent: Things that really, really need to be dealt with right now (house on fire, etc.)

Important & Not Urgent: Things that need to be done, but don’t need to be done right now (long-term planning, etc.)

Urgent & Not Important:  Things that probably never need to be dealt with, but take up our precious time (telemarketers, etc.)

Not Urgent & Not Important:  Not only do these things not have to be done right now, chances are they don’t need to be done at all (watching videos of dancing cats on Youtube, etc.)

Here’s some of what was left on my “to do” list as of this morning and how they ended up getting categorized:

  1. Prepare house/pet information for sitter:  Important & Urgent
  2. Homework assignments for Coaching Class: Important & Urgent
  3. Listen to tele-class before it expires: Important & Urgent
  4. Ironing:  Important & Not Urgent
  5. Office Filing: Important & Not Urgent
  6. Yard work: Important & Not Urgent

I generally don’t put Not Important stuff on my “to do” list, so two of the categories were easy to eliminate.

Granted, there were a lot of other things on my list, but these represented hours worth of things I needed to do, in addition to my regular job.  The result:  #1-#3 got done; #4-#6 will be saved for another day.

Suffice to say, with my list prioritized, I’m feeling much better about my preparation for the trip and possibly may have just a couple minutes to watch dancing cat videos!

How do you prioritize your “to do” list?

 

3 Quick Tips When It’s Time To Pack It Up

Packing Up ChristmasThe holidays are nearly behind us, but there’s possibly one more thing most of us need to do . . . . pack it up!

Tackling this task can either be liberating or daunting, depending on how organized and prepared we are.  Here are some thoughts on making it easier, if not this year, certainly in years to come.

  1. Reduce, reduce, reduce:  It’s always easier to pack away less stuff, so I suggest my clients take a good, long look at what they are planning to pack away.  A couple questions to ask yourself:
    • Do you or someone in your home love it?  If it holds great memories and you decorate with it every year, pack it up.
    • Has it been trapped in a storage container year-after-year-after-year?  Chances are, it’s not your style and doesn’t hold great memories.  Give it away.
  2. Give it away:
    • Has someone you know admired the decoration?  Ask them if they want it.  Gifting items to someone who has admired them is an easy way to release things no longer serving us.
    • Is there a local charity, church, etc. that cold use the item?  Gifting things to those that can’t afford them brings extra honor to the decorations.  (NOTE:  Most charities will gladly accept Christmas decorations even at the end of the season, but it’s best to check before you try to drop them off.)
  3. Store it: There are nearly as many ways to store decorations as there are decorations themselves!
    • Specialty containers like these from the Container Store can be extremely functional, but not very cost effective.
    • Other simple solutions:
      • Wrap lights around cardboard, use a extension cord holder, or for larger quantities, utilize a hose reel.
      • Liter-size water bottles work well to hold beaded garland.
      • Plastic produce clam-shell containers from warehouse stores are fantastic for glass ornaments.
      • Egg cartons work well for small, breakable ornaments.

Going through the sort, purge, and store process probably isn’t the most fun thing you will do this holiday season, but it could very well be the best gift you could give yourself come holiday time next year!

Happy holidays, everyone!

Tax Time: How To Get and Stay Ready

Generally speaking, filing taxes is not at the top of the list of “fun things to do today.”  Taxes are frustrating, confusing, and sometimes moderately depressing.  Therefore, we tend to procrastinate when it comes to filing them.  According to TurboTax, there are five general reasons we procrastinate when it comes to filing our taxes:

  • Laziness:
      We just don’t want to do it!
  • Thrill-Seeking:
      We think we work better under pressure (generally we don’t).
  • Lack of Urgency:
    There’s no penalty for dropping them off at the post office at 11:59 PM on April 15.  Why hurry?
  • Availability of Extensions:  Extensions don’t mean you have more time to PAY
    , just more time to file.  If you are expecting money back, why extend?
  • No Expected Refund: 
    If you aren’t getting money back, why give Uncle Sam our money a minute earlier than we have to?

Hopefully you’ve already filed your taxes, received your refund, and none of what I’m presenting applies to you.  If so, way to go! (Now skip to #3, Create A Reusable File System To Track and Maintain Tax Documents).   If you are still waiting to file your taxes, here are your next few steps:

1.  Call For A Tax Appointment: Stop reading right now and call for an appointment with your tax preparer.  If you don’t have one, now is a good time to do some research.  There are, of course, a plethora of tax preparation options if you do an internet search on “tax preparation services,” but now may be a great time to use that social network you’ve been building.  Ask your friends and relatives if they have anyone they could recommend.  In addition, there may be some free tax preparation services available  depending on your age and income, search “free tax preparation services.”

2.  Gather Your Documents:  By now you should have received all the documents required to prepare your taxes.  These documents may include, but are not limited to:

  • W-2s from your employers,
  • 1099-MISC forms for self-employment income,
  • 1099-INT (interest) and 1099-DIV (dividends) forms,
  • 1099-B forms showing brokerage trades in stocks and bonds,
  • K-1 forms for income from a partnership, small business, or trust,
  • 1099-SSA form showing Social Security received,
  • Documentation of charitable donations.

Other great sources for documents you may need to prepare your taxes:
Tax Preparation Documents for Homeowners
Documents To Take To Your Accountant

3.  Create A Reusable File System To Track And Maintain Tax Documents:  Once you’ve gathered all your documents, create a filing system (it may only be two file folders or envelopes) that will allow you to repeat this process year-after-year. Create two files/envelopes:  Current Year Taxes and Previous Year Taxes.  That way you will have one  to use for the immediate filing and one to start saving documentation for next years filing. Create a checklist of all the documents that are in the Current Year Taxes file/envelope (generally it will be the same for next year, but adjust as necessary) and place it on/in the front of the file/envelope.  I suggest using sturdy, plastic folders or envelopes for this purpose, that way you’re not replacing them every year.  Plastic File Folders or  Plastic Envelopes

Although filing taxes isn’t always fun and rewarding, the consequences of not filing can be expensive and stressful.  Don’t procrastinate. Filing your taxes accurately and on time can save you money and unnecessary stress.

Cindy Jobs

Organize to Simplify RGB www.organizetosimplify.com

Member Color - WebNational Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
 ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 websiteCertified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

2015 “Top 10” Business Goals

10As business owners, we need to constantly be looking forward and figure out what we want our businesses to accomplish in the upcoming weeks, months or years.  In addition to constant re-evaluation, most businesses choose one time per year to do long-range planning.  Every business has a different time for this process:  in January to kick off the new year; at their financial year end; during their annual Board retreats; etc.  The best time for this process is whenever it works for you.  For me, January is the best time. That’s when I get to thinking about what needs to happen to make 2015 a successful year for me and my business clients.

Here are the top ten items we will be focusing on:

  1. Take care of yourself.  For a business to thrive, it needs a healthy leader.  Taking care of yourself takes many forms, both physical and mental.  Whether it’s hitting the gym a few times a week, participating in leadership forums, or forcing yourself to take a much-needed vacation, take care of yourself so you will be there to take care of your employees.
  2. Realize that sometimes less is more.  Focus on doing a few things well versus doing a number of things part way.   Having 15 goals may sound like an excellent business strategy, but having five goals that are strategic and attainable will more than likely be a more successful approach.
  3. Learn how to delegate.  No matter how fantastic, one person can’t do everything at an expert level.  Many things can be delegated:  website development, Quickbooks maintenance, cleaning services, marketing, etc.  Identify the things you don’t like to do, or don’t feel you do well, and find someone that does.   Those people will generally be better and faster at it than you will.
  4. Review office functionality.  Annually review job descriptions, processes, and communication patterns and make changes to procedures accordingly.  Maybe your Office Manager has changed and they no longer make the mail run or input information in Quickbooks.  If so, adjust the job description accordingly.   If your business has expanded and you now have two outside sales representatives, review their territory allocations and document it.  There are many changes that business should make as they expand, contract, or change.  Ensure changes are documented and communicated accordingly.
  5. Go mobile.  According to Televox, a global technology provider, 94% of smartphone owners will look up information on their phones, make sure your website is compatible with mobile phones and tablet devices.
  6. Review compliance with Labor and Industries.  Nearly every business that employs at least one person needs to comply with Labor and Industry rules and regulations.  If you haven’t already, commit to going to a Labor and Industries seminar and educate yourself on requirements for compliance.  Do you have an Accident Prevention Program?  Do you have a Hazardous Chemical Program?  Do you hold and document monthly safety meetings?  Figure out what you need to do to be compliant before Labor and Industries pays you a visit.
  7. Refresh your website.  Customers look to your website to get a feel for what you do, how you do it, and how professional your organization is.  Check your contact information for accuracy.  If you have any links from your website, make sure they work.  Update photos where applicable.  Most importantly, have someone you know and trust use your website.  Sometimes we are too close to our own business to ascertain whether the website works for the general public.
  8. Get ready early for tax time.  Whether we owe money or are getting money back, there’s a great sigh of relief when we’ve finished our taxes.  Check with your accountant as soon as possible to ensure you have what they need to complete your taxes in a timely manner.  Ask your accountant about record retention so you can set up filing systems and purge paperwork as you are pulling together paperwork for this year’s filing.  Also, review your current business model with your accountant to ensure your business is categorized correctly, possibly an LLC may protect you on a personal level.
  9. Find a new way to engage with your customers.  If appropriate for your business, consider developing a Facebook page, Twitter account, or newsletter program.  Communicating with your customers the way THEY want to be communicated with will be the most valuable use of marketing dollars and time.  If possible, find an expert to help you through this process.
  10. Network your heart out!  No matter what your business is, we all know someone who knows someone that could use our services.  Be the first person that comes to mind when someone says “do you know anyone that . . . . .”

A theme running through these resolutions is personal engagement.  Engage with your employees, customers, and most importantly, yourself.  Figure out what has been working, what needs to be done, and who should do it. 

Although these goals will take effort and may require a bit of a change in habit and mindset; when they are put into practice, your business will be more successful and you will be a more successful, and happier, leader. 

Cindy Jobs

Organize to Simplify RGB www.organizetosimplify.com

Member Color - WebNational Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
 ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 websiteCertified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

Organize in 15 Minutes or Less

ImageTop Ten 15 Minute Organizing Options

Organizing doesn’t have to be incredibly time consuming. Little organizing successes can bring great rewards and not take much time at all!  Here are my top 10 super-fast organizing tasks, each of which can be done in 15 minutes or less.

1. Create a calendar:

  • Find a calendar that fits your needs:  wall calendar, day planner, customized spreadsheet, phone app, etc. Whatever works for YOU!  It doesn’t matter what your friend/mother/sister/boyfriend uses.  Find the one that fits your lifestyle.
  • Fill in obligations for the month.
  • Create an area to document tasks to get done during the month.
  • Categorize tasks by A/B/C priority.
  • Check/update calendar on a daily basis.

2.  Clean out a drawer (pick a drawer, any drawer):

  • Take everything out.
  • Sort items by purpose (do they even belong there?).
  • Throw away anything that isn’t functional; donate items that are functional that you don’t use.
  • Thoroughly clean the drawer.
  • Containerize like items together much as possible.

3. Clean one shelf in the refrigerator/pantry/medicine cabinet:

  • Take everything out.
  • Check expiration dates; throw out anything past expiration date. Going forward, write the date on products as you open them.
  • Categorize items by function: condiments, snacks, salad dressings, etc.
  • Thoroughly clean the shelf.
  • Containerize like items together much as possible.

4. Create a mail station:

  • Mail station should be wherever you are comfortable opening the mail.
  • Put a recycle bin and shredder as close to the mail station as possible.
  • Create an area to put items that need further work: bills to pay; invitations to respond to; filing, etc.
  • Ongoing: Place any important dates on your calendar.
  • Ongoing: Unsubscribe from unwanted catalogs or direct mail items.

5. Purse:

  • Take everything out.
  • Vacuum out the inside; wipe the outside down with appropriate cleaning agent (vinyl can tolerate antiseptic wipes).
  • Reorganize by function: sunglasses/reading glasses in one section; small cosmetic bag in another; wallet in another. If the purse doesn’t have sections, consider investing in a purse organizer.
  • Make a list of everything in the purse.
  • Scan front/back of important cards in case purse is lost/stolen.

 6. Car interior:

  • Remove all the garbage.
  • Wipe down surfaces with a Swiffer® or soft rag and mild detergent.
  • Clean windows and vacuum seats.
  • Create a place for a small garbage can/bag.
  • Containerize like items: one container for reusable shopping bags; others for emergency kits (see below)

7. Create emergency kits:

  • Check for dealer supplied items already stored in the vehicle.
  • Find appropriately sized containers.
  • Gather the following supplies for the everyday situations kit: paper towels, granola bars, water, blanket, coat, gloves, flashlight/batteries, etc.
  • Gather the following supplies for emergency situations: first aid kit, flat tire repair kit, flares, jumper cables, etc.
  • Create a list of items in each kit and check semi-annually.

8. Meal Planning:

  • Check refrigerator to see what needs to be used within the near future.
  • Create a meal plan for the week.
  • Plan at least one day for leftovers.
  • Post meal plan for the entire family to see.
  • Create a master shopping list (Linda’s suggestion: Amazon Subscribe and Save).

9. Clean out the linen closet:

  • Take everything out.
  • Sort by function: sheets, towels, etc.
  • Detail sort by sheet/towel size.
  • Donate any items not.
  • Designate shelf by function if possible; label if possible.

10. Create a regular household “to do” list:

  • Make a list of tasks you perform on a regular basis.
  • Consult with others in the home that perform regular maintenance and include their items on the list also.
  • Separate them by frequency: weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, etc.
  • Create a spreadsheet or other document capturing regular tasks.
  • Review list weekly.

See, organizing doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming.  You will be amazed at how much better you will feel, not to mention motivated to do more, after just a few minutes of organizing

 

Spring De-Cluttering (Before Spring Cleaning)

Image

Spring.  The time of year we start thinking about new beginnings.  The winter weather is behind us, the flowers are blooming, and the parkas are getting packed away and replaced with shorts and t-shirts.  It’s also a great time to start thinking about new beginnings in our homes and offices.

Spring cleaning comes to mind, but before you start your cleaning process, plan on doing some de-cluttering and organizing.  No need to clean around things you don’t need to keep.

One of the quickest ways to give our surroundings a breath of fresh air is to reduce clutter and open up our spaces.  If you are surrounded by clutter, your will be more stressed, less focused, and less productive.  On average, people who are surrounded by clutter and are disorganized lose nearly an hour of productivity every day.

De-cluttering and organizing is a great start on the road to a healthier, happier you.

Here are some tips to get you started:

  1. Don’t try to do everything at once. Like any project, being thorough and taking the time to do it right is the best way to go.  Do one room at a time, working from the door to the opposite side of the room.
  2. Enlist a buddy.  Getting rid of our “stuff” is easier if an honest and objective friend helps us through the process.
  3. Take some “before” pictures.  You’ll want these for later to remind you of your incredible progress.
  4. Set up six areas or boxes for each de-cluttering project:  KEEP, THROW, GIVE (if you know someone that truly would like the item you are getting rid of), SELL, DONATE, and REVIEW (if you just can’t make a decision, but want to remove it from the space).
  5. Keep a few things in mind as you start this process:
    1. Only keep things you use, make you happy, and serve a purpose.
    2. If you’ve made a bad purchase, let it go.  Keeping a bad purchase doesn’t make it a better purchase.
    3. Your “stuff” does not define who you are.  Letting go of things you don’t need that others can use, allows you to share your wealth with others.  It’s far better to give something away than to let it remain as clutter in your home or office.
  6. With your boxes and a positive mindset in place, go through the room, touching every item and making a decision about what to do with it:  KEEP, THROW, GIVE, SELL, DONATE,  and REVIEW.
  7. Remove everything that’s not in the KEEP pile from the room.  Plan a time to dispense with all other categories.
  8. Thoroughly clean the area that you just de-cluttered and put the KEEP items back in place.
  9. Take an “after” photo to help remind yourself of how far you’ve come.

To ensure that you don’t get back in a cluttered and disorganized state, these two tips will help with ongoing maintenance:

  • To keep clutter from creeping back, devote an hour a week to staying on top of your newly opened up space.  Whether it’s an hour every Saturday, or 15 minutes four times a week, devoting time to keeping your space in order will pay huge dividends.
  • Keep a DONATE box or bag close at hand.  Once you decide you really don’t need something, immediately put it in the box so it no longer takes up valuable space in your everyday life.

Congratulations on taking steps to a calmer and simplified life!

 

Cindy Jobs

OrganizeToSimplify.com

Cindy@Organizetosimplify.com

206-707-3458 or 509-674-6643