http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogList.asp?sort=organizer&schedule=119 The purpose of the DECIDE™ to be Organized blog is to motivate, inspire and empower success-minded individuals and busy professionals to achieve results at home, at work, and in life. The blog is a great clearing-house for me to share ideas, tips, information, expertise, and musings as I draw upon my experience as an organizer, business & life coach, and speaker (as well as my background as an attorney!). Hopefully, it will prove to be a valuable source of information to you, along with a little entertainment at times. So sit back, relax, get a cup of coffee (or tea!) and come along for the ride. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:45:16 EST en-us http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2669 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2669 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST A large percentage of my clients face paper clutter challenges. Despite visions of a paperless society when the computer was invented, we are still inundated with paper at home and at work. One of the biggest culprits is "junk mail" — those credit card solicitations, catalogs, circulars, and the like that you don't want or need, but that still keep coming. Experts estimate that the average person receives 41 pounds of junk mail per year. How to stop the madness? Here are some great ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2665 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2665 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST Imagine you are on a roll, engrossed in a project, in the "flow." All of a sudden, the phone rings, an e-mail alarm goes off, a colleague is standing in your doorway, a fax is coming over the machine, etc. Ah, interruptions. If you didn't define all of those as an interruption, think again. Experts estimate that the average American is interrupted 73 times per day. Some people find this number to be high, others find it extremely low. It depends on what your definition of an interruption ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2664 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2664 Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST For most people these days, keeping up with the daily onslaught of email is a major challenge. In fact, experts estimate that e-mail has added an extra 1.23 hours to the average person's workday ( E-Writing: 21st Century Tools for Effective Communication by Diana Booher; Managing Your E-Mail by Christina Cavanagh). If you multiply 1.23 hours by 5 days for 52 weeks, the average person is spending 320 hours per year of extra time handling e-mail. Wow! That is a lot of time spent on ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2663 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2663 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST To-do lists. Just the name of them sounds exhausting. They have become the thorn in many of my client's side. Whether they are written in long form on paper, or maintained electronically on a computer or handheld device, they cause much stress. And here's one reason why. Most people unknowingly combine their master to-do list and daily to-do list together. This one act causes the list to become lengthy and overwhelming, which in turn almost guarantees failure. The person with this ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2668 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2668 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST " I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver." ~ Maya Angelou This time of year, many people are switching their clothes to prepare for the new season. Most people do not have enough room in their everyday closet for two seasons' worth of clothes. So the big switch begins! Out with the summer clothes here in the Northeast and in with the fall/winter ones. Transition times are perfect for donating. As you put away and take out each article of ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2588 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2588 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST Paper. It should be a benign part of our lives. It means no harm, really. But somehow, when it piles up and has a paper party with its friends, it becomes dreaded clutter! What to do? Grab a RAFT and sail to an organized shore! (Okay, technically, it should be RAFTS, plural, but that just didn't work well in a sentence, so allow me some leeway.) Sort your mail daily – use the RAFTS method: R ecycle – Junk mail that is not confidential. A ct – Bills to pay, invitations to ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2587 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2587 Wed, 7 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST One of the best books on writing – and life itself for that matter – is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Among the pearls of wisdom she offers in her funny, witty style, is to take baby steps. Apparently, when she was a child, her brother was facing writer's block as he attempted to write a book report on various species of birds. He was overwhelmed, realizing there was so much to do, and didn't know where to start. Her father advised her then 10-year-old brother to, "Just take it bird by ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2586 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2586 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery When conducting an organizing presentation or teleclass, I often mention the idea of creating a Memory Box for each family member. Many participants share that the Memory Box tip is their favorite, and one they cannot wait to act on. (See, for example, this blog post by June Bisel of BusinessCardContacts.com). A Memory Box is a container in which ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2541 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2541 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST I am a big fan of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. I have read all seven of them, and each time a new movie version premieres, I make it a point to re-read that book before seeing the accompanying movie. Therefore, at this time, I am re-reading the sixth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , which is currently showing in theaters. In Half-Blood Prince , the sixth-year students at Hogwarts are taking lessons in apparition. Apparition is a magical form of ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2540 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2540 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST I was working with a client recently to organize her home papers. We were purging papers that were no longer needed, and sorting the keepers into categories so that we could put them into files for future retrieval. So far, so good. My client confided that she considers herself organized at work, and actually likes a fairly clutter-free environment. She shared that at home, however, she has a really hard time dealing with paper. This is not uncommon. Some clients can maintain organizing systems ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2585 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2585 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:52:10 EST Are you ready to make positive changes in your life, home and work environments, and need help with organizing and time management projects? Then it is time to DECIDE™! Many people say they want to get better organized, but in order to act upon that wish, you must deeply examine your motives for wanting to do so. Your motives must be strong enough to sustain you through the change process. DECIDE is an empowering process that leads to change. It will assist you in achieving results at home, ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2539 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2539 Wed, 9 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST The phrase 'time management' has become one of the most oft-repeated phrases of our society. Almost everyone thinks they need to improve their time management skills. The problem is that most people aren't even examining what the real issue is. Instead, the average person will blame time itself. Think I am kidding? Let me demonstrate. When I attend a social or business function and people discover that I am a productivity expert, the topic often turns to 'time ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2538 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2538 Wed, 2 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST "To do two things at once - is to do neither." ~ Roman philosopher Publilius Syrus, 100 A.D. When we need to accomplish many tasks, we do 2-3 things at once, sometimes more. We do this in order to be more productive. Multi-tasking has basically become the American way. In fact, employers often include "multi-tasking" as one of the desirable traits they look for in job descriptions. But is multi-tasking really leading to increased productivity? According to some experts, the answer is no. ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2536 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2536 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:30:00 EST It is that time of year again when summer is coming to an end, and the kids are getting ready to go back to school. Start the year off the organized way! Register for Back to School the Organized Way: 10 Tips to Keep Your Child Organized This School Year , a teleclass designed to help you take control this year! In this teleclass , I will draw upon my years of experience as a Certified Professional Organizer (and former special education instructor) to share the steps involved in getting ...