Organizing Gym

We're moving - join us a few blogs over

2008-08-09T21:12:00.003-05:00

The Gym is closing and re-opening in our new home:
http://rightbrainorganizing.blogspot.com
It's for all the creative, artsy, doodlers out there changing the way we think about organizing and the so-called-rules.
Keep an eye on us!

-- Allison Carter
Right Brain Organizing Blog

Social Networking- Make it Productive

2008-07-08T06:39:00.002-05:00

Good article on lifehack -
Are you social networking?
If so, why?
If you can answer that, then you can move on to making your time more productive.
I always wonder how so many business people find the time to do the social scene when it seems to be a lot of time clutter to me (most of the time).
So the first step to eliminating that clutter is to figure out why you're doing it at all.
Read the article here.

Root Shock

2008-07-05T13:16:00.003-05:00

from doubletounged.org
We could use this word when we organizing and purging so much that the surroundings do not seem familiar. I wonder if this happens to the people on TV shows about organizing or redecorating that they have a sense of longing for the old clutter.

root shock

Quotation: Residents say they do miss having a neighborhood with familiar faces to greet, familiar foods to eat, and no fear of being forced out of their homes. It was Dr. Mindy Fullilove, a professor of clinical psychiatry and public health at Columbia University, who called the feeling “root shock” because, she said, its effects are similar to what happens to uprooted plants. She describes it as “the pain of losing one’s beloved neighborhood.”

Date of Publication:
June 13, 2008

Interruption Science

2008-07-05T07:20:00.001-05:00

From Doubletounged.org

Catchword: interruption science

Filed Under: English, Business

Part of Speech: n.

Quotation: The average knowledge worker switches tasks every three minutes, and, once distracted, a worker takes nearly a half-hour to resume the original task, according to Gloria Mark, a leader in the new field of “interruption science.”

Article or Document Title:
“Fighting a War Against Distraction” (URL)

Author:
Marci Alboher

Article, Document, Publication, Web Site:
New York Times

Date of Publication:
June 22, 2008

Get your new wallpaper - keep track of dates

2008-07-03T21:07:00.004-05:00

I love calendars and I need them all around me because I have a lot of trouble remembering dates. I tend to remember the day of the week and then sometimes I'm even off a bit.
So when Kristen Leigh invited me to get her creatively designed computer wallpaper calendars each month, AND I saw how cool they were, I began to download them monthly.
Now I look forward to my spiffy new computer look each month, and I get a calendar to boot!
It's just another way to keep being organized fun and oh so kewl.

Get your fun look for July!

Decluttering "Friends"

2008-06-30T09:25:00.002-05:00

In college I developed a very close friendship with a girl in the dorm and we even joined the same sorority.
We soon became best friends.
Slowly she began to trust me and divulge information and problems and she became needier and needier of my time.
She had some serious mental issues and only as an adult did I realize she should have been in therapy. (child of alcoholic, abused by brother, cutter, bulemic, manic-depressive - yes it was diagnosed).

Another girl in the sorority (her little sister) and I used to talk about how she completely drained us but we felt obligated to help her. Who doesn't want to help someone in need who asks for help? I actually thought it was kind of cool to have a friend so screwed up. Maybe it made me feel better about myself.
But happened over and over and over again - she would come to us for advice and to talk about her problems - and was sapping us. And it wasn't any fun.

Eventually, an attempted suicide drove us away completely. It was the kind where you knew it was a cry for help because she called us after downing a bottle of pills.
When I graduated and moved away, I soon realized that being away from her gave me energy. When she tried to keep up the friendship, I kept her at an arms distance, didn't return phone calls, etc.

It taught me alot that would come in handy in my future adult life about the type of people I want to be around and the type to avoid.

Now as a professional organizer, I call this decluttering people in my life. These are the people who drain you. These are the people who don't support your ideas and dreams. These people cut you down to make themselves feel better.
I have decluttered boyfriends and others by using simple clear language such as: I don't think this is working for me.
I didn't even try to say "let's be friends".
I have even de-cluttered my draining relatives.
Email has helped a lot because I can converse when it is convenient for me, keep conversations short, and I don't get so emotional. If I receive an email that sets me off and hits hot buttons, I can write a response to "vent", and then delete it and instead send something less harsh.

Homecoming for my computer

2008-06-30T09:19:00.002-05:00

Yay, my mac mini is back all happy and fresh. There's nothing like a clean hard drive.
So I must say how impressed I am that I backed up 95% of my stuff properly and had virtually ZERO work to do to get it up and running again.
Thanks to mac, I plugged a fire wire into my macbook and transferred all the info over.
An hour or so later, I was up and running!
Lessons learned:
1. Back up regularly cuz you never know when the big one is gonna hit.
2. You don't have to rescue everything. A deleted hard drive gives you a chance to clean house.
3. If you don't know how to back stuff up, figure it out. It's not a matter of if you'll have a crash, it's a matter of when.
This month's newsletter from The Professional Organizer is about emergencies and planning not to make a bad situation worse. You can actually organize for emergencies.
Check out the July Newsletter (after July 1) at http://www.theprofessionalorganizer.com/newsletter.htm

I'm in Computer Crash mourning.

2008-06-22T08:18:00.003-05:00

Hi my name is Allison and I'm a docuholic.
I collect documents of information on my computer and usually organize them in nice neat files.
I sometimes even look at them again.
But now I am seeking therapy.
My computer hard drive bit the dust yesterday.
The IT guys said, nah, you don't have to back up your stuff before installing that operating system.
They were wrong. The OS wasn't the problem. It was the hardware. boo hoo.
Luckily, I'm smarter than a 5th grader and I backed up all my documents, photos and music.
But I am new to mac mail and never knew how to back up all of the emails and contacts I have diligently collected and corrected over the years.
And now I am at a loss.
I backed it all up 2 months ago but still feel lost.
2 months is a long time.
I'm in mourning for my lost info.

Lessons learned:
1. back up daily. You never know when the crash will come, but it's inevitable.
2. Keep documents stored in cyberspace at a document storing site. External hard drives work, until there is a fire or a flood or it crashes. I use .mac (soon to be .me??? I don't get the name change).
3. Keep less. It's easier to manage when there is less to manage.
4. Keep a list of all your passwords and logins so it's not a big huge deal to get up and running again.
5. Know where you have put your application discs so you can reinstall.

Any tricks you have found work for you???

Save time and burn more calories

2008-06-20T19:50:00.005-05:00

Only have 20 minutes to trim down?
Yahoo Health says do interval training.
Those who jog and sprint for 20 minutes burn more calories than those who jog for 40 minutes.
It sounds like a no brainer.
Read the full article here.

Your Monkey Brain is Making You Cluttered

2008-06-20T15:26:00.004-05:00

The Economist has an article this week about research done on our brains and why we want to hang onto stuff we already have, even more than getting new stuff.
It appears we're just wired that way.
Read the article here.

Make tomorrow go smoother

2008-06-19T12:49:00.003-05:00

I love this article about rewiring your brain at the start of a day to plan to be productive.
It's more than just promising to do so.
It's thinking about your "forks in the road" where you go off track and rehearsing a way to do it differently.
Read the article here at Tools for Thought.

How disorganized are you and why?

2008-06-18T17:46:00.002-05:00

This is the big question many people want to know when they're calling for professional help. Just how bad is it?
Is this the worst you've ever seen?
Can you fix it?
Is there hope?
These questions are hard to answer because if it's the worst, organizers don't really want to tell the customer. And if it's not so bad, we don't want them to feel like they're too sensitive to small bits of clutter.
And then there's all the stuff in-between people want to know about themselves like "Why can't I get organized?"
I can tell you there is always hope. Even the most cluttered person can be a little less.
Even the most disorganized person can usually become somewhat less so, even if they don't overcome completely.
So where am I going with this....
Find out where you are on the clutter scale or your organizing style with these self quizzes found from various organizations and companies:
What's your O.Q.? (The Professional Organizer)
Clutter Assessment (Oprah.coma and Peter Walsh)
Clutter Junkies, Is this you? (Chetalaine and Peter Walsh)
Clutter and Creativity quiz (Artrepreneur)
Are you situationally disorganized? (NSGCD)
Are you chronically disorganized? (NSGCD)
Are you organized at the office? (OnlineOrganizing.com)
Are you organized at home? (Onlineorganizing.com)
What's your organizing obstacle? (ivillage and Vicki Norris)
What causes your clutter? (Oprah.com and Julie Morgenstern)
Clutter quiz (Clutter Workshop)
What's your clutter tolerance? (Parents.com)

Let me know if you find any surprises!
-- Allison

Plan your Life and Death

2008-06-15T10:05:00.002-05:00

Most organizing websites and blogs talk about how to organize your life so you can live it to the fullest.
But what about your death? Are you the kind of person who wants to map out what happens to you after you're gone? It saves a lot of trouble for the people who love you, that's for sure. But most people don't want to engage in the conversation, much less write a eulogy.
Now there is a new website to help plan your funeral and everything else associated with your death.
Mywonderfullife.com

The free site lets only your family and friends log into your wishes.
You can plan your music and photos and write your obit. You can even plan a burial at sea!
You can leave a copy of your last will and testament and post other wishes.

Another site out of England is Your Death Wish.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

I'll procrastinate when I get around to it

2008-06-13T20:07:00.003-05:00

It seems the blogging universe was responding to my "need to unpack" questions in the previous post.
One thing I have trouble doing is procrastinating. Even when I try, I am so bothered by deadlines I will stay up into the wee hours so as not to be late.
On the lighter side, my husband has to force me to sit around so we do not arrive at parties on time - or I would be there exactly when it starts.
Anyway....
I found this great essay on structured procrastination - it gives me a glimpse into the world of putting it off until later.

Also, listen to my favorite procrastination expert Tim Pychyl talk more about structured procrastination on NPR's Talk of the Nation (6/12) on itunes or listen here.

Even organizers get cluttered

2008-06-13T19:34:00.004-05:00

In the last two weeks I've been on family vacation to Disney, spent 2 days at a professional organizer board of directors retreat, and volunteered at Girl Scout day camp for a week. I'm pooped! And my house is a wreck which makes it even worse to feel so exhausted.
-- station break--
This is the awesome waitress at Disney Hollywood (Orlando) in the 50s diner who yelled at us to clean our plates and get our elbows off the table. Don't miss her or the Toy Story ride.
-- back to our story--

Organizers have a preference for things to be finished, done, put away.
So it pains me to leave things packed up for more than a few hours.
I find clients with stuff left in suitcases and purses for months, and yes, even years.
But I've just got to put stuff away or I don't feel ready to move on to tomorrow's activities.
So my bags are unpacked and back in the attic.
The laundry is washed and put away.
Today I spent an hour napping and an hour putting away all the camp supplies, water bottles, sun screens, crafts we made, etc. It's still not all done! I still have email to respond to, calls to return, mail to open, laundry to do, argh! (not the pirate argh)
Sometimes I wonder... "What's wrong with me? Am I such a nut because I want to unpack right away?"
How about you? Do you let it wait or get right on it?
I'd love to chat about it longer but it's time to start packing up for next week's adventure -my daughter goes to her first sleep away camp. woo hoo!
Gotta go. I think I hear the Sharpies calling my name.

Paperless

2008-06-06T06:12:00.002-05:00

In an effort to get paper out of my desk, computer, and email I have started doing a couple of new things to see how it works out.
The first - I love Google Documents! I like to collaborate with colleagues and by starting a document in Google Docs, I don't have to deal with sending a paper back and forth through email revising it over and over.
I simply go to my Google Docs account, open a new document or upload one I already have.
Then I send a "share" link to the person I want to work on it with me, or just someone to look at it.
We can both be in the document making changes and saving at the same time.
It is quite a modern miracle to me - realizing that we just got email 15-ish years ago.
I can make word docs, spreadsheets, presentations and there is even an area to make fill-in-the-blank forms.
I love google so much I wish I could marry it!

Cords On the Road

2008-06-01T08:12:00.004-05:00

Blogging from Jacksonville, Fla, childhood home of DH Jimmy (yes Jimmy Carter).
I love traveling.
I hate packing. I get a bit neurotic about not packing things.
I refuse to make a checklist and use it like an organizer because it seems like after 41 years I would know what to pack, right?
Well my last trip I forgot to pack underwear (which led to a rather fun trip to the Reno Walmart and the gift shop at the Nugget).

This time I made sure to pack some panties and a few xtras.
But traveling with my stuff and all the kids' stuff I wanted to find a better way to deal with all the cords and chargers.
We have:
2 laptops, palm, 2 phones, Nintendo ds, portable dvd, gps, 2 ipods and there may be more I'm forgetting.
So I asked my fellow organizers... and they came up with.... just a few little things, none perfect but all quite usable.
Cord organizing for travel:
1. Kangarooms travel case for chargers and cords

2. Built's 6-pack for chargers
I love this fun stripey one!

Got more than 6 cords like me? Try this double decker doozy from Kangraooms

I chose to do it on the cheap with a box of zip lock bags.

Label each cord with a labelmaker or masking tape
Put each in a ziplock bag (if desired to keep from tangling)
Put all the little bags into a small clear shoebox bin or a larger ziplock bag.

If you have other ideas for packing chargers to go, comment here with your suggestions.

Cool Stuff Clients are Purging

2008-05-28T07:53:00.002-05:00

Hula Frog

Organizing Kids' Papers (and mom's)

2008-05-25T18:07:00.007-05:00

Here is another one of my favorite ways to deal with the avalanche of paper brought on by attending school and other kid activities.
It's the Sparkler Files (AKA action files, AKA tickler files). I call them sparkler files because if I make them pretty and sparkly, people like me are more likely to USE them.
I found this nifty file box at Target recently. It would be great if we could count on it to be there every time, but it's probably a seasonal item. Check there for perty (as they say in Georgia) boxes and folders. These are Smead's Easytab files in yellow.

For kids paper, try giving each child a hanging file (yes... label it) and give each big activity it's own file.
For moms it takes a little more explanation... create files based on what you're going to do next, such as Pay, File, Enter, Go, etc.
You can find out more about how to ste up your own sparkler files in my NEW PLAYBOOK, Color Me Organized.

And today it has a companion playbook, List Me Organized.

Fathers Day - Organize-ish gifts for dad

2008-05-23T20:13:00.006-05:00

Are old ties cluttering up your man's closet?
Here's a truly unique gift for a father, about a father, in memory of a father - a quilt made from Dad's ties. This quilt artist does custom work that can be seen at Denyse Shmidt Quilts.

For the new dad - give him a diaper bag he can wear with pride -
The Diaper Dude Survival Bag is the ultimate in the line up.
Find more at Diaper Dude.

Fridge Pockets

2008-05-23T14:46:00.004-05:00

Summer is almost upon us here in Georgia. School is over Today!
So I'm cleaning out the school hot spots, tossing the papers we don't need anymore, and preparing for the summer organizing blahs.
I think I hate filing even more when the weather is this beautiful.
Here's how I organize the stuff my family needs fast.
Hubby & Kids never really ever get the hang of my filing system, so if I want them to find stuff, I leave it where they can see it.

These are modular pockets from The Container Store. I like them because I can see down into them to see what the kids have dropped in.
I keep phone numbers, babysitter numbers and coupons in easy reach.
It's not magnetic, so it is hung on magnetic hooks.

There are a number of good info containers for refrigerators.
The FridgeMate is one.
I used it for about a year. But we kept having trouble with the magnets falling out. My Mother-in-law had the same problem. After about a year and many falls, it finally broke past the point where Gorilla Glue couldn't even fix it.
It also sticks out about 4 inches from the fridge or wall.

There are many other good looking Magnetic wall pockets:
Here - I like the red one!

FridgeFile - This one includes space for a calendar or notes.
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/fridge-file

Where do you stash all the kids' papers????

Month of Moms - New Moms / Moms to be

2008-05-17T10:09:00.003-05:00

New moms get the first taste of the Mom's Paper Monster. It begins the minute you go to the first OB appointment and doesn't end until they're well into adulthood.
If you meet a first time mom-to-be, ask if you can give her some unsolicited advice (I seem to begin every conversation this way).
Get a paper system started immediately.
There are dozens of ways to DIY but why re-invent the wheel.
The Baby Briefcase tames the first stage of baby paper clutter.
This makes a wonderful baby shower gift.

Other Stuff for New Moms
Before baby arrives, get a pretty baby box or designate any ol' plastic bin as the spot where baby keepsakes will go. This way mom won't lose the precious little hospital bracelet and other early keepsakes.
This one from Godiva comes loaded with chocolate! Yum!

You'll need a much bigger box for drawings and school stuff later.

Moms also will like a baby's first year calendar to write down firsts.
And maybe a journal for writing down all the wonderful memories, fears, and the wacky stuff!

Tune into my radio show this tuesday (5/20/08) to talk with a new mom and organizer Laura Ray to see how she made it through the first year!
For more info go to my show blog.

Allison on the radio

2008-05-14T12:16:00.005-05:00

I was interviewed today on the Family Matters radio show & podcast
Talking about how to save money by getting organized.
I talked to hosts Jacquie and Caroline about how families can save a dime doing simple little things like meal planning, arranging cans by date, cooking for more than one day, and more.
Their podcasts are awesome for families - on tons of subjects that parents want to know about - everything from parenting to living longer.
Listen to the recording:

http://tinyurl.com/6h6khm

or download it from itunes.

Smead Shopping Spree arrives! OMG

2008-05-13T12:36:00.005-05:00

I must be some kind of wholesale idiot.
I won an awesome shopping spree from Smead when my card was picked at the NAPO National Conference in April. So for part of it I ordered what I thought was 12 packets (6 in each)of my favorite clear/colored plastic envelopes with velcro to give to clients for coupons and documents and stuff:

But instead it looks like I ordered 12 boxes of them - each box with 24 packets in them! Wow!
So this is what was on my doorstep when I got home today:

14 boxes arrived total.
I'll have give-away items for life.

-- Allison

Month of Moms - Wrap Station

2008-05-12T07:10:00.004-05:00

Let's face it. Moms get stuck doing the present wrapping in the house 9 times out of 10.
Lots of moms just love it and take special pride in wrapping a tasty and appetizing looking present. And they tend to accumulate massive amounts of ingredients for the wrapping - rolls of paper, bags, tissues, ribbons, etc.
To make wrapping easier, I love to help these wrapper-mamas develop a really fun system for storing and getting to it all.
(Get it organized now before the Christmas creep sets in and you've got no time in fall)

Here is one station I made with a client in her unfinished basement using a tool drawer system, peg board, and tables and bins.
.
One of my favorites to put into small closets and pull out as needed is the elfa cart wrapping station from The Container Store. It keeps everything at your finger tips. And it has a top to act as the table top.

More wrapping organizers that are only good for some people:

the Hanging Wrap Organizer & the Hanging Gift Bag Organizer seen here - Only work if you have a few.
These get stuffed full very quickly.

Ribbon Despensers seen here are really for neat people. I dunno about you but my ribbon never looks like the picture and my kids run off with the good scissors.

Do it yourselfers can make wrapping stations on a budget using:
* A tall laundry hamper, garbage can, or long under-the-bed box for rolls of paper
* Large plastic drawer units for tissue and bags and bows (one drawer each)
* A small drawer unit or bin for scissors, tape, pens, gift tags.
* Tuck all the bins and drawers under a folding table and you've got yourself a station.

What Mom Really Wants - part deux

2008-05-09T21:19:00.002-05:00

Somehow, my husband and I have fallen into this really cool and comfortable gift SOP.
I tell him what I want. He gets it.
He tells me what he wants. I get it.
We have learned what to buy for ourselves and what to save for special gift days like mother's day and father's day.
Sunday I'll be getting a new grill for cookin' up summer yum.
He's putting it together in the living room.
Yes there is no surprise.
But we've learned the hard way that I really suck at being surprised.
On my 30th birthday I tried and tried for days to get some friends to go out with me for dinner. No one was available. About 2pm, in a funk, I got so famushed that I broke down crying "poor me," that I had no real friends, yada yada yada.
My very confused husband couldn't take it. He hates to see me unhappy.
So he cracked and just had to tell me - "It's a surprise. I planned a surprise gathering. They're all coming to dinner. You just couldn't let it be!"
Luckily he didn't tell me where so there was a little tiny bit of surprise. He even blindfolded me and walked me all the way into the restaurant and to the table that way.
So where was I going with this?.... oh yeah, just ask her what she wants and then get it for her.
It's just that easy (if she's at all reasonable in her request). Ladies, if you really want what you want, don't expect DH to read your mind.
Hand over the catalog, print out the web page or write a note. But be explicit and specific if you want what you want when you want it.

I once asked for my car to be detailed for my birthday and my husand told me that's not a real gift. Huh? What do you think?

Other than the Obvious - how else to use stuff?

2008-05-09T20:28:00.006-05:00

Aby Garvey blogged about other uses for cute stuff and included a utensil holder for parties, etc.
That got all my wheels turning and I suddenly saw a way to deal with some of the kids' stuff in my tiny bathroom.
Here's what I did:

There are lots of great ways to get storage in small spaces.
One of my favorite products, though not attractive, is little plastic drawers.
They fit perfectly on the tank.

These are Sterilite from Target, my favoritest store.
The drawers hold lots of little things like ointments, cotton balls, contact cases and other stuff when you don't have drawers (like me).
The Container Store has similar stuff that is better looking - like this:

-- Allison

Moms save money - month of moms

2008-05-06T17:34:00.003-05:00

Moms looking to save some money can start with pennies that turn into big bucks over time.
Yes I'm talking about coupons. They can be a big saver or a terrible burden, depending on how you think about them. But many moms have to clip coupons in order to make the most of what they have. That's why mom extrordinaire Amy Bergin invented The Couponizer!

It's more than just a place to store coupons... it's a way to make coupons important. "When you give something a home, it means you take it seriously," says Bergin.
The couponizer website has great tips for using it and for getting even more savings from other coupon sites.
Plus, if you get one now, there is a special book: Greatest Secrets of the Coupon Mom that comes as a bonus (worth $18).

Take look and see if it's worth it to you.
Stephanie Vozza of www.TheOrganizedParent.com says she saved more than $300 over the last two months using the couponizer system.

You can listen to Amy Bergin talk about The Couponizer on The Organizing Playground 5/6 radio show and podcast - it will be available for download in 48 hours or you can get it from itunes.

Container Store Discount

2008-05-04T13:29:00.001-05:00

Here is happy Gail in her new Container Store closet (one of two)
that she got with my new 20% discount! Woo Hoo!
I loved the Container Store before, and now I love it so much I want
to marry it (as my daughter would say).
Just another reason to hire a NAPO organizer - 20% off elfa and 10%
off everything in the store.
Thank you Container Store for this special gift!

Month of Moms - Give mom a laugh

2008-05-03T13:04:00.002-05:00

Whimsical Organizing products to lighten up as you lighten up.

To Don't List

For the mom who does too much. Help her stop and smell the proverbial roses.

Stuff Folders

How to Procrastinate book

The Non Planner Date Book

Aquatic Adventure Weekly Planner

Bob's Your Uncle File Folders

Now go out and give mom a big smile!
-- Allison

Mother's Day Month - Newsletter is ready

2008-05-02T18:45:00.002-05:00

The Professional Organizer May Newsletter is available.

To subscribe send an email to:

ORGANIZINE-on@mail-list.com

Month of Moms - Mom wants to meet like minded women

2008-05-02T18:26:00.004-05:00

Favorite gifts are not always things, but experiences.
If your mom or your kids mom is an idea person, a thinker, an entrepreneur at heart who wants to get a business off the ground, she's just the kind of person who would love to get a membership to a Ladies Who Launch incubator.
The LWL is about visioning, sharing, and supporting other women who want to start something for themselves.. whether it's a business or a book, a clothing line, a product, a club, or just about anything under the sun.

I went to find people like me - creative, visionary, supportive - and I have just launched my playbook for the creative and clutter challenged called Color Me Organized.

I was in an incubtor (to incubate ideas) in Atlanta.
Through the LWL website I met my new pal Professional Organizer Krista Colvin!
We were roomies at the recent NAPO conference and it was such an amazing weird instant click. (I usually take forever to make friends)
Krista has just launched her fabu new organizing product line the whole shebang.
You can download a neato brain dumping page for getting all the nitty gritty out of your head and onto paper.

So get your mom an experience she will remember for life and meet people who can change her life.
-- Allison

Month of Moms - What Mom Really Wants

2008-05-01T20:34:00.003-05:00

I suppose it would be presumptuous to pretend to speak for all moms, but I will anyway...
Here is what moms (with young live-in kids) really want for Mother's Day... time --
Time with kids and family for fun (no whine with your cheese) AND time alone with herself or with girlfriends.

As much as we love our families, women often get lost trying to care for everyone else and don't spend much time looking after number one.
So this is my recommendation for the best ever gift to your mom, wife, girlfriend, etc.:
spend 1/2 the day doing family fun stuff (putt putt, hiking, museuming) and give her a FREE PASS to go out alone or with friends. The free pass is FREE of GUILT. No one is allowed to say how they'll just muddle by or miss you. And when she gets back, the house should be spotless!! The laundry done!! The dishes washed and put away! I'm just dreaming now right?
Well, that's what she wants.
That's at least what I want.

I also want the funky, fun, sweet jewelry my friend Laura makes and puts on line at etsy in her shop Modernbird.

That is post #1 for Month of Moms!

Cool Stuff Clients are Purging

2008-04-30T18:41:00.004-05:00

Vintage OJ glasses and decanter.
I applaud the ability to give away the cool stuff.
For me, the cool factor is even harder to part with than sentimental items.
-- Allison

The Power of a To-Do list

2008-04-28T12:11:00.002-05:00

Do you To-Do?
Find out who is and why:

Survey Shows Increasing Worldwide Reliance on To-Do Lists

I usually only keep a daily list of junk to do.
When I get really busy I move up to the big list of projects.
Then I move to the wall board for a brain dump when truly overwhelmed.
-- Allison

Cool Stuff Clients are Purging #2

2008-04-27T17:57:00.001-05:00

20th century vintage kitchen stuff
-- Allison

Cool Stuff Clients are Purging #1

2008-04-27T17:51:00.003-05:00

Fisher Price vintage dog from farmhouse.

You have won a Shopping Spree!!

2008-04-25T19:44:00.002-05:00

I almost deleted the email when it arrived, thinking it was just more spam
that made it's way through the sewer of the internet.
But nooooooo, it's the real deal.
I'm just excited to win something for once. It could have been $5 and I'd be jumping for joy.
The last time I won something it was a set of knives at Zayer (like
Mallwart) when I was 16 years old. Like a teenager needs a set of steak knives!

So what did I win????? My biz card was drawn from hundreds at the NAPO
conference and I was the big winner...
$500 in products from Smead!!!!

Many people wouldn't care, but office supplies are like crack to me. I
cannot get enough. Who knows who I would sleep with to get mo-bettah files.
Woooooooiiiiieeeeee!

So the catalog will be coming in the mail.
You can find me by the mail box.
-- Allison

Cable clutter part 3

2008-04-23T19:06:00.003-05:00

Not great, but a tad better. I'll have to live with it for now.
I actually switched desks with my kids so they have all the clutter at their desk. I'm across the room with a wireless computer. But there is still the UPS, the Monitor cord, the external hard drive, etc.
If you have found cord bliss please please please leave a comment.
-- Allison

Cable Clutter part 2

2008-04-23T18:56:00.005-05:00

The Signum from Ikea attached to desk.
It hangs under the desk like a basket with all these wire things to hold up the cords so they don't get tangled all around your feet.

The Trouble with Cables

2008-04-23T18:23:00.005-05:00

I've been fighting cable clutter for years. I have never found anything to deal with the cords around my desk from:
Computer, Monitor, Printer, External Hard Drive,
Modem, Router, Phone.
Every one of them has a power cord and connector cord.
So I decided to finally tackle it after reading some blog posts earlier this year about the Signum from Ikea

So I got down and dirty with the cords.

Got to be Handy Gal and break out the drill. rrrrrrrrr.

I intalled it and Voila....

not so great.

It just doesn't work unless you can get the uninterruptible power supply off the floor.

Mine weighs about 45 pounds I think.

It totally stinks not having it look completely cable free.

If you want to see an awesome job deleting creepy cables, check this out, from John Trosko's blog.
I love John's work and blog and I visit his site a lot cuz he makes organizing FUN.

I'm back and blogging

2008-04-23T18:21:00.002-05:00

Hey, I got all charged up at the NAPO conference in Reno and I'm ready to get back to blogging.
Lots going on to blog about... so much that I even started a new blog: http://organizingplayground.blogspot.com is the home for the radio show that I'm co-hosting. We post topics and guest info and anything else unusual.
Check it out.

How Much is Your Stuff Worth?

2006-11-19T10:15:00.001-05:00

Donation valuation resources
http://www.itsdeductible.com - software for evaluating the worth of your donations

Other resources:
http://www.satruck.com/ValueGuide.asp
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/Edit/News/stories/news_20000107a.asp
http://www.sfgoodwill.org/channel2.htm?page=donate&mode=value&level=1
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p526/ar02.html#d0e1984

Computer Recycling Atlanta: Reboot

2006-11-19T10:12:00.001-05:00

Reboot.
Contact Gary Blanks, phone number 770-846-2094 and email garyblanks@bellsouth.net. They will pick up the items you will receive a tax donation form. The computers are worked on and redistributed to the handicapped. Any parts that are not used are recycled.

Organizing a Nursery: Top 10 Things Every Nursery Can Use to be Organized

2006-11-19T10:05:00.001-05:00

1. A calendar for marking milestones – First laugh, first tooth, etc.
2. A vinyl pocket shoebag to hold ointments and other items at easy reach near the changing table.
3. Garbage can
4. Laundry basket
5. Enough drawer & closet space for clean clothing
6. Small plastic bins. They keep lots of small things organized together and they stack to maximize space.
7. A place to display treasures
8. A place for books
9. Super – sticky post-its for marking what is in every drawer
10. A babysitter information document or notebook including:
a. your address
b. phone number
c. emergency numbers
d. poison control number
e. allergies
f. bedtime and bath procedures
g. meal preferences
h. permission to give medical treatment.

By Allison Carter
The Professional Organizer
Speaker - Organizer - Professional Organizer Training
http://www.theprofessionalorganizer.com

Organizing Teens: Top 10 Things Every Teen Needs to be Organized

2006-11-19T10:03:00.001-05:00

1. A good calendar to keep track of events.
2. A label maker. Label every cord, file, and bin so you know what’s it in.
3. Files that sit out on your desk or dresser to hold action items such as To Do, To School, Activities/Schedules, Graded work, etc.
4. CD binders or shelves - for music, games, software, etc.
5. Garbage can
6. Laundry basket
7. Enough drawer & closet space for clean clothing
8. Small plastic bins. They keep lots of small things organized together and they stack to maximize space.
9. A place to display treasures
10. A place for books

Organizing: Top 10 Things Every Office Needs to Get Organized

2006-11-19T10:01:00.001-05:00

1. A good wall calendar to keep track of events.
2. A label maker. Label every cord, file, and bin so you know what’s it in.
3. Tickler Files: files that sit out on your table, desk, or counter to hold action items such as To Do, To Pay, To Go, To File, To Enter, etc.
4. A business card notebook, file box, or scanner.
5. Garbage cans
6. A shredder
7. Supply cabinet
8. Off site records storage area. Don’t keep it nearby if you don’t use it monthly.
9. Small plastic bins. They keep lots of small things organized together and they stack to maximize space.
10. CD sharpie’s to label them immediately.

By Allison Carter
The Professional Organizer
Organizer - Speaker - Mentor for Professional Organizers
http://www.TheProfessionalOrganizer.com

Organzing: Top 10 Things Every Family Needs to Get Organized

2006-11-19T10:00:00.001-05:00

1. A family Calendar that everyone can see and add to.
2. A label maker
3. Tickler Files: files that sit out on your table, desk, or counter to hold action items such as TO DO, TO PAY, TO GO, TO FILE, PHONE LISTS, COUPONS/GIFT CERTIFICATES, etc.
4. White board or chalk board for leaving messages for one another
5. Laundry baskets in every bedroom and bathroom
6. Garbage cans in every room
7. A shredder
8. A Gift wrap storage center. In drawers, on shelves or hanging. It doesn’t matter. Just keep it all together and easy to maintain.
9. Greeting card & stationary center. It can be a box or a drawer. This will end the problem of buying cards and losing track of them before it’s time to use them.
10. Small plastic bins. They keep lots of small things organized together and they stack to maximize space.

By Allison Carter
The Professional Organizer
Speaker - Organizer - Professional Organizer Training
http://www.theprofessionalorganizer.com

Organizing Songs

2006-10-02T06:49:00.001-05:00

A good tune can help the time fly as you organize.
Not everyone thinks organnizing is as fun as I do so I always recommed using colors, music, and company to help the time go by in a more enjoyable way.

Put the FUN in Functional. Pick a song that makes you want to toss, purge, sort and think.
Try
na,na,na,na, hey hey, goodbye (kiss him goodbye)

Who let the Dogs Out - always a pumper

Fun to sing, but I can't find a recording of it:
Cleaning Song from ChaoticHome.com
"Cleanthesinkandscrubthefloorbecausetheylookatrocious"
Sung to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Fun to watch:
Watch Rocko's Modern Life "Spring Cleaning" video/song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym8Qwtg5zn8

What's your favorite organizing song????
Post it on our blog or just email us: info@TheProfessionalOrganizer.com

100 Less Things

2006-09-22T14:01:00.001-05:00

Who is up for a clutter challenge?
It is officially 100 days until 2007.
If you haven't done all the decluttering you "planned" to do this year, you canstill get started now. It's not too late.
Every day from now through December 31, give away or discard at least one item from your home.
If paper is your issue, toss at least one old paper every day.
Who is with me?

For me, I'm going to attack the toys. They seem to multiply every time I turn around. I think they figured out how to breed. Now will be a great time because we have birthdays and holidays right around the corner in my house.

What are you going to declutter?
Post your responses. Make a list. See what fun it can be to purge, purge purge.

You have 100 days
Ready...
Set...
GO!

Let us know how you're doing!

Organizing Resources: Trash/Junk hauling

2005-06-25T09:43:00.001-05:00

Just People
678-900-6426.

1800gotjunk.com
1-800-got-junk

Organizing Resources: Donation Pick-up

2005-06-25T09:41:00.000-05:00

These charities pick up at your home:

Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities
404-761-6247
http://www.aadd.org

Atlanta Kidney Fund
770-441-2220
http://www.akfpickup.com

Atlanta Union Mission
404-588-4012
http://www.aumcares.org

Salvation Army
404-522-9783
www.salvationarmy-georgia.org

Vietnam Veterans of America
800-775-8387
http://www.vva.org

Organizing Resources: Custom Furniture

2005-06-25T09:40:00.000-05:00

Seth Townsend
http://www.sethtownsend.com
Furniture, cabinets, pull out shelves, Complete kitchen renovation.

Tim Sarno Design
custom furniture and build-in wall units.
770-321-2205

Organizing Resources: Trash Pickup at your Door

2005-06-25T09:38:00.000-05:00

This is excellent for people in apartments, condos, townhomes, etc.
www.trashvaletinc.com

Organizing Resources: Recycling

2005-06-25T09:36:00.000-05:00

Computer Recycling (Atlanta area):
ww.p2ad.org/comp_recycle.html
ww.techcorpsga.org
www.freebytes.org call 404-768-9990.

Computer Recycling (Atlanta area):
ww.p2ad.org/comp_recycle.html
ww.techcorpsga.org
www.freebytes.org call 404-768-9990.

Organizing Resources: Shredding Services

2005-06-25T09:34:00.000-05:00

If you have a large amount of paper to shred, it is quicker to have a service come
and take care of it.

http://www.shredit.com/service/index.html

http://www.doc-shred.com/

Shred USA
770-222-6216.

Organizing Resources: Home Cleaning

2005-06-25T09:33:00.000-05:00

Team One
weekly cleaning and laundry.
Call Louise O'Connell, Account Manager,
404-870-9094 or 404-849-8493.
http://www.teamoneservices.com

http://www.perfectionistcleaning.com

Organizing Resources: Home Entertainment Set up

2005-06-25T09:31:00.000-05:00

Torrie Granderson
678-596-6031
greentorrie@yahoo.com

Organizing Resouces: Handyman Services

2005-06-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

These are referrals from colleagues and clients.

Handyman
Case Handyman Services
Lewis E. Kropp
770-220-0566
www.casehandyman.com

Rich Baumann
Baumann Creations
Office 678/376-9875
Cell 404/386-3312
rbaumann04@charter.net

David Nieman
repairs, restoration, and reconstruction.
Purofirst or North Metro Atlanta
303 Bell Park Drive
Woodstock, GA 30188
Phone 770-517-1646
dnieman@purofirstnma.com

Clutter Support Group

2005-06-10T14:08:00.000-05:00

I am considering starting a clutter support group - part discussion, part how-to.
It would be fun and upbeat, inspiring, motivating, and a great way to learn how to DIY for the rest of your life. Also considering a class for teens on teen organizing topics, time management, setting goals, etc.
Any thoughts?
Would you be intersted in coming to learn?
Let me know.
Allison

Smart Spin - Where to get it

2005-06-02T13:54:00.000-05:00

I have heard from several of you who say the Smart Spin is available many places including:
Target
Lowes
Walgreens
Kroger
Just look for it if your interested.
If you buy from the online site, you get a 2nd set free (that's why I did it... even though I paid for shipping)
-- Al

Furniture Donations

2005-05-29T07:37:00.000-05:00

The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta is an Atlanta-based non-profit organization that distributes essential furnishings to people in need. It is also a great place to volunteer as an individual or a group project.

The Furniture Bank

Helps homeless people stabilize in a home of their own.
Prevents children and their parents from sleeping on the floor.
Promotes the health and well-being of thousands of people.
Diverts millions of pounds of used furniture from local landfills.
Donate Furniture
The Furniture Bank accepts gently used furnishings and housewares. Unfortunately, we can not accept items in need of cleaning or repair. We offer a free pick-up service in Cobb, DeKalb, most of Fulton, and most of Gwinnett counties.
See the list on their web site for the items they accept.

call 404-355-8530, x222 to schedule your free pick-up.
http://www.furniturebankatlanta.org/

Donate DVDs, CDs & Video Games

2005-05-29T07:31:00.001-05:00

Are your children grown? Are you done with those CD's now that you have an iPod?
The Bridge of Atlanta is seeking donations of these items to help fund its programs.
The Bridge strives to meet its mission is to serve Georgia's abused and neglected adolescents through programs designed to complement and provide well-rounded services.

http://www.thebridge-atlanta.org
1559 Johnson Road, NW - Atlanta - Georgia - 30318 (404) 792-0070
Check the wish list on the web site for more of what they need.

Where Can I Donate Men's Suits?

2005-05-29T07:15:00.000-05:00

You asked and here are some places:
If you know of other great places to donate goods, please add your comments!

Goodwill, Salvation Army, and other thrift store locations.
Wendy's Closet at the Devereaux Foundation , a residential treatment facility in Kennesaw for at risk teens. They need them for the young men to wear to interviews. Call Wendy Ellin of The 25th Hour for help with pick-ups. 404-874-5179. Or they
can be dropped off at Devereux at Kennesaw to Deborah Walton in Home Econ.

(770) 423-5497
1291 Stanley Rd NW
Kennesaw, GA 30152
'The Extension' located on Church Street Extension just behind the
Cobb EMC Building. This is a Christian drug/alcohol abuse rehabilitation
center supported by several churches and organizations in Marietta. The men have to work each day and they are required to go on job interviews. Many are laborers but still require dress clothing. You can call Tyler Driver at 770-590-9075.

Ban Goodie Bags!!

2005-05-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

I have a bone to pick with Party City, Oriental Trading Company, and thousands upon thousands of parents out there...
It's about goodie bags at parties.
Has your child ever received a bag filled with candy, toys and other "goodies". The recipient gets 2 minutes of joy opening up something new and exciting... and you get a house filled with clutter.

Some parents are great at making the stuff magically disappear, but others are frustrated trying to organize and arrange it all.

One solution: Stop giving goodie bags.
First, they create children who are addicted to "new" and the rush of opening up presents. Most kids handle this just fine. Others will grow up to have overstuffed closets and drawers as they keep trying to recreate the excitement of having something new, getting a rush every time they make a purchase.
Second, I have also noticed a few children who get so excited they forget to be gracious. They grab for their goodies, even ask at the beginning of a party what they're getting.
Third, do we really need all that stuff anyway?
Fourth, isn't the party supposed to be about celebrating someone's birthday? What ever happened to the days when you got cake & ice cream and said thank you.

Another solution: If you like the idea of giving a souvenir to party attendees, make it one nice thing instead of many cheap items and candy that our kids clearly don't need more of.
How 'bout a bucket and shovel or a noodle in the summer. In winter it can be a coloring book and markers. Create a craft at the party that kids can take home. Take a Polaroid or digital photo of each child with the birthday child and send home the photo as a memento.

What are some of your best gift ideas for party attendees?

Got My Smart Spin!

2005-05-21T18:43:00.000-05:00

It took soooooooooooooooo long... but finally my Smart Spin has arrived. It is Fabu! I thought it would help DH (darling husband) with managing the plasticware, but alas, it is just not gonna happen. I love it. Love that all the tops are the same size. Love that it fits neatly on a carousel and spins. It even pulls out from the cabinet. Worth every penny.
Get yours.

http://asseenotv.com/products.asp?id=3732&did=472&aid=7634

Organizing Gym Birth Announcement

2005-05-19T14:15:00.000-05:00

Allison Carter,
The Professional Organizer,
is proud to announce the birth of the new blog,
the Organizing Gym.
This baby blog came into the world humming with glee at
12:15pm ET on May 19, 2005
in Marietta, Georgia.

We look forward to watching baby blog grow into a full grown mature and productive member of blog society.

We hope to hear from visitors with organizing challenges and solutions and become a voice for banning clutterful lives.

Simply-fi,
Allison Carter
The Professional Organizer
http://www.TheProfessionalOrganizer.com
Marietta, Ga

Question of the ???

2005-05-19T13:09:00.000-05:00

How much is enough?
There are probably some things you collect and never look back. Whether it's black pants, snow globes, take-out food containers, paper clips, note pads or videotapes... organizing means constantly checking back to see if you have enough. (All of those are examples of things I have seen grow to excessive proportions)

Well then you must ask youself how many is enough. Aaaaah, that is exactly the point of this exercise.

Go through your home or office and look at the things you tend to collect by the ton.
Make a list of just 3 things and decide when you will have enough of them to exist happily. And what number equals too much.
Post the number nearby your collection to help you remember when you have enough.
If you decide to bring in more of the item, choose a similar item you don't like as much and give it away.
If you already have enough, your job is to give away the overage because it is clutter.

Videotapes galore

2005-05-19T12:37:00.001-05:00

Two clients this week have a similar issue: too many video tapes. They both use the tapes for recording TV shows or movies they want to view later. Sometimes they watch the show, but not usually. So they hang onto the unwatched show for a week or a month hoping they will view it. They keep it longer for a rainy day. Some are not labeled, so after a month or so, they have forgotten what's even on the tape. Some are labeled sports events, but after a few weeks, don't seem very important any more. Neither one ever seems to recycle their tapes or toss them out.
They say out loud that they'll never get around to watching them all (hundreds), but still don't want to give them to charity.

What would you tell them to do?

A. Just give them all away and don't look back.
B. Make time to watch them all.
C. Put them in a box in the attic and forget about them.
D. other answer (send me your comment)

Here is my solution for M.M. who still wants to keep taping shows:

Pick 14 tapes to keep as record tapes. Label them Saturday 1 - Sunday 1, and Saturday 2 - Sunday 2.
Record your shows using the corresponding day tape. This gives them 2 full weeks to watch their shows before they get taped over.
If you don't see the show after 2 weeks, you can record over it or add onto the end of the tape.

Here is my solution for R.B. who has TIVO in addition to a VCR:

Quit taping shows. Just Tivo them and watch them within 2 weeks. If you don't seem to watch them within a reasonable time, don't bother recording at all and quit feeling guilty about it.

More tips and tricks are available on my web site: http://www.TheProfessinalOrganizer.com.