Creative Changes Blog

Changes for Creative Changes

2009-05-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome to you new readers and to any returning visitors. I truly appreciate your interest and support.

I have been negligent in keeping up with the blog the last few months, mostly because I have been very busy, which is a good thing - a very good thing. In the midst of very uncertain times for so many people, I have been blessed with meaningful work that challenges my mind, supports my family and me and is very much full time. For this reason I am unable to take any new clients, until further notice.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions, or if you are interested in a referral to another professional for your organizing job.

Thanks again for your interest in Creative Changes.

Sandra

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

~Annie Dillard

Take Control - Make a Plan

2009-02-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

I don't mean to raise a touchy subject, but how are you doing with those goals that you set for yourself at the New Year?

If you are like so many of us, you did think about your goals, and you even wrote them down, but did you take the next step, which is to create a plan of action?

It is interesting that I did not fully appreciate my own weakness in the planning department, until I sat down to write about planning! I have learned new insights and strategies for my own life and business while writing this, and I hope to inspire a few of you to do the same.

February is National Time Management Month, and there is no better way to manage our most precious resource, than to work from a plan. The flying by the seat of pants method of time management turns out to be very inefficient, and the worst part is that we are relinquishing control of our lives to all the various needs and "emergencies" of other people. What is more important - your time, or their time?

Poor planning on YOUR part does not constitute an emergency on MY part... or even worse... Poor planning on my part does not constitute an emergency on your part, because that means WE are responsible for the stress!

That feeling that you are just rushing from one task, or minor emergency to the next with no real sense of accomplishment comes from working without a plan. This is not to say that everything will go exactly "to plan". The plan is just a guideline - not strict rules that absolutely must be adhered to.

Without a plan how will you know what you need to achieve to reach your goals, and then how will you know when you have made progress towards your goals? Without a plan you leave your time, your life at the whim of outside forces - making you feel out of control.

In the face of the current economic challenges, this is NOT the time to be reactive and contracted in our approach to business and life. An effective plan will create positive, directional structure, with enough freedom for spontaneity. Develop a framework for daily and weekly schedules so that there is structure, yet flexibility to take advantage of opportunities as they may arise. No matter how dire the media paints the picture, there are always opportunities for those of us who remain open minded and flexible.

Creating long-term plans is more difficult in times of such chaos, but I believe the simple principles apply, as always.

1. Capture the data. What are your numbers? Analyze opportunities for improvement.

2. Organize. Get and stay current with your paperwork.

3. Review daily / weekly. Where are you now?

4. Engage. Pick an action and do it.

Take Control - Make a Plan

As with any quest for improvement - the first step is in recognizing where you are NOW. When it comes to improving my planning skills, the ah-ha came when I realized that as a detail person, I have my head down, (tending to those details) therefore I may be missing the big picture.

The reality is that one needs to have a big picture overview FIRST, then an outline of how to achieve it (the Plan) and finally the details.

In his book the E Myth, Michael Gerber identifies the three personalities of a small business owner - there is the Entrepreneur, the Manager and the Technician. Each play an important roll in a successful business, but most small business owners are really strong in one of these areas, and the other aspects of the business suffer when we try to do it all, or just skip over the areas that are outside our comfort zone.

Managing life is not so different from managing a small business and I believe that many of these same ideas also apply to life in general. For those of you who are big picture visionaries, the details of balancing the checkbook may seem mundane and therefore a burden, or simply avoided. For the detail minded, the checkbook is a cinch, but planning for the future seems completely daunting.

I am finding my new, more structured schedule less stressful and it feels more productive as well. I still have work to do with my long-term planning skills, but I'll keep you posted on my progress with that.

Comments??

Until next time,

Sandra

Goal Setting - Not the same as making New Year's resolutions

2009-01-03T23:05:00.000-08:00

What's the difference, you ask?

New Year's resolutions are more like good intentions, and good intentions do not make good goals. Resolutions tend to ignore the process that leads up to the achievement. It is a bit like setting out on a road trip to the Grand Canyon, with no idea how to get there, no road map to direct you, and expecting to arrive at your intended destination without difficulty. Setting clear and specific goals is the equivalent to creating a road map to your desired outcome.

Do you know where you are going in 2009?

Whether your goals (dreams and ideas put to writing with the specific steps necessary to accomplish them) are business, personal, or both, give them a real chance of happening by following a few simple guidelines to create a plan of action.

1. You need quiet time to sit and think it through. What do you really, really want? Do some brainstorming. Grab a notebook and write down ALL the thoughts and inspirations that come to mind.

2. The next step is to prioritize those thoughts and inspirations. Delete anything that originates from a "should". A goal needs to arise from a compelling desire to move in a particular direction - not because you should, but because you really want that outcome.

3. Getting specific is the tricky part. It's easy to be vague, but when you force yourself to be more clear, the steps you need to take to achieve your goal will also be more clear. How will you know when you have achieved a goal if you are not very clear about what the desired outcome is?

4. Write them down. Keep your list short to avoid the overwhelm. Three major goals with target completion dates, and the steps you need to take to make them happen, is an ideal number. Keep a copy of your list in front of you - in your planner or on your bulletin board to remind you every day of exactly where you are going.

5. For me, the most important step in achieving important goals is accountability. Make yourself accountable to someone who will "keep you honest". When you state your goals and how you intend to reach them out loud they become real - no longer a wish in your head.

6. Finally, you need to include the action steps as priorities in your daily planning. Break down your long-term goals into weekly action steps and schedule the time to work on them.

What are you going to accomplish this year?

Having said all that - it's time for me to get busy with my 2009 goals and plans!

Until next time,

Sandra

Need More Gift Ideas?

2008-12-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

The pressure of Holiday shopping is something I do not deal with well. My tendency is to put it off to the last minute, as if my state of denial would actually make the task go away! It never happens that way, yet my habit persists. I would publicly like to state that this year will be different.

My goal is to have all shopping done by the 15th of December. That may seem late to many people, but it is a huge leap for me, since usually I am shopping on Christmas Eve.

With this goal in mind and list in hand I have found a few sites for unusual, not too expensive, socially conscious, or green gift ideas. Not that any gift has to meet all of that criteria, but I do strive to be a conscious consumer.

I have simply compiled a few links to other people's great research - no need to re-invent any wheels.

EnJOY

From a great blog I just found called Think Simple Now, an amazing list of very unusual ideas:

Creative Gift Ideas

In an effort to be earth friendlier:

Green Gift Ideas

An organizing colleague who does an amazing job of presenting cool products, good books and interesting concepts:

Jeri's Organizing & Decluttering News

This is an idea to inspire all of us - "creating bridges of peace and prosperity around the world"

The Amber Chand Global Gift Collection

PEACE to all of you and yours,

Sandra

Magazine Madness

2008-11-30T16:43:00.002-08:00

Magazines have a power over us. Those beautiful cover photos and enticing titles that promise a life more beautiful, wealthy, perfectly cooked and glamorous lure us into the their world of perfection. While there is much to be gleaned from those magazine pages, magazine clutter is the issue I want to talk about today.

Recently I was giving a talk about organizing to a teachers group, and during the Q and A at the end of the session was a question regarding this woman's love of magazines, but her inability to keep up with the reading, leading to great piles of magazines all over her house. This is a question that comes up all the time. In fact our local Feng Shui expert, Kathleen Tumpane talked about it in her newspaper column this week. She says that unread magazines are "swamp scum , energetically speaking"

The problem arises when they pile up faster than we can read them, or another problem is that we think that we will refer back to them someday for the one or two items of real interest in each issue. Tossing a $5.00 magazine in the recycling bin seems unforgivable, doesn't it? The fact that we might feel guilty that we spent the money on the magazine, but have not even looked at it is NOT a good reason to keep it, in fact the opposite is true. As the piles accumulate we feel worse and worse. Let's stop that destructive cycle!

Here are a few suggestions on how to manage the magazine madness.

1. Reduce or eliminate the subscriptions - even just temporarily until you catch up.

2. Visit the websites for your favorite magazines and check their archives for past issues. If it is easy enough to find the information you might want in the future, there is no need to save the magazine after you have read it.

3. Pick an organization or two that could really use a source of good reading material - hospitals, your doctor's office, nursing homes, senior centers are just a few that come to mind. As with any of your donatable items, it seems easier when you know they are going to a "good home".

4. Sort you magazine piles by date and get rid of anything older than a year old. If you subscribe to a trade journal that has limited appeal to the broader public, perhaps you have a colleague who could use them.

5. Consider sharing a subscription with friends, family or colleagues. One magazine could easily serve several people, then get donated or recycled.

6. When you first read a magazine use post-it-notes to mark the items of interest, and that will make the review process later much easier.

7. Instead of saving the whole magazine, just tear out the items that you want to refer back to.

8. Create article files for future reference, using categories to make retrieving them easier.

9. When a new magazine arrives, get rid of the previous issue.

10. Store one year of magazines in a magazine holder that will fit on your bookcase neatly.

Any other suggestions from you readers??

Until next time,

Sandra

Change the Margins - Save Trees

2008-11-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

While doing some online research I came across this brilliant idea and just had to pass it on. This came from Good Magazine online:

The website changethemargins.com is calling for printer owners everywhere to take the simple step of, well, changing their margins from the current luxurious standard 1.25 inches to a the more modest .75 inches. It may sound like a small change, but if everyone in the nation did it, we’d save a little less than a Rhode Island’s worth of trees every year. Does tinkering with Word’s cumbersome preferences scare the fonts right out of you? Another goal of the site is to petition Microsoft to change the default margins on all its Office products.

Changing your margins in Microsoft Word:

Go to “File,” then “Page Setup.”

Once on “Page Setup,” click the “Default” key, and you’ll be offered “Do you want to change the default settings for the page set up? This change will affect all new documents based on the normal template.”

Set each margin to .75 and save an immense amount of paper.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While we are on the saving paper topic, let me just add my tip of the day:

Don't print your e-mails!

There may be the occasional need to print a receipt, or boarding pass, but most of the stuff people are printing out is just a big waste of paper, that does not get read.

OK, I am climbing down off my soap box now.

Until next time,

Sandra

Simple, Stylish, Functional and Green!

2008-11-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

I am talking about the Sarah Pinto 2009 Weekly Planners. The tagline alone is enough to make me want them since I am all about simple, stylish, (hmm, well sometimes) functional and green. My personal favorite is the zebra print.

For those of us who still like our pen and paper planners, this is a beautiful little option. Sarah has put a great deal of thought into every element of this planner.

The size, 5" x 7" is not so small that you can't read it, but small enough to fit into most business sized purses.

The cover designs are fun and colorful.

They are made in San Francisco with soy-based inks and recycled paper.

The layout of a week at a glance, with room to write in each day's square is my personal favorite.

There is also a section with each month at a glance, which I think is perfect.

Sarah Pinto is a busy mom of two young boys with lots going on in her life to keep track of. She says of her organizational style "I am a non-Blackberry, visually-minded girl on the go!" Sarah is also a believer in supporting good causes because a portion of the proceeds from the sale of these lovely little planners goes to California Pacific Medical Center Pediatric Cardiology.

Visit Sarah's website for her full story and to order your Simple, Stylish, Functional and Green 2009 planner.

Until next time,

Sandra

Gratitude

2008-10-30T17:38:00.000-07:00

Gratitude is my antidote for bad news and the fear it generates.

If you tune in and take all the news to heart, it could make you crazy, sad and fearful. My choice is to tune it down, and limit my exposure to the madness.

Even with all the new challenges we are facing, each of us has much to be grateful for, and focusing on those blessings in our lives helps to create positive energy and dissipate fearful thoughts. We can make a choice to bring our attention to those things (and people) in our lives that bring us joy and enrich our lives in a positive way.

Speaking of gratitude - can you believe that November is right here, which means that Thanksgiving just a few weeks away?!

It is still 90 - 95 degrees outside here in the beautiful Southern California Desert, so it does not feel to much like Autumn. I think this is why the holidays always sneak up on me.

Are you getting in the holiday mindset?

Here are a few tips to help Simplify the Holidays.

Send e-invitations instead of snail mail

Remember all those gift items you have purchased and stashed all over the house? Now is the time to gather them all together in one place to see what you actually have, and can use.

Before you go to Costco and Wal-Mart for the bulk supplies - take inventory of what you have. How many times have you bought tin foil or zip lock bags "just in case"?

Ditto for the holiday wrap, cards, etc. that you purchased at the end of the season last year. They are no bargain if you don't actually use them.

If you enjoy spending time with family and friends, but are not so excited about the work related holiday events, choose now to do less.

Perhaps you have been thinking that the gift giving aspect of the holidays has gotten out of control. Now is the time to talk to your family and friends about creating a new, more relevant tradition.

I would love to hear your thoughts, plans and tips for this holiday season.

Until next time,

Sandra

Preparing our Kids for School and Life

2008-09-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I promised tips to help keep our kids organized. Today I have a different plan. I feel that there are many sources of these tips, and I will list a few links at the bottom of this blog.

My GOAL today is to impress the importance of teaching the life skill of Goal Setting to our children. Wouldn't it have been great if we had known these skills when we were seniors in high school, looking towards our grown-up future?

I know that much of my indecisiveness as a young adult could have been alleviated by understanding that there was a process I could follow to gain insight to my deepest desires. I just needed to learn the steps necessary to achieve my dreams. At the age of 19 I had lots of ideas about things I would like to do, but no real tools to figure out how to achieve my dreams.

Many years later, as an aspiring entrepreneur, I have learned (am still learning) the art of setting goals and achieving real results because of specific planning and following a series of steps to reach a desired result.

This is what I know about Goal Setting:

Before you can write down goals, you need to do a little introspection. Figure out what you really, really want. What do you love? What are you good at? Just dream a bit, and don't let objections, perceived or real, money issues or self-doubt get in the way of the dreaming.
Write it down. Don't worry about the order, just write down all your goals and dreams, no matter how far-fetched they may seem.
Prioritize the list. Perhaps you could use symbols (*, !, $, etc) to designate the most important items, things that excite you and the ideas that will need funding. Remember that this list is not a static document - it will shift and change with time. That's why we need to re-visit our goals on a regular basis.
Begin with those goals that are most important to you.
Now comes the planning, because a goal without a plan is just a wish. What will it take to achieve your goal? List the steps, and break down the steps into manageable chunks.
Take action. What do you already know? Who do you already know? What will you need? What can you do today? Give yourself 90 days to work on a goal, then evaluate where you are.
Be open to new and unexpected ideas to reach your goals. There is never just one way.

Understanding our strengths and weaknesses is essential to moving forward with our dreams.
Working on the things that you are good at will give you more energy, motivation and ultimately more success. Of course, you will work on your weak areas too, but that is not where you focus your time and energy.

Now here are the links to help with keeping the kids organized:

http://www.smead.com

http://www.smead.com

http://www.simplify101.com/back-to-school-organizing-tips.php

I am going to review my goals list!

Until next time,

Sandra

Organizing for Kids

2008-09-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

This is my youngest child's last year of high school, and I am not sure how I feel about all the lasts that will happen this year. I took a first day of school photo of my children every year from kindergarten on, and I took the last one this Tuesday. I have made lunches every school day for 16 years, and I thought I would be delighted to be done with the task, but now that it's the last year I have developed a new interest in lunch making! So much of our child rearing, and our lives revolves around school and the related school activities, and some of it seemed like kind of a pain, until now - the last year.

Keeping life organized with multiple kids going in multiple directions is no small task for parents, but on top of our own organizational challenges, we need to teach our children how to manage their time and belongings as well. These are the major life lessons that they will take to college and on into their adult lives.

It is not that everything has to be perfect - the goal is to make life easier. If you know where your stuff is, where you are supposed to be and what time you are supposed to be there, much stress can be avoided. Learning how to manage time so that you can get where you need to be on time is a HUGE life lesson that is much easier to learn while young.

My son, the youngest, is the disorganized one, but he is of an age that is not inspired by parental advice - to say the least! My challenge has been to try to give him the guidance he needs without him knowing that is what I am doing. If it is a direct suggestion, it will automatically be rejected. Instead of suggestions, I offer questions with options for him to choose from. Sometimes, he has to feel the consequences of his sloppy habits, to appreciate a different way to do things. It is a fine line between being too controlling, where he won't learn for himself, and allowing his room to look like HE would like it - something like the aftermath of a natural disaster!

Each precious child is a unique individual with their own path to forge. As parents we can show them how to clear the path, how to read the compass and assure them of our love and support every step of the way, but we cannot walk their path for them.

In my next post I will give a few tips to help keep life, school and various kid activities organized.

Until next time,

Sandra

FREE Report - 5 Strategic Steps to Optimize Your Business Performance

2008-08-16T15:22:00.000-07:00

Click on the title of this post to request your FREE copy of our special report -5 Strategic Steps to Optimize Your Business Performance.

Thanks for your interest... and I'm always interested in your comments.

Until next time,

Sandra

Your Business SIMPLIFIED

2008-08-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

If we want to do something positive about the current economy, (as opposed to whining and complaining about how bad it is) we can support our local, small businesses. Guess who employs about half of private sector employees, pays more than 45% of total US private payroll and have generated 60 - 80% of net new jobs over the past decade? Right you are - small businesses.

Small business owners face huge challenges though. Very small firms with fewer than 20 employees annually spend 45% more per employee to comply with federal regulations and 67% more per employee on tax compliance than their larger counterparts.

What does all this mean? It means that the small business must be very efficient in all aspects of operations, but particularly in the area of administrative tasks. Small businesses are almost always operating with limited resources, and probably the scarcest resource in most businesses is the time of the owner / president.

Creative Changes is launching a new line of products and services called Simple Office Systems, which are specifically targeted to small independent businesses. Simple Office Systems is a combination of time-tested organizing systems, that are easy to implement and maintain, along with consulting time to teach organizing and time optimization skills. We are offering a 30 minute S.O.S. business analysis, at no charge, where we will evaluate 5 key areas of business operations.

The S.O.S. program focuses on such things as time management, desktop organization and efficient permanent files, using the concepts of simplicity and ease of use as the factors for success.

As a small business owner myself, I feel strongly about supporting locally owned small businesses as a way to keep our community strong economically as well as on a more personal level. Doing business with our friends and neighbors tends to be a more satisfactory personal experience, unlike many transactions at big box type establishments where the customer is just another number.

This is an exciting new direction for Creative Changes and I am looking forward to working with my fellow small business owners to help them reach their full potential, while reducing the stress of "never enough time".

Please contact me with any thoughts or questions you may have.

Until next time,

Sandra

Clearly Defined Goals

2008-07-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.

~Author Unknown

I believe that we all are subject to the daily acts of trivia trap. It is easy to feel that we are accomplishing something because we stay very busy, but without defined goals, we are merely treading water. We have dealt with various daily emergencies and possibly averted a few others, but are we closer to our goals? Weeks, months and years can slip away from us while we tread water in the pool of our life.

Even though I understand the importance of clearly defined goals, the clearly defined part is something I am still learning. My goal setting has tended to be broad and sometimes a bit vague in the past, and needless to say my accomplishments felt somewhat the same. When I am clear about my goals, the steps that I need to take to get there are also clear. That clarity of vision makes prioritizing my time so much easier.

What is a clearly defined goal, you ask?

S - Specific, Simple
M - Measurable, Meaningful
A - Achievable
R - Realistic, Responsible
T - Timed

Once you have defined your goals, whether they are personal, or professional, write them down.

Now you can list the steps necessary to get to the goal. Break down the big steps into smaller steps.

Because you have given yourself a time frame for achieving your goal you can now prioritize your time so that your schedule includes time to work on each of those small steps.

One by one the steps are accomplished and Voila! - You have achieved your goal.

Obviously, I over simplify here, but the concept works for goals large or small.

Visit and update your goals list frequently. This helps to keep you excited and motivated. As my business has developed over the years, some of my goals have shifted slightly, but I would not be in business for myself today if I had not had those goals to work towards, and new goals to keep me moving forward and upward.

Time management may be one of the more difficult aspects of being a small business owner. You have to take care of all the daily emergencies, sell your goods or services, pay the bills, plan for future business and so much more. When do you get to carve out that goal achieving time?

Here is the thing. When you have the clearly defined goals, you won't lose sight of your priorities, time management becomes more focused and you can eliminate the daily acts of trivia. (or at least some of them!)

May you achieve all your (clearly defined) goals.

Until next time,

Sandra

Begin With Imagination

2008-07-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

"First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination."

~Napoleon Hill

Here in the hot desert of Southern California, summer is a time when we retract, conserve our energy and enjoy the opportunities for contemplation and planning. (It is also a great time to tackle some of those indoor organizing projects!)

I have been spending a lot of time in thoughts, ideas and planning for the next phase in the life of Creative Changes. We are growing and evolving, so stay tuned for updates as the transformation begins.

Until then,

Sandra

Don't Miss Your Life

2008-07-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

"As you walk, eat and travel, be where you are. Otherwise you will miss your life."

~Siddhartha Guatama

It seems that I am being called to hear, heed and speak this message because this simple wisdom keeps presenting itself to me in many different ways on a daily basis.

Isn't it just so easy to get caught up in the tasks of the day that before we know it, the day is gone, and we are left exhausted on the couch in the evening, wondering "is this all there is?" Life may seem like a series of hurdles to cross, and when we finally reach this goal, or that achievement, then we will be happy.

We try to find ourselves in things, but we end up losing ourselves in them instead. The satisfaction in aquiring is short lived and so we keep looking for more, keep buying, keep consuming, keep cluttering our lives. (and our planet)

I do believe there is a movement - a collective realization, if you will, that our consumer society is backfiring on us in many ways; the environment, the economy, our own cluttered and/or disorganized lives.

For myself, it is a daily practice to stay present, be grateful and accept what is with grace, and with this frame of mind I am finding life's paths so much easier to navigate. As I learn my life lessons, I hope to be of service to others who are wanting to simplify their lives.

Until next time,

Sandra

The Beauty of Changes

2008-06-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies.

~Author unknown

The Tickler File - Part 2

2008-06-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

How to make it work for YOU

Create a new habit. Every day check your tickler file. Do it first thing in the morning, or as next day planning before you leave the office. Choose the best time for you and do it every day. If you know that you will be away for a day, or a few days, just check all those day files before you leave, so that you can leave the office knowing that you have not forgotten to deal with any important, or time sensitive items.

Each day pull the folder that corresponds to that day's date. Either, act on those contents; pay the bills, send the cards, etc, or move them to another day's file, if you cannot get to them right away. The beauty of the system is that you can delegate your tasks to certain days, and always know where to find the paper for those tasks - without the piles on the desk.

Re-file the day folder behind the previous day's folder, which will be behind the next month's folder, and move the alligator clip to the back of the day of the week clips. You are creating a perpetual calendar that reminds you what you need to do, and when to do it.

Place items or events that extend beyond the current month in the appropriate month file. When the next month file reaches the front, (in our case the next month is July) take the contents of the month file and delegate them to the daily files for that month, so that each task will be done in a timely manner, without you having to think about it, and without having the item in a pile on you desk where you think you can see it.

What to put in your Tickler

The possibilities are endless, and this list will give you an idea of how this system will simplify your life.

Bills to pay - Bills that you receive and send through the mail should be put in the day folder 5 or 6 days prior to due date to allow time for delivery. If it is an automatic payment you can have a perpetual note in the appropriate day file to remind you to deduct the payment from your checkbook.

Monthly reminders - For example, a 3 x 5 card could say "backup computer files" and you would file it in a daily file every month to give you that reminder every month.

Follow-up phone calls - You no longer need to keep the entire client file on the desk to remind you to make that call. Just write yourself a note and file it in the tickler.

Airline tickets and travel papers - File everything you need for your trip, including your passport. Also file tickets for events such as concerts, or sporting events.

Items you need to take action on - Events you want to RSVP to, register for seminars in time for the early bird rate, schedule appointments.

Home maintenance - Things that need to be done around the house, such as replacing the heater and air conditioning filters can be scheduled in the tickler file, and when the task is complete, re-filed for the next scheduled time for the task.

Place holder for larger items - If the item is too big to be stored in the tickler file, a "pointer" to that item can be created on a 3 x 5 card, and placed in the tickler file.

Birthdays and other important dates - Again, the 3 x 5 card can be used with the person's name and birthday and filed in the appropriate monthly folder. Tickle for enough lead time to get cards, presents, arrangements made.

Review "maybe" actions - For those items that you are thinking about, but want to wait to decide on, such as an upcoming seminar to attend, or new project you want to begin. File a reminder, or the event flyer to show up in a week, or two weeks when you have more information, more money, or more time to act on it.

Those pending items that you don't want to forget - The tickler is the perfect place for the DMV renewal notice received in June that requires a smog test, but is not due until August, paperwork and tracking information for a FedEx shipment, a billing issue that you may be waiting for a response to, and of course, yesterday's items that did not get completed!

The beauty of the system is that it can be adapted any number of ways to make it suit you. Make it your own. Have fun with it. The Tickler is your new best friend!

Please let me know about your nifty adaptations, and I will post them here for other readers to try.

Until next time,
Sandra

The Tickler File - The Low Tech, High Productivity Work Management Tool

2008-06-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Part 1

Do you wish for a miracle, or perhaps you are hoping that the "organizing fairy" will appear while you are sleeping, to deal with the ever-accumulating piles of paper on your desk? Let's face it, for now, the paperless office is just a myth.

You may have thought that your PDA (Blackberry, Treo, iPhone, etc.) would take care of every detail of your life, but yet you still have the piles of papers. The PDA electronically manages: calendar, address books, mobile phone, personal contact software integration, shopping lists, electronic copies of documents, etc. The Tickler File physically manages paper: tickets to the game or theater, forms or paperwork needed for a specific day, and the rest of your paper pile.

Supplies Needed

One box of 3-tab file folders
Labels for each month, January - December
Labels for each day of the month, 1 - 31
Seven alligator clips, labeled Monday - Sunday
Container for the 43 folders

The Set Up

The container can be anything you like to fit your office decor. It should be tall enough to support the folders, at least 5 or 6 inches high and 6 or 7 inches deep. This would be for a desk top version, which I like best because it is right in front of me and hard to forget. It could also easily be set up with hanging folders.

Use only the left side tabbed folders for the days of the month,
and label them 1 - 31.

Use only the middle tabbed folders for the months of the year,
and label them January - December.

Label the 7 alligator clips with the days of the week.

The daily files are in the front beginning with the file for tomorrow's date. (If today is Wed, June 18, then the first file would be "19" with the Thur. clip on it.) The subsequent daily folders, ("20" through "31") represent the remaining days of the month. The next file behind the last day of the month will be the following month's file, in this case "July", and behind it would be the daily files "1" through "16". Behind that would be the rest of the monthly files, "August" through "June".

So now you have all the information you need to set up your own tickler file. Go get your supplies, and in my next post I will give you some tips on how to make this system really work for you.

Until then,

Sandra

WANTED - Good Home for My Used Stuff

2008-05-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

You've done your Spring Cleaning and de-cluttering and now you don't know what to do with the pile of stuff that you cleared out. Donate it? What organization? Will they pick up? What to do with the old electronics, cell phones, eyeglasses? It is all good stuff - can't just throw it away. We all feel a need to send our stuff to good homes.

I have a list of my most used resources for donations, selling, consignment, recycling, shredding, and even large item pick-up services. This list is continually updated as I learn of new options and sources. I imagine that there are many resources that I have not even thought about yet, so if any readers of this blog have any ideas that they would like to add, I welcome them all.

Obviously, most of these resources are local to my community, which is the Coachella Valley, in Southern California, but many of them are websites for national organizations, so I hope this information will be of some use to all readers.

Donations - Clothing & Household Goods

Angel View - 760-322-2440 - will pick up at your location
Martha's Village & Kitchen - 760-347-4741 - will pick up at your location
ABC Recovery Center - 760-342-6616
Coachella Valley Rescue Mission - 760-398-2424

Dress for Success - www.dressforsuccess.org

Eyeglasses - Lions Club takes donations of used eyeglasses

Cell Phones & other wireless devices - online resource - Recycling for Charitities

Miscellaneous Donations - Freecycle links those who need with those who have

Junk / Large Item Pick-Up

1-800 -Got-Junk - 1-800-468-5865

They also take e-waste and recycling

Burrtec Waste Management (local garbage company)
760-777-1930 or 760-340-2113
41800 Corporate Way, Palm Desert M-F 9-4
Will pick up monitors, bulky items & appliances - call first
Keyboards & mouse can go in the garbage can
Drop off CPU at collection center - be sure to disable or overwrite hard drive

Computer Donations

ShareTechnology.org

Shredding

Shred N Go (locally owned company)
Dianna Forsythe 760-808-7444
Shredngo@gmail.com
on-site and off-site shredding

ShredForce
760-744-2875
ShredForce.com
on-site and off-site shredding

Used Athletic Shoes for Recycling

Nike Recycling

Used Books

PowellsBooks.com
Submit the ISBN #, and they will send back $ amount - if you accept, they send store credit.

Call Your Local Library - Many public libraries are happy to take book donations.

Used Items for Sale (or Free)

Craig's List
Great online resource to sell or give away unwanted, but usable items. Just look up your city and find classified ads for dozens of categories.

Consignment Stores

Classic Consignment Co.
73847 El Paseo, Palm Desert
760-568-4948

Cargo Furnishing & Consignment
71550 Hwy. 111, Rancho Mirage
760-773-3130

Estate Sale Company
Palm Springs
760-321-7628 (will pick up for fee)

Desert Resale Office Furniture (home furnishings also)
74900 Joni Dr, Bldg 3, Suite A&B, Palm Desert
760-346-8700

Let's all try to do our part to reduce the volume of garbage going to our landfills by utilizing the many resources out there that will take our used stuff and re-use, recycle and give new life to it. Sometimes it takes a little more effort to follow through with these options, but in the end you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your stuff is going to a good home.

Any other "Good Home" ideas out there?

Until next time,

Sandra

2008-04-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

I just spent an amazing 4 days in Reno, NV at the NAPO annual conference. 750 + organizers in the same room - what crazy energy that is! I learned so much, met many brilliant and interesting organizers from all over the country, as well as international organizers. So much information to process through my tiny little brain!

As luck would have it, I had the opportunity to take some of that great energy and inspiration out into my world, by presenting a talk to the local chapter of the American Business Women's Association (ABWA) this week.

Thank You - to all the lovely women at the ABWA Trendsetter Chapter for inviting me to talk at their monthly dinner meeting on April 15. I had a wonderful dinner, great networking and I thoroughly enjoyed giving my organizing presentation to such a friendly and receptive group.

I did promise to post a quote that I used in my program, so here that is:

"Order is light, peace, inner freedom, self-determination: it is power. To conceive order, to return to order, to realize order in oneself, around oneself, by means of oneself, is well-being."
Henri Frédéric Amiel (1821-81)

I also promised to post my resource list for donations, recycling, shredding, and other helpful information relating to disposing of our unwanted belongings. That list will be ready to go by next week, and I will make sure it gets out to all who want it.

There was so much to learn at the NAPO conference, but the most important message that I came away with was to honor my unique talents, use them to distinguish my company and brand and most of all to be true to my values. It is not that I didn't know this before, but to have it confirmed by Peter Walsh, the keynote speaker, the branding experts that presented programs and many of the more experienced organizers that I met and heard speak, was powerful and reassuring. Thanks to all of you for the work that you have done to bring our industry to this place of integrity and greater recognition.

I love what I do as a professional organizer, and I continue to be excited by the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead for the industry and my business.

Until next time,
Sandra

Another Point of View about Organizing

2008-04-07T22:01:00.000-07:00

I am busy getting my household organized for my absence while I attend the NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) national convention in Reno, this week. I will be away for four and a half days. Father will be in charge of teenagers and teenagers will be in charge of dogs and I can only imagine what the house will look like when I get home!

Because my To-Do list is already way too long, I am offering a great link to the Zen Habits blog where he has a great list of five minute de-cluttering tips. Check out the rest of the blog too.

I will be back, all geeked out about everything to do with organizing, next week.

Until next time,

Sandra

How to Hire a Professional Organizer

2008-03-19T19:55:00.000-07:00

The REAL SIMPLE website has a great article about hiring a professional organizer, and perhaps even better than the article, are all the comments posted underneath. Most of the comments are from professional organizers with additional tips and thoughts about the process.

This is great reading for anyone thinking about hiring a professional organizer.

Thank you REAL SIMPLE, for providing accurate content along with those beautiful graphics and photos.

It is a beautiful site, called Simply Stated, so check it out for all the other cool products, tips and articles.

Click on any of the underlined links to see for yourself!

until next time,

Sandra

How to De-Clutter Your Mind

2008-03-11T20:13:00.000-07:00

A friend read the following article on Mercola.com and forwarded it on to me. It is a great article, so here it is in its entirety. Check out the website also - lots of great health information.

You may have read articles about how to declutter your home or your desk, but if anything needs decluttering, it’s your mind.

While your brain is a complex and confusing organ -- and your mind is certainly not like an inbox that can be sorted through -- decluttering your mind is actually not difficult.

You can sort through your mind, even getting past the scar tissue of old hurts and traumas, with these simple actions:

1. Breathe: Take a few deep breaths, and then just focus on your breathing for a few minutes. It has a calming effect, and allows other thoughts to just float away.

2. Write it down: If you have a bunch of things on your mind, get them on paper and off your mind.

3. Rethink your sleep: If you aren’t getting enough sleep, or your sleeping pattern isn’t ideal, it can affect you a great deal.

4. Take a walk: Get outside and do some kind of physical activity; it clears your mind.

5. Do less: Cross half the things off your to-do list; just pick a few things to get done today, and focus on those.

6. Declutter your surroundings: Having a lot of stuff around you occupies part of your mind, even if you don’t realize it.

7. Identify the essential: This means figuring out what is most important in your life, and focusing on these things.

8. Get in touch with nature: Looking at the ocean, a river, some trees or anything “green” can be calming and focusing at the same time.

9. Go slower: Walk slower, talk slower, drive slower and even work slower. All of these things tell your mind that you’re not in a hurry, and that you want to take life at your own, non-rushed pace.

10. Single-task: Multi-tasking fills your mind with a lot of clutter, without a lot of productivity. Instead of multi-tasking, single-task by focusing on just one thing at a time.

For five more great tips to declutter your mind, click the link below.

Sources:

Zen Habits December 15, 2007

My mind is de-cluttered. How about yours?

Until next time,

Sandra

Re-purpose, Recycle, Freecycle - Be a Little Bit Green

2008-02-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I enjoy about my work in helping people reduce their clutter, is the opportunity to re-purpose and recycle items that people simply did not know what to do with. I am happy to drop off bags of clothes and small household items to local charitable organizations as donations. I am also happy to provide recycling resources for those items that can and should be recycled. You could say I am a Green Organizer, and I like that I can help other people be a little more Green.

In addition to the various local options for recycling and donating, there is the online group called Freecycle, which is a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Check it out at: Freecycle.org

I came across these interesting recycling facts recently.

Paper

If all morning newspapers read around the country were recycled, over 41,000 trees would be saved daily.
Americans throw away enough wood and paper every year to heat 5 million homes for two hundred years.
About 700 paper bags can be made out of a typical 15-year old tree. In a big grocery store, the clerks can give away that number of bags in just one hour. Save resources by bringing your own reusable bag when you go shopping.

Plastic

If you lined up all the styrofoam cups made in just one day, they would more than circle the entire planet. Try using a reusable cup whenever possible.
Plastic in our oceans kills around 1 million seabirds and over 100,000 marine mammals each year.
Plastic bags and plastic wrap account for approximately 40% of our plastic garbage.

Glass

When glass is recycled, water consumption is reduced by 50%, mining waste by 79%, and air pollution by 14%. Glass can be recycled indefinitely.

We all have the opportunity to be a little bit Green every day. I hope I have given some food for thought and a little inspiration for my readers to re-purpose, recycle or even Freecycle those items that you are disposing of.

Until next time,

Sandra

Creative Changes gets Local Press Coverage

2008-02-13T23:44:00.000-08:00

Click on the title to go to the article in The Desert Sun, Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008

I had a blast working with Maggie Downs, the writer, and it was kind of fun being in the newspaper newsroom for a couple of afternoons.

Maggie was the perfect client in that she knew how she wanted the space to function and was eager to learn a few new techniques to help keep her newly organized desk in order. I think we got her organizing wheels spinning, because she started to think of ideas about organizing at home that she wanted to try.

Thank you Maggie for allowing me to help you out, while you helped me out with the great publicity!

Sandra