Holding onto something and your not even sure why? Can’t seem to let go of that old file of phone bills from 2008 or earlier? Stuck with that broken down toaster that was a wedding present from 10 years ago? Or maybe you still have every piece of artwork your child ever made, yet they’re grown up and out of the home?

Come on, it’s ok to toss that book you promised your friend you would read 3 years ago. If it’s just collecting dust on a crowded bookshelf, it’s not adding to your life is it? Maybe that box of “skinny” clothes haunting you in your closet, or cases of old bottles you trip over in the garage ‘cause “one day” you’re going to start making wine, are just taking up valuable space and energy.

Don’t get me wrong, sure there could be some things that you really need and have a plan to use soon. And maybe you’re keeping some old paperwork because they relate to a business and you need it for tax reasons.

Yet, what I have learned from by being a professional organizer is this… for the most part clutter is simply “postponed decisions.” So today to help those that need to learn to be more objective and really take an honest look at what their keeping and why, I have my ultimate TOSS LIST. A series of questions to ask yourself in relation to your “Stuff” that will give you that objective edge you might be missing.

Let's take a moment to consider how to make your life and work space better by eliminating the excess now. Just because things are interesting to you is not a good enough reason to keep them around. For example, everything that could in theory be used at the right time, under the right conditions, sometime between this ‘very’ moment and the time you plan to retire, should be tossed. To help you determine what those items are, here are the questions to ask yourself. 

I am going to lay them out by category to make it that much easier:

 When it comes to Paper:

Is it a duplicate?
Is it current?
How often will I refer to it?
Is it relevant to my work/life?
Will it add something new to what I already have?
Can I get it elsewhere if I need it?
Do I have time to read it?
Do I want, or truly need this?

In addition to making decisions on what to toss, the following 6 guidelines are important to deciding what not to toss. Review these so you know when it’s time to keep things:

Replication would be very difficult. 
There is only the one copy available.
It is a vital piece of a project or client file.
The document is your original creation.
The information will be needed again soon.
The law requires you to keep it.

For items you are required to keep for legal reasons, I have found that there is an abundance of information on the internet. Yet, if you run across something you're just not sure about, my advice is to speak with your accountant or tax professional before making the final toss.

Tip: Remember to protect yourself. Shred documents containing personal or confidential information on you or your company.

When it comes to Clutter:

Now we may be treading into an emotional area, as we discuss personal possessions. For personal belongings and keepsakes I am going to provide two things. First, the ‘TOSS LIST’ questions, then, another way to help determine what category the “Keepers” fall into.

When was it last used?
Is there a specific date I will need this again in future?
Does it require action by me? (If yes, move to location for 'ACT' items)
How hard would it be to replace again if I needed it?
Is it recent enough to be useful?
How does it make my life more purposeful or better?
Is it beautiful or loved?
Does it reflect the person I am now?
What is worst case scenario if I toss it?

Now, if you struggle a bit with the questions above and/or still need a little help to decide where to put things, take a closer look at the ‘Toys, Tools, Treasures & Trash’ list below. 

Basically, what you need to do is pick up each item and ask yourself two questions… 1. Does this item hold a high emotional value for me? 2. Does it have a high level of function in my home/office?

Here are the suggestions based on each possible answer:

         High Emotion – High Function – TOYS – Keep close at hand and visible. Invest in good containment, making it easier to put away than to take out. (A basic organizing rule of thumb)

         Low Emotion – High Function – TOOLS – Keep close at hand and accessible but out of site. Again, good functional containment is important. Label well also, as this helps remind you to put things back where they belong when you’re done using it.

         High Emotion – Low Function – TREASURE – Keep displayed at a distance or store away. If you have treasured items, take a few of your best and put in a quality display. Store the rest if you really can’t part with them. Store things in good quality containment and review often. Tip: A collector enjoys and takes pride in their collection; they don’t treat their items poorly and leave them lying about unorganized where they can be damaged.

         Low Emotion – Low Function – TRASH. Trash it, recycle it, or donate it, yet do it fast. Once the decision is made, get rid of the items quickly so you don’t go back on your decisions later.

If you find you still can’t do it, don’t have the energy or time, then I am here to help you. I will bring the tools, the process, the energy, the knowledge and a truly objective view.

I recognize the fact that in this world we are bombarded with paper, information and stuff and that getting overwhelmed by it all can be a hard barrier to break. Let me help you break past that and learn the way to simplify your life and your work today.

Warmly,
Michelle Panzlaff
 
 
  • Schedule time for tasks, including tasks, appointments, travel time, etc.
  • Group similar tasks together
  • Maintain an effective action file system.
  • Use templates for forms and letters used often.
  • Carry your "to read" file with you to read when waiting in line.
  • Use your high energy time for productive work.
  • Get 8 hours of sleep each night if possible.
  • Use available technologies for time saving abilities.
  • Wrap up each night by planning for the next day.
  • Organize errands to minimize mileage on your vehicle.
  • Set priorities based on value and deadlines.
  • Break down large tasks into smaller tasks. 
 
 
  From my 20 Step Office Organizing Checklist, the task for this week is:
  •  Develope a paperflow system
If you don't already have a good paperflow system try this:
  • Take out a notepad and start to track the life of a document as it makes it way through your system.
  • As you do this, think about what checklist you may need to create to make sure steps dont get overlooked.
  • Make notes on what types of things will be needed at each step and plan to have a "Space" dedicated to items as they move through the system.
  • Starting with the "in-box" and all the way to the "Archive". Map it out, look for areas that can be ellimatented or made more effeicient, and plan your steps.
 
 
By Melia Goertzen, of Caron Business Solutions

You get regular oil changes for your car. You drag your kids to the dentist every six months. You worry about replacing your roof this summer, even though you know you could probably wait another few years. You are proactive about all the things around you, yet you never focus on yourself...

What about the time you spend working? Do you make the most of it? Doing the books, keeping records, time and billing, working on payroll... and what about that dreaded time we call tax season? How much time do you spend scrunched over your computer, paper covering your desk, pencil in hand, reaching for the Tylenol? If you're like most people, it's probably more than you care to admit.

Once Michelle at Tidy Tiger has done a number on the piles of paper, maybe it's time to learn the most effective ways to use your computer software. Whether you're a larger business running on Accpac, a smaller business using Simply Accounting, or just using Microsoft Excel to keep track of the day-to-day "stuff", chances are you could be using the program more efficiently.

By spending one day in a classroom, learning from Certified Trainers and using hands-on practical examples, you will gain new insight into how to use the tools you already have more successfully. Make the jump from a plain old Excel table to a Pivot Graph. Stop spending time on repetitive tasks, and set up recurring transactions in Simply Accounting. Don't just track your inventory, but control it using Accpac.

You invest in so many things around you, isn't it time you focus on yourself? Don't you think you're worth it? If you're ready to take your knowledge to the next level, check out www.caronbusiness.com/training, or contact Melia at 604-291-6311. Mention this article for 5% off any course. 
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Imagine the next time you are visiting your mechanic; you witness him using his high-tech diagnostic tool for your car, as a hammer. Wouldn't you ask, "Isn't that a valuable piece of technology that could be put to better use?"

I mean, perhaps the tool works well as a hammer, yet it is capable of so much more, so I think that the mechanic would want to get the most out of it, and leave hammering for a hammer, right?
Now, take a moment to think about your "high-tech" devices, for instance; your computer, the software and any peripherals. They are designed with features and functions that for the most part can make your life easier, if you know how to operate them well. 
 
Take for example, Microsoft Outlook, sure it handles email, yet did you know you can manage tasks and appointments with drag and drop features too? Now consider what can be done with Excel. That simple list of vendor contacts you may have, can be mail-merged to mass mail out letters, emails or labels. 

These two examples are just simple features and there are many more to explore. If we never get to use these features or see them in action, we are not even in a position to consider our options. What I have found is that once someone knows what their devices and software are capable of, they can discover doors and solutions never even considered before.  

So, you may ask, where to start, to learn more? 

One of my first suggestions is to open the software you use the most, or one in which you may have seen or heard others use a lot which you feel will serve your needs best. 

Open the “Help” file, then go to the “Table of Contents” and explore.
For devices such as phones and other peripherals, find your manual and do the same.

I know for some, terminology and jargon can seem unfamiliar and intimidating, but don’t let that stop you. We can’t possibly all “know everything” can we? I know business professionals that are experts at what they do yet don’t know half of what their software can do to make their work easier.

When you are exploring, try a few things out that you never did before. Use the experience to get familiar with the style of direction that the information provides so when using again you will be able to go faster. 

The last bit of advice I have is to give yourself a little time to learn something everyday and schedule time to review terminology as well.
 
To your ever increasing productivity!
 
 
How is CANADA doing? The stats are in...

Last November the POC (Professional Organizers in Canada) conducted a Marketing Survey to over 1200 people accoss Canada. Results of this survey indicate that 8 in 10 Canadians reported to being disorganized.

·          7 in 10 who said their workplace is disorganized: commonly said their desk was in the worst shape.

·          34% of disorganized Canadians said that "Time Management" is the most disorganized part of their life.

·          91% of disorganized Canadians feel that disorganization negatively impacts thier lives. 

The good news: Professional Organizers are here to help.

Just because you don't know how to organize a desk, or know how to tackle the clutter in your home, doesn't mean you need to suffer any longer.   We will bring the plan, the products and our knowledge to you. 

It's ok that you don't know how to organize, that's what professional organizers are there to help you with. Just like you hire a accountant to do your taxes, a mechanic to fix your car or a massage therapist to get rid of aches and pains.

It suprizes me that not too many people seem to know we are out there to help, please forward this website to friends, family and associates in need.
 
 
From my 20 Step Office Organizing Checklist, the task for this week is:
  •  Use shelves and cabinets to save floor space 
In the IDEAL Office there are 5 area of consideration, "Extra Space" is one of them. Get your copy of my IDEAL Office Guideline from the Business Solutions page.
 
 
There was a very interesting and funny book that I read once called The Fermata. In this book a 35 year old office temp had the ability to stop time whenever he felt like it. Of course you can imagine just how much he could get done in short periods of time, yet, as far as I know this ability to stop time, does not exist. At least I can honestly say, I have never met anyone that has reported to have this skill.

So here we all are, all on the same time line, all subjected to having only 24 hours a day to work with. Factor in sleep, grooming, cooking, eating, traveling and working, and what do we have left? Well for most it's about 2-3 hours a day. That's about 8-12% of the day during an average work week. Not much is it?!

We all want our share of the cake though, don't we? We all want to be able to enjoy the time we have and make more time for the things we enjoy, right? So what price are we willing to pay? How about taking less time to sleep, less time to prepare healthy meals, or how about less time to work? What ever it is, there is going to be a trade off. 

So the question may now be, "What to do, and what not to do?"

Let's try to find this balance together…

First we need to know what is really competing for our time and we need to start be making a list. Create a master list of everything you need to do. 

When you have your list complete, you will need to break it down into order of priority. Factor in its value and its deadlines when considering just how important these things are to complete. Ask yourself, what is the worst thing that will happen if this doesn't get done?

Label and rank your items and make a too do list for each day. Give yourself some high priority, medium and low priority items to do each day. 

Break down complicated tasks into smaller bite sized pieces. Giving your self a large and daunting task to do all at once that you know you can't get done can tend to prevent you from ever starting it in the first place.

Add some fun to the mix. Work with a partner, turn on some favorite tunes and take breaks to step away for a moment or two so you can come back fresh each time. You can even try to play "beat the clock" and make tasks a bit of a game. (Try my 15 Minutes Elephant on for size) 

Enlist the help of others. Giving them clear instructions on what needs to be done and how. When doing this, be prepared for the fact that sometimes others may not do things as perfectly as you would have done. Remember, when there is room for slack, give up on perfection.

Put limits on what you say yes to. I talked about this in "Don't let Others Should on You." 

Have your cake, eat it too, yet save a bit for later.

 
 
 
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If your clutter is driving you crazy, try this on.  

It's time for the Olympics here in Vancouver, so why not take my Olympic Organizing Challenge and be a Gold Medal Winner in your own home or office?  
If your household clutter is making you crazy, here is my invitation for you.

   Here is what you can do to participate: 
Choose your challenge: Take a look around your home and identify areas that you want to organize and de-clutter.
Plan to succeed: Grab your note pad and make a list of your priorities and set some deadlines. (Start small if you like, perhaps only one or two specific tasks. Tip: be realistic and plan out your actions to make it happen.)
Submit your entry: ad a comment to this blog post that explains your commitment to your project, whatever it may be. (Start this post with the words: "My Challenge is:")
Participate actively: Every Saturday come and post an update and share the good news. (When posting the update, start your post with "My Update:")

   The Olympic Organizing Challenge will end March 31st.  

Award Certificates for GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE will go to the participants that enjoyed the best results and put in the most effort.

Need Help?
Just like any other service provider, professional organizers like me are here to help you save time and money. We can't always do everything by ourselves and sometimes we need help to stay on track and achieve our goals, and that's ok. If you have trouble getting started or staying on track, consider calling me and getting organized once and for all.     

Accept the challenge, enjoy the feeling being organized can bring. And please remember, to pass on this information to anyone you know that can benefit from a home, an office or a life more organized.  
 
 
Stressed out?
Too much on your plate?
Having a hard time figuring out what your real priorities are?

There is an answer and you don't have to do it alone. C

all for rates and to book a consultation today!