tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29051315984374299942012-01-31T07:00:05.294-05:00Strategies to organize your business for success!Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.comBlogger1181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-70490015988483760452012-01-31T07:00:00.002-05:002012-01-31T07:00:05.435-05:00

Many of us are planning for the holidays and looking forward to some downtime after a busy fall.  Great idea.  What's top of your list when you get back to the office in January?With a little forward planning, by the time you get to April, you'll be focussed on those new clients having signed off and sent off your annual tax return.  If you are still working on a paper-based system, consider

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-9532883673743484662011-11-30T10:25:00.000-05:002011-11-30T10:25:14.651-05:00

With the new year looming, most people have already picked up their calendar for next year.  Some of you are die hard e-calendar types and just keep scrolling on down the screen while 2012 comes up to great you. The rest of us are not and still prefer the paper version.  It has been my experience that many individuals with a strong kinesthetic preference for learning and digesting information,

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-72846473551322945202011-01-19T17:35:00.000-05:002011-01-19T17:35:40.953-05:00

Are you staring at a shoe  box of receipts?  Here's a quick and inexpensive way to get those receipts tamed.  Pick up an accordion folder at the local office supply store with 12 sections, one for each month.  Label the sections.  Start by filing the receipts by date into the appropriate section. Some people prefer to file by category.  Date or category, it doesn't matter.  They all have to be

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-46766802963716499432010-12-08T22:17:00.001-05:002010-12-08T22:18:00.194-05:00

Before working as a professional organizer, I spent several decades in a corporate environment.  Those of us who have ever worked for someone are familiar with the annual review process.  But have you ever considered applying this concept to the organization of your office?  If you were giving your office an annual review, how would it fare? Are the position description and expectations clear and

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-9076282136368731212010-11-23T23:45:00.000-05:002010-11-23T23:45:51.442-05:00

Do you think you could tell if you worked beside someone who is hoarding?  Would their work behaviour reflect hoarding behaviour at home? Probably not - people who hoard do not normally brag about their hoarding behaviour. In fact, most of them are very private and often have not let anyone in their home for many years.  Normally they can not be identified from anyone else walking down the

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-89232738160269928462010-06-24T07:00:00.003-04:002010-06-24T07:00:00.394-04:00

As a professional organizer I am frequently asked how I recommend people stay on top of their email.  There are a variety of strategies for managing the actual email when you first open it.  Use folders to file information and flagging action items for example.  When it comes to the emails that have been left in your Inbox too long here is a process I call the 10 percent solution. Pick a time of

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-84814814001824070612010-06-16T23:50:00.000-04:002010-06-16T23:50:25.090-04:00

If you travel frequently for business you know that staying organized while on the go can be a challenge.  There are three main issues to address: a) receipts b) staying productive and c) being prepared. Often one's entire trip involves keeping track of those darn receipts.  Whether you work for yourself or a large corporation, even with a friendly and fully loaded expense card, that proof of

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-63678589780780627182010-05-31T10:14:00.000-04:002010-05-31T10:14:54.801-04:00

You organized your desk top, cleared out your files, set up your hot files and got your income tax in on time with a moderate "clean up this mess" bill from your accountant.  Congratulations! And now you sit dispondant staring at a piles of paper on the floor, an inbox full of unopened mail - both electronic and otherwise - and stuff all over your desk.  You've spent the last half hour trying to

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-46570447888118750742009-09-16T06:51:00.004-04:002009-10-19T09:15:26.968-04:00

Third quarter is over and your heading into the final stretch of your financial year. How are you doing on those business goals for your (your choice) a) portfolio b) directorate c) division d) company e) small business?Getting things done, the old to do list, and making goals are all activities with which we are very familiar. Many of you have even been on courses to try and figure out how to

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-59387145182830094352009-06-01T11:45:00.003-04:002009-06-01T11:58:07.309-04:00

The electronic age was meant to speed up the way we work and computers promised to make life easier. They have, however, brought with them their own challenges as witnessed by the common frustrations of managing email. If email is soaking up too much of your day, try these tips:Turn off the email alert on your computer. You know emails arrive constantly. You don't need your computer to remind

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-43932496677440344302009-05-27T10:53:00.005-04:002009-05-27T11:11:20.445-04:00

So how is that desk going? The credenza? The floor? What about your New Year's Resolutions to keep a clutter free, high efficiency work space?Right about now, as second quarter comes to an end and tax time looms for many solo-preneurs and small business owners, the clutter is at an all time high and level of discouragement follows suite.So I thought now would be a good time to revisit an

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-23395494829398566252009-05-14T09:40:00.003-04:002009-05-14T09:49:06.541-04:00

Are you a "sticky note" person? You know what I mean; there are some of us who like to make notes on bits of paper to remind us of things. There are a few by the telephone to remind us to call someone, a few on the filing cabinet to remind us where to find something and a bunch all over our desk with numbers, names, notes and reminders that are so buried under the rest of the paper they are

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-74027693465950574322009-05-11T13:23:00.004-04:002009-05-11T13:36:36.487-04:00

The ten minute challenge is one of my favourite organizing techniques. When used regularly, is highly effective at keeping one's home or office organized.Find a bag - the new recycled shopping bags are great for this. Give yourself 10 minutes to fill the bag with items that do not belong in your office and need to return to wherever it/they belong. A common variation on this strategy is to fill

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-18641832972545795222009-04-20T10:16:00.002-04:002009-04-20T10:25:35.132-04:00

More and more I have noticed that most clients have a glue spot in their office or home. You know this place. Whenever something gets put there, it never moves. That specific spot has really good glue all over it and when an item gets put down, its stuck.Sometimes we just don't see the items in this spot once they've taken up residence there. Sometimes the location is hard to clear out

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-30005719001380923272009-04-01T09:55:00.003-04:002009-04-01T10:00:58.626-04:00

How it happened I hardly know but here we are at the beginning of April. That means first quarter is over. How are those goals coming?Have you checked your progress recently?Do you know where you filed them?Are they still valid?Are they still realistic?Did you implement the tools to measure them?Were they measurable to begin with?Are you happy with the progress?Are you ready to celebrate your

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-77228235318676728312009-03-25T09:29:00.003-04:002009-03-25T09:34:41.961-04:00

This post is going to make everyone else happy and give you some more work. "Oh great!", I can hear you say. But remember, when your organization makes everyone else happy, you look good.It's not about goals - its about agendas. Do you use them for your meetings? Do you send them out ahead of time? Are they clear and concise and related to the previous meeting's minutes (if there was one)?

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-5891619076933267892009-03-23T09:21:00.004-04:002009-03-23T09:33:17.112-04:00

You've heard it. I've heard it. We all know what it sounds like."Getting a little anal aren't you? Turning into the next Martha S. here at the office?"Here comes the criticism from those people, usually one person in particular, who can't stand to let you reach a higher level of organization in your work. It might even be your boss. Who knows, maybe that person is jealous, envious or afraid

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-42864389802774162262009-03-20T12:47:00.002-04:002009-03-20T12:52:54.362-04:00

To keep the organizing going, and the clutter at bay, every item in your office needs to go back to its home. In most organizing projects, next to purging, much of the work is in establishing a home for everything whether its paper, files, e-files or other objects. Once an item has a home, it needs to return there when you finish using it.Again, just a few minutes a day to scan your office and

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-4158402528427880022009-03-20T12:46:00.003-04:002009-03-20T12:56:12.425-04:00

"If I had time", you say, "I would be more organized!" I know, me too. Unfortunately since none of us have figured out how to put an extra couple of hours into each day, we will just have to work with the 24 hours that we have.Let's start with your calendar. Do you have one? Do you carry it with you all the time? If it is a paper calendar, can you put it into your purse, briefcase, computer bag?

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-4629869870903593042009-03-17T10:45:00.003-04:002009-03-17T10:50:19.432-04:00

Have you ever noticed the tendency to walk into your office and immediately put down on the first horizontal surface whatever is in your hands? It is such a common habit that we professional organizers find amongst our clients that if you are missing something, I would suggest you check the first flat surface you find in each of the rooms you have just visited.To maintain your sanity and stay

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-67862347668050525272009-03-16T14:05:00.003-04:002009-03-16T14:14:30.560-04:00

I am committed to education. I am committed to educating my clients with new behaviours and habits to keep their lives organized. I have heard it said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If my clients continue to do what they have always done - their lives will once again be full of the clutter that I help them control/purge/manage and they

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-64479748529532518822009-03-12T08:34:00.004-04:002009-03-12T08:37:47.212-04:00

Hop on over to my colleague Marcia Francois at Organizing Queen. Tomorrow she will walk you through an online decluttering exercise - like those feeds to which some of us are addicted but really never use. Sound familiar? Lean and clean to be productive and effective.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-89323129560484740192009-03-11T10:43:00.003-04:002009-03-11T10:50:19.994-04:00

If you are working in a home office, you may have already identified that it is important for your work life balance to set up a form of boundary or border. Separation of work and home life is essential for good organization, good health and productivity. Here are a couple of ways to accomplish these borders:Use screens, room dividers or use a bookcase/filing cabinet or other furniture as a room

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-89262044894272333722009-03-10T09:35:00.004-04:002009-03-10T09:43:56.930-04:00

"Who has time to organize?" you ask. "My boss has just been let go and a dozen colleagues have been downsized. A neat office is not on my priority list."While a neat office may not be high on your priority list, A1 performance ought to be. In these difficult economic times, you want to be sure your high performance is facilitated by your organization level and not hampered or impeded by your

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-45742223775365826622009-03-09T09:45:00.001-04:002009-03-09T09:47:06.514-04:00

Peter Walsh's most recent book Enough Already is now available on Amazon. I highly recommend this to those of you who are overwhelmed not only by your clutter, but by your life in general. True to his character, Peter handles not just the stuff in our lives but the issues of emotional and mental clutter.Whether you are tackling little clutter, big clutter at home or at work, I recommend this read

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-48303117697812329262009-03-05T11:39:00.002-05:002009-03-05T11:47:43.961-05:00

How often do you book a meeting with yourself in order to get time alone to work on a priority item? All too often, we feel guilty for booking time to ourselves rather than making ourselves available to the people in our business world. Consider, however, whether or not those priority items are in fact getting done on a timely basis with the number of distractions coming into your workspace

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-58028883394306928742009-03-04T11:11:00.005-05:002009-03-04T11:16:53.543-05:00

You have no problem handling file names with dates attached but now you are wondering "How do I label files so that my most frequently used items come to the top of my list when my computer only files by number or alphabet?"Use letters like numbers to help your computer file by frequency of use. If you use a file often, start the file name label with an A (or AA, AAA depending on the number of

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-61576490966506802762009-02-26T09:48:00.002-05:002009-02-26T09:54:38.981-05:00

I'm staying on the limited real estate theme today. With a small desk/work space, it is more important than ever to ensure all your work tools - pens, rulers, paper, drafting tools, memory keys - are as contained as possible. When small items have a home to be returned to, they are less likely to wander around your work space.The containers for these items could be anything at all that works

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-30235696166025589442009-02-25T09:15:00.002-05:002009-02-25T09:30:33.482-05:00

Is your desk too small for the stuff that sits on top of it? Are you feeling cramped and penned in by hot files, current files, your computer and just the mere presence of your coffee cup?Whenever possible, move to vertical storage and even a vertical desk. what? Put my desk on the wall?Pretty much, that's it. consider placing shelving units above your desk or, if space does not permit, even

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-11507795226403218082009-02-24T09:43:00.002-05:002009-02-24T09:47:55.412-05:00

Enough about organizing paper, I can hear you shouting.OK, let's get a grip on all those files on your desktop.Computers don't read or count. They recognized yes or no. When labeling your files, the computer will automatically try and sort either alphabetically or numerically depending on the symbols you have chosen (letters or numbers). If you want a file sorted by it's name in a date order

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-17189852498722516412009-02-23T11:57:00.002-05:002009-02-23T12:05:48.845-05:00

While there is no doubt, many of us print as little as possible, sort only what we can't avoid and file what is left over, paper seems determined to be here for a long time. As a result, paper files are still an organizational structure that must be managed.Here is a tip to limit the number of file folders that end up in the recycling. When labelling the folders, use a file label to write on.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-45254121209869537142009-02-17T21:43:00.002-05:002009-02-17T21:46:10.788-05:00

What's dancing on your computer desktop? Virtual clutter can be just as bad as the stuff kicking around the floor of your office.Do you habitually leave documents sitting on your desktop so that you can find them easily the next time you want to work with them?It's not a bad idea - until there are so many files or shortcuts on your desktop that you can't find any of them. That's right; just like

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-33437929557073176492009-02-13T10:41:00.004-05:002009-02-17T13:51:46.499-05:00

When was the last time you cleaned out the laptop bag? First of all, are you still using a carrying bag or have you switched to the more ergonomic backpack yet? These are not always feasible for the business environment but they are certainly better for your back.Clear out those files that you haven't used since the last project finished - and while you are at it, purge the files before putting

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-45593353343207296122009-02-11T23:35:00.002-05:002009-02-11T23:44:09.520-05:00

Yesterday over on Calm the Clutter, my residential/home office blog, I wrote about open versus closed storage. It is important to remember that, while storage containers can be pretty, handsome, can calm the visual noise and look very productive on the book shelves of your office, they may not be necessary at all.Before finding a container for anything, take a really good look at whether or not

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-82660642061888065282009-02-11T13:18:00.003-05:002009-02-11T13:22:09.586-05:00

Are you using your electronic calendar to it's fullest potential? It can help you organize some of those annual other repeat events that are worthwhile remembering - like your best client's birthday. Book the event into your electronic calendar and use the Recurrence function to book it again the next time it occurs. Then set a reminder a few days ahead so that you can prepare for the event,

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-21004520960021986522009-02-10T11:09:00.003-05:002009-02-10T11:29:04.479-05:00

Are you still fussing with liquids and containers when travelling? Have you invested yet in the travel size containers for your business travel kit? Make the commitment. They are widely available in a variety of price points. Do yourself a favour and pick up a package.They usually come with several bottles and a couple of jars, all measured to meet international travel requirements. I have found

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-22712162498880880042009-02-09T09:46:00.003-05:002009-02-09T09:59:13.431-05:00

It seems more than a few people are becoming concerned, and now willing to discuss, the very real concern that is a shopping addiction. This recent Chatelaine article on Shopaholics, by Rebecca Caldwell (no known relation), is a healthy discussion on how this addiction looks in real life.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-10128339173037878962009-02-06T08:14:00.003-05:002009-02-06T08:20:26.222-05:00

It's the end of the first week in February - have you turned over your year end yet?Are you still mixing 2008 invoices/receipts with the new 2009 items?Have you collected your 2008 documentation for year end reports and income tax preparation?Do you have a designated location for your 2009 invoices/receipts i.e. e file/folder, paper file, folder, envelop or even a plastic bin?Have you opened up a

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-75557853511015876922009-02-05T19:00:00.003-05:002009-02-05T19:03:52.983-05:00

Have you scheduled your semi-annual clear out day yet? When was the last one?Book a day or half day, order the pizza insist that your staff commit to be present for the clear out. This is a very effective tool to ensure your offices do not become a cluttered, unprofessional place that causes you to cringe when clients come knocking!

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-8892212401583167682009-02-04T09:04:00.004-05:002009-02-04T09:25:59.019-05:00

This probably isn't you, but perhaps someone you know, is chronically disorganized, forever holding everyone else up and causing deadlines to slip, and shrugs off the suggestion for help form a professional organizer or complaints from colleagues with:"I don't have time to worry about tidy piles of paper". You don't, however, mind asking everyone else to wait while to try and find the quarterly

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-34958425148791429942009-02-03T09:11:00.002-05:002009-02-03T09:30:13.107-05:00

Q I had cleared most of my desk and office and was enjoying being able to see the desk and find things again. Then we had to put a rush on a project and now, two week later, I feel like I am back where I started. In a mess! Is this normal? Will life ever be different?A In a word, Yes and Yes. Backsliding is a normal part of trying to improve one's level of organization and, for most people,

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-76132590806404313372009-02-02T13:47:00.005-05:002009-02-02T13:52:53.453-05:00

Here's a tip from Julie Morgenstern's book Never Check Email in the Morning.Avoid sending FYI's. They clog your inbox and everyone else's and are a tremendous time drain with little reward. Never send an FYI without telling the reader at the beginning of the message why you think it will be of interest to him/her. For example, send and FYA or For your Awareness to keep you boss on the inside

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-83467034454720051082009-01-30T11:52:00.003-05:002009-01-30T12:03:26.137-05:00

Inbox a little heavy these days. Like most people you have probably read the important messages, left the rest and moved on with your day. Result: your inbox has several hundred or more messages patiently awaiting your attention. "It will never happen", you moan. "I will never have time to figure out what to do with them all". Probably not. Try this instead.Reorder you Inbox, or whichever folder

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-60924716460252581372009-01-28T23:54:00.000-05:002009-01-28T23:55:39.943-05:00

Professional organizers often find themselves with clients whose homes are filled with belongings. In many of these cases, the clients admit to suffering from compulsive shopping behaviour. Compulsive shopping, also known as shopping addiction , is as severe and debilitating as any other addiction. In some cases, it is even more difficult to manage; alcoholics can stop drinking. Individuals

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-48159957697133188892009-01-27T12:05:00.001-05:002009-01-28T14:14:54.310-05:00

As with most states of being, there are different degrees of disorganization. One can think of a continuum from very organized to severely disorganized. Chronic disorganization, however, is considered to be a different situation altogether.People who are chronically disorganized likely live in a state of severe disorganization. They do not typically respond to conventional organizing practicies

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-19158118871536189052009-01-26T10:02:00.004-05:002009-01-26T10:12:46.207-05:00

Q "Now that you have seen my disorganization and mess, tell me, are there other people that are disorganized like me? Do their colleagues know?"A Yes. Usually.It often takes a lot of courage for a seriously disorganized professional, manager or executive, to let a professional organizer into their office. Many of my residential clients have not had anyone into their home for a very long time.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-60409453624233124152009-01-23T09:41:00.003-05:002009-01-23T09:44:37.107-05:00

How are those files? Full of material from 10 years ago. If you haven't already, now is a great ime to revisit the contents and get rid of anything that is a) not relevant, b) not legally required, c) not accurate.Remember, not all legally required material has to be kept in your current, day to day files. In fact, material that is several years old and retained purely for legal reasons may be

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-89590885445109529662009-01-21T10:34:00.002-05:002009-01-21T11:01:31.938-05:00

When working with a new client, one of the first challenges I face is to understand why the client is disorganized. Our first visit together is an assessment session which helps me to understand the issues that they face and why they face them. Understanding reasons for disorganization is key to overcoming it. Without an understanding of the underlying isssues, it is very difficult to help an

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-58947267570356610112009-01-20T10:12:00.002-05:002009-01-20T10:32:12.128-05:00

Managing the behaviour and characteristics of a packrat may be something you assume that professional organizers focus on mostly with residential clients. The reality is that packrat behaviour is seen equally often at the office. The following behaviours and characteristics, modified from a list developed by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau in ADD-Friendly ways to Organize your Life, may be

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-5065925574384287482009-01-14T12:02:00.004-05:002009-01-14T12:18:28.376-05:00

Many of you are successful and busy professionals in either your own company or a corporate firm. Some of you are successful despite the fact your world teeters on the edge between organizational disaster and "pulled through again" as you live with your organizational struggles.Disorganization can be very, very stressful. Living in fear that the rest of the office, business or corporation will

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-15974363311626395342009-01-13T11:41:00.003-05:002009-01-13T11:56:18.794-05:00

Many of us have just come to the end of a fiscal year, matched up to the calendar year. Why not get a jump on tax time for the following year? Your box of receipts may still haunt you until you hire a book keeper for this year's tax, but next year could be a different story for you.Pick up at your local office supply store an accordian folder with at least 12 tabs. They are often available as

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-4097670185038128002009-01-12T15:28:00.002-05:002009-01-12T15:37:05.455-05:00

They all want to race down the hill as fast as possible at the age of 7. With no fear of dying, and only 3 feet to fall if they catch an edge, the young skiers head from top to bottom at mach schnell (made up word from KLR) if unchecked. KLR, their ski instructor, patiently and firmly reinforces the basics; you have to slow down in order to get fast.How often could we all profit from KLR's sage

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-5745004891482651962009-01-06T11:47:00.003-05:002009-01-06T11:53:52.807-05:00

I first published this post in 2007. The women at iLash Girls have reminded me that we are wise to revisit our focus on a regular basis. Thus I have chosen to republish in the hopes that you will find it helpful to refocus your view of the work to be accomplished this year.Focus – with a camera? A noun or a verb? And what makes me think it has anything to do with business anyway? Ever try

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-70439559172845083042009-01-05T11:19:00.004-05:002009-01-05T11:31:49.016-05:00

You may be business owner, a senior executive or staff. The beginning of the year finds most of us looking ahead, planning for our next round of accomplishments. How often do you find yourself saying "Someday I will..."? Occassionally? Frequently? Procrastination is a syndrome that gets to us all at some point or another. Can you however, say "never again"?Alex Fayle has done just that. His

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-33055404071852530822009-01-01T14:55:00.002-05:002009-01-01T14:56:54.128-05:00

I would like to wish all my readers a happy, health and prosperous New Year.Stay tuned for fresh organizing tips and information starting Monday January 5, 2009. Until then...Carolyn

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-7779622183957967682008-12-23T16:39:00.002-05:002008-12-23T16:41:18.322-05:00

I would like to wish all my readers a very peaceful and joyful holiday season. If you are celebrating Christmas, then a very Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-68574899566549468032008-12-22T10:59:00.002-05:002008-12-22T11:09:39.899-05:00

You may wish your employees were more organized; that their workspace looked more professional, that the offices represented the values to which your business aspires, that reports were on time and that your directors could find last quarter's results when you asked for them.One of the most powerful mechanisms to increase your employees' organization is to increase your own. They will follow

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-55867913944214182142008-12-19T09:33:00.005-05:002008-12-19T10:04:22.456-05:00

For many people, today is the last day in the office before a couple of weeks vacation over the Christmas holidays. For others, the last day may be next week or early January before a relaxing vacation in a hot, sunny locale. (I wish!)Whichever the case for you, take time today to Plan Your Return! Thirty minutes is all it takes to get a grip on the first day back. You will thank yourself - and

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-39678871852773300842008-12-18T10:38:00.004-05:002009-01-21T10:38:08.476-05:00

Clearing out a client's office with them, particularly offices with lots of paper, can be an illuminating experience. Not so much for me, but for the clients.Typically at the end of the day, we end up with several bags or boxes of recycling mostly paper. There are usually another couple of bags or boxes of garbage. Finally, there is an inevitable collection of material that belongs to other

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-70879688111871368742008-12-17T09:55:00.002-05:002008-12-17T10:00:18.481-05:00

Memory filling up? How many emails in your Sent File?Try the 15 minutes a day trick. Spend just 15 minutes a day clearing out old, no longer needed files off your computer. You'd be amazed at how many you can clear out in 15 minutes. I'm up to about 250. Multiply that times 5 days a week and you've cleared out 1250. That will give your memory some breathing space!It's also easier if you

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-3003282822113944922008-12-16T22:51:00.002-05:002008-12-16T23:07:38.947-05:00

I have written a couple of times recently on the importance of establishing hot files in your office or work area, (see Hot, Hot, Hot, The Disappearing Desk). One question which consistently surfaces when working with clients, is "what is the optimal place for the hot files?"The answer? There isn't one; the location of the hot files really depends on how you function in your office. The best

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-27806079857803394932008-12-15T11:05:00.002-05:002008-12-15T11:08:26.252-05:00

Whether you are small or large business, if you run the show it is important to know where you are going. Here's an interesting and easy read over on SOHO Blog that will get you thinking.What do you want from your small business?

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-18947238538202014582008-12-12T11:30:00.002-05:002008-12-12T11:35:31.455-05:00

It seems unlikely to have a professional organizer publish a post, cautioning about being too lean. I would, however, like to recommend this post from All Business, The Small Business Blog, by Rieva Lesonsky. Rieva points out that chopping too much from your small business during tough times may not be helpful in the long run.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-24387709938830853942008-12-11T11:56:00.002-05:002008-12-11T12:02:44.208-05:00

It has been over a year since I last published this post on Indicators of disorganization. At a time of the year when many people are looking forward to the next year and planning out goals and targets, this seemed like a good time to review why some people never meet their goals. Add to the season a little economic turmoil and organized, clear about your direction and on track to reach it, was

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-13294154687627388392008-12-09T08:56:00.006-05:002008-12-09T09:06:55.059-05:00

Many people struggle with a desk covered in paper, files, reports and debris from the work day. There is now doubt, trying to get a grip back once this has got away from you can be an overwhelming task. Try this to get back control:As usual, start small. Take 5 minutes first thing in the morning to sort just one corner of your desk. Sort the paper by date, project, time line or subject.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-15989860975423183642008-12-08T11:20:00.002-05:002008-12-08T11:30:02.388-05:00

Your picking up a theme here? That's right; end of the year and its time to make sure this time next year you have completed your goals for 2009. Here are strategies to make your success more likely:Keep your eye on the end result. Whatever your goal is, make sure you can see it, taste it, feel it, hear it. Make sure you can articulate it, really, really well. The more real it becomes for

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-67511355857146109472008-12-05T23:47:00.003-05:002008-12-05T23:53:09.495-05:00

The end of the year is an excellent time to purge out your files and make room for the next year's activities. Before starting, make sure you are familiar with your company's Document Retention policies and procedures. If you head up a company, make sure that you have document retention policies and that your employees know what they are so that they can also clear out some files. If you run a

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-80237100576339084362008-12-03T13:59:00.003-05:002008-12-03T14:06:04.107-05:00

It's coming - no matter how you try and stave it off, the new year will be here in 27 days.That means a number of things to a number of people; budgets, performance appraisals, sales targets are just some of the items that are lurking just beyond that January 1 holiday. How to get on top of it?Start by listing all the items you know are due in the first weeks of the new year. Now start to plan

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-42945321254745109472008-12-01T11:55:00.001-05:002008-12-05T23:45:01.249-05:00

Probably the number one item that clients want me to help them fix in either their home or their office is paper and filing. It seems that paper, and keeping track of the pieces we wish to keep, is a struggle even for the most organized.Most people struggle over the structure of the filing system. "If I file something in here, I never know where it is and can never find it again."My advice to

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-87275619544903498242008-11-27T14:53:00.000-05:002008-11-27T14:54:22.540-05:00

A very peaceful and joyful Thanksgiving to all our American readers.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-77265478339011748572008-11-27T07:08:00.002-05:002008-11-27T07:11:58.947-05:00

Do you have current policies and procedures for your company?Do you know where they are?Do your employees know where they are?Do they know what they say?Do you have document retention policies?Do you know what the means?Do you know what the law in your jurisdiction says about retaining documents?Do your employees know what the law in your jurisdiction says about retaining documents?Do your

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-39885865932018711842008-11-26T09:47:00.003-05:002008-11-26T11:55:27.803-05:00

And you thought you could duck under the radar screen! Sorry my friend, upon review of the posts this year I realized it has been a long time since I confronted the big, ugly enemy of procrastination. Are you a procrastinator? ("Oh yeah" - I can hear you whisper under your breath.) You are wondering why and what you can do about it? The following list is an adaptation from the book Making

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-70997447049667949922008-11-25T11:55:00.004-05:002008-11-25T12:56:40.930-05:00

This is a follow up from my earlier post on Organizing with Depression. Holiday time can be, for many, many people far from a joyful celebration of anything. For many people it becomes an overwhelming time of year that they learn to dread and fear. Celebrating holidays both and home and in the business environment comes with many expectations that some people simply can not meet. Does this sound

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-62850793982594819082008-11-22T21:18:00.003-05:002008-11-25T12:52:34.406-05:00

For today's post, I'm sending you over to millionairemummynextdoor to read about removing buts from our lives i.e all the reasons why we think we will not, should not or could not be successful. Check it out.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-15724072629063539882008-11-21T11:20:00.002-05:002008-11-25T13:54:16.310-05:00

As a professional organizer, I am frequently asked by clients whether or not they need to shred paper that is being sent to the recycling bin.In business, as in the residential setting, anything that identifies you and can be traced back to you via account number, address and the worst identifier - payment account number - must be shredded to protect your identity. You do not want this material

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-5836924998407260612008-11-19T22:31:00.006-05:002009-01-21T10:38:08.477-05:00

Are you visual person susceptible to the noise of many different items of different sizes and colours on a shelf?Are you a tosser who like to "toss" items into a storage bin/basket/file/drawer?Are you auditorily inclined? Do you find yourself talking to yourself all the way through the next year's budget preparation complete with a "There, that's done for a year!" when its complete?Much the same

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-22468525469055132402008-11-19T00:58:00.005-05:002008-11-19T22:30:14.850-05:00

If you are in the habit of holding meetings, make sure you commit to using and sticking to an agenda. Make the purpose of the meeting clear along with the time you expect that objective to take. If necessary, time out the items on the agenda to ensure you and your meeting participants keep to the time allotted for the meeting. Keep this a habit and people will be happy to attend meetings that you

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-50530958015782122812008-11-18T11:42:00.004-05:002008-11-25T12:53:56.574-05:00

If you are working from a home office, you may be struggling with getting everything to fit into a relatively small space. One of the challenges is to keep the space visually calm while keeping all the tools and supplies of the home office contained.To accomplish this, consider using same colour containers. Whether they are the same style or even shape won't matter so much if they are all the

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-43613516329983619622008-11-17T11:40:00.005-05:002008-11-19T22:31:37.468-05:00

Simple concept isn't it: be prepared. If you were a Boy Scout or Girl Guide, you would have memorized this motto along the way somewhere.In application to business and time organization, the concept is no different. The more you can prepare ahead of time, the more relaxed, organized, polished and professional will be your presentation and performance. By preparing your material ahead of time, and

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-26584940176200748992008-11-14T09:40:00.002-05:002008-11-19T22:31:07.810-05:00

So often we struggle with those not-so-fun tasks that every job, business, company can claim. If you work in a SOHO it might be organizing your receipts to send to the book keeper. Oh, you do your own book keeping and the receipts are still in a box/envelop/pile on the desk?Here's a strategy for tackling that not-so-fun chore: schedule, subdivide into bites, conquer.Start by scheduling some

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-586508023342932852008-11-12T21:38:00.001-05:002008-11-26T09:46:09.920-05:00

The weather is chilly, the snow is threatening and winter is looming in the shape of a big, grey, cold cloud. I promised last week that I would report on the success of Bob McGee's (CHFI, Toronto) coat drive from last weekend.Toronto has proven once again it is a city with lots of heart and closets with lightening potential. Over 10,000 coats were collected which will be distributed to children

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-91862380826799897532008-11-10T14:50:00.006-05:002008-11-25T12:58:26.206-05:00

I have just returned from three days at the Professional Organizers in Canada annual conference here in Toronto. It was an information packed, fun filled and industry driving conference with almost 25% of the organization's membership in attendance.The talent in attendance was exceptional. Harold Taylor and Krista Green were both in attendance to reveal their latest training and business

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-1879245844714708762008-11-05T22:58:00.002-05:002008-11-05T23:00:24.295-05:00

If you live in the Toronto area, consider joining the Professional Organizers of Canada this Friday November 7th, 9 am to 4 pm, at the Delta East Hotel at Kennedy and the 401. This year POC has opened up the vendor expo to the public. If you are in the area, come by and check out the latest tools and strategies for keeping organized.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-29725485955483073352008-11-04T10:00:00.003-05:002008-11-25T13:42:12.137-05:00

OK folks, time to clear out the closets. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find as many unused coats in your closets as possible. Think of the space you could free up! Think of the warmth you could pass on to someone else!Bob McGee from Toronto's CHFI FM radio station is, for the 5th year, collecting coats for children this weekend. Here is the link to the details where you can

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-11680171550950990262008-11-03T22:20:00.003-05:002008-11-25T12:56:23.377-05:00

You can't get to sleep but you don't want to get up. You can't seem to concentrate at work and you have no energy to apply yourself. You are becoming less and less organized and slipping futher and further behind in your work. And the strange thing is - you've noticed that you don't really care any more. In fact, you really don't care about very much right now. Even those golf clubs which you

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-26986140628366681632008-10-31T12:13:00.004-04:002008-11-30T22:08:06.915-05:00

It doesn't happen very often but today is the day I put in a plug for the industry. On the afternoon of the scarey night and just one week before the Canadian national association for professional organizers - Professional Organizers in Canada - starts it annual conference here in Toronto, what could be a better time?Being disorganized can be stressful and very scarey. Maybe you or someone you

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-13245106434267976592008-10-30T11:12:00.003-04:002008-11-30T21:44:14.306-05:00

To review development of your goals click here.To review measurement of your goals click here.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-55074517597497729072008-10-29T22:14:00.002-04:002008-11-25T13:50:37.908-05:00

The Hallowe'en gools are around the corner and third quarter is history. And then there's this thing called the global economy and those volatility indicators.You can't stop the Hallowe'en loot or make time stand still. November 1 will arrive this Saturday whether or not you have been tracking progess on your strategic goals this year. Nor do you have much control over the global economic

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-3702233563499357012008-10-28T14:18:00.006-04:002008-11-25T13:54:16.312-05:00

Do you have hot files in your office?Hot files are the ones that either you are working on everyday because of their importance or contain the key To Do items because of their relevance.Often when a hot file system has not been set up, people tend to keep the key files out on their desk. Eventually a whole bunch of files are on their desk and a few get moved to the credenza. Then there are a

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-44755029116883036762008-10-27T13:17:00.005-04:002008-11-25T12:55:34.923-05:00

If you suffer from ADD you may be all to well aware of the dangers of hyperfocus when you get into a project. Four hours after starting, you pull your head out of the project to find that you are over an hour late for dinner with your boss and you have only worked on a small component of the overall project at hand.Consider keeping a time tamer alarm close at hand for these situations. Set the

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-5410174260478964522008-10-22T12:16:00.003-04:002008-11-30T21:40:35.492-05:00

Are you a procrastinator? Are you overwhelmed with the tasks at hand and would rather just avoid them?Here is an excellent, short discussion around procrastination at the office and what to do about it:http://www.lifeorganizers.com/office/procrastination-at-work.htm

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-12369932400815554102008-10-17T12:01:00.005-04:002008-11-30T21:57:57.912-05:00

You've been working diligently to increase your personal organization. As the paper clears and the dust settles, you realize your staff are also working in a cluttered, ineffective environment. It's time to change the culture in the office from "No one really cares since these aren't public offices" to "We are proud of the professional environment in which we work". These strategies will help.Set

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-68810521125320950052008-10-14T15:52:00.005-04:002008-11-30T21:40:35.498-05:00

I am going to stay with the email theme. A common challenge for all of us is dealing with the email messages in the Inbox that have been read but not deleted or filed. Some days/weeks/months later there is a significant backlog and clearing it out is such a huge task we all avoid it.Try this: Dedicate 10 minutes every working day for a month to email clear out. Start by changing the sorting

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-60177455257376852542008-09-25T14:47:00.003-04:002008-11-26T09:38:51.989-05:00

Congratulations - you turned off the email alert and scheduled yourself to clear email after 11:00 am - didn't you?Messages are easily lost in the Inbox. To avoid forgetting about a message, learn to use your flag alerts. If you are visually oriented, chose a different colour for different types of alerts: e.g. follow up from your VP could be blue, follow up for you subordinates could be green.

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-74125395707691627432008-09-23T22:32:00.003-04:002008-11-25T13:56:42.967-05:00

Are you feeling hemmed in when sitting at your desk?Take a quick inventory of what's on it: computer CPU, printer, screen, keyboard, telephone, several "In" piles, three projects in process (at least that's what you can see well enough to count).Move all the hardware off your desk. Do a quick sort of your In piles into four file folders: read, call, write, decide. Put them into a vertical file

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-56903370344074199462008-09-17T11:37:00.006-04:002008-11-26T09:38:51.991-05:00

Overwhelmed with email? Many of us are. Many of us are also concerned with the amount of time it can consume. Have you ever found yourself still clearing email several hours after you started, not having realized the time that was eaten up?To begin taking back control, turn off the email alert on your screen. Very few of us really need to know when emails are coming in unless we have a

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-84606789909903518892008-08-01T12:23:00.004-04:002008-11-30T21:44:14.308-05:00

Having trouble managing your time?Are you feeling as if you are always busy but get nothing done?Check out your daytimer and see what is scheduled. Now take a look and notice what is not scheduled.Time management is a challenge most of us face most of the time. Organizing time can be harder than the paper!Too often we book time for those things in our business which is urgent but at the end of

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-5281808667467287992008-07-30T10:55:00.004-04:002008-11-30T21:40:35.500-05:00

Individuals coping with dyslexia are often looking for strategies to support them both in the workplace and at home. As a professional organizer, I am often asked about organizing strategies for managing varies learning disabilities. This knol, recently written by Sandra Crux, may be helpful to those of you who are managing with dyslexia. The knol, or bit of knowledge, is designed to be an

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-82613059369005677622008-06-10T14:18:00.005-04:002008-11-26T09:46:55.917-05:00

For entrepreneurs, small business owners and those of us with home based businesses keeping work and personal life separate becomes a significant challenge. With only one filing cabinet, business and personal files have no choice but to co-habit. If your office is the corner of the family room, tax time may find you with receipts all over the dining room table while you sort, add and prepare for

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2905131598437429994.post-78520622053677937262008-06-06T14:08:00.001-04:002008-11-25T13:53:02.125-05:00

Whether of not you have issues with paper, you probably have both paper clips and staplers in your house/office. Many people are in the habit of paper clipping sheets together because it is quick, easy, they wan't the sheets together and may want to unclip them in the future.Watch out for those paper clips adopting other documents. Use staples whenever possible over paper clips as the latter will

Carolyn Caldwell, CPO®, CPO-CD®http://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0