If you work from home, you know it can be challenging.  If you’re a mom working from home, chances are you’ve got some serious juggling to do!

Join me, with guest Kelly McCausey of Work At Home Moms Talk Radio, as she shares what she’s been up to, and how she gets it all done.

Show Notes:

How to find Kelly:  KellyMcCausey.com

Some of Kelly’s other projects:

MomsTalkNetwork

MomMasterminds

In this show, I’m gettin’ my geek on! I have some tools that you would have to pry out of my dead, cold hands, and I’m sharing those with you.  These three tools are powerful by themselves, and even more if you use them together!  Come on, check them out and save yourself some time and frustration.

Show Notes:

Evernote:  A blog post I wrote about starting to use Evernote (on Evernote’s website)

SplashID:  My blog post review and links to download a free trial

ActiveWords :  Read more about it + download a free trial – you’re going to love it!

If you’re on Facebook, you’ll want to check out these fabulous organizers!  I, like the majority of them, am a NAPO member (more info on NAPO).  They have a lot to offer, so be sure to connect with them.  Tell them I sent ya!

Have we connected on Facebook?

While we’re on the subject, be sure to connect with my Fan Page on Facebook.  And since you’re here, I’m going to bet you already know my website address.

Here’s the organizers on Facebook:

You work from home, you know about the distractions, challenges and how sometimes it’s just tough to get things done. How about hearing how a seasoned pro does it? Meet Rich Sloan of StartupNation.com. He’s been there, done that… a few times. I had an opportunity to talk with him about how he does it… working from home. He had some great advice and perspective!

Show Notes:

StartupNation.com

(Also, be sure to read my latest article on StartupNation.com too!)

We’ve all got it: Email.  How do you manage it?  Are you an Outlook user?  Google Apps user?  Did you know they have some differences?  The differences are worth considering – and you just might switch when you know what they are.   Sometimes you just want stuff to work!

Show Notes:

ActiveWords

Google Apps

If you have papers laying around your home office, you just might need an Action Paper Management system. How does that work? Here’s a video segment I did for the KOIN Keep It Local show to show you how:

Each week I share a quote that I hope will inspire, make you think or just make you smile. Here is this week’s quote:

“Action is the real measure of intelligence.”

- Napoleon Hill

Tip #28: Set up an “Action Paper” file

Ever wonder what to do with the credit card statement that needs to be entered in your accounting software, the newsletter yet to be read, the conference registration needing to be mailed out or your travel itinerary?  Put them in an “Action Paper” file.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Get a set of six 3-tab cut folders
2. Label each folder with the following: Action, Data Entry, Waiting For, Read & Review, Travel and Meetings
3. Go through your inbox and file it in the appropriate folder
4. Put each task associated with that paper on your task list OR set a time to process each file

(Want more tips? Pick up my ebooklet, “101 Tips for Your Home Office” HERE.)

Tick-tock goes the clock…..rushing to get this thing put away, this plant watered, this document filed, this email sent, just this one quick stop, one little note……Man! I’m late! How did that happen?

Just one more thing, and then I’ll go.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone – you’ve got lots of company, including yours truly. There are so many things to do in a day, and it seems there is never enough time to do them all. However, if “simplicity is a state of mind” then it’s time to figure out what is really important!

Are you placing more importance on your time or someone else’s?

Several years ago a friend was upset with me about being late to a weekly rehearsal.  During a strained discussion, he was pretty clearly fed up when he said, quite directly, “Well, I can never get you to show up on time!”  Wow, that hurt…. and he was right.  What  I didn’t realize was how much I was hurting him, the others involved and my own reputation.  Shortly after this candid remark, I heard something interesting:  more often than not, chronically late people are perfectionists and just flat out trying to do too much.  Chronic lateness is also placing more importance on our time than everyone else’s.  (Again, ouch.)

It’s time to go.

As I was trying to get a smattering of things done this morning, I had a commitment to be somewhere at a certain time.  Suddenly, I realized that the clock was ticking by quickly.  So, I set a deadline where I would stop, pick up and GO.  It turns out I couldn’t get my task done before leaving. However, what’s amazing: I could still do it later when I got back. And you know what? It was done just as well and not at the cost of my being late.

If you’re anything like me, and feel you need to squeeze one more thing in, here’s some tips to get you there on time:

1. Change the time on your calendar. If I have a meeting that starts at 12:00, I put the time for the meeting down as 11:30 and the description as, “Meeting (12:00).  I found I feel much less stressed when I am at least 10 minutes early.  Marking my calendar in this way helps me know the actual time of the meeting and yet visually I know I will be there early.
2. Get ready ahead of time. This won’t always be possible, but when it is, it makes a huge difference.  Pack the night before, assemble supplies in the morning for an afternoon engagement, etc.  This minimizes the chance you will be scrambling at the last minute.
3. Set a timer. I started doing this, and it really works.  Too many times I get carried away writing or working on a project, and lose track of time.  Set the timer for when you need to get ready to walk out the door (I allow about 15 minutes).  When the timer goes off, drop what you’re doing and go.

Each week I share a quote that I hope will inspire, make you think or just make you smile. Here is this week’s quote:

“Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death.”

- James F. Byrnes

Want a more efficient office? Ready to get organized but not sure where to start?  If you are looking for resources to get going today, start with the Articles and the downloadable products in the Shop.  If you need more personalized help…
You’re in the right place. I’m here to help, no matter what state your office is in. Whether you are a Do-It-Yourselfer, need Full Service Organization & Redesign Services or somewhere in between, you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Are you perfect?  I’m not.  Perfectionism holds too many back from organizing their spaces.  They wait until they can do it perfectly, and that day never comes.  Let’s get real about this perfectionism thing…

Un-Perfect Confessions of an Organizer.

We’ve all got a little chaos in our lives, including yours truly.   Yep, and I have chosen to be a Professional Organizer. Why? Because I feel that having piles of less-than-useful things suck energy from my brain and spiritual well-being. So, several years ago, I decided to do something about it. I had stuff laying around, and it wasn’t pretty.  Things I didn’t need, things people gave me that never were used, things I was hanging onto for other people and things that just took up space.  It was a drain.  So, I decided to do something about it, one small step at a time.

Change takes time.

It took a good three years – yes, YEARS to get overall improvement. It took a daily decision and determination to change small habits.  Some of it was mind-numbing, and some of it was downright liberating.  I was not born with an “organizing gene” (although I must confess that I have always been a “re-arranger”).   It’s a skill, and can be developed over time.

Organized = Finding most anything in about 5 minutes.

So, what’s the point of organization? To find things, to know where your stuff is, to know that when you need something you can find it.  “Organized” = finding most anything you need in 5 minutes or less.  It also has the fantastic benefit of increased peace of mind: not arguing with your significant other about where the keys are, sleeping peacefully in your bed without piles of clothes or paying the electric bill before it’s due. Being organized doesn’t mean you have to have color-coded cabinets or files, have everything (including the dog) labeled and forgo your work to keep everything spotless. What it DOES mean is some semblance of order that makes sense for you and your life.  And that means a daily decision to keep things in working order.

Small changes over time = big change.

Small changes and actions everyday lead to big time change. Do what works for you. If that means color-coding, by all means, go for it! But a simple file will work if you use it correctly with good habits and the right mindset. Don’t try to live up to perfection, because that only leads to disappointment and paralyzing procrastination.

So, put your excuses aside and have some hope.  Your home office doesn’t have to be magazine-ready, just workable for you.

What small step can you make today to get over your perfectionism?

Each week I share a quote that I hope will inspire, make you think or just make you smile. Here is this week’s quote:

“There is not one big cosmic meaning for all, there is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person.”

- Anaïs Nin

Each week I share a quote that I hope will inspire, make you think or just make you smile. Here is this week’s quote:

“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived.”

- Joseph Campbell

Want a more efficient office?

The Home Office Podcast is almost ready!  This NEW podcast will inform, inspire, educate and empower busy professionals who want a more efficient office.  Is that you?

What you’ll hear:

• Home Office Solutions
• Technology & Products
• News
• Guest Interviews
• Much More!

Watch for it!

Not sure what a “Podcast” is?  Check out this video:

Be the first to know!

Be sure to subscribe to my mailing list, and you’ll have the inside scoop!

Did you know that you can save paper and ink by changing your print settings?

Double-sided printing: Using the double-sided print, black and white (or gray-scale, black cartridge only) and draft modes on your printer.   Most printers (if not all) have a double-sided mode.  This may mean you need to feed the document back into the printer to get both sides printed, but it’s really simple.

Grayscale printing: Also, set your color setting to “gray-scale” or “black and white” with the black cartridge only.  Did you know that some printers will use your color cartridge even if you say black and white?  So check it out.

Print in “draft” mode:  Also, printing in “draft” mode is best for everyday less important printing.  Important documents are really the only things needing to be printed in normal mode.

Save money & time. Double-sided printing saves half the paper produced by your printer, not to mention the time it takes to manage paper clutter accumulating in your home or office.  It also saves you money, since you don’t have to buy as much paper.

I’ve been using the double-sided and “black cartridge only” idea for a year, and it’s amazing how much of a difference it makes!  Also, print preview your document to make sure you’re not printing an ad or a few letters, which also wastes an incredible amount of paper.

Recycle used printer cartridges.  Were you aware of printer cartridge recycling?  Most manufacturers now have recycling programs.  They send you an envelope, you fill it with your used cartridges and mail it in.  In most cases, the shipping is free!  Keep the envelope right by your printer, so you’re more likely to remember.  Also, many office supply stores will take used cartridges and give you a discount or other credit.

Here’s a few resources:   HP, Canon, Earth911

Here’s a great article and some resources from Ideal Bite on this very subject!

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photo credit: isaac bowen

How do you pick just ten products?

Picking just ten products is a daunting task, since each person has somewhat different needs. So I thought I’d share the top ten in my own office; that’s a bit more manageable! I’ll skip over the critical-but-uninteresting file cabinets and bookshelves, and cover some of the other things that keep my home office organized.

Computer Stuff

1. My MacBook. Not everyone will want to have a digital calendar, address book, to-do list, etc. But these computer tools work beautifully for me. And given how much I rely on my computer, good back-ups are essential; right now I’m using external hard drives and SuperDuper.

2. My scanner. I really like my Fujitsu ScanSnap; others swear by NeatDesk. Having the scanner allows me to keep a lot less paper—and to have my records with me when I’m away from home.

3. Wireless anything. Dealing with cords is a hassle; going wireless cuts down on cable clutter. For now, I have a wireless keyboard and mouse. I don’t need a new printer—but when I do, that will be wireless, too.

Other Practical Tools

4. My shredder. I have a Fellowes PS-79Ci cross-cut shredder. It takes many sheets of paper at once. It takes staples. It never jams. It has a shut-off mechanism if hands, paws, or tails come too close to the opening. It’s reasonably quiet. It was well worth the upgrade from my prior shredder, which wasted way too much of my time. It’s usually available for much less than the suggested price on the Fellowes web site.

5. File folders. I use straight-line filing, and my preferred folders have a straight-cut tab, running the full length of the folder; the tab is two-ply for sturdiness. The straight-cut tabs give me lots of room for labels—no figuring out how to abbreviate something! I personally dislike manila folders, so mine are colored. Mostly I use random colors, but all my client folders are lavender. This makes them very easy to spot, and it’s a color that’s pleasing to me.

My hanging file folders are nothing special, except I do try to buy ones made with recycled content. But I do use the larger-size tabs—1/3 cut rather than 1/5 cut—to provide more space for a meaningful label. Many times I use a hanging file with no internal file folder.

6. Labeler. I used to scoff at the idea of needing a labeler—and then I started using one with a client, and I was hooked. Now I own two: one for home, and one for client work, which stays in my car. My labeler of choice is a Brother PT-1950, which is an older model.

Places to Get Creative

But what about all those fun, creative organizing options I write about so often? There are plenty of places for those: staplers, tape holders, bulletin boards, wastebaskets, etc. Some of mine are as follows.

7. A favorite coffee mug, to hold pencils and pens. The supply of clever and beautiful mugs is overwhelming; you could buy one specifically to hold your pens—or you could just raid you kitchen cabinets, since most people have more mugs than they’ll ever use for coffee. The one I use special meaning to me.

8. Inbox. There’s no need to buy an in box at a big-box office supplies store. My in box is a big basket I got from Cost Plus World Market.

Not Strictly Organizing, but Closely Related

9. A desk that isn’t placed back-to-the-door. Near the start of my career, I hired a feng shui consultant who helped me arrange my office space. The first thing she did was position my desk so that my back is to a wall, and I face the door. A window looking out at my garden is on my right. The impact was incredible.

10. An ergonomic set-up. If you spend any significant amount of time on your computer, please invest in an ergonomic workspace. You really don’t want to get a repetitive stress injury. I have an external monitor, keyboard and mouse for my laptop, which makes it easier to be ergonomically correct—but you can be fine on a laptop without going quite that far. A good chair helps a lot, too; mine is the good old Aeron chair, size medium.

About the Author:

Jeri Dansky is a professional organizer and blogger.  Her blog, “Jeri’s Organizing & Decluttering News” is well-known throughout the organizing industry and beyond. To learn more about her you can visit her website, or sign up for her newsletter.  You can also follow her on Twitter.

Each week I share a quote that I hope will inspire, make you think or just make you smile. Here is this week’s quote:

“The fruits of life fall into the hands of those who climb the tree and pick them.”

- Earl Tupper (1907-1983), Businessman, inventor of Tupperware

Each week I share a quote that I hope will inspire, make you think or just make you smile. Here is this week’s quote:

“Do what you need to do, so that you can do what you want to do.”

- Denzel Washington

Have you ever tried completing a project and then halfway through you realize that you don’t have everything you need, or have you become confused about what to do next? This can happen to the best of us, and for entrepreneurs, who tend to “wear many hats,” you might not be sure if you have all the right tools or even know what tools you need.  Because being a business owner can feel like huge undertaking (sort of like climbing a steep mountain), having the right set of strategies in your arsenal can come in handy. If your toolbox is empty, throw a few of these tools in…