WELCOME
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Each month in this newsletter
I share organizing tips to use in your home and office. Try some
projects by yourself or ask for help from my friendly professional team.
We have great ideas for improving the use of all sizes of spaces and helping you become more productive.
Happy Organizing,
Pierrette Ashcroft
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Pierrette Ashcroft,
founder of getOrganizedDC, has more than 20 years of business experience
organizing events and providing innovative solutions in homes and
offices. She is committed to continuing her education and training to
best serve her client's organizing and productivity needs.
As
part of the inaugural class to receive credentials as a Certified
Professional Organizer, CPOÆ, Pierrette earned a top distinction in the
organizing industry.
In 2010 she completed her training to
become a Certified Productivity Coach. Through her Productivity Boot
Camp she is able to increase the productivity of busy professionals. Pierrette will clear your piles of paper, overloaded inbox and cluttered life so you can be more effective in your business and career.
To learn more, call or write for a free telephone consultation at: 202.537.9705 or Pierrette@getOrganizedDC.com. Or visit our Web site.
The
hardest part of organizing is developing an attractive plan. We are
happy to help you with any challenges, large or small. Expect efficient
and reliable service from our team, who promise to keep your personal
information confidential. Read what our clients are saying about us.
I
love what I do and my business thrives on referrals. Please keep me in
mind if you should hear of friends, family or colleagues who could
benefit from my organizational expertise or who would like to take their
productivity to a whole new level. I'm never too busy to help them get
organized. Thanks!
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CUT BACK ON YOUR COMMITMENTS
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| Find More Time For Yourself
 Everyone is busy and it's easy to let your calendar get over scheduled.
Pick one category, improve your approach and then practice your new skills for a month to create a new habit.
Use the extra time you gain to relax, not to add something else to your schedule.
Here are some steps to reduce your commitments.
Look at your list of monthly commitments. Stop those that you don't enjoy and get little benefit from. Perhaps there is a committee or membership that you can drop.
Find at least two tasks on your periodic to-do list
that you can delegate to someone or hire someone to complete. You may
consider: a lawn mowing service, having your dry cleaning picked up and
delivered, a grocery delivery service or professional house cleaning.
Automate a task, such as auto-debits for bills. This cuts down on your time writing checks plus the cost of postage to mail them.
Unsubscribe from one or two listservs, forums or eZines that you thought you would enjoy. Though there may be a tidbit or two of useful information, they really are a time drain.
Some
people buy things they really do not need, then waste time returning
them or let unwanted purchases pile up around the house. Before making a
purchase ask yourself, "where will I put this?" If you don't have a specific answer, isn't it better that it occupies a store shelf rather than clutter your home?
Take time each month to complete this introspective review.
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Share this newsletter with friends and family who will find it useful.
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A LONG WEEKEND FREE OF EMAIL
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Re-evaluating How I Handle Electronic Communications
 In an effort to cut back on the time I spend on email I tried an experiment and turned off my email and internet for three days. I was tempted to cheat a few times but surprisingly did not think about it much.
When I finally checked my inbox it was bulging and it seemed to take hours to process everything in one sitting.
I don't think I will repeat this experiment but I do have better ways of controlling the time we spend (waste) on email.
Schedule no more than 3 or 4 times a day to check and process your email. Each time you 'process' your inbox it should be empty. That means NO messages, zero.
Process your inbox.
Start with the first message and either answer it in 2 minutes or less
or move it to your action folder. Complete the current one before moving
onto the next.
Create that action folder
to store emails that require more information or will take more than a
couple minutes to answer. Place the unanswered message in your action
folder and schedule a specific time on your calendar when you will
handle the task required to complete that correspondence.
Set up 'rules' or 'filters'
so coupons, catalogs, notifications and newsletters are diverted to a
designated folder. They are still readable when you have the time or
interest but are not taking space in your inbox. Unsubscribe to those
that you never read.
Send short emails. Be concise - 4 or 5 sentences in most cases is more than enough to convey your message.
Use 'reply to all' sparingly.
That just adds to several recipients' inboxes and they will be tempted
to include you in their reply. It makes unnecessary work. |
WORKING IN A HOME OFFICE
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An Organized Work Space Adds To Your Productivity
 The second week of October is designated Home Based Business Week. Do you work full-time at home, telecommute a day or two a week or just need a home office to pay your bills? An organized workspace is key to working productively.
There are three main areas on which to focus your organizational efforts.
First your office space must function well.
That means you need the supplies you use regularly, i.e. daily within
arms reach. A cluttered work space will create too many distractions.
Things like your computer, phone and pens need to be close by and accessible.
The three-hole punch that you rarely use and the 10-year supply of
sticky notes should be stored so you can find them when needed but
should not take up valuable real estate in your main work zone.
There will always be an endless stream of paper to contend with so you need a good filing system
and a recycle can. Most paper either is not important or you could find
the information in another place if needed. Do mother nature and
yourself a favor and recycle rather than retain.
The ultimate goal is to easily find what you need
so select a system that works for you and get into the habit of filing
documents. You can set up your files in alphabetical, chronological
order or purchase a prefab filing system. Despite what some think, piles
are not a filing system.
The last thing to consider is information processing.
This is how you handle incoming email, phone calls and projects.
Planning your schedule and prioritizing will help you keep control.
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ORGANIZING SOLUTION
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| You'll Flip Over These Hooks
Challenge:
 Clothes are thrown over a chair or even on the floor because you don't have a convenient place to hang them.
Solution:Install Flip Hook Racks
from Umbra near entryways, in a bedroom, in a bathroom or wherever you
need to hang things. It's a handy place to quickly hang a coat, towel or
hat - just flip down as many hooks as you need. … Great for narrow spaces - the hooks fold flat against the rack when not in use. … Stained and lacquered hardwood comes in espresso or oak finishes. … Comes in 20" - 5 hook version or 32" long with 8 hooks. … Easy to mount/install.
Result:
The sleek design of the hook rack will be unobtrusive when not in use but gives you plenty of hanging space when you need it.
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