NEAT & SIMPLE LIVING with Ariane Benefit, Organizing Coach

Perfectionism & Me - Debbie Jordan Kravitz Interviews me for her book!

On October 9, 2008, Debbie Jordan Kravitz, interviewed me for her upcoming book on Perfectionism! She was so easy to talk to, and so compassionate that I really opened up to her and revealed things I've never talked about "publicly" before. We also laughed a lot and I have to thank her for asking such insight-provoking questions and helping me to understand my perfectionism even more deeply yet in such a FUN way!

Listen to or download the MP3 recording our conversation about Perfectionism and Overcoming Perfectionism here. (note this is about an 86 MB file)

You can listen live right now here! Though it make take a minute to get started.

As another step on my personal journey to recovering from perfectionism, I decided to share the recording with you - in spite of how imperfect I may sound. I hope it helps you in some way understand your own issues. Here are some of the topics we talked about:

• When did you first realize that perfectionism was part of your personality?
• How perfectionism became an issue for me in college and at work
• How becoming a Professional Organizer taught me about ADD
• How perfectionism, ADD and creativity are connected
• How I learned to overcome / manage my own chronic disorganization and clutter issues
• Consequences of perfectionism - what made you realize you needed to change and how do you keep it at bay?
• The biological bases of perfectionism
• How perfectionism is related to your self-concept, image, reputation, ability and desire for being known for quality
• How I learned to give up being perfect about email, writing and other things
• How self-monitoring works
• and much more....

Debbie Jordan Kravitz, can be found at  www.DandRcustomorganizers.com Debbie is my new BFF (BloggingFriendForever) and the brains behind the really cool blog, Virtually Organized. 

Here's the link to Download our discussion on Overcoming Perfectionism!

JUST RELEASED! "Neat & Simple Guide to Organizing Your Office"

JUST RELEASED! I'm so excited to announce that my new book
"Neat & Simple Guide to Organizing Your Office" is finally here! Just in time to help you get a Neat Start to the New Year. Two years in the making, it has over 150 pages chock full of my best organizing advice and lots of photos to go with it.

 

_________________________________________________________

The Neat & Simple Guide to Organizing Your Home Office By Ariane Benefit, M.S. Ed The San Diego Times calls this book the "Bible of Home Office Organization" See their front-page feature story!

Want to Become a Professional Organizer?

If you are new to being a professional organizer, or thinking about becoming a professional organizer, check out my new Professional Organizer Training & Coaching Program! 

I'll share with you what it's really like to be an organizer, how to get started, how to set your fees, market yourself and much, much more. 

Also see all my blog posts with tips and advice for Becoming a Professional Organizer

Digital Camera Review: Samsung L74 Wide Angle Lens for taking Organizing Makeover Photos

Back in May I wrote about a couple wide angle camera I was considering.  See

• Looking for a Digital Camera with a Wide Angle Lens for Taking Real Estate or Room Makeover Pictures?
• Update to Digital Cameras with a Wide Angle Lens

Last month a flurry of wide angle cameras hit the market! The Samsung L74 was only $237 and had tons of features that sounded amazing so I bought one.  Big Mistake.

I have owned several Olympus digital cameras and have used Nikon, Sony & Canon cameras.  They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, but at least some consideration of the user experience went into the design. Using this Samsung was like a bad dream. It has so many odd and poorly conceived features you have to wonder if anyone on their design team ever thought to at least try out their competition's cameras. Here are the problems I have with this camera.

1. Wrist Strap. For starters the wrist strap holder is a little metal bar that sticks out from the camera into your right hand when using the camera. Ant's quite sharp. Every other camera I've owned has it rounded and recessed so you don't feel it. At least they should have made it easy to remove so that it doesn't stick into your hand while you are trying to take pictures.

2. Batteries. Figuring out how to get the battery took nearly 10 minutes!  I've never had to look at the directions to put a battery in any of the hundreds of battery-operated devices we own. The description said this camera uses AA batteries - it does not. I gave this camera a try only because I thought it would run on my rechargeable AAs.  I need to have spares with me because I use my camera to photograh my work in client homes.

3. Touch screen. At first I this was a neat idea. In reality, you have to use a STYLUS PEN to operate it!!!  I tried using my finger nails but it did operate properly. When I'm taking pictures the last thing I want to worry about is finding the stylus pen and then how to hold on to it while I'm taking the photos. There isn't a place in the camera to stick the pen when you aren't using it.

4. Transfering Photos to PC.  It took about a half hour before we were able to actually take pictures after opening the camera. I've never had to look at a camera's instruction book to get to the point of taking the first picture. To operate special functions - yes - but just to take a simple picture?  Once we did get a few pics taken, getting them transferred to the PC was an even bigger pain in the neck. My husband is a computer engineer and he had trouble!  Turns out you can't move the pix directly to your computer with a USB cable from the camera's memory like you can with every other camera out there. You can't even do it from the disk.  You have to install their software and use their software to make the transfer!!  The camera instructions have multiple warnings throughout the manual that you will lose your photos if you don't use their software. This is ridiculous. You should be able to easily & quickly transfer the photos to ANY PC anywhere with that disk.  Even worse, you have to transfer the photos from camera memory to the disk, then you can move it to your computer.

5. Picture Quality.  The picture quality was not the worst I've seen, but it also wasn't great. I use photos of my work on my website (see www.neatandsimple.com/gallery) and in my e-books.  The pictures don't have to be perfect, but they need to at least look good enough to see the work clearly. That means I need a camera that takes really good quality indoor shots. 

What I Bought Instead

As of October 1, 2007, there are a lot more cameras with wide angle lens out there.  I was hoping Olympus would make one and they did!  So I bought the Olympus Stylus FE-290 7MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Zoom at about the same price as the Samsung from Amazon.com.  I've had it about a month now and I LOVE it!!!!  It even takes great VIDEOS!!!!  I'll eventually post a review of this separately with some sample photos and videos.

Professional Organizer, Lauren Davidson Shares Her Tips on Getting Organized!

My Interview with Lauren Davidson, Professional Organizer

ARoundTuit Organizing & Productivity
www.aroundtuitorganizing.com

To find an organizer near you, check out NAPO, National Association of Professional Organizers or NSGCD, National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization
___________________________________________________

Q: What motivated you to start your Organizing business?

After the birth of our youngest son - number five in our blended family , I returned to my job in corporate risk management.  I liked the job well enough, but wasn’t happy.  Frankly, it just didn’t seem like a fair trade anymore, and I concluded that change was in order.  I yearned for my “dream job”; one that is meaningful and challenging, where I could use my strongest and favorite skills.  Equally motivating was my desire for improved work/life balance.

It’s worthwhile to note that I started out with a great support system; my father, brother, husband and several friends are all successfully self-employed.  Although my mother is not self-employed, she is definitely a go-getter! All these people have definitely been an invaluable source of information, inspiration and encouragement.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your organizing work?

Professional organizing is a terrific way for me to capitalize on my strongest skills, and the ones I most enjoy using: emotional intelligence, practicality, creativity and resourcefulness.   There is rhyme and reason to good organizing and coaching.  I feel most successful when my work “unlocks” confidence and energy for my clients.

Q: What are the 3 common organizing issues/mistakes you see people making at work?

Mistake #1: Not assigning a specific “home” to FUO’s (Frequently Used Objects).

People ask, “If I’m so smart, then why am I always losing my keys/cell phone/PDA/files/etc.?”   When you think about it, this is pretty irrational thinking!  Objects are misplaced when they do not have a “home”.  It has nothing to do with intelligence!

NSGCD Regional Conference in NJ 9/27 - Register Soon!

If you are a Professional Organizer, Medical or Mental Health Professional that works with chronically disorganized and / or hoarding clients, this is the conference for you! 

The Fall 2007 NSGCD Northeast Regional Conference
will be held in September in Mount Laurel, NJ (Philadelphia suburb).

You do not have to be an NSGCD member to attend.

Thursday, September 27, 2007 
Networking Reception (included in Fee)

Friday, September 28, 2007

8:00 am - 9:30 pm (Full Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)

Sessions include:

Conquering Chronic Disorganization - Then and Now
presented by Judith Kolberg

Pleasers and Perfectionists
presented by Janice Russell, CPO-CD®

Techniques for Overcoming Procrastination
presented by J. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D.

Strategies for Improving Decision-Making and other Issues Affecting Adults with ADHD
by J. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D.

How to Have Fun At Work
presented by Shawn Kershaw

Saturday, September 29, 2007

8:00 am - 5:00 pm  (Full Breakfast and Lunch included)

Buried in Treasures: The Psychology of Compulsive Hoarding
presented by David F. Tolin, Ph.D.

[Preview this Excellent Book!]
[Dr. Tolin on Oprah's Website discussing hoarding]
[Dr. Tolin's Website]
[Podcast with Dr. Tolin on Psychjourney]

Viewing of the Documentary Film: Stuffed
created by filmmakers Cerissa Tanner and Arwen Curry

An Introduction to Motivational Interviewing
presented by David F. Tolin, Ph.D.

Motivational Interviewing Workshop
presented by David F. Tolin, Ph.D.

A Panel Discussion: Facilitating Freedom for Our Clients

PRICING

NSGCD MEMBERS - $525   

NAPO MEMBERS - $560   

OTHERS - $595

See http://www.nsgcd.org/conferences/current_conference.php for additional information and registration.

Let me know if you are planning to attend.  I'll be there and would love to see you!

I Got My Organizing for ADD / ADHD Certificate from the NSGCD!

This past June I completed the NSGCD requirements to get my Certificate of Study in Organizing for ADD / ADHD and to get my certificate in Organizing for various Learning Styles and Modalities (sensory preferences.) They finally arrived!

I already have my foundation certificate in Chronic Disorganization.   Next step is to take the exam to get my Chronic Disorganization Specialist certificate and then become certified as an ADD / ADHD organizing specialist.

If you think you might be chronically disorganized, check out this free NSGCD PDF checklist which describes the characteristics of Chronically Disorganized people. 

If you have been disorganized for a long time and it has significantly impacted your quality of life, I highly recommend choosing a professional organizer that belongs to NSGCD.

Thanks for indulging me in sharing this news with you!

ABOUT THE NSGD

The NSGCD provides member professional organizers and related professionals with information and training on organizing methods, techniques, approaches, and solutions specifically to benefit chronically disorganized people.

In addition to chronic disorganization education, NSGCD provides professional organizers with education in working with clients with special needs such as the elderly, ADD, ADHD and Learning Disabilities.

RELATED RESOURCES FOR ADD

Check out this article on wikipedia about the controversy surrounding ADD and ADHD.

Do you or someone you live with have ADD / ADHD? Get expert support via Audio ADD Classes .  I LOVE these ADD Classes. They are all about an hour long and have been extremely helpful to me in recommending organizing solutions that work for my ADD & ADHD clients. Audio is a great way for me to learn.   I download them and listen when I travel in my car.  Makes my trips go quickly, especially those long trips we take to Virginia to see Alan's family.  Learning while driving also helps me stress less in traffic!

Update to Digital Camera with a Wide Angle Lens for Taking Real Estate or Room Makeover Pictures?

Many thanks to Brandie Kajino from Organize Simplify for commenting and letting us know that there are 2 other affordable digital cameras with wide angle zoom lenses!  Here is my original digital camera review post, luckily I haven't purchased the Kodak Easy Share v705 7.1 megapixel 5x ultra wide angle Dual Lens optical zoom yet!

Here are the 2 new contenders

1) The Canon PowerShot SD800 with 3.8x Wide Angle Image-Stabilized Optical Zoom

At around $300 the Canon PowerShot SD800 is similar to the others, and it has received very good reviews from Digital Photography Review and CNET.com  (7.8 out of 10)

2) The  Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01  It looks great too.  It come in colors including pink!   Here's a review of it from Digital Photography Review.   http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06021404panasonicfx01.asp

This is a much tougher decision now! 

Looking for a Digital Camera with a Wide Angle Lens for Taking Real Estate or Room Makeover Pictures?

Me too!  I've been looking for a wide angle camera to take pix of the rooms I work on.  Fellow professional organizer, Sarah Roberts, from Texas, discovered the RealPIX at $299.   

I like the Realpix because it's true that the most important parts of the camera for quality pix are the lens and the flash.  If the RealPix camera truly has a lens that doesn't distort the way most wide angle lenses do, AND a built in flash that will project to 20 ft - $299 is a fair price.  I paid nearly that much for a wide angle lens and nearly $200 for a powerful flash unit for my 35mm (non-digital) Nikon system.  Eventually, if the camers sells well, it will become cheaper.  Especially if they sell it through places like B&H Photo, Butterfly Photo or www.Amazon.com. (I've purchased at all these places and the service / hipping was great.

Here's what I don't like about the RealPIX.

• No LCD viewer to see the pix you've taken, so if the picture does not come out right, you don't find out till you get back to your computer to upload it.
• No memory disks so that you can transfer pix without a cable - it holds 400 shots in internal memory and you upload with a USB cable (as if I don't have enough cables on my desk already!  : )
• Battery is built in - which means it is designed to eventually just be thrown away and if you do let it discharge completely, you can't just throw in spare batteries.  It says it will provide many years of service, but that depends on how you use it. It does come with a car charger. 
• 640x480 is the only picture size it takes - They designed that for uploading to real estate websites using and auto uploader.  But for websites like mine, I can go bigger.  And often I crop out the ceiling etc that people don't need to see.  With this camera, this is no room for cropping.

All in all I think they limited their market and should have considered interior designers, real estate stagers, and professional organizers.  That would have doubled their market.  Or at least come up with another version of the camera that offers the quality pix with some of the other basic conveniences of digital cameras.  Even if it is more expensive.  Personally I'd rather pay more for a camera I like than pay less and not be happy with it.

The only other wide angle I've found is the Kodak Easy Share v705 7.1 megapixel 5x ultra wide angle Dual Lens optical zoom, ($230 on Amazon Retail $349) but according to the reviews, there is some distortion and the picture is "soft" or not sharply focused. That's probably because it's an optical zoom lens and not a fixed lens.

But at least it has an LCD viewer, memory disk, replaceable battery, and all the other conveniences we've become used to in a digital camera.  This means you can use it for your wide angle shots and for other purposes such as closeups of work you've done.  It even takes video clips and has digital image stabilization.  And the spare battery is only 16$

It's predecessor was the 5 Megapixel version and on that page you can see LOTS of photos taken with camera including 49 photos that have been uploaded by customers. This cute cat was the only one I found of a wide angle shot indoors.  As you can see it is a little dark...and there is distortion.  Not sure they used flash - it doesn't look like it. But with a wide angle lens, you will see more distortion the closer you are to an object.  This looks like it was taken pretty close. 

The panorama stitch function may be better for some rooms. See the panoramic photo taken inside a van by one of the Amazon reviewers.  (Click to see it larger) 

***UPDATES***

1) Thanks to Susan Kousek for sending me an email pointing out that with the Kodak camera "the flash won't fire while you're in panoramic mode." 

2) Thanks to Brandie Kajino for pointing out 2 more wide angle cameras - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 and the Canon PowerShot SD800   See my update post

They all sound great!  I don't know what I'll get right now, but either way I'll post pix and let you know when I do.  Maybe I'll get them all and test them out!  : )

Tips on Staying Safe When You Work In Clients' Homes

In response to my post on staying safe when selling items online, Michele posed the question:

"I use Craiglist.com to market my organizing services. Do you have advice for people who do in-home services to lessen their risk?"   

In fact I do!  If you work in people's homes, you should keep safety in mind no matter how people learn about your services, ad, website, Craigslist, etc.

Any time you get a call from someone you don't know, there is a risk.  Granted, most of us never, or rarely, have any problems like that...but there are some tips you should keep in mind.

1.  ALWAYS, I repeat, ALWAYS trust your instincts. 

If you are talking with someone on the phone..and something doesn't feel right...DON'T make the appt.  EVER. 

Do NOT talk yourself into thinking you are just being silly.  If for some reason you make the appointment and then you worry about it - CANCEL it. 

Do NOT let your need to make money overcome your instincts.

Q&A on Training for Professional Organizers

A reader last week wrote and asked me about training for professional organizers.  I offer a personal Professional Organizer Training & Business Coaching Program in my office or over the phone. But I thought I'd share with you my answers to her questions on getting training on professional organizing methods and processes. 

Q: Which, if you had to choose, of the trainings, NAPO [National Association of Professional Organizers] or NSGCD, [National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization] has helped you the most in developing new systems of organization for clients and helping them through stuck places?

A: The training I received from NSGCD has been very helpful and informative - especially in learning how to handle different client situations such as working with people who have different organizing and learning styles, are downsizing, or who have ADD, are elderly or have other special needs.   (p.s. I received my Level 2 Specialist in Chronic Disorganization from them in October 2007 and only have to take the Final test in October 08 to get my Specialist in ADD Organizing)

I've also gotten great advice and ideas on how to maintain safety on the job, how to establish business & booking policies, and how to keep client records to track their progress. 

I highly recommend that all Professional Organizers take advantage of the NSGCD training opportunities because even if you don't want to work with chronically disorganized people, you are very likely to find yourself working with people who are chronically disorganized.  In our business, we never really know what we will find when we go to someone's home the first time, and it makes that first visit a lot less stressful if you are prepared and know how to handle various situations. 

Regarding your questions about developing new organization systems for clients - I got my training on systems, consulting, coaching, facilitation, and teaching from getting a master's in organizational training and from over 20 years experience in corporate consulting, management and training. 

I also learned a lot from reading books by (see my book store), reading other blogs, and especially from watching a TV show called Neat with Hellen Buttigieg.  She is a great role model on process and I've learned quite a bit from her.  I have recorded all her shows with my TiVo and have them on DVD too. 

I also recorded and watched every Mission Organization and have learned a lot and been inspired by the variety of professional organizers they have had on the show.  They now use 4 regular professional organizers who are much younger (they seem to be in their 20s).  They have a lot of great ideas, but you can also tell they don't have the same life and work experience as organizers such as Monica Ricci who was on the show several times. 

NAPO also provides excellent training opportunities. I have attended the annual conferences for both NAPO and NSGCD (see my pix & post with descriptions of training) I attended 2 excellent pre-conference workshops & lots of training sessions. They were invaluable to me. The people I met there inspired me and many have become great friends.

I also bought and listened to CDs of workshops I couldn't attend. To me the NAPO & NSGCD conference workshops & sessions & CDs are the BEST learning opportunities for new organizers. See lists recordings you can buy here http://www.vwtapes.com/

Q: Who would you recommend I talk to at these organizations?

A: AT NSGCD - Here's the contact list http://www.nsgcd.org/contactus/general_contacts.php

NAPO - Just call the NAPO service number and ask - they are very helpful.          (847) 375-4746        

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Here are some other training resources to check out.

NAPO - Public Event Calendar - Features lots of training opportunities from a variety of organizing professionals. 

I'm sure there are many other good training programs, but here are couple offered by people I have personally met and know they provide great training:

Marla Dee www.clearsimple.com

Denslow Brown www.organizercoach.com

Harold Taylor www.taylorintime.com

Feel free to comment below to suggest other training opportunities you know of, or to ask me further questions, or if you are interested in private coaching and consulting sessions with me by phone, get more information including rates and packages on my coaching web page!

Sending Neat Thoughts!

How to have the "I want to quit my job" conversation with your spouse

If you are thinking about escaping from your corporate job and starting your own business, such as maybe becoming a professional organizer, you may need some advice on how to talk to your spouse about it. 

Here are some great tips from Pamela Slim's blog "Escape from Cubicle Nation" followed by a tip from me!

How can I tell my spouse that I want to quit my job without him/her getting scared and/or defensive?

I fondly call this "The Conversation" and pick up the same amount of anxiety as if they were telling their kids about the birds and the bees for the first time.

The short answer is that there is no way to predict or direct your spouse's reaction to your news since that is totally outside of your control.  But here are some ways to ensure that the conversation, or more likely series of conversations, goes well:

(Just to avoid endless s/he and him/her, I will use the male form of spouse in this article)

1. Choose a low-stress moment when you have time and energy for a long conversation.  It is not fair to drop a major bombshell when you won't have time to talk about it.  Don't talk about this right before bed or in the morning before heading off to work, as this will just stir up questions in your spouse's mind.
2. Choose a good place to talk.  I find it is a lot easier to have a deep, meaningful conversation with my husband when we are up and moving around.  We have had some of our best conversations on long walks or drives.  One of the Mars/Venus theorists (I don't remember who) said that men converse better while moving while women like to be sitting face-to-face, peering into the others eyes.  Because you should be concerned about your spouse's communication style, choose the place that he feels the most comfortable with. 
3. Minimize distractions.  Get your kids a sitter, turn off your cellphone and Blackberry and don't go somewhere like your favorite local cafe where you will be interrupted by lots of friends.  You want uninterrupted time.
4. Explain why you are so excited about starting your own business.  Make sure your spouse knows all about why this idea is so compelling to you and why you are excited about it.  Don't just talk about the business idea, talk about what it would mean to you personally to get enjoyment from your work.  Would you have more energy?  Would you watch less TV?  Want to help around the house more?  Become a 19-year old sex machine?  (OK, OK, now you are going overboard)
5. Explain the consequences of not following your dreams.  Everyone processes job stress differently.  Some people have a high tolerance for staying in an unhappy or stressful work situation if it means bringing home lots of money.  Others have very low tolerance and develop health problems including depression, high blood pressure, weight problems, anxiety disorders and low energy.  Make sure your spouse understands the consequences to you if you are unhappy with your work.
6. Expect a lot of resistance.  I have practiced change management long enough to know that even if someone perceives a change as a good thing (i.e. getting married, having a baby, getting a promotion and raise), he will still feel a certain amount of resistance.  It can be very, very scary for your spouse to think about losing his perception of stability (you know where I stand with the notion that jobs are more stable than self employment).  Don't get angry if he doesn't immediately support your idea. 
7. Ask lots of questions to understand the resistance.  Your spouse may say something like 

Read more at:  http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/get_a_life_blog/2006/07/how_to_have_the.html

Okay, here's my tip.

When I had "the Conversation" with my husband, I used my home budget spreadsheet and created a couple versions showing best and worst case scenarios in meeting our monthly bills without income from me.  I also included a list of all the areas where we could cut our monthly expenses until the business became profitable.

Before discussing it with him, I knew exactly the minimum amount of money I needed to bring in monthly to keep us afloat and presented a back up plan for earning that money if my new business didn't produce a profit within 6 months. Thankfully, the business has become profitable enough to cover my minimum contribution plus a little extra and I haven't had to exercise the backup plan. But it was comforting to my husband to know I had one.

In terms of quality of life, we are both so much happier now and feeling like I'm doing something meaningful is priceless, so at least for now I feel like leaving "cubicle nation" was the best decision I ever made!

Best,

Does Competition Threaten You?

A few months ago I started advertising in a local paper.  This month another professional organizer started advertising in the same paper.  A friend of mine saw the ad and asked me if I was upset that another professional organizer was in the same paper I was in. At first I have to admit I was surprised, but then I thought about it and realized that I was actually really glad to see another organizer in the same paper!

Because organizing is one of the fastest growing home-based business opportunities, I imagine many established organizers may be feeling a sense of threat as new organizers enter their market space.  And conversely, many new organizers may feel nervous about starting their business in an area that already has several established organizers. I know I was a little nervous that other organizers would not be happy I was entering the field.  Most often, the well established organizers have welcomed new organizers into the field, and viewed the growth as an opportunity to expand their own businesses to include coaching new organizers or even hiring them into their businesses!  Overall, NJ organizers have been far more supportive of each other than I ever imagined possible, but there are those who seem to feel a bit threatened.

So I thought it might be helpful to talk about the issue of competition in an open forum and share my philosophy and point of view on why I believe competion is a really good thing for all organizers.

Why competion is a GOOD thing

1. First of all, it creates visibility for organizing as a valid and valuable service option for people.  Particularly for those for whom disorganization is part of their personality type or is a result of a very busy career.  It may also be a result of an illness, depression, major change in their lives, or perhaps even an injury. For some people having moved to a new area and not having family around as a support support system is an issue. For all these people, just knowing there are many choices of organizing services lets them know they are not alone and they need not be ashamed to call for help.
   
   So, seeing several organizers advertising may actually encourage people who might not have ever called an organizer to consider doing so. Eventually making people aware and educating them about organizing as a profession creates more business for all organizers.
2. Competition provides people who need organizing help with choices.  People aren't going to hire you to come into their homes and organize their lives and personal possessions just because you are the only game in town.  If they don't have chemistry with you and respect your skills, they just won't get the help they need.  When people are able to choose the right person for them, they are more likely to have a good experience and talk about it to other people.  For many people there is a stigma associated with getting hlep.  The more people talk about it, the more we help reduce those feelings of shame or embarassment about needing help with getting and staying organized. 
3. Having several organizers in an area also allows you to specialize in the kinds of projects you like best, and are best at. You can then refer people to the right organizer for their needs and further increase people's respect for the industry.  You can also then have more choices on how you wish to grow your business.  You can earn referral fees, or even hire and train organizers and specialize in marketing and managing your business vs. providing hands-on services.
4. Competition encourages us to continuously learn and improve so we can be the best we can be.  When there is no competition it's too easy to become complacent.  With other people in the same field, we have people to share issues and ideas with!

There is more I could say, but I think this is enough for now.  I hope other professional organizers out there, both new and experienced will share their views on competition.  I also want to give a shout out again to both the NY and NJ NAPO chapters for all the wonderful professional development and support I've received by attending meetings.

The generosity of the chapter members in sharing experiences and helping each other solve the tougher challenges is amazing. I've made a few friends too! If you are interested in learning more about chapter membership check out these sites.

NAPO-NY Chapter Meeting Calendar

NAPO Northern New Jersey Meeting Calendar

All the best,

The Ultimate Bartering Scheme - One Red Paper Clip for a HOUSE!!!

As Media Guru Marshall McLuhan predicted, getting attention in the age of media isn't easy. You have to come up ever more extreme and outrageous schemes.  One of the latest schemes I read recently is another of those that makes me wish I'd thought of it!  But my outrageous gene is just not extreme enough!  Anyway, you gotta love the ingenuity behind starting with a single red paperclip and after 14 very clever trades and one year - ending up with a house! 

 

Bartering and trading is one of the oldest and most effective strategies for success and this is a great example of how to make it work!  His story is hilarious and informative.

Bartering is a great way to live more simply and frugally and even as a strategy for growing yoru business. There is absolutely nothing illegal or unethical about bartering.

So how can you make bartering work for you?

If you are interested in how to use bartering legally and effectively in your business, or to enhance your simple and frugal living strategy, check out these resources.

IRS RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=113437,00.html

WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartering

BARTERING EXCHANGES - Most of the USA Fortune 500 companies use barter to increase their market share and improve productivity. There are about 500 barter exchanges in North America and Latin America, and several hundred more throughout the rest of the world. Here are listed links to hundreds of the Web sites of the many barter exchanges which have developed internationally.
http://www.gigafree.com/barter.html

ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE - Bartering in Business
Barter is back in style and spanning the globe. Here's what you need to know to become the master of your exchange.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,321937,00.html

ABOUT.COM on the Rewards of Small Business Bartering and how to do it WISELY.

"Whether you are starting or growing a small business bartering can aid in preserving cash to help get your venture launched or expand. Bartering is a must have success tactic for operating your small business. Bartering can be defined as the exchange of goods or services for other goods or services. It is a transaction where no money changes hands. Bartering is estimated to exchange 8.25 billion a year in trade for 2004, according to the International Reciprocal Trade Association."

5 Things You Need To Know About Business Barter

1. Money Pit: Beware of troubled companies on a quick downward spiral to bankruptcy. If your barter partner is in financial trouble and seeks bankruptcy, you may never receive your share of the barter agreement.

2. Time and Money Equivalent: Attach a time or money value to the barter. For a win-win situation to exist in a barter agreement both parties involved need to sit down and compare the exchange of goods and services in a quantitative fashion.

3. Tax Issues: Bartering does not offer a tax loophole to avoid taxation. According to the IRS tax website, "Income from bartering is taxable in the year in which you receive the goods or services. Generally, you report this income on Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business Form 1040."

4. Business Barter Relationship: Any barter relation should be examined against the value added to your small business. A barter of 200 lbs of animal feed is going to be useless to a management consulting firm; but 3 months of free magazine advertising can greatly improve cash flow and aid your profits. If your services are not in high demand by your barter target, consider a barter exchange group.

5. Barter Exchanges: Hundreds of barter exchange groups operate in America, offering an efficient channel to barter for small business. Barter exchanges allow companies to have access to more goods and services in a quicker fashion. For instance, a graphic design firm may exchange its services with a pet food company for trade credits. The pet food company in turn can exchange its trade credits for another member`s service, such as tax preparation.

READ MORE AT:
http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/smallbizlearning/a/barter.htm

All the best,

Sell the Benefits not the Features - Even When it Comes to Getting Organized

Once again Des Walsh, one of my wise Linked-in Blogger friends has provided some great advice.  Writing and speaking about any subject plainly and clearly is a challenge, but especially when writing about technical subjects such as RSS feeds.  Even though I've read a lot on RSS, and Des provides an excellent resource in his post at Thinking Home Business :: For RSS as For Anything, Sell the Benefits not the Features, I still only understand enough to respect it and take advantage of it.  That's really all I need to know!  I don't need to know all the details of what RSS is, I just need to understand what it can do for me in making my blog accessible to people.

This is true of organizing as well.  You can't just tell people they need to be organized.  You have to show them how it changes their lives.  95% of people who have difficulty getting and staying organized have been told that many times.  They already know many organizing methods. They may even have been given organizing supplies and tools as "hints" to get organized. For example, several of my clients have been given label makers by well-meaning people who told them they should use it to get organized.

But they never understood the benefits so they never used it. Often people just don't get how spending time organizing themselves will do anything but take up their time. Many people have an underlying belief that being organized means being rigid and uptight and following lots of rules, or that it's bureaucratic, or stifles creativity and spontaneity...or that if you are organized you must spend all your time doing it and never have fun.  They think that labeling (and other organizing technique) will take a lot of time and just be "overkill."

So for me, a big part of helping people get and stay organized is to help them overcome these self-limiting beliefs and change their perspective so they can see that organizing is not "all" or "nothing" and that there is real value in becoming "reasonably" organized.  They can save time, money and have less conflict with their family, less stress, and more creativity!

Every time I explain and demonstrate the benefits of labeling, how easy and inconspicuous it can be, and how labels can be used to solve actual problems they are having, a light bulb goes off.  They wipe the dust off their label makers and start labeling all kinds of things!  Once they see that labeling strategically is a way to communicate with their family, teach their kids, support their memory, save time, and have their family, babysitters and even cleaning people support their efforts to get organized, they see it in a whole new light. 

In the picture shown, we used labels inside the dresser drawers so that my client's children and the cleaning lady would know where things go when putting laundry away.  Not everyone wants or needs their sock and underwear drawer this neat, and that's fine, but it solved a problem for her, so we did it and she loves it. 

I don't try to make neurotic perfectionists out of people who have a visible label on everything they own or never have a thing out of place.  I just try to help them see they how we can solve specific issues in their lives by applying organizing skills and concepts.  Once they are "sold" on the value of being organized, making simple changes in the way they do things, like labeling, is easy.

For more photos of organizing makeovers, see www.neatandsimple.com/gallery

NAPO will begin offering Certification Program in 2007 - Here are the latest guidelines on getting certified

Great news!  NAPO has released the requirements that professional organizers will need to meet in order to be eligible to take the new certification test.  I'm looking forward to being able to earn a certification that demonstrates not only mastery of a core set of professional organizing skills, but also offers some level of assurance to clients that I am dedicated to ensuring I'm qualified to guide them in achieve their goals. 

Pursuing certification is a great way to show your commitment to the profession and to your clients! I love that the capability to transfer skills to clients is a key criteria for eligibility.  Just neatening up a space is only a bandaid, not a cure.  Facilitating change in habits and transferring skills is critical to truly helping others get organized.  As Jessica Duquette says, "it's not about the stuff"

http://www.napo.net/get_organized/certification/cert_eligibility.pdf

NAPO & NSGCD Conference 2006 Highlights

This year I attended my first NSGCD and NAPO conferences.  It was an experience I recommend highly to all Professional Organizers.  I had a chance to connect with hundreds of other organizers from all over the country and Canada too!  We shared tips, ideas, lessons learned and experiences that will enable us all to be better organizers and provide the best possible service to our clients. 

I attended over 30 hours of workshops and educational sessions on many topics of interest to me and my clients.  Here are just a few of the highlights....

• Conducting Residential Needs Assessment using the Eyes of a Stranger Method presented by Kathy Waddill, author of the excellent book "The Organizing Sourcebook"
• Coaching Skills taught by Laura Berman Fortgang, internationally recognized as a pioneer in the personal coaching field and the best-selling author of "Living Your Best Life" and "Take Yourself to the Top" and the new, "Now What?: 90 Days to a New Life Direction."  She was amazing! I bought all her books and her CD training program as well. 
• Every Child Has a Thinking Style: Creating an Organizing System that Supports Their Needs by Lanna Nakone, author of "Organizing for Your Brain Type" and "Kids Can Be Organized Too!"
• Action Paper Management: Can't File 'em, Can't Trash 'em. Now What?
  by Rachel Claret.  She presented great ideas on paper management and how to determine which system will work best for different clients.
• Mindful Listening to Optimize Outcomes with Rebecca Shafir, author of "The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction" She covered effective communication strategies to help ADD clients succeed.
• Working with Chronically Disorganized Clients
• Current Techniques in the Treatment of Compulsive Hoarding with Dr. Randy Frost
• Reframing the Mind:  Helping Clients through the Process of Change with Phyllis Flood Knerr, CPO-CD
• Laying the Foundation for Getting Organized with Marilyn Paul, author of "You Can't Make a Difference if you Can't Find Your Keys"  Sharing her painful experience with recovering from chronic disorganization was both moving and enlightening. 

Attending these conferences helped me confirm that I made the right choice in becoming a professional organizer and renew my commitment to my mission -
Helping people transform their lives by empowering them to overcome chronic disorganization and clutter.

I also met some amazing people whose passion and dedication to helping others was inspirational and affirming.  I made many new friends that I look forward to staying in touch with. Lots of love goes out to Julie Muller, Liz Maffucci, Deb Hendrickson, Michael Delfausse,  Hildy Neumann, Klara Carames, Holly Graff, Molly Brady, Lynn Tapper, Barbara Boone, Jennifer Wry, Theresa Torres, Kim Rente, Ann Gambrell, Sheila McCurdy, Jean Goetz, Marla Dee and to my NJ Chapter friends Gayle Gruenberg and Victoria Pearlman - You made my conference experience truly wonderful! 

Thank you all!

Here are a few pictures from the conference...

Me with my new friend, Julie Muller, from Peace of Mind in Bend OR

Me with another new friend Molly Brady

Me with another new friend Victoria Pearlman

Becoming a Professional Organizer

I've been getting a lot of questions lately about how to become a professional organizer, so I created a offers a Personalized Professional Organizer Training & Business Coaching Program for becoming Self-Employed to help you learn exactly what you need to know based on YOUR personal goals and YOUR uniqued learning needs to help achieve your goals. You will learn :

• How to perform a successful client intake over the phone
• How to perform a needs assessment
• How to conduct successful, client-centered organizing sessions
• Partnering with clients to empower them, not dictating solutions
• Communicating with clients and clarifying expectations
• Project management techniques 
• and much more

Here are a few tips to get you started.

Starting any business is financially risky. So, if you have a job, and it is your primary source of income, I highly recommend NOT leaving your job until you have done several projects and are sure this is right for you. Many new organizers are quite surprised that being great at organizing yourself is NOT at all the same as helping others learn to organize in ways that really work for them in the long term.  It's not about being neat, or doing it for them.  It's about partnering and co-creating a system that the individual can maintain.

If the business will be your primary source of income, have at LEAST 6-12 months worth of living and business expenses in the bank before you quit your job. Business expenses include a business phone line, credit card merchant account fees, advertising & marketing expenses, website development and hosting fees, and more. Be sure you have a plan and a monthly budget that includes these in addition to your living expenses.

You also need to be honest with yourself about your skills, strengths, weaknesses, and ability to deal with not having a steady income. Running an organizing business means you not only have to be a good organizer, you need to be skilled at marketing, sales, financial / budgeting, technology, writing, and the consulting process.

Working with people and educating them is just as important as your ability to organize stuff. The truth is that you can only spend maybe half your time actually organizing with clients. That said, if you have all the skills, are willing to keep learning, and you really have a passion for organizing, it can a wonderfully challenging and rewarding career.

For More Information:

NSGCD

NAPO

Feel free to contact me for personal Professional Organizer Training & Coaching via telephone at 973-429-2100.  I wish you all the best!