Productivity Archives

Get organized in 2017 with these 9 Posts of 2016

January 27, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Organize, Productivity, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources Leave a Comment

As we close out the first month of 2017 I wanted to give you a quick review of some of the favorite posts of 2016.

It’s always helpful to review where you have been and close the door as you step into new directions!

Creative Posts

I consider every one of my artist interviews a Favorite so if you want to find them all in one spot check out this post.
Learn how to create a Capsule wardrobe for yourself or your kids.
The Three C’s of Getting Organized.

Productivity Posts

Check out these great Apps for business and personal Productivity.
Essential Documents everyone needs to have and be able to locate.
The Art of List making.

Organized Home (& Car) Posts

Helping Family members downsize with ease.
Maintaining order when saving sentimental items.
On the Go-On the Go-Car Organizing.

I’m looking forward to sharing lots of great new organizing posts, ideas and tips this year! This isn’t all there was but this list highlights some of the most helpful and favorite posts from the past year. Is there a subject you would like to see me cover this year? Leave me a comment below and I’ll do my best to cover it in an upcoming post!

Here’s to your most organized year ever!

Creative Filing Systems

January 19, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Digital Organizing, Organize, Paper management, Productivity, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources Leave a Comment

Is your filing system in total chaos?

These creative filing systems may be just what you need to transform your paperwork (and digital files)!

“Filed Away” by Allison Koch (Charleston, SC- Installed at Artfields, 2016)

You’ve identified your filing mistakes, you’ve whittled down your paperwork to keep only what you need and your ready to set up your new creative filing system. Not every filing system has to be the same. Use your creativity to create a system that you’re more likely to maintain. If your files are digital rather than paper, many of these ideas will still work!

Get a handle on volume! How much paperwork do you need to keep versus toss?

Do you have just the essentials or a whole cabinet full of paperwork? The first step is to find storage to suit your style and space needs. There are tons of beautiful and creative filing cabinets, boxes and more to choose from. Here’s my latest roundup.

In the organizing industry, we refer to “filers” and “pilers”.

If your not into a re-purposed or disguised file cabinet and are looking for something different, a binder filing system might be right for you. Some people can’t stand filing papers!

Someone who tends to “pile” papers might be more suited to a binder system. nstead of a drawers you use a series of binders. I’ve created lots of these systems, some color-coded (by pereson or category), others with all the same color and labels.

Broad filing categories should be broken down further by accounts, dates or sub-categories.

For example, “Investments 2016” might include several brokerage accounts.
Determine the volume you have for each category (this post might be helpful) and what you need to keep before purchasing and setting up your system.
Three-hole punch the paperwork individually or use clear sheet protectors to keep papers in place.
Use binders for visual things you reference but don’t need as often.
It’s a great system to use for files that need to be transported frequently or referenced by many! I recently learned about the Trio (3 in 1) Organizer by Samsill (while attending NAPO Conference) and love the idea of a binder and loose accordion pockets all in one. There are 7 sections which you could use as a modified “tickler” system (more below). It’s a new product and I really like it, just wish it was a hardcover instead of the more flimsy plastic outer.

Have you ever heard of the tickler system? You’ve probably seen in use somewhere (& I don’t mean in the bedroom…;).

The original and most well-known is the 43-folders system includes 31 numbered “day” folders and 12 folders for the months of the year. This system is based on getting things done on time or at least on target.
A great system for someone working with projects, on deadlines or managing productivity and finances more tightly.
Simplified versions use 4 folders, one for each week of the month-use to keep on top of tasks that need to “get done”.
This system doesn’t really work for “archive” or files that need to be kept but not handled but it’s a great productivity system!
Think of it as a daily (weekly or monthly) “inbox” for all your to-do items.
As more and more of us get away from handling “paperwork” you might want to consider setting up a “digital tickler” system for your inbox. More can be found about the tickler system at Life Hack.

I can’t do a post on Creative filing systems without mentioning color coding!

Colors might be by category, person, project, date or any classification to help you to quickly identify what you’re looking for. I like to ask what colors people use to identify with each category. For example, if your home is yellow, you might use yellow folders for anything related to household. Likewise, financial papers might be in green folders or binders. You get the idea if your visual, color matters!

“We are all primarily visual, color is first, symbols second, numbers are third… and words last.” Graphic Design USA

Using file indexes is another great creative tip that I don’t see a lot of people using these to their advantage. Indexes can be for either folders or binders and can include color coding, categories, sub-categories and more. It’s helpful to have an index with binders or file drawers (in the front). Keep a backup index with your essential documents so that you have a record of everything in case you ever need to recreate what you lost. I hope these creative ideas help you tackle your filing with renewed enthusiasm!

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Start to Finish, Manage Projects with Momentum

January 16, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Organize, Productivity, Tips & Resources 1 Comment

I didn’t set out as an organizer to find long-term, ongoing projects, but they seem magnetically attracted to me!

Maybe it’s my background in Project management that helps me to look at a big project and begin to break it down into the most “obvious” (to me;) steps to get started, create momentum and maintain.

I know that when I’m not emotionally invested in something, it’s a lot easier to step back and be objective about where to start and how to break something big into smaller actionable steps. So let’s talk about that…

How to choose your starting point when you’re trying to achieve a big goal.

Get Started

Let me step back in time to my former days as a carpet designer where I managed design projects for entire hotels. I didn’t work alone, I always had a team that included sales, technical and creative interior designers and architects as well as other experts.

Ask yourself, who’s on my team? Who can I enlist to help me achieve my objectives?
Identify your strengths in the process and theirs. Do you have a friend who’s got a great sense of fashion who can help you clear out your wardrobe? Do you know a nutrition or health coach who you can enlist the help of to get your kitchen healthy? Keep them in mind but don’t reach out to them just yet!
What one small or big accomplishment is going to make you feel amazing? With that in mind, you will know where to start.

Get Inspired

Look for inspiration online, in magazines and as your going about your daily life. See something you like while taking a walk? Snap a photo and begin to create a Vision Board on Pinterest or on a poster board…
Collect ideas that will get you excited and keep you motivated when you slump.

Get Real

Setting and maintaining goals is really all about setting yourself up for Success!
Manage your expectations. Really ask yourself, is it realistic for me to think I can organize my entire house in a weekend? What about my garage?
Break your goals down into realistic objectives, take it one step at a time and think about how much time and what resources you will need to Succeed!

Get a Plan

List your objectives in order of priority.
Think “Domino” effect. Great project management is all about thinking a few steps ahead. If you buy supplies before knowing what you need then you’ve wasted resources!
Give yourself a timeline with some loose but realistic deadlines.
Does that pile of paperwork in the office make you cringe? Do you dread going into the garage?
Now’s the time to enlist help. Ask, interview, hire and schedule people to help with the bigger or more challenging phases of the project.
Schedule the time, block out hours, days or longer on your calendar to work on each phase of the project.

Get Going

Make a commitment to see this through to a specific point before you even consider quitting! Don’t give up before you get started, give yourself the best chance to succeed.
Reward yourself! Sometimes the accomplishment is the reward. But for certain phases of a project, you might just need to dangle a carrot out there.
Block off time. Get childcare, remove distractions, turn your phone off, don’t answer the door. Turn up the music and get moving!
Give yourself the support you need. This means getting the coach, friend, organizer or other expert to be on your side. It also means not over doing it. Do what you can to make it easier.

Get Happy!

Celebrate milestones along the way! Snap pictures to remind yourself of how great your accomplishment is! When the closet is clear and it’s easier to get dressed every day, you can’t help but start the day with a smile!
Give yourself room for backsliding.It’s okay if it doesn’t always look or feel like it did when you just finished. Remind yourself of that happy place and recommit!
Now that you finished your project, break down the small tasks needed to maintain by week, month or quarter.
Make time for maintenance. Schedule it in, just like you did getting started. Commit to the routine and it won’t get overwhelming.

What Big Ideas, Goals or Plans do you have for 2017? Please share them below.

Do you find it challenging to stay on track? Need an accountability coach? If so click here!

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Five Common Filing System Mistakes

January 9, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Digital Organizing, Organize, Paper management, Productivity, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources, Uncategorized 1 Comment

The first response I usually have when someone asks “what do you organize” is “Paperwork”. After working my way through hundreds of hours of paperwork these are the five common filing mistakes that I notice again and again.

If your files are digital you can apply the same process to your digital systems.

The first mistake I notice is have NO system at all, bags and/or boxes are a jumbled mess. There can be many reasons for not having a system, including lack of “office” space or some kind of interruption in physical health or home (moving, remodeling etc). Some people don’t need a whole filing cabinet but even the paperwork minimalist’s should have a small fire safe box of essential documents at minimum.

The second mistake (this one doesn’t apply to digital files so you can skip it!) some make because they don’t like the look of filing cabinets or don’t think they can afford the space in their homes. There are a ton of attractive file drawers, some made to look like furniture and in complete disguise. If you don’t end up needing a whole file cabinet, just a drawer or a box may do just fine. I did a round up of stylish filing cabinets here if you’re looking for some ideas.

The third mistake I see are overly complicated systems. Most people don’t need more than 10-20 over-arching categories (finance, vehicles, investments, medical, insurance etc) with sub-categories under each. In this way, it’ becomes easy to go to the “financial” section and find the specific bank or investment you’re looking for. Create a quick list of the paperwork you tend to keep and group them by category for an idea of what your system may need to include. This works equally well for digital files and sub-files.

The example below is beautifully labeled but the “Alphabetical” system is so detailed without broad categories that it may be impossible for anyone but the person who created it to find anything. That’s something to keep in mind, be sure other people using the system will also be able to understand it. Too much detail or too complicated=total frustration & a failed system!

The less you have, the less you have to maintain and the easier it is to find what you need when you need it.

The fourth mistake (similar to third) is systems that are too vague and don’t capture categories clearly. A box labeled “files” or paperwork is one such example, when you open it, you can’t find anything because there is no order to what you’re keeping. I go into more detail here about creating filing categories.

The fifth and final mistake I’ll mention is that some people may never become “filers”. For such folks, using a binder or other creative filing system may be the key.

Striking the right balance when creating a filing system can be the key to maintaining it. There are a lot of different filing systems out there including tickler systems, the Freedom filer and more but in my experience, it’s finding the most simple system for the paperwork you need to keep that will work best for you. One category that everyone should keep on hand are vital documents. Check out my post that break’s down the essentials everyone needs to keep on hand and safe.

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Word of the Year::Acceptance

January 4, 2017 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Planning & Goals, Wellness & Mindset

The word that has discovered me for 2017 is Acceptance.

“Acceptance is a virtue that doesn’t require any form of doing in the “physical sense” of the word, it’s a chosen way of being.”–The Power of Acceptance

After quite a few years of selecting a word of the year, the process has become more fluid. I use some of the tools I listed at the bottom of this post but I’ve come to discover my word by taking a meandering path, jotting down words that stand out to me and letting them sit with me for some time until my word for the year reveals it’self like a beacon. Over the past two years, I have noticed this is especially true. I have chosen words that are on the periphery, I dance around the edges until I can simplify the feeling that I’m trying to get to the truth of and voila, my word pop’s out to me while reading or talking to others. I write the word down, near all the others and continue to let it sink in. But I usually know it when I discover it, or really…my word discovers me!

[Read more…]

Get organized in 2017 with these 9 Posts of 2016

It’s always helpful to review where you have been and close the door as you step into new directions!

Creative Posts

Productivity Posts

Organized Home (& Car) Posts

Creative Filing Systems

Is your filing system in total chaos?

These creative filing systems may be just what you need to transform your paperwork (and digital files)!

Get a handle on volume! How much paperwork do you need to keep versus toss?

In the organizing industry, we refer to “filers” and “pilers”.

Broad filing categories should be broken down further by accounts, dates or sub-categories.

Have you ever heard of the tickler system? You’ve probably seen in use somewhere (& I don’t mean in the bedroom…;).

I can’t do a post on Creative filing systems without mentioning color coding!

“We are all primarily visual, color is first, symbols second, numbers are third… and words last.” Graphic Design USA

Start to Finish, Manage Projects with Momentum

How to choose your starting point when you’re trying to achieve a big goal.

Get Started

Get Inspired

Get Real

Get a Plan

Get Going

Get Happy!

Five Common Filing System Mistakes

Word of the Year::Acceptance

The word that has discovered me for 2017 is Acceptance.

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