If you work for a company that sells organizing products, does that mean you’re organized, too?  Alicia Rockmore of ButtonedUp.com shares what she does to keep her head above water.

My life (like everyone else’s) is crazy year round.  I find that if I plan a little and focus on what I need to get done, life for me and the family runs a bit more smoothly.  Here are 7 things I do to get organized to save me time (and my sanity).  Hopefully a few of them will help you too:

1.  Write it down – Each night I make a list of no more than 5 things I must get done the following day.  It helps me focus on what I must do and creates less stress the first thing in the morning.

2.  Family plan – We keep a family calendar on the kitchen counter to keep track where all of us are and what we are doing.  It is a simple but effective way to know who is doing what when.

3.  Ask for help – Ask for help from everyone in the family.  I do.  A 4 year old can put their clothes in the hamper.  An 8 year old can clear and set the table.  The more others do…the more time for you.

4.  Email free time – Every day I block off 2 hours for no email or interruptions.  It is during this time I get the most done.  Try it…it works.

5.  10 minute list – I keep with me in the car a list of calls and things I can do when I have 10 minutes in the car pool lane.  Makes the waiting time so productive.

6.  Trash can in every room. Yes…even the closets.  The more junk you clean up and throw out immediately, the more time it saves you later on.

7.  Shop from a list – Whether it is grocery shopping or errand running, start with and stick to a list.  It will save you time and money, too.

About the Author

Alicia Rockmore, Queen Bee

Alicia Rockmore is a self-proclaimed organizational maniac who seamlessly juggles a fast-paced career and full home life. She is detail-oriented and list-driven and never misses a thing. Her friends and family describe her as over-the-top organized and call on her to help them get their lives Buttoned Up and pulled together. This includes everything from organizing closets to managing financial information to planning a family reunion.

Prior to co-founding Buttoned Up, Inc, Alicia was a marketing whiz working for well-known brands like Wish-Bone Salad Dressing, Ragu Pasta Sauces, Total Cereals and Wheaties. Alicia received her MBA from the University of Michigan in 1992 and her BA from Claremont McKenna College in economics in 1987. Prior to her marketing career, Alicia was a CPA with Ernst & Young.

Alicia and her husband, Adam, live in Los Angeles, California and have moved eleven times in 16 years of marriage…as a result, she truly knows the value of having all of the disparate parts of her life organized and under control.

Connect with Alicia: E-Mail | Website | Twitter | Facebook

I got a nice surprise a few days ago after I updated my iPhone software (iOS 4.0.2). While deleting apps and moving a few of them around on the phone, I discovered that I could store apps together. As I dragged one app close to another, a mini window (folder) opened up with a pre-suggested label.   I kept most of those labels and created a few of my own.  You can put any app in any folder and name it whatever you want.

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Life before folders

Before folders, I had five pages of apps arranged in categories. Now, I have two pages of apps spread across seventeen folders.  I know that sounds like a lot, but three of them belong to my husband.  Yes, he has apps on MY phone…but his folders are on page two. J

So, now I spend less time flipping between pages looking for what I want.  All the apps I need are on one page and I just look for the host category.  Since this is a new system, it can take me a couple extra seconds to find what I want.  After a few more weeks, this will no longer be a factor.

Folders force you to be picky

A maximum of 12 apps can fit in a folder so you will need to be choosy about the apps you want to keep. Of course, a work around would be to create two similar or connected folders (e.g., News I and News II). You also need to be picky about what you name your folders, so keep it simple and make sure it’s something that you can easily recall.  You also have the option of keeping the suggested labels.  You’ll notice these are the same labels used in the App Store.

Everything doesn’t have to live in a folder

If you need to access your favorite or most used app, you don’t have to put it in a folder.  Keep it on the first page so you can find it quickly.   For me, that’s my calendar.  I open it several times a day and I don’t want an extra step to get in my way.

If you haven’t tried iPhone folders yet, give it a shot (for at least 21 consecutive days) and let me know how it works for you.

Short on time?  No worries.  Organizing doesn’t need take hours and hours.  Take five minutes to put a few things back in place or gather your important items.  Do this everyday for an even bigger return.

Here are five things you can do in five minutes:

1. Put books (or magazines) back on the bookshelf
2. Gather together your “must have” things for the next day: keys, mobile phone, glasses, ID badge, watch, etc.
3. Put away 5 files
4. Pack away your tech: mouse, thumb drive(s), air card, sync cables, etc.
5. Throw laundry in the washer (start immediately or later)

We’re always searching for “the secret” to solving life’s troubles.  Usually, we realize that no matter the solution, we still have to put in the work to see the results we want.  If we want to lose weight, we have to exercise and change our eating habits.  We can try the treadmill or take up boxing.  We can join Jenny Craig or just replace bad snacks for healthy ones.  What works for you might not work for me. You’ve heard all this before, yes?

Well, it’s the same with tackling clutter. There are some rules of thumb, but, generally, there’s no right or wrong way to attack clutter.  Whatever method you choose, you should implement a strategy that’s a good fit for your personality and learning style so that it will be easier for you to maintain in the long run.

Here’s a look at opposing ways of clearing clutter.  It’s a paradoxical perspective, and depending on your personality and specific circumstances, either option might work.

Where should you start?

1. Start with the hardest thing first.

Start with the most difficult organizing project and your efforts will pay off big.  That hard task will get smaller, not seem as daunting, and you’ll cross it off your list sooner.  This will be a huge relief since it’s probably been sitting on that list for some time.

2. Start with the easiest thing first.

Start with the easiest task and you’ll get instant gratification!  With a small, easy project, you’re likely to finish it on your first attempt AND you’ll cross it off your list immediately.  That great feeling of success will motivate you to move on to the next task.

How long should you spend attacking your clutter?

3. Do a little at a time.

This is one of the best methods for reducing clutter – just do ten minutes a day.  It may not sound like much, but those ten minutes can go a long way to chopping down the clutter giant.  You’ll feel accomplished because acted on your commitment to getting organized, and still have time the things you love to do.

4. Do a lot at a time.

Another great way to manage mountainous clutter is to devote chunks of time to your project.  When you’re focused for 45-60 or more minutes, you can make a big dent and see results a lot more quickly.  You know yourself best, so be sure to pick a time frame that won’t leave you feeling overwhelmed.

Who is the best person to help you?  Someone you know or a professional organizer?

5. Get help from friends and family members.

Friends and family members can be very supportive and help you to physically clear an area, especially if you feed them!  They are almost always guaranteed to laugh at those old pictures of you or tease you about your Cabbage Patch Doll collection.J This can make the process less tedious, and actually, they may be interested in taking a few things off your hands. After you’re done working, you can go out to celebrate all that you’ve accomplished. As long as loved ones are non-judgmental and focused, the process can go smoothly.

6. Get help from a professional organizer.

Professional organizers, particularly those who adhere to NAPO’s Code of Ethics, will be non-judgmental and will not share details of your project with others (e.g., “Jane Doe’s home office was a super hot mess! It took hours to clean up.”).  They are also knowledgeable about strategies that complement your learning style and can give you a fresh, objective perspective on how to tackle that thorn in your side.  Some organizers may have a network of other professionals needed for the project (e.g., bookkeeper, junk hauler, maid service, etc.) and may help by dropping off donations for you.

Will playing music be helpful or distracting?

7. Play your favorite music.

Having lively music on can help you stay motivated or help you finish your task.  Have you noticed that gyms use this same method? When the spinning instructor wants you to go that extra mile, the music gets a bit more upbeat.  If you put on your favorite CD, you might be able to pull of #4.

8. Work in silence.

If playing music makes you get up and dance all day instead of organizing, then you may lose a few extra pounds. That’s also the signal that music is a bit too distracting.  If you’re at your best in pin-drop silence, then work sans audio – that includes turning off the TV, telephone, and e-mail notifications.  You’ll get a lot more done and feel darn good about it.

The Experiment: Participants are asked to perform a complex proofreading assignment and given three deadline scenarios: (1) single deadline, three weeks away, (2) a series of interim, weekly deadlines, and (3) self-paced, interim deadlines. Participants were compensated based on the number of errors they corrected and there was a penalty for missing the deadlines.

The Results: “The way you set deadlines has a profound effect on the degree to which workers procrastinate and even on the ultimate quality of their work.”

The Details: “The worst performance on both counts was turned in by the group with a single, end-of-project deadline. Their work, on average, was 12 days late, and they corrected an average of only 70 errors. The best performance was delivered by the group that was given a series of interim deadlines; their work was only 0.5 days late on average, and they caught 136 errors. The performance of the group that set its own interim deadlines fell in the middle: 6.5 days late, on average, with 104 errors caught.”

Read More:

Curbing the Procrastination Instinct · Harvard Business Review · October 2001

Small business owners are in for a treat today.  We’re going a bit off topic and are excited to share the insights of Rich Brooks.  Read on to learn what you need to do build your web presence.

Being a small business owner myself I spend a lot of time thinking about what makes for a successful web presence. It goes way beyond securing a domain name, finding a hosting company and putting up a website.

Whether your website is for lead generation (real estate, consulting, etc.) or e-commerce (jewelry, plumbing supplies, etc.) there are some requirements for online success:

• You need to optimize your site for the search engines. Chances are that most of your traffic will come from the search engines. You need to create content (words) that match up with the searches your prospects are Googling right now. If you’re a landscaper that means articles on “lawn care,” “curb side appeal,” and even “tips for selling your house.” You can hire a search engine marketer or invest time in learning about search engine optimization (SEO) from books, blogs and conferences.

• Your web site should be on a content management system (CMS). A CMS allows you to make all of your own updates, add new pages, upload photos and embed videos. There are a number of good platforms out there, but my personal favorite is WordPress.

• Your web site isn’t about you. Your web site is about your prospects and customers. You need to keep the focus on their problems and their concerns. If your Home Page reads like an About Us, page it’s time for a rewrite.

• Your web site needs to convert visitors into prospects. There’s no point spending money on a web site that doesn’t create more business for your company. Every page should be leading visitors down the sales funnel, whether that means filling out a contact form, signing up for an email newsletter, or clicking on a buy now button. To increase your own conversion rates, make sure that every page has a clear “call-to-action” on what’s expected from your visitor.

• You need more than a web site. These days small businesses need to be where their prospects and customers are most active. That may mean LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or even MySpace depending on your audience. And there’s no better tool than a business blog: it will increase your search engine optimization, drive more leads and establish your credibility.

• You need to measure everything. Make sure your web developer installs Google Analytics (or some similar traffic reporting system) and shows you how to use it. This will give you insight into how much traffic you’re getting, where it’s coming from, and how visitors behave at your site. By regularly reviewing your traffic reports you can continually make improvements to your web site and Internet marketing that will build your business.

• You need to be patient. I often tell people when their site launches, “this isn’t the end…this is the beginning.” No small business web site was ever an overnight success, but every day you can make improvements that will increase your online visibility, drive more traffic to your site and convert that traffic into business.

About the Author

Rich Brooks, President/Web Developer/Blogger/Speaker/Friendly-Neighborhood-Wall-Crawler

Rich Brooks is founder and president of flyte new media, a Web design and Internet marketing firm in Portland, Maine. His monthly flyte log email newsletter and company blog focus on Web marketing topics such as search engine optimization, blogs, social media, email marketing, and building Web sites that sell. He is currently an Expert Blogger at FastCompany.com and a guest blogger at SocialMediaExaminer.com.

He is a co-founder of Social Media FTW, an organization putting on conferences and events to educate small businesses and non-profits about the power of social media marketing. He is a nationally recognized speaker on Web marketing and is the “tech guru” on Maine’s NBC affiliate’s evening news show, 207.

Connect With Rich: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook

Have you seen the recent Sony commercial featuring Justin Timberlake and his overgrown media collection?  Do you have one of your own?   If only organizing them were as easy as Sony makes it seem.  No matter what tech tool or product you use, you still have to put the effort in.

Pick your poison: What storage option is right for you?

It doesn’t really matter if you’re a business owner with a collection of guerrilla marketing audio books, a music fan with the latest jams, a scrapbooker with thousands of photos, or a video director in the making.  Everyone likes finding what they want when they want it…and, just like any other object, if your media is bursting at the seams and residing in multiple, unknown locations, then it’s more clutter that you have to deal with. Two words.  Major. Pain.

The good news is that you several storage options:

Tech

• CDs
• iTunes, Windows Media Player, Roxio, Audible.com, & others
• DVDs
• External Hard Drive
• Cloud:  Flickr, SnapFish, Shutterfly, Picassa, etc.
• Thumb Drive(s)
• Digital Scrapbook

Non-Tech

• Photo or Archival Box
• Traditional Album or Scrapbook
• Other Boxes: Shoe, Cigar, Jewelry, etc. (last resort, maybe? J)

Like the digital option?  Do it yourself or let someone else take care of it.

I mentioned that you have options.  Well, now you have sub-options.   You can digitize your photos yourself or let ScanMyPhotos.com or DigMyPics do it for you.  If you need to scan slides or negatives or want to transfer VHS tapes to DVDs, they both do that, too.

Rule of thumb:  Categorize AND label, label, label.

The other good news is that once you have retrieval system that works for you, it will be easy to maintain.  To give yourself a fighting chance of finding what you want quickly, do these two things:

• Categorize. Your categories will vary based on your personal or business activities.
  • Personal. Like to take pictures/videos when you’re on vacation? Ok, that may be a silly question…but, if the answer is yes, you may want to keep all your vacation photos together.  Other categories could be family reunions, anniversaries, graduations, etc.  You can also categorize photos (and other media) by specific individuals (e.g., your children).
  • Business. Business owners may have categories like training, annual meetings, marketing, before and after pictures, etc.

• Label. To differentiate between specific events in a category, you’ll need to add a label with the title, location, and date…or whatever will help jog your memory.
  • Hawaii | May 15, 1997
  • May 2002 | Orlando, FL
  • Annual Meeting | Boston, MA | February 2009
  • Annual Meetings | 2010-2011
  • Doe, Jane | XYZ Project | July 2015
  • Disco | Various Artists | 1975

Ok, time to enjoy the video.

Check out the Sony commercial and make up your mind to get control of your media.  Btw, if I’ve left your favorite option of the list, tell me about it and I’ll add it.

Donating  items that you no longer need or want can be very rewarding.   You get a less cluttered space and someone else gets something they need.  Before you go on give-away campaign, be sure that you follow these simple rules of thumb.

1.  Give the good stuff. On the surface, it may sound counterintuitive, afterall, you want to keep the good stuff, right? Remember, it’s only good if it’s useful to you. So, be sure to only donate something that functions as intended (read: not broken). This also means giving clothing that is clean and CDs that are not scratched. A couple questions to ask yourself before donating would be:  ”Would I buy this exactly as it is?” or “Would I be offended if I received this as a gift?”

2.  Give the good stuff with all the parts. Wouldn’t it be great to get that gently used, really fabulous thing that you’ve always wanted?  Not so much if the power cord for the really fabulous thing is missing.  If you can’t find all the parts, you may want to consider recycling.

3.  Give the good stuff with all the parts without your marks. This means that if your name is on it, you’ll have to remove it.  When in doubt, refer to the questions in #1.

Back in February 2010, I discovered the art of Michael Johansson.  He was quite clever with how he organized every day things.

My most recent find (thanks to Alltop) is the work of Jacqueline Rush Lee who makes sculptures from used books. Some of you may cringe at that thought, but it sounds like a better option than having books packed away in a box, never to be seen again.

As an artist I am inspired by the materials, colors and forms that I find in my everyday environment. I am particularly drawn to objects that record physical processes or bear the imperfections and scars of life. ~Jacqueline Rush Lee

I am interested in how these recycled books come with their own histories of use and meaning and how they serve as potent vehicles of expression. With the idea of working with them as my canvas or building block, I transform the books into sculptures that explore and redefine the book as familiar object, medium, and archetypal form. ~Jacqueline Rush Lee

“Ms. Bourne [University of Wisconsin Eau Claire scholar],  monitored the lives of 10 women living in the U.S. Northeast from morning until night for a full work week. She found that although the women were generally passionate about their jobs and talked about the freedom of setting their own hours, they also struggled to shut work off…work ruled their lives…[they] arranged their schedules to accommodate work, prepare to return to work, or work leisurely during supposed free time…truly flexible work arrangements are a myth that is leaving female entrepreneurs conflicted and distressed.”

Read more:

Flexible office means women’s work is never done · FinancialPost.com · 8.9.10