Best Results Organizing

Sometimes, a model for efficiency can feel universal, like the Diaper Bag Model for daily mobile paper I discussed at the start of this series. Similarly, even those of us who don’t cook do still eat, making the Culinary Model for mobile office success accessible to all.  Other types of inspiration are more…personal.

From Paper Mommy, I’ve learned the elements of a “perfect” bag. My mom has been on a quest for the ultimate purse since the Eisenhower   administration. Over the decades, I spent many a long day watching my maternal Inspector #9 review number of pockets, quality of zippers, length of straps and occasion-appropriateness. I’d rather watch paint dry.

But the lessons I learned at Mom’s elbow are practical and generally applicable for all of us organizing our mobile paper professionally. If your travels take you (and your paper) on planes or trains, across time zones or over hill and dale, you need to consider the following elements paper-travel elements:

• Weight–The experts say that the weight of your bag should never exceed 15% of your body weight. Anyone who has ever carried a wheel-free suitcase through a cavernous airport knows that some luggage starts off weighing more than a toddler and just get heavier as the trip goes on. If you select a business bag for carrying your papers (and other goodies), try it on after 4 p.m. on a cranky day, while you’re wearing your least comfortable clothes, and then toss in however much you’re already carrying in your bag. Then traipse around the store and stand in ridiculously long imaginary lines to emulate real-life conditions.
• Comfort–Not all of us are built like athletes. Some of us are vertically challenged, have musculature that dates back to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth or just can’t quite get a grip on, well, getting a grip. If you have a colleague with the bag you adore, see if you can model it (with your items packed within) on a day your buddy isn’t planning to leave the office. As with ridiculously overpriced shoes, the cuteness will not make discomfort any more bearable.
• Ergonomics–Unbalanced or overstuffed bags can cause agony and serious physical damage. For tips on making the best ergonomic choices, especially in backpacks, check out what the experts have to say, including Dr. Robert Evans, a Toronto Chiropractor, About.com’s consumer expert, Donna Montaldo, and Anne Kramer of ErgoWorks, ergonomic specialists.
• Neutral or appropriate styling–This is a wholly personal choice, but whatever bag you pick will become an extension of yourself. Unlike the way some women change pocketbooks daily to match their outfits, your professional paper-and-stuff shlepper will be part of your daily wardrobe. If you are a professional in a field where being taken seriously is essential and Hello, Kitty is a fashion no-no, you’ll want to take that into account when selecting the bag in which your vital papers will travel. For a world famous designer, “fabulous” is a given, but in professions where discretion is the better part of valor (and your payment), basic black wins.
• Quality of materials–Pretend you’re shopping with my mom and test the strength of the materials. Is the cloth made of high-quality abrasion- and tear-resistant Cordura or ballistic, luggage-quality materials?  Are the zippers strong and well-attached to the “zippy” part?  Is the stitching finely crafted?
• Multiple separate spaces with individual closures—Paper Mommy needs spaces for her tissues (because every mom has tissues to spare), her wallet, her cell phone. You, traveling with your very-important-papers, smart phone, water bottle and gadgets, need to have multiple spaces, too.  As a professional organizer, in addition to carrying client files, perhaps a few catalogs, a tickler file and other papers, I also carry my label maker, which I like housed separately to prevent a stray bump from turning it on and wasting the battery. My measuring tapes and other tools need their own “departments”. What do you carry and what do you need to keep separate?
• Divisions for separate categories–In addition to having multiple discrete spaces, it’s also important to be able to divide up general spaces.  Is there internal padding or divider slots to separate your laptop from your papers, or keep different categories of paper apart?
• Adequate space, but not too much space–If you’re carrying a messenger bag with just one file enclosed, the excess space and the lack of interior architecture will make your manila folder “floop”. First it’ll flop, then bend, then crease or fold, and the interior contents will “smoosh”.  (These are very technical terms.)

My concern over ergonomics (and my adoration of Bradley Whitford as dreamy Josh Lyman  on The West Wing) always leads me towards backpacks vs. messenger bags, traditional briefcases or attach cases. Most (but not all) messenger or newsboy bag straps can create uneven pressure on the shoulders and back. Traditional briefcases and attachs are designed for either carrying inconveniently by hand or via the shoulder-scrunching strap.

I’ve been using my Mad About You backpack for daily and travel use, carrying my papers and professional organizing tools, since I left the TV industry and embarked on my path as a doyenne of decluttering. I wasn’t unhappy, per se, but suspected there might be something better out there. When I first read Geralin Thomas‘ post ZUCA Takes The Lug Out of Luggage, I was intrigued that my esteemed professional organizing colleague had said:

“One thing the boys are forbidden from using is my ZUCA backpack. I have never owned a better backpack. My Macbook Pro computer fits in it perfectly, and I still have lots of extra room for all necessities, such as file folders. I have retired my old laptop case! …  It is without a doubt one of the very best things I own.”

Wow! Geralin’s whole review of all of ZUCA‘s products (suitcases with drawers?! a built-in seat?!) intrigued me, but until I saw it in action at this year’s National Association of Professional Organizers’ conference, I was not yet craving the backpack. As reported previously, Geralin stopped traffic in the NAPO expo as she showed off her ZUCA Business Backpack. BINGO! I had to have it. So, what are the features?

–A front zipped portion that, once unzipped, opens towards the user, like a glove compartment or an oven door.  It’s suitable for small gadgets, but ideal for hardcover or paperback books you’ve selected to read on the plane or train. It’s also the perfect size and shape to stow your ticket, itinerary and other travel documents.

—Two side zipped compartments on the left (as you’re looking at at the bag–you can see the zippers in the photo above) are ideal for multiple uses.  For me, the lower, square compartment is the perfect size for a sandwich, some string cheese and maybe a baby-size box of raisins.  (What, I’m the only one who gets hungry during these long posts?) The upper compartment is squarish, but the upper quadrant is cut on the diagonal.  This a great space for small but bulky tools, measuring tapes, electronic gadgets, etc.

–A right side “door” panel opens revealing oodles of space. The outer side has a mesh pocket suitable for a folded/rolled newspaper or a bottle of water. The interior has two mesh compartments and is padded so you could use it for simple office essentials or for items that need a bit more TLC, like a stash of memory cards or flash drives.

–The “wall” of the backpack, exposed by the opening of the “door” (really, ZCA: create lingo for these elements) has compartments for pens as well as credit and identification cards. There’s a detachable keychain, so you need not worry about losing keys in the dark recesses of the bag, and a compartment ideal for a Smartphone, mp3 player or Kindle. (See the photo sticking up of Paper Doll as a kid? I don’t have a Kindle, so consider that your place marker!)

–The interior is cordoned off into sections.  From back to front, it has:

• A padded laptop sleeve–I don’t own a laptop, but I like the fact that this section, designed for laptop space up to 10″ x 14″ x 2″, is positioned firmly along the “back” of the backpack, so you’ve got no lumps or bumps against your spine. The padded sleeve also has a Velcro closure, so even if you stand on your head (or your backpack takes a tumble), your laptop should stay securely in place.
• A zippered mesh compartment–on the front of the padded laptop sleeve, is sufficient for CDs/DVDs or small documents (passport?) you’d like hidden away.
• The middle interior portion is surprisingly wide enough to hold file folders “sideways”, as if they were within hanging folders. Until I tried it, I was sure the interior section would be too narrow and the folders would have to vertically, making it hard to see the labels, but they fit nicely without the folder edges any worse for wear.
• There are padded sections attached to the interior front wall of the pack, almost accordion-style. While the width of these sections does not accommodate files in the normal fashion, they can easily be turned upright. They are also the perfect size to securely hold catalogs, magazines, legal pads, notebooks, a tickler file and any other papers required by a mobile professional.

What I like about the ZUCA Business Backpack:

It’s light and comfortable to wear/carry. I have sensitive shoulders, so the padded straps (yes, I wear both at once) leave me unscathed by friction marks. It also has padded sections on the reverse for shoulder blade and ribcage comfort. Plus, the backpack holds up to the aforementioned qualities re: weight/comfort/ergonomic/styling/materials/etc. one needs for a good professional mobile paper carrying case.

What I love about the ZUCA Business Backpack:

It has a lean architecture and a flat bottom, so that no matter how much it’s stuffed, it won’t fall over, whether it’s in the passenger side floorboard of your car or next to you in a busy airport. Beyond that, ZUCA has designed it with special horizontal straps to perfectly fit your (ZUCA or otherwise) rolling bag’s telescoped handle.

One caveat:  If your laptop is larger than 17″, it might be a tough fit. A 15″ fits snugly within the padded laptop sleeve; a 17″ just has an edge peeking out, but can be held securely with the Velcro strap and is protected by padded backpack lid. A really large laptop might require a specialized bag. But hey, this post is about finding the perfect pack for paper, right?

Since the goal of this blog isn’t just to help you organize your papers but also to help you save more little green pieces of paper, I’m excited to report that the nice people at ZUCA are offering a special bonus for Paper Doll readers. Yay!

When you go shopping at ZUCA’s website (don’t worry, you don’t have to type the umlaut in order to surf there), just enter this discount code at checkout to get 15% off any purchase:

Whatever mobile paper options you select, may you always travel in comfort and style!

P.S. I imagine not even Mamie Eisenhower had luck finding the perfect purse all the time. Keep up the good work, Paper Mommy!