Best Results Organizing

(Andrea Hancock, NAPO-WDC Treasurer and Cris Sgrott-Wheedleton, MARCPO Committee Chair)

Every once in a while, I need to amble away from Paper Doll HQ to mingle with colleagues and find out the latest and greatest in the professional organizing field. Loyal readers are familiar with my recaps of annual National Association of Professional Organizer conferences and expos.

However, last week, I had the pleasure of representing the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers at a new conference. (Well, new to Paper Doll!)

The 14th annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Professional Organizers, fondly known as MARCPO, was held in Bethesda, Maryland, just a stone’s throw from our nation’s capital. I’d always wanted to attend, so representing the BCPO at the MARCPO Expo and answering questions from novice and veteran organizers about the certification program allowed me to mix business (gaining organizing education) with pleasure (socializing and dining) with more business (sharing the gospel of BCPO).

(Cris Sgrott-Wheedleton, delivering opening remarks, with NAPO-WDC Chapter President Janet Schiesl)

EDUCATION

The educational portion of the MARCPO conference started with a “mega-session” presented by psychologist and author Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA. Dr. Tuckman’s “The Psychology of ADHD: Organizing Around a Lifetime of Disorganization” presented some fascinating insights regarding psychological implications of (and solutions for) the neurological condition of ADHD.

I particularly enjoyed how Dr. Tuckman discussed avoidance of challenging or discomforting situations. He noted that uncomfortable feelings are inevitable; the question is, how much power will we give them? He reminded us that “comfort comes after trying something, not before.” In other words, we must be prepared to recognize that action precedes motivation!

Throughout the day, attendees chose one of two concurrent educational sessions in each of three blocks. For me, the highlight of the day was Heather Ahern‘s “Advanced Planning for Your Virtual Afterlife,” from which I hope to share highlights when we discuss the topic in greater depth a few weeks from now. From banking information to Facebook accounts to email and photos, so many of our assets and so much of our personal lives are tied to “the cloud.” But what about when we, ourselves, move to the clouds?

While tangible possessions can be willed to our beneficiaries, most of us give little thought to what might happen with our iTunes or flickr accounts, our blogs and LinkedIn profiles, once we’ve ambled off to that Wi-Fi-enabled Starbucks in the Great Beyond. Heather relayed concepts related to defining digital assets, creating a digital estate plan and even identifying a digital executor.

A substantial portion of the professional organizing experience involves going beyond the tangible to delve into issues of overwhelm and motivation. Susan Samakow presented an enlightening workshop, “Managing Overwhelm: 6 Strategies Your Clients Can Use After You’re Gone” and spoke about identifying strategies to boost confidence, get “unstuck” and move forward towards achieving goals.

Although it wasn’t about organizing, per se, I was intrigued by Sheree Lawlor‘s presentation on “Succession Planning: Do You Know Your Exit Strategy?” Paper Doll hopes to keep Best Results Organizing running in perpetuity, but it was instructive to identify the elements of succession planning, review intangible assets (like business social media accounts and customer community lists) and understand how management culture can impact ownership transition.

In addition to the three sessions I attended throughout the day, other tempting educational options included Jeanne Rossom‘s session on creating a road map for “Getting Better Customers” and Deborah Gallant‘s “What An Organizer Needs to Know to Be Successful in E-Commerce.”

If Heather Ahern’s focus on the virtual afterlife struck a chord in attendees because we all, professional organizer or disorganized soul, must someday shuffle off this mortal coil, Ketura Persellin‘s wardrobe workshop, “Organizing a Clothes Closet? First Unlock Your Client’s Personal Style,” drew attendees who were surely intrigued by more than the idea of helping their clients. We may all pass on, but first, we all hope to look fabulous!

Stephen Kissell‘s closing keynote, “Surviving Life with Laughter,” kept a room full of professional organizers laughing, occasionally groaning, and running in circles. It’s hard to explain how, or why, we ended up costuming our team leaders in newspaper, but Paper Doll must hang a head in shame. My paper 1920’s flapper dress design was soundly thrashed by Abraham Lincoln and the Statue of Liberty.

We were certainly reminded of how humor is an essential element in a professional organizer’s tool kit!

EXPO

In addition to my own table as representative of the BCPO, the MARCPO Expo was populated by a wide variety of local, regional and national exhibitors who provide products and services that augment the organizing experience.

AudioVideoData.com, in business 62 years, is a Washington, DC-based source for multimedia production services. They specialize in restoration and conversion of film, videotape, audiotape and vinyl records to CDs, DVDs and web-based applications.

Partner Estate Sales‘ booth displayed a dollhouse full of treasures (or teeny-tiny clutter, depending on one’s perspective), drawing the charmed attention of each attendee. From total liquidation of households to downsizing assistance, they help with everything from auctions and estate sales to appraisals.

ShelfGenie, a beloved NAPO associate member, custom-designs, builds and installs Glide-Out™ shelving solutions for all types of home cabinetry.

Yuck Old Paint certainly had the quirkiest business name. This eco-friendly company is the first in the Washington, DC area to offer a green service for picking up and removing old cans of paint from commercial spaces, corporate properties and private residences. They’re branching out, so watch for them in your neck of the woods (so you can clear space in your garage or basement and conveniently get rid of those toxic and messy paints).


Creative Home Decor Services‘ Joe Minor and Sally Reinholt deserve a special shout-out from Paper Doll. Without Joe and Sally (and their amazing supply of super-sticky Gorilla Tape), I’d have been lost, unable to figure out how to hang grommeted banners safely in a hotel conference room. Creative Home Decor Services offers everything to make homes aesthetically-pleasing, from decorative paint finishes to installation of ceiling fans, light fixtures and closets, from handyman services to even color consultations. They also displayed some exemplary, stunning photographs from their partner company, Eye 2 Eye Photography.

Clearly Noted rocks! Paper Doll admits bias, as my colleague Jill Yesko owns and founded the company, which creates lovely greeting cards to inspire, encourage, motivate and congratulate people on their organizing efforts. (This one, of course, is my favorite!)

(Jill Yesko, founder of Clearly Noted (and likely inspiration for Disney-Pixar’s Brave), is seen here modeling a luscious Office Candy Jamie Raquel file tote.)

Clear Gear is new, but as an organizational tool that can provide portable, transparent storage while collecting and categorizing everything from toiletries to doll clothes to electronic paraphernalia, it has a bright future ahead of it. These sturdy, heavy-duty bags have nifty little “feet” to keep them in place, and we all agreed we expect to see Clear Gear charming everyone at a full-sized NAPO Expo in future years.

Office Candy has been profiled on these pages before. The Office Candy Gals, owner Laurie Noelle Meek and #1 U.S. Consultant Cara Brook, were on hand to show off the darn-tootin’-est, cutest and prettiest office supplies out there. As a paper-lover, I had a difficult time choosing among the gorgeous file folders, the Jonathan Adler “Note To Moi” notepads, and the Knock Knock Sticky Notes. Office Candy. Yum.

SOCIAL NETWORKING (OLD SCHOOL)

No professional organizer gathering would be complete without noshing. In addition to munching on bagels at breakfast and standing in line for tiramisu after lunch, dining collaborations started early at Guapo’s the night before MARCPO (below) and continued on in the Doubletree Bethesda wine bar, long after the conference ended.

(Casual Mode: Andrea Hancock, NAPO-WDC Treasurer (with adventurous beverage) and Janet Schiesl, President)

(Speaker Susan Samakow and Office Candy Gal-Pal Cara Brooke)

(Cris, again, with Janice Rasmussen, MARCPO Speaker Coordinator)

A good (and educational) time was had by all!