Best Results Organizing

I should be mingling, but I’ve ducked into the other room to catch the end of my favorite movie:

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Harry:  I love how you get cold when it’s seventy-one degrees out.  I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich.  I love that you get a little crinkle right there when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts.  I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes.  And I love that you’re the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night.  And it’s not because I’m lonely.  And it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve.  I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

Sally:  That is just like you, Harry.  You say things like that, and you make it impossible for me to hate you, and I hate you, Harry.  I really hate you.  I hate you.

“AULD LANG SYNE” continues in the background.  

Harry:  What does this song mean?  My whole life, I have never known what this song means. I mean, “Should old acquaintance be forgot”?  Does that mean we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we happen to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot them?

Sally:  Well, maybe it just means that we should remember that wee forgot them or something.  Anyway, it’s about old friends.

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This is a time to recall “auld acquaintance”, and as we approach a sparkling new year, to introduce Paper Doll readers to other great and inspiring blogs.  Harry crashed the party Sally attended, so let’s think of today’s post as a New Year’s Eve party I’m hosting, and I’m introducing you to some new organizing friends with whom you can mingle.

First, pass the hors d’oeuvres trays to a few of my fellow OnlineOrganizing.com Blog Central pals.  Janet Barclay writes Technology as an Organizing Tool.  Between the two of us, with paper and tech, I like to think we can help you get all your information organized.  Janet’s a virtual assistant who specializes in organizing the organizers (whew!) so you know she knows her stuff.  Suzanne Babb is a double-delight.  She has not only blogged here about getting over computer fears and Setting and Achieving Goals, her Let’s Talk Organizing blog and podcast really energize a lively but practical approach to solving organizing challenges at work and at home.

Like the decorations at this end-of-the-year party?  (Go along with me here, folks.  It’s a blog!) Most long-time readers know that my posts tend to favor function over form.  It’s not that aesthetics aren’t important; it’s just that I was the gal still making stick figures in 10th grade art class.  For a blog on creative organizing from the visual perspective, Aby Garvey‘s Creative Organizing blog is a superb place to start your new year.  It’s joyous to view, and you’ll learn something, too!

No party is complete without twin planets around whom partiers circulate and conversation flows. Meet the double-trouble of Krista Colvin and Brandie Kajino.  You may know these gals from their hilarious and informative radio program The O-Myth, where they break down that stick-in-the-mud reputation often applied to organizing and those of us who practice it.  They’ve interviewed everyone from Oprah’s pal, Peter Walsh, to Unclutterer‘s Erin Doland. 

What?  You don’t know Erin? (There’s some snippy socialite at every party (though not Paper Doll‘s) who wants you to feel small if you don’t know the person it’s de rigueur to know.  Well, Unclutterer is the blog that must be known!  Start reading now, and catch up by reading the Sunday “year-ago” posts.)   

But back to Krista and Brandie.  Did you know these gals blog, too?  Brandi’s blog, The Home Office Organizer, offers everything the solopreneur needs–organizing advice, money- and time-saving tips and a pixieish cheer that keeps you motivated.  Krista’s Organize In Style is all about keeping it together–the job, the house, the kids, the life–and is a cool introduction to her whole SheBang program.

There’s no band* at this New Year’s Eve shindig, but if you want a little entertainment with your organizing, make time to get to know John Trosko‘s Organizing LA Blog.  It’s fun, a little zany, and sometimes it feels like our industry’s own Entertainment Tonight. To wit, no matter where you reside, see what he has to say about the 2009 Los Angeles Organizing Awards. 

Oh, were you wondering if John’s the lone guy out there blogging about organizing?  Be assured, he’s not, and let’s wander over to the beverage area to introduce you to Scott Roewer of DeclutterYou.com.  (He’s the one who shares my love of diet Coke.) From saving money to saving space, high tech to low stress, Scott’s got you covered, and while I’d never call him cartoonish, he’s been known to get animated.  And we can’t forget Jim Deitzel, chief cook and blogger/bottle-washer of the fabulous Rubbermaid blog, who is so supportive of the organizing industry.

Look who just walked into the party, fashionably attired and trailed by paparazzi!!  It’s Monica Ricci of Your Life. Organized.  Ok, I’ll admit it–she’s the first professional organizer I ever met (all those years ago), and I’m still floored by how she wears success like a comfy sweater.  Monica may be a national spokeswoman, a sought-after national speaker, a published author, a favorite radio and TV guest and so much more, but reading her blog is like going to lunch with an old friend who is so ready to dish the latest dirt to make organizing even more fun.

And who arrived with Monica?  That’s none other than Lorie Marrero!  Her ClutterDiet blog is a charming surprise–like that workout class you sign up for because you want to shed that holiday poundage, but you discover silly friends with whom you’d work out even if you magically had Beyonc’s waistline (and moves)?  Who else but Lorie would tell you about bed spectacles so you can watch TV when you’re lying down?  Who else would retrofit her office to make a treadmill desk?

Every hostess needs friends who turn us on to the best bakeries and caterers.  (Seriously. Paper Doll does not cook!)  Well, for knowing what’s going on…everywhere…a tip of my blogger-hostess hat to Allison Carter, who’s not only my mirror image, creatively Right Brain Organizing when I’m step-by-stepping it on the left), but she’s keeping our whole industry up to date with her Organizer U blog.

At every great soire, someone’s circulating with a camera, making sure that the revelry is captured for posterity.  At this party, that’s Jeri Dansky of the eponymous Jeri’s Organizing & Decluttering News, and she just leaves me awed. Proving that a picture is worth a thousand words, and obviously putting hours of research behind every themed picture-filled post, Jeri is the resource queen of professional organizing.  If there’s a tangible product for storing or organizing, or a service or site to make your life easier, Jeri is the first to find it and share it with readers.  Jeri’s blog rocks–don’t miss out. 

I hope you get to know these great bloggers in 2009, and I haven’t even told you about…  Oh, will you look at the time?  How organized would I be if I missed the main event of my own party?

5!!!…4!!!…3!!!…2!!!…1!!!

*Readers, please write in.  What would be the best band to play at a party of professional organizers and organizing bloggers?  What songs would make up the play list?

Dear Readers:

Faithful fans of Paper Doll know that as much as I love organizing paper, I try to recognize that sometimes you just have to open yourself to the whimsical notion that organizing for function isn’t always the only way to go.  For example, you may recall that right in the middle of our series on solving book clutter (here and here),  I talked about fabulous, if not functional ways to organize books.  Well, the holidays bring a vivid example:

Yes, the book “tree” is lovely (though bibliophiles are surely blanching at the structural damage being done to the spines and pages). But what’s truly adorable about this Christmas Book-Tree is the video of the two little children who brought it to fruition.  (Click to watch the video and then check out the blog.  It’s OK. I’ll wait.)  I’m not sure whether these tykes are Dutch blogger/designer Frank Visser’s own progeny, but their obvious delight in creation reminds us of the child in all of us and that sometimes, stepping away from organization and structure can open us to new possibilities.

There’s no paper, but we do have what appear to be paper clips, in the Hanukkah celebration on Terry Border’s amazing Bent Objects blog.  For the uninitiated, those dreidel-spinning gamblers are latkes, or delicious, golden potato pancakes. The coins are called gelt and don’t let them melt–they’re chocolate!

So, let the holidays of this remarkable year end with enchantment, not stress.  Get down on the floor and color (outside the lines) and make a Kwanzaa kinara with your kids out of cardboard and tissue paper.  

Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or some combination thereof, please take time to enjoy your families and friends.  Tuck away the reusable wrapping paper if you can, update your address book via Christmas card return-address labels if you are able, but give yourself a Get Out of Clutter Jail Free card.  Don’t stress about filing away the manuals for the new gadgets, tossing the holiday cards or getting to that backlog of catalogs and holiday-themed magazines and recipes.  There will be time enough for that, later on.  Organizing is about making your space, time and thoughts work well for you.  So declutter any errant thoughts that keep you from enjoying this time of year, and let the rosy glow of Rudolph’s nose soften your focus on your surroundings. Just enjoy.

It shouldn’t be surprising that as a professional organizer, I usually encourage people to give gifts of experiences.  In my holiday-themed ebook, Simplify the Season & Save Your Sanity, I nudge readers to acquire gifts that don’t need to be dry-cleaned, dusted, stored or maintained.  There are oodles of gift categories, things that keep on giving and are appreciated and remembered long after the excess wrapping paper has been recycled.  For example:

Education—What could do a better job of showing you’ve actually been listening to your loved one all along than pre-paying for lessons in whatever he or she has always wanted to learn, know or do? Studying cooking, music and self-defense are intellectual as well as physical pursuits that allow your recipient to share the knowledge and experience with others.  If you haven‘t been paying attention, create a gift certificate (in your price range) that promises to pay for real-world or online classes in whatever they pick:  a foreign language, ballroom dance, quilting, horseback riding, driver’s education, scrapbooking or whatever else delights. 

Entertainment—The options are boundless, from individual tickets to sporting events, concerts or comedy clubs to a full season at the symphony, or a lecture or theater series.  Check out local community theaters, universities, and even high school schedules for offbeat music and entertainment offerings.  This way, their memories will live on long after the holidays.

Practicality—Not everyone wants something shiny and new; sometimes, a gift can make everyday life easier and less expensive.  Drivers might love gift certificates for oil changes, car washes or detailing, or annual auto club memberships.  For college students or others on a fixed income, multiple months of internet, cable/satellite, movie services (like Netflix) or cellular service are practical, but also mean they can spend their money spontaneously on something fun.

Pampering—Bust their stress with gift certificates for haircuts and styling, spa facials, or a massage.  Got guys on your list?  Many day spas have special packages for athletes and sportsmen, and you just know those are gifts they’d be unlikely to purchase for themselves.  Have a pal struggling to quit smoking or lose weight? How about pre-paid sessions with a hypnotherapist or acupuncturist? For a more lavish gift, consider 3-month gym memberships, time with a fitness trainer or a night at a cozy bed & breakfast?

Tasty Treats—No clutter here (except on our bodies, in which case, reread the previous section on hiring a fitness trainer).  There are any number of food-of-the month clubs, and some amazing fruit, vegetable, meat, and dessert delivery.  Some of Paper Doll‘s favorites include Harry & David, Cushman’s, Vermont Shortbread Company and oh-my-gosh Zingerman’s.  Yum!

Sports Adventure—The thrill-lovers on your list might get giddy over gifts of hot-air ballooning or hang gliding.  Wouldn’t your huge NASCAR fan love a ride-along at the Richard Petty Driving Experience?  There are price points for every level of adventurer: pre-paid time in the batting cages might be just as exciting for some people as a week of baseball fantasy camp; a fulfilled promise to go camping with your kid might be a much bigger deal than a month at a fancy summer camp.
 
A Whole New Year—Secure a state (or multiple state) fishing license, a U.S. National Parks annual pass or year of college alumni or professional association dues.  Gifts of memberships at local attractions like zoos, art galleries, science museums and historical societies may even be reciprocated when your recipients travel nationwide.  Even if a company doesn’t have a formal full-year subscription, ask if they’ll create something for your budget.

Organization—All of the above gifts are intangibles or at least only briefly-tangibles, in the case of the foodstuffs.  But the ironic thing about organizing is that most gifts of organization require something tangible, taking up space.  (One exception?  A gift certificate to work with a professional organizer.  Check out the National Association of Professional Organizers or OnlineOrganizing.com‘s referral services to get you started.)

There are other great organizational gifts that are tangible, but if properly used, help eliminate clutter.  For example, when we talked about identity theft, we discussed the importance of having a shredder.  But if your loved one already has a shredder (or wouldn’t consider one to be an acceptable holiday present), how about adding a stocking stuffer like stainless steel shredding scissors?

Fireproof safes, tickler files and label makers are also great clutter-reducing gifts.  They are tangible, but these practical gift ideas help reduce paper clutter, protect financial identities and in the case of label makers, are just downright nifty to use.  I prefer tiny ones, but my colleague Brandie Kajino just put up a cool video review of the Dymo LabelWriter Twin Turbo, which is even able to print postage.

I hear you saying, “But what about organizing books, Paper Doll?”  With so many great titles out there (just look at all the paper organizing books OnlineOrganizing.com carries!), it would be hard to pick only a few (and impossible not to mention my own Tickle Yourself Organized).  Instead, Paper Doll will start adding book reviews to the blog in 2009 to cover all the decluttering books out there.  So instead, I’d just like to mention two organizing-related books that would make great and useful gifts this season:

First, I’d consider The Boomer Burden: Dealing with Your Parents’ Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff by Julie Hall, a professional estate contents expert and certified property appraiser.  I have to admit, I’m always a little wary of organizing-related books written by other than professional organizers, but I can strongly recommend Hall’s practical style of dealing with downsizing elderly parents’ belongings. 

Hall focuses on the serious issues, like how to watch for the onset of mental and physical health-related obstacles, but she also has a humorous and no-nonsense approach.  For example, in her chapter “The Hearse Doesn’t Have a Trailer Hitch”, she notes that clients sometimes talk about items passed down from a distant relative in 1837.  Hall says “As an appraiser, this is the part where I have to say that they had junk in 1837, too.  Just because it is old, does not mean it is valuable.”  This is a wonderful book to share with your sandwich generation friends, the same ones you told about my September post on “nana technology”.

Bob Sullivan’s Gotcha Capitalism: How Hidden Fees Rip You Off Every Day-and What You Can Do About It is another winner in my book.  Organizing is all about doing things better–saving time, saving money, reducing stress and being more productive.  Well, we’ve all been paying hidden fees for just about everything:  credit card companies and banks, cell phone, internet and long distance services, groceries and gift cards, student loans and insurance!  You can be sure those hidden fees aren’t just wasting our money, but also our time and productivity, and that sure stresses Paper Doll!

Sullivan doesn’t merely scare or depress with the facts; he provides a toolkit of scripts and sample letters to help you get refunds, negotiate lower interest rates, remove fees, and stop a sales pitch in its tracks.  Every grown-up on your list, but especially graduating students and newly out-of-the-nest young adults, would be lucky to get this as a gift.

Finally, in case you’re wondering what Paper Doll would like for Hanukkah this year, my tastes haven’t changed much throughout 2008.  I probably don’t need the calorie clutter of my beloved Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, but if anyone has a direct line to seemingly-streamlined George Clooney , I’d gladly accept (no matter how much secret clutter he may have).

Paper Doll hates to clutter up your screen or RSS feed with a second post today, but I just had to share some exciting news.

First, a hearty thank-you to Rubbermaid’s blogger extraordinaire, Jim Deitzel, for profiling me on the Rubbermaid Adventures in Organization blog.  I was interviewed as part of their ongoing Q&A with a Professional Organizer series. Please take a peek, and feel free to post a comment to let Jim and the folks at Rubbermaid know you appreciate their support of the professional organizing community and everybody’s efforts to get organized.

So that was LAST week.  This week, I’m excited to announce that I’ll be one of the guests on WBO (Women Business Owners) BlogTalk Radio.  I’ll be interviewed tomorrow (Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 11 a.m. EST), but if that’s the middle of the night in your time zone or you’ll be busy doing other things, be assured you’ll be able to listen to the rebroadcast for quite some time after the show airs.  If you are able to make it, click the Set Reminder link on the right side of the WBO BlogTalk Radio page and WBO will even send you a timely reminder to click to listen to the show.

Even better, if you’ve got a pressing organizing questions (not just about paper), you’ll have a chance to call in.  The WBO (Women Business Owners) BlogTalk Radio call-in number is 347-205-9229.

Paper Doll now returns you to your regularly scheduled Tuesday.

If you traveled over Thanksgiving week, chances are good that you returned to a mailbox as fully and robustly overstuffed   as you felt last Thursday night.  Even if you didn’t travel, I’m sure you noticed your mail carrier struggling and your daily mail piles exhibiting a growth spurt. 

Sure, you’re seeing more ads and coupons, inveigling you to spend your precious little green bits of paper, and perhaps you’ve seen greetings from those early-bird friends who address holiday cards while they watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. But the biggest contribution to all that Mail Call Clutter?  Requests for charitable giving! 

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by requests for charitable donations.  Certainly, you want to help further the causes about which you’re concerned (children’s issues, healthcare, the environment, animals, education, poverty…and the list goes on), but you may be troubled by multiple concerns regarding the charitable-giving process:

Limited Funds
No one individual (heck–not even Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey combined) has the funds to solve all of the world’s troubles.  You may wonder if your contribution, even if it’s all you can comfortably provide, has the power to make a difference.

Competing Interests
Weighing charitable-giving options against one another can paralyze you into doing nothing, letting the piles of requests (and their associated letters and “gifts” of themed return address labels) creep across the kitchen table and overtake your office desk. 

Just as you couldn’t take as much as you wanted from the Thanksgiving buffet because the elastic in your waistband could stretch no farther, your finances are finite and the number of charitable giving options, even just the non-profits actively seeking your help, are practically infinite.  Responding to each request is no more suitable an answer than ignoring them all but letting the papers clutter your surroundings and the guilt of non-responsiveness clutter your heart and mind.

Frustration and Confusion with Repeated Requests
Months ago, when we talked about magazines, we noted that subscription departments start sending renewal requests almost immediately after you’ve just renewed.  They count on you forgetting you’ve re-upped or your significant other being unaware that you’ve already renewed. 

While non-profit organizations certainly have more lofty goals than scamming you out of your money sooner than you planned, they nonetheless present you with an onslaught of requests.  If you give to Charity A in December, not only will you receive repeated requests over the ensuing months for “Special Giving Opportunities” to Charity A, but in many cases, you will receive requests from similarly-themed Charities B, C, D to double-Z because many non-profits earn revenue by selling their “lists”.

So what are the solutions to counter these frustrations?

Instead of choosing between the weight of guilt or the fear of exceeding your holiday (or monthly) budget, remember that there are better alternatives to feeling pressured into sitting down and writing a check to every cause that owns a bulk mail stamp–and none involve getting a sub-prime loan, robbing street-corner Santas or letting charitable clutter creep through your home.  Instead:

• PLAN YOUR CHARITABLE GIVING BUDGET, not only for the holiday season, but for the upcoming year.

This may shock many of you who have been conditioned by the “This offer is available for a limited time only.  Operators are standing by!” mentality, but non-profits are always in need of money.  In fact, some receive the bulk of their donations in the Fourth Quarter and then suffer from lack of funds by the middle of the next year.

Just because you get dozens of requests for donations in December, your contributions will be no less valuable, life-saving or appreciated if sent three or six months down the line.  Create and label a manila folder to collect all of the requests you receive for holiday donations, and during a quiet moment on New Year’s Day or soon after, sip some hot chocolate and review the requests.  (Make a note on your calendar and treat this as if it were a formal appointment with the director of each of the non-profit organizations.  You’ll be more inclined to keep the appointment.)

Start by picking the charities that mean the most to you.  Ask yourself, “If I had only $50 (or $5, or $100…) to donate to charity, which non-profit would give me the greatest joy to help?  Which would make me feel the most satisfied in my choice?” 

There’s no right or wrong answer.  While one person might donate to help political prisoners in an impoverished nation, another might choose to support an animal shelter two blocks away.  One of you heroes might choose to donate to medical research to find a cure for a disease that afflicts millions while another might give to one family whose home burned down in a fire. 

Remember:  you can’t give to everyone, but you can feel good about to whom you choose to give.

As you sort through the pile of requests, determine two things:

1)  How much can you comfortably afford to give each month?  (Don’t forget any charities to whom you’ve already obligated yourself with pledges, such as your house of worship’s building fund, your alma mater or public television/radio.)

2)  How do you want to parcel your gifts out? 

That is, do you want to give to 12 charities, and assign one to each month of the year (or six charities, every other month, or one per quarter)?  If so, tuck the envelopes away in your tickler file or bill-paying center.  In this way, you can keep the spirit of giving alive throughout the year without being overwhelmed or over budget.

Or, would you prefer to give to one or two particular charities all year long?  In that case, look into setting up a recurring donation on the same day of the month through your online bill-paying system.  (You could schedule payments via credit card, but that would end up costing the non-profit extra money in merchant account fees.)

Just because you receive address labels or a small gift does not obligate you to make a donation to a charity, just as receiving holiday card from a distant acquaintance does not obligate you add the individual to your card list.  Don’t let them turn advertising techniques into a free ticket on the Guilt Trip Express.

• BUDGET CASH FOR AD HOC DONATIONS, such as when you encounter a Salvation Army bell-ringer or want to purchase a meal for a homeless person. 

If you’ve decided you can spend $100 (for example) on charitable donations, set aside $5 or $10 in singles in a separate section of your wallet so you can make unplanned donations without breaking your budget.

• PARTNER WITH OTHERS to achieve a charitable giving goal.  For example, propose that you and your networking colleagues (or you and your Pilates class buddies), donate the monetary equivalent of one networking lunch or one post-class Jumpy Java to one specific charitable goal. 

Or, if you wish to keep the spirit going all year, create a charitable giving club the same way you’d start an investment club.  Instead of collecting articles about stocks and mutual funds, collect the brochures and request letters from non-profits and bring them to your group meetings.  (You’ll be less inclined to toss a charitable request on top of your microwave if you know a group member feels passionately about that same cause.)

• INVEST TIME IN EDUCATING YOURSELF ABOUT CHARITIES

Not all non-profits are created alike.  Learn about the charities to which you are considering giving financial support.  Find out what percentage of donations will be used for funding programs, research, etc., and what percentage goes towards advertising, paying staff, etc.  To get you started, investigate potential recipient charities via:
GuideStar.org‘s basic level provides free access to information that lets you verify a charity’s legitimacy, learn whether your prospective contribution will be tax deductible, view a non-profit’s IRS Form 990, or find out more about a their programs, mission statement and financial activities.  Their database is huge, with well over one million non-profits included.

  The Better Business Bureau’s web site for charities offers Wise Giving Reports, explains charity accountability standards and provides background information on all the non-profits in their accredited charity directory.

The American Institute of Philanthropy operates CharityWatch.org.  Review their A-Z (well, A-Y, from the AARP Foundation to the Youth Development Fund) listings of hundreds of charities to learn more about their operations.
And, thanks to a reminder from reader Susan, I am editing this post to include CharityNavigator.org, which evaluates the financial health of thousands of America’s largest charities.  Browse by charity name or category, and check out their blog, articles and charity ratings.

• GIVE (actual) GIFTS OF CHARITY

There are some people who have everything, need nothing, and for whom peace, tranquility and kindness are precious gifts.  (Stop laughing!)  Most of us like unwrapping something shiny, but there are special opportunities at the holidays to provide gifts that, while not in tangible form for the giftee, provide profound intangible meaning for them while providing something tangible to the third-party recipients (the hungry, the impoverished, the innocent, the needy) of your largess.

In case you’re wondering, some of Paper Doll‘s favorite charities are listed right here on my blog, in my Doing Well By Doing Good blogroll on the right side of the page.  (For those of you reading via an RSS subscription page, click here to see a small subset of the non-profits that float Paper Doll‘s boat.)  And just this past weekend, my esteemed colleague, Jeri Dansky, had a great blog post about giving charitable gifts.

In a future post, we’ll talk about tracking your charitable giving paperwork for tax time.  For right now, just be sure to make a notation on the request letter to show how much you sent, on what date, using what method (check, credit card, etc.) File the letter in the tax prep section of your family files until you receive an official confirmation of your donation.

In the meantime, feel good.  You did a good deed for someone else, and you halted the charitable clutter creep.