Stephanie LH Calahan - Business Transformation Catalyst

3 Tips for Breaking the Clutter Cycle at Your Desk

Guest post by Kenneth McCall

 Over the course of history, plenty of landmark scientific breakthroughs and literary masterpieces have resulted from the minds of people with messy desks.

Albert Einstein himself is often cited as inspiration (or justification) by the worst clutter offenders.

Perhaps your favorite college professor worked from amidst towers of books, articles and paperwork, setting an example that you’ve happily followed for years.

Chances are, however, that your professor (and definitely Einstein) didn’t have to deal with all of the distractions today’s professionals fend off on a daily basis.

Stacks of paperwork are one thing, but when they’re compounded by endless emails, Facebook updates, and text messages, it can become increasingly difficult to focus on the task at hand.

That said, some people won’t give up their mess. But deep down inside, if you feel like getting rid of some clutter would help you to be more productive, here’s where to start:

 

Psychology of Clutter

What do you think of when you think of the word "clutter"?

Do you think of the piles of papers on your desk (and/or floor)?

Do you think of your over stuffed closet?

Do you think of your schedule, stuffed to the max with obligations?

Clutter is often represented by piles of stuff, but did you know there is a psychology of clutter? 

Have you ever had someone come to your space and help you get it cleaned up and organized, only to find that it was a big mess a few weeks or months later? 

Maybe it is because you only addressed the stuff.

Barbara Hemphill coined the phrase "Clutter is Postponed Decisions."

I often say that clutter is 80% emotion and 20% stuff.

Here is a great short article from the Denver Post on Psychology of Clutter.  What do you think?

http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_8060057

Fabulous Drop Zone / Grab & Go Zone Tools for Your Office or Home

When I attend a meeting and someone shows up late, I have a tendency to ask them (later of course) what caused their delay.  Over 85% of the time they are late because they could not find their keys or their phone.

The search for critical items often causes stress and irritation for you and for everyone else that you might be holding up.

The good news is that you can put one simple thing in place to fix that problem once and for all. 

Add a grab & go zone to your office and home!

Simple Tool for Organizing All of Your Travel Information

Anyone that travels frequently knows that a well organized set of travel documents makes the trip much less stressful.  Scrambling to find your passport or boarding pass is never a good feeling!  Over the years, I have sampled a number of different systems.  Some that I made myself and some that were pre-manufactured for travel.  

Smead sent me a couple of samples of their Travel Organizer a few weeks ago and I have been using them so I could give you the scoop.  Keep reading for what I found out.

Tracking How to Get It All Done & Avoid Information Overload-Interview With @Springpad CEO @jeffjaner

Information Overload is a topic that comes up frequently when I talk with people about what holds their productivity back. Many people have become "information junkies" collecting all kinds of information but not having it in a format that makes it usable. 

Jeff Janer and his team at Spring Partners saw that coming a few years ago and developed a great tool called Springpad.  Today I talk with Jeff and he shares some great insight on how Springpad could be one of your Productivity Powerhouse Tools.

Simple Things You Can Do to Go Green in Your Business

Reduce -- Reuse -- Recycle.  We have heard those words for quite some time now.  Did you know that by going "green" with your business in addition to helping our planet you can:

• save money
• create space
• create a healthier environment for you and your employees
• market to a different segment of the population, and
• help your bottom line?

When you and your employees start thinking green, your mindset about waste changes.  This not only impacts the environment, but will frequently get you looking at waste in other parts of your business (like wasted time).  You might be shocked at all of the streamlining you will identify.  Today I'll talk about some simple things you can consider to start being a bit more green today.

Productive Communication & Marketing : How to Manage All of Those Links! Interview with @ItsMyURLs CEO @hustle247

How many social networks do you belong to?  How many different web sites are related to you personally or professionally?  I bet the number is more than five.  How are you managing all of those different urls? Do you even remember signing up for everything?

Now, take a look at your business card, brochures or other social media profiles.  The other day I was in a meeting and saw a card that had the back covered with 2 different QR codes and the front had a few different urls. When I asked about it, he said that he would have put more if he had had room on the card. 

The world of communication has changed my friends.  It is no longer about telling your customers and prospects to connect with you in one location.  Smart businesses are going to where their customers and prospects spend time.  That often means that we are spending various amounts of time on a number of social media sites or niche sites along with the sites we have created for our own businesses.

Thanks to the ItsMyURLs team, you don't have to have that kind of clutter in your marketing materials!  Today I interview the CEO of the Boston-based company, Eddy Inserra, and he'll tell us more about how you can connect all of your websites in one spot and reference ONE url or QR code. 

I call ItsMyURLs one of my productivity powerhouse tools.

How to Manage Other People's Papers Messing with Your Home-Based-Business

If I did not have their stuff all over the place, I might get something done!

I hear this story all of the time when I talk with professionals that are contacting me for help with productivity and organization.  When you have an office, or your only office, in the home there are usually added complications.  One complication is other people's stuff!  

Link Lineup: Letting Go, Business Growth, Leadership and More

Every other Wednesday, I share links to a number of different blogs and sites.  Today, you can see content on:

• Coaching
• Letting Go / Focus
• Business Growth / Marketing
• Leadership

Paper Piles - 3 Tricks to Eliminate the Avalanche

Your desktop and frankly any other horizontal surface are the hardest places to keep clear.  Bills to pay, to-do lists, event invites, magazines you have been meaning to read, orders you need to fill, and the list goes on and on. 

Often, we keep things "out" - either spread around or stacked - on our desk and other surfaces because we don't want to forget to do something that we have deemed important or don't want to forget.

Today I'll share 3 tricks that have worked for me and my clients.

Start the New Year off with a New Focus on Your Personal Affairs

It is hard to believe that it is already January!  It is Get Organized Month and now is a great time to focus on your personal affairs.  Rather than rushing in April to make sure that all of your paper work is in order, do it now and start off the year with a kick!

It is interesting to me that many entrepreneurs and business owners spend the majority of their time completely consumed by their business and totally neglect their personal affairs.

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5 Tips for Productivity, Organizing and Changing Your Life

Have you ever had one of those days or weeks where nothing goes as you originally planned? Well, if you have, you are not alone.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the average person spends over 150 hours per year just looking for information.  The Esselte company conducted a study of over 2,600 executives and found that the average executive wastes 6 week a year just looking for lost documents and information. 

If your business is not effectively organized, it’s costing you money.  If you are like the average executive, I bet that you have a lot of things that you would like to do, but don't have the time.  You are so busy working you can't even imagine taking time off to enjoy life.  It is not an easy problem to solve – otherwise there would not be so many places with this problem!  The good news is that you can solve it!

Tips to Go Almost Paperless

"Steph, do you have some ideas for how I can go paperless?  I have so many piles and I don't want to file it all."  ~ Sabrina from Georgia Back in the 1970s there were numerous predictions that we would be a paperless society by now!  That certainly has not happened, has it?!  In fact, most of us have more paper to manage today than ever before. Did you know that the average person in the United States uses 749 pounds of paper every year?

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If the amount of paper around you causes you concern...

If you would like to go the paperless, or almost paperless, you can!

Today I'll share a few tips for how you can begin to free yourself from piles of paper, clear your desks and possibly save some trees in the process.

Personal Productivity, Organization and Mindset #Cinch Podcasts In One Location

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All Productivity and Organization Audio Cinchcasts

 

Personal Productivity

 

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Productive Social Networking-Making the Most of Your Twitter & Facebook Experience - Do You Use Lists?

Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are growing in popularity for not only those that want to get in touch with family and lost friends, but also for business professionals.

One of the challenges as you get going with these sites, however, is the massive amount of infomation that starts coming at you.  If you are like me, you follow/friend people for a number of reasons.  When everyone's information is jumbled together, it is hard to focus and build relationships (that is one of the main reasons for the sites afterall -- building relationships) or gather knowledge.

One great way to cut through the clutter and stay focused is to use the lists function.  Both Twitter and Facebook give you the option to "list" your connections.  Today I'll share more about why you may want to do that as well as share some thoughts from my friends on Twitter.

Watch for Episode #3 of TLC's Hoarding: Buried Alive Show

TLC recently began airing a series called "Hoarding: Buried Alive"  and I'd like you to consider watching episode #3.

Wile my blog normally talks about organizing and productivity as it relates to your office and work environment, I'm sharing information on this show and specific episode for two reasons:

1 -- Hoarding affects millions of people, including individuals with hoarding behavior or tendencies, family members who fear for their loved one’s health and safety, neighbors and public officials. Multiple generations can be impacted by an individual that struggles with hoarding.  Shows such as this one are creating a greater awareness of hoarding behaviors as well as some of the strategies used to work with people who hoard.

2 -- We were honored that the TLC series selected our very own Ellen Hankes CPO-CD (certified professional organizer in chronic disorganization) to work with Mary.  On Sunday evening, March 28th, TLC television will air a show that was filmed in Omaha, Nebraska. Hoarding: Buried Alive features Mary as she works to address her extreme volume of personal belongings. Ellen served as the consulting Professional Organizer for the show. 

Hoarding behavior typically has two aspects: that of acquiring and saving of items with little or no value coupled with extreme difficulty in discarding these items. 

Top 9 Mistaken Organizing Statements

There are a number of statements that I have heard people say over the years with regard to their organizing projects.  They are the top mistakes that you can make when thinking about getting your space and time under control. 

Clean up the Clutter on Your Facebook Newsfeed

From a Reader:  Steph, I love all of the connections that I can make on Facebook, but I am so sick of the goofy games.  I don't care about virtual pillow fights or mafia wars or what color underwear you are wearing!  Is there a way to cut the clutter and still stay in touch with my friends?  Thanks - Tamera 

Tamera, I'm with you!  I love the ease that I can connect with people from all over the world, but I am not a game player.  I use Facebook to build new relationships and reconnect with people.  Playing games keeps me from my priorities. 

There is good news!  If you are among the growing crowd of people that avoid Facebook because you just don't have timeor don't care to scroll through the myriad of games your friends are participating in, today I'll share how to get rid of the clutter.  Read on to learn how to clean up your Facebook stream -- getting rid of the games, while still seeing the funny/engaging things your friends talk about.

The Great Organizing Giveaway is Here!

The new year is a great time to think of ways that you can improve your life -- Getting Organized always lands in the top 10 lists of New Year Resolutions.  There are many outstanding resources available help you, but I often hear that it is hard to find them.  Our solution was to get the resources available in one spot!

The Great Organizing Giveaway is Here!

Free Yourself From Car Clutter: Five Easy Ways To Keep Your Car Organized When Traveling

(Guest post: Barbara Hemphill)

It’s a common sight: soda cans, gum wrappers, and snack bags strewn all over the floor; books, magazines, and carrying cases haphazardly placed on a seat; and miscellaneous papers and
trinkets shoved into any nook and cranny available. What is this disorganized place? A college frat house, a mad scientist’s office? No. It’s the typical disorganized car--and it could easily belong to you or someone you know. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, the automobile is still the most common means of getting to your destination. In fact, for many people, their car has become their "home away from home," with extended car trips a part of daily life.

Planner Or Tickler (1-31) File? - How to Use Both For Optimal Professional & Personal Productivity

(guest post by Meggin McIntosh)

A question that often comes up in workshops as well as on my blog is this one: How do you suggest people use their calendar (planner) in conjunction with the tickler (1-31) files? Sometimes I wonder if I am duplicating my efforts by using a calendar and the tickler files. It seems like the tickler file is a good place to keep the papers that go along with the tasks, but there still feels like there's some redundancy when I prioritize my to-dos that are in the form of paper and the daily to-dos on my calendar. What are your thoughts in this area?

I've Had Enough and I'm Doing Something About It!

I've had a lot of clients over the yearsthat have waged war on their paper, but a while ago I received a letter in the mail that made me smile and say, "You GO Girl!" 

Mary and I had completed a strategy session that included ideas for how she could manage the ever mounting piles of paper in her home office.  She had good ideas about what she needed to keep and what to let go of, but over time, the piles had just accumulated and had grown to an overwhelming amount.  We came up with an idea that was fun and managed the situation really well.  I'll tell you about it today.  See if any of her statements resonate with you too.

Specializing in Chronic Disorganization is Not Easy, But Ellen Did It - Ellen Hankes Earns CPO-CD Designation!

Ellen Hankes is the 1st Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization (CPO-CD®) in both Nebraska and Iowa!

Ellen Hankesis one of our AWESOME consultants at Calahan Solutions, Inc. and I'm writing today totally thrilled and excited for her as she takes the next step on her professional journey.  Ellen does not toot her horn very often, so I want to toot it for her! 

When Ellen started working with us she joined the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization and immediately began growing her skills and knowledge.  This month she became a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization (CPO-CD®). 

The CPO-CD® student spends 17-20 months of intensive time studying and applying this learning in practical application with current clients. The purpose of the NSGCD CPO-CD® program is to develop a Professional Organizers skills and knowledge by utilizing a coaching style relationship.  The CPO-CD® program is specifically geared to improve the quality of service, techniques and knowledge a Professional Organizer provides to their Chronically Disorganized clients.

Ellen's focus for work is helping those that have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD or Hoarding find peace in their daily lives both at home and at work. 

If you have a minute, jump over to Ellen's blog and tell her congratulations. 

To your success!

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We love getting your questions!  Ask one or many!  We review questions on a regular basis and publish in one of our blogs or newsletter.

Reader Asks: How can we organize paperwork for more room & keep our bills/receipts in order?

This week, Jennifer from Knoxville, Tennessee wrote us with a paper and space question:

Hello. My parents are owners of a restaurant and I believe we have outgrown our little building how can we organize our paperwork to give us more room and to keep our bills and receipts in order? 

Jennifer:  This problem comes up at least once in the life of every small business.  Here are some things you can do to fight the mounding piles of paper:

Don't blame your clutter on someone else

When you were growing up, who cleaned your room?  Who decided when things needed to dissapear?  How did the stuff get cleared?

Weird questions?  Maybe, but for many of us our childhood stuff was managed by our parents/care-givers.  They took care of the stuff.  Or, the stuff did not have a home and stayed where it landed.

"In either case, the child never learned how to facilitate stuff deletion," wrote one of my new organizing and Twitter buddies Janice Russell (@MYM_Organizing).

It is More than OK to Hit the DELETE Key - Learn How Now

 

Hit the DELETE Key Often!  With the ever increasing amounts of electronic mail that we get, it is OK to hit the delete key.

I have found, however, that there are many people that are uncomfortable with that action.  Today I will share how one client and I worked through her barrage of email to put systems in place and manage a backlog of 1,000s of emails.

7 Steps to Free Up Room On Your Brain’s Hard Drive so You Don't Lose Your Mind! (Part 5)

For the past few days, I have talked about why our brain is like a computer and shared the first six of seven tips on what you can do to free up room on your brain's hard drive.

Today I'll share tip 7 for freeing up space and getting rid of brain clutter.

7 Steps to Free Up Room On Your Brain’s Hard Drive so You Don't Lose Your Mind! (Part 4)

For the past few days, I have talked about why our brain is like a computer and shared the first five of seven tips on what you can do to free up room on your brain's hard drive.

Today I'll share tip 6 for freeing up space and getting rid of brain clutter.

7 Steps to Free Up Room On Your Brain’s Hard Drive so You Don't Lose Your Mind! (Part 3)

For the past few days, I have talked about why our brain is like a computer and shared the first three of seven tips on what you can do to free up room on your brain's hard drive.

Today I'll share tips 4 and 5 for freeing up space and getting rid of brain clutter.

7 Steps to Free Up Room On Your Brain’s Hard Drive so You Don't Lose Your Mind! (Part 2)

A few days ago I talked about why our brain is like a computer and shared the first of seven tips on what you can do to free up room on your brain's hard drive.

Even if we could upgrade our memory, for many of us, our memory is not foolproof.  You can experience brain clutter (information overload) at any time.

Today I'll share tips 2 and 3 for freeing up space and getting rid of brain clutter.

Got Office Supplies and Equipment Overload? Have a Corporate Sale!

When I work with clients in their businesses, I often get tours of the space before starting work.  Almost always I find myself in a room that is filled with previously used equipment.  When I ask about the equipment, I'm frequently told that they don't know what to do with it.  So, today I'll share some ideas for what you can do if you have a similar room!

HOW TO: Control Those Annoying Mobile Phone Cords!

I found this video on my YouTube productivity hunt.  It is a great "How to" video on how to prevent tangles with your phone cords. 

In this example, they show you how to wrap your headphones around an iPod, but I have found that this technique works for all other phones too.

This is a technique that anyone can learn and does NOT involve a specialized product.  Watch the video and tell me what you think.

Is it Really a Collection, or is it Just Clutter? Be Honest with Yourself and Watch this Funny Video (thanks @unclutterer)

Collections are frequently the hardest thing for people to manage when it comes to their belongings.  I was laughing quite a bit when @unclutterer shared a YouTube video from Marc Sotkin of BOOMERALLEY.

Marc wonders whether he's got a collection or just clutter.  It is an excellent question and the video gives many awesome examples.  Take a look and tell me what you think!

Don't Bother Keeping Your User Manuals! Let Owner IQ Do It For You

 

This past week we decided to sell a weed whip that we no longer used.  It was in new condition and still worked (well my husband could make it work, I could never get it started, that is why we were selling it!)  The person that bought it from us asked if we had the user's manual.  

Put a smile on your customers face... How a GREAT tool can benefit you and/or your business

Recently, I have had a lot of colleagues and readers ask me how I stay in touch with people that are important to me and I realized that I had not talked about this tool in a while.  When I first learned about this tool, I thought it had to be too good to be true.  Boy was I wrong!  The company continues to impress me with their ability to upgrade and keep costs low and value high.  Keep reading to learn the benefits and how this tool has helped me.

Set Your Target and Throw Your DART! How to use the DART system to get through your paper piles.

So, do you experience this....

You walk into your office and you say to yourself, "Today is the day!"  You are excited and you say, "I am going to get this place organized and I'm not leaving until it is done!"

Then...  you pick up the first piece of paper, look at it, say, "Hmm, well... I'll look at that later." and you put it down.  You pick up the second piece of paper, look at it, say, "Oh good grief!" and you put it down.  The next thing you know, everything from the right side of your office has been moved to the left side of your office and you are tired and call it quits.

Paper can be overwhelming, but it does not have to be!  I have worked with a number of people that think that they will never be able to get through their piles.  Fortunately, it was not as horrible as they thought!  They were able to get through their piles by changing the way that they looked at the piles. 

Do You Actually READ Your Magazines, or Just Make Piles? Here are some Tips To Get the Info You Want!

One of the things that I hear from my clients all of the time is that they desperately want to get to their magazines, but they end up in piles instead.  I mean, there is good info in there, right?!  I can't let them go because I might miss something.  Does that happen to you too?  Today, I'll share a few techniques to help you manage that reading pile!

AAAAhhhhh! and Other Utterances Because of Computer Slowdown

"I WANT TO THROW MY COMPUTERS IN THE LAKE AND START OVER!!!"
 

I'm sure you have felt this way at one time or another... Computers are fantastic when they work for you and about the worst thing on earth when they don't do what you want them to do.  Did you know there is more than one way for your computer to get cluttered?  This clutter can lead to significant slow down in operating performance, or a significant slow down in your ability to find information you want.  Today I'll share some tricks to speed things back up.

Remember the Reading When Packing for a Trip - Thx @GothamOrganizer

 

The better we plan for our travel, be it short or long trips, the more benefit we can get from our trip.  Keep reading for today's travel tip and be sure to share some of your own!  Today I'm going to talk about a pre-pack method that helps me get through loads of to-dos that I have procrastinated on!

Keep Your Purse Organized & In Style In Seconds

This is a review of the Miche Bag.  If you have a difficult time switching purses and find that you generally would rather not, then you may be interested in this review.  The Miche Bag company has found a way to make that a thing of the past and save loads of room in your closet at the same time.

Articles in the News on Organizing

There are great articles and blogs all over the net, but sometimes it is hard to determine which articles are worth the time to read and which ones are better left alone.  So, I've started a new posting on this blog.  As I find great content, I'll share it with you weekly.  Keep reading for this week's great items.

There are great articles and blogs all over the net, but sometimes it is hard to determine which articles are worth the time to read and which ones are better left alone.  So, I've started a new posting on this blog.  As I find great content, I'll share it with you weekly.  Keep reading for this week's great items.

Organizing In the News Here There and Everywhere

There are great articles and blogs all over the net, but sometimes it is hard to determine which articles are worth the time to read and which ones are better left alone.  So, I've started a new posting on this blog.  As I find great content, I'll share it with you weekly.  Keep reading for this week's great items.

There are great articles and blogs all over the net, but sometimes it is hard to determine which articles are worth the time to read and which ones are better left alone.  So, I've started a new posting on this blog.  As I find great content, I'll share it with you weekly.  Keep reading for this week's great items.

Organizing in the News - Clips from Across the Globe

There are great articles and blogs all over the net, but sometimes it is hard to determine which articles are worth the time to read and which ones are better left alone.  So, I've started a new posting on this blog.  As I find great content, I'll share it with you weekly.  Keep reading for this week's great items.

There are great articles and blogs all over the net, but sometimes it is hard to determine which articles are worth the time to read and which ones are better left alone.  So, I've started a new posting on this blog.  As I find great content, I'll share it with you weekly.  Keep reading for this week's great items.

Organizing Topics in the News

There are great articles and blogs all over the net, but sometimes it is hard to determine which articles are worth the time to read and which ones are better left alone.  So, I'm going to start a new posting on this blog.  As I find great content, I'll share it with you weekly.  Keep reading for this week's great items.

Always be Ready for an Emergency

How many of these cars are ready for an emergency?  Is yours?  Keep reading for ideas you can use to get your auto ready for anything!

Purging Your Space is Good for Your Soul & Wallet

Howard Cohen wrote an article titled "The clutter catharsis - Sorting, purging and reinventing your space is good for your soul -- and wallet." 

"In these times of economic woe, ''People want to feel more on top of things -- all of a sudden a finance charge is a big deal,'' says Standolyn Robertson, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers in Massachusetts. At one point, tossing your credit card bill on a growing stack and forgetting about it for awhile might have been doable. You could swallow the late fee. Today, maybe not."

Check out the article and let me know what you think!
To your success!

Clutter Control!

Barbara Hemphill, author of Taming the Paper Tiger, coined the phrase "Clutter is Postponed Decisions."  That is so true!  We leave things for later that we don't want to decide on today.  Then, we do that over and over again and piles accumulate or drawers fill up...

Today, I'll talk about a few ways that you can combat that procrastination and get rid of your clutter once and for all!

Don't Recreate it Find that Computer File Quickly

Can you find the files on your computer or smart phone, or do you find it easier to just re-create the document?

Whether you work at a Fortune 500 company, a small to medium-sized business, run a business out of your home, or run your household, vast amounts of electronic information are now part of the typical workspace. "eClutter" affects productivity and increases stress in much the same way that paper clutter does.

Here are 6 tips to help you find what you need on your computer.

What is on your desk? Does it help or hinder?

There are different articles in the news every day that cover the topics of organization and productivity.  Some are good and some are not so good...  However, today I read an article that shared a tip I had never heard of before!

Favorite Organizing Products

Rob Collins from WCIA asked me to come back on the morning show this week.  So, up at the crack of dawn I go!  I love working with different media personalities.  It is so fun to see how different media outlets operate.  As always, Rob makes things really easy.

In any case, they put both segments up on their web site so that I can share!  I talked about how to make an action system as well as overviews of some of our favorite organizing products.  You can