5 Blogging Tips I Learned at BlogElevated

/11 Comments/in /by

 

blog elevated

Last weekend I attended Blog Elevated, an event hosted in Houston to build a blogging community and teach skills about blogging.

I started blogging in May 2009.   As a professional organizer, I think “organized” about my work, my marketing and my blog.  I searched for a blogging conference to learn more about how to make my efforts more effective and efficient, because you know…. I am an organizer.  Attending BlogElevated last weekend was an amazing opportunity to learn about this craft and connect to local bloggers. I want to share 5 tips I learned at BE (BlogElevated) about blogging.

1. BE statistical.  One of my top goals was to learn more about my most valuable posts. I wanted to know which posts are read most frequently.  I wanted to learn about statistics for me to decipher what was most important to my readers.  Attending a session about google analytics hit home for me.  It was a line by line tour of what to look for and where to find information I wanted.  Knowing how to guage my metrics will help me focus.

 

2. BE consistent.  One of my strengths has always been to work in a methodical manner, posting consistently on the same day of the week, writing high quality material consistently, and consistently seeking way to engage with my readers.  The value of consistency is that your followers look for this and start to crave their consistent interactions with you.  What a great affirmation for me!

 

3. BE a team player.  BlogElevated stressed the importance of sharing with each other, teaching each other, helping each other and networking with each other.  From Google+ sessions to SEO links, speakers addressed the importance of being there for each other through social media interactions, linking with guest posts and finding ways to help each other.  A community where we are all supporting each other with our strengths is the best kind place to BE!

 

4.  BE inspired.  It is about the vision you are creating for yourself and for others. You can be inspired to share ideas with others like Cool Asian Hair. You can be an inspiration to others like Chookooloonks.  Sharing your vision may not take you directly to where you want to go, but it will make for an amazing journey in any case.  Enjoy the ride, whether success or not so much.

 

5. BE yourself.  Have your own voice and be the authentic you.  This thought is empowering!  What we each share rings through our voices in our writing, brands you when you want to work with companies, and propels you forward as  you share your blog through social media.  There is nothing more valuable to me.

I look forward to staying connect with #BlogElevated through the Thursday night twitter chats. Join us at 9 pm central!

 

3 Steps to Organize Your Desk

/16 Comments/in , /by

 

organize your desk

Whether it is your home office, your small business office or your corporate office, getting down to business at your desk is a chore if it is piled with papers!  You need both a plan for what goes where on your desk and what to do with all those papers.   A plan for your desk will save you time finding papers. The more organized your desk is, the more confident you are  and the more professional you are perceived.

 

Follow these three steps to organize your desk and create an efficient and productive work area.

1. Planning your space
As you begin, determine what tasks you are doing in your office and the tools needed for these tasks. By making these decisions at the outset, you are preparing your space for accomplishment. Most of us want to pay bills, write a card, and keep important papers easy to access.  Create areas designating the best access for most frequent activities. As for room arrangement, place your desk in a position that allows maximum use of natural light. Position the desk in a direct ion that allows for direct viewing of all who enter without you having to turn.  Add additional space to your desk area with an L shape or credenza behind your desk for storing items you need to access.   Adding this space creates work space, compute space, and printer space.

 

2. Organizing your desk

Your desk top should be an inviting space.  Keep out only basic tools that you use every day. Minimize your photo gallery and knick knacks.  Desk drawers should have only what you use at the desk in them. Store your additional office supplies in another area. Keep specific categories of items individually stored in different drawers. One drawer should contain bill paying tools such as checks, stamps and envelopes.  One drawer should focus on writing a note and should include stationary and note pads.  One drawer should hold supplies with a pencil tray holding pencils, pens, tape, stapler and scissors. Again, keep just enough to use and do not over stuff the drawers. Place books on book shelves and magazines or reading material in a basket to grab and go. Be sure that your telephone, computer and other essentials are placed ergonomically.  Your calendar should have a specific spot so you can see it all the time.

3. Organizing your papers
Think about paper in terms of what you need to do with them.  Some papers require an action and some papes need storage to be retrieved.

Create your command center for “Action” files. Label them according to what actions or terms fit best with your needs. These files can be call, file, mail, or pay. Or these can be named by client name, project name, or other key word that comes to mind quickly. Clearly label your files so you will always know what is in them, and just as importantly, the labels will remind you what not to put in them.  At the end of every day, there should be a spot to put away the files you have used that day. The files in your command center  are the most actionable.  Your command center can be a desktop sorter or a section on your wall.

Less frequently accessed files can be placed in your file drawer in your desk or an accessible cart. These can be references, projects that are completed this year, or general files for running your business.  As for filing cabinets, use a low-lying, two-drawer cabinet that can be placed next to or near your desk for the added use of its top for other items that you often need.  This is what makes an L for your extra desk space.  Having easy to access files makes it more likely for you to file.

Have a spot for incoming mail and other papers.  It can be a wall pocket, basket or inbox.  Having this space set aside will give  you a place to drop all papers before you have time to review them. Alert your family or colleagues to drop papers in this spot to keep your desk clear.

 

Go Paperless

Set up a Neat connect (affiliate) to eliminate scraps of paper like business cards, tax related receipts and meeting notes. It’s an efficient way to access small bit of information easily. No more hunting for notes or trying to find a phone number for a potential client.

 

 

 

Don’t miss a minute of upcoming organizing tips and techniques! Click here to subscribe to my monthly newsletter.

Organized and Stylish! Cute counts with this File Tote Organizer for Paper

/5 Comments/in , /by

Disclosure: I am an affiliate for many of the products and services that I recommend. When you click on the link on my site and purchase  the product or service being offered I will receive a percentage of that purchase, at no extra cost to you. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, please go directly to the site of the product.

Office Candy sunrise key file folder sunrise key file tote organizer

 

Staying organized and stylish is easy with this cute  File Tote  for paper from OfficeCandy.   Cute counts when getting organized! My philosophy about organizing includes creating a system for what goes where and a routine for when to do the organizing.   A cute organizer can make dull, tedious paper work a lot more fun and easy to accomplish.  Paper organizing can be especially overwhelming without the right system and routine.  Having a great product with slots for your paper categories can make all the difference.  When you are on the go, attending meetings, working as a volunteer, or just want a system that can move to a work space, having a tote works well.

 

Why I love the Sunrise Key File Tote Organizer:

  • It stands freely for easy sorting and filing.
  • It opens to have 8 tabs and 10 pockets for categories, like an accordion file.
  • It can be labelled inside the accordion file keeping categories easy to find.
  • It coordinates with other sunrise office supplies, File Folders and Padfolio Clipboard.

Where to find this item?  View it and related products at  File Totes at Office Candy

 

What will you organize in your file tote?

 

Hugs and Happy Organizing Under Stairs Closet

/0 Comments/in , , /by

under stair organizing

 

The dreaded under stairs closet area! It’s usually a dumping ground because not only is it a big open space, but it usually has an angled ceiling and a curved section.  Most families are confused what to store in there other than the vacuum.  Let’s get this space functional for you and make it great storage.

  • This is a space where everything needs to come out and be divided into toss, donate, or keep.  Once you know what is in there you can make better decisions on storage.  
  • Deep under stair storage is a great place to storage a category with large items.  You can store luggage, printed photos,  holiday decorations, or home decor in the back of the closet and use the front for your everyday needs like your vacuum or sweaters.
  • Under stair storage should be divided into front and back storage.  The back is less accessible, so large, infrequently used items can have a permanent home there.
  • Use 66 quart or smaller bins to make best use of the space.  When you group in the bins, be sure to label the categories on 2 sides and the top of the container. This way you will always know what is in the bins.  You can also keep a list on the back of the door too.   Arrange the back bins by height depending on the slope of the ceiling.
  • Use a clear shoe organizer on the back of the door for small items you might need easy access to in the adjacent room.  It creates new space!

Wishing you Hugs and Happy Organizing with your new under stair organizing!

Back to School: Student Organizing

/1 Comment/in , , , /by

Student Organizing

 

There are really no classes that teach organizing to your student.  Teachers will assign ways to organize a notebook or keep up with papers in a way they think will work for your student. But organizing styles vary.  Here are some ways to help your middle and high school student get organized for school.

  • Take a trip to a local retailer to talk about the planners that are available. Most students need a week at a glance planner. It can be a medium or large size, preferably spiral bound to fully open, and with an array of spaces to write in assignments.  Have your student talk through how they will use the planner, how it will fit in their backpack, and how quickly they can get it out to write in their assignments.  Writing down each assignment is a critical factor in getting homework done.   If your student is dismisses the idea of a planner, you can start with an open pad of paper or even index cards.  Students need to write stuff down.
  • Start talking about times to start and end homework.  Our students are busy and have a lot on their plate. Talk about how long does it take to do homework.   Most students do best with a short break before starting homework and knowing to finish by a certain time.  Having time on the weekend is important for projects and getting a little ahead each week. 
  • Set up a space for homework that promotes productivity.  The dining room is a great spot to work because there are few distractions.  Stock a caddy with the tools needed, like pens, stapler, scissors, index cards and tape.
  • Establish a homework folder.  This is the one place all homework goes to when assigned and ends up in when completed.  Having a single spot to put any and all homework and notes makes it easy to find and turn in assignments.
  • Kids are overwhelmed by paper too.  Set up one notebook that holds all the subjects.  It’s easier to keep up with one notebook than seven. In the notebook use tabbed slash pockets for each subject. Papers slip in and out easily without needing a hole punch.  Purchase a small file box and label tabbed hanging files with each subject.  Once a marking period, sit with your student while cleaning out from the notebook to the file.

What strategies does your student use to organize?

Back to School: Organizing Your Kids Clothes

/1 Comment/in , , /by

 

back to school organizing your kids' clothes

It’s just a few weeks before school starts and your kids are still in shorts and tee shirts.  The drawers in their rooms are overflowing with sizes ranging from too small to too big. And you have just returned from purchasing school clothes for this year.  It’s clothes chaos!  Follow these simple steps to get your kids clothes ready for back to school.

  • Set a side a two hour time block to work in each child’s space.  Sort through all the clothes and keep only what fits in the drawers or closet.  Keep the other sizes in bins marked by size, gender, and season.  These can be stored in the attic and stacked.  Mark the bins well, on the top, side and front, so you know what is what.  Most of the time just you do the sorting, not the kids, just to expedite the process.  Use a bin no larger than 66 quart just so you can easily move it once it is filled with clothes.  Some people prefer to use space bags to store clothes under the kids’ beds too.  Remember to keep only what is in prime condition.  Yucky or torn clothes should be donated as rags.  
  • Decide what access you want your kids to have to clothes. It’s easiest for them to dress themselves when they can easily reach what is acceptable school attire. Hang the party dresses, extra jackets or too short shorts in a less accessible spot.   If you have just a long hang section in their closet, create a second hanging shelf with a double hang closet rod. Another great tool is the 6 shelf hanging system.  It’s easy to see and access for everyone.  If you use a dresser, be sure the drawers easily glide in and out for your kids to get in there easily.
  • Place the clothes in the best spots and then label the shelf or drawer.  It is so much easier for everyone with labeling! Dad, Mom, kids, and helpers all know where the laundry goes when it is ready to put away.
  • Make laundry easy with a divided sorter. Slots can be darks, lights, towels or kids, adults, dry clean.  Place the sorter where everyone can drop their clothes in easily.
  • As the seasons change, take an hour to remove and store the clothes you are keeping for the next child.   Grab a bin and keep your clothes storage system up to date.
  • Have your kids lay their clothes out the night before. It eliminates one more thing to do in the morning.  They can keep their jammies under their pillow and quickly get ready each day.

organizing your kids' clothes

What ways do you make organizing your kids’ clothes easier?

 

 

 

 

Back to School: Organize your School Supplies

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Back to School

 

Back to school sales are everywhere at this time of year.  Most families have a large supply of items often spread out around the house.  Organizing your supplies saves you money and time.

  • Get started by corralling all your supplies.  Supplies may be hiding in various spots, including your kids’ rooms, the office or the kitchen. Gather these together to assess what you have.  You may have a glut of lined paper and not even know.  
  • Decide on a common location to house your supplies.  The location should be easy access for your kids so they can check and see when they need something.  Great spots to keep supplies are an office area, a secondary or storage off the kitchen.  With a central location, you can also check throughout the year on what to purchase.
  • Your storage location dictates your organizing strategy and tools.  Some ideas depending on your space include a 3 drawer sterilite bin, stacked shoebox bins, cute stacking boxes or a back of the door shoe organizer.  Stock your kids’ back packs too including tools in one part of their backpacks or a zipper case.
  • Be sure to label each category so that everyone knows where to get and return the supplies.

 

 

Organizing school supplies

Routines make Back To School So Easy!

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

back to school routines

 

Back to school so soon! Get in the Back to School Groove with these simple routines. This article is featured on Organize to Revitalize.

http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2013/08/05/get-in-the-back-to-school-groove/

Back To School Organize your Homework Station

/2 Comments/in , , /by

 

back to school homework station

Back to school means time for homework time! It’s the least favorite time of day for moms, dads, and kids.  Having a great spot organized for homework makes it easier to get this job done. Easy to access supplies helps your child stay focused and on task.   Will one of these stations will help you and your child be more efficient and effective?

  • Remember when you were in school and did your homework in your room? How much did you accomplish? Have an honest discussion with your child about doing homework in this space and assess if this works well.  Stock a small sterilite 3 drawer desk top container with supplies like tape, scissors, and mini stapler in one drawer, pens and highlighters in one drawer, and pencils and colored pencils in a drawer.  
  • Dining rooms are a great place for homework.  It is just one step away when you are making dinner if you need to answer a question. Your child can hear the sounds around the house but still work in a quiet environment.  Stock a small utensil caddy with supplies. The caddy can be moved during dinner time.
  • Multiple kids doing homework at the same time? Place a long table against an available wall, place cork boards on the wall facing each child’s place, and place a shoebox with supplies for each child with each chair.
  • Have a starting time for homework.  A little time off and a protein based snack are a good break before getting started.  The earlier your child starts, the easier it is to get homework done.
  • Timers help kids get started on their homework.  Help your child get started or get finished using a clock faced timer.  Set the timer for 15 – 20 minutes.  If your child is working when the timer rings, then just keep going with homework. If not, have your child take a 5 minute break, walk around, get a drink, and then reset the timer and work again.
  • After homework is complete, be sure you see your child return the homework to a homework folder and pack the backpack.  This prevents losing completed homework!

 

homework and organizing

Hugs and Happy Organizing Kitchen Command Center

/0 Comments/in , , /by

kitchen organizing

 

Kitchen work spaces and counters get cluttered with papers, toys, supplies and projects.  Help yourself to some inner and outer calm by clearing the clutter in this space.  Setting up your kitchen command center makes it easy to find what you need when you need it.

  • First distribute all the items to their proper homes. Have your kids be runners, set the kitchen timer, and play beat the clock. If you are the runner, separate everything into piles for each room first.  
  • Create a slot for different categories of items you intend to keep at your work space.  These categories include directories, cookbooks, school supplies,  bills paying and any other task you want to do in this space.  Remember the more tasks to do, the more that needs to be stored. Assign another spot as the family landing strip.  Keeping this area sacred for the tasks to be done there keeps it clear.
  • Give yourself a weekly, one hour time to work in this area on papers.  This keeps clutter from accumulating.
  • Be sure to include a nearby recycling or trash area.

Hugs and happy organizing!