Right Brain Organizing

Moving Day

2009-02-24T21:38:00.004-05:00

As much as I like this neighborhood, I've got to move on. I got a new opportunity over at another blogsite and so you can follow me over there!
Right Brain Organizing can now be found at:
http://www.TheProfessionalOrganizer.com/blog

I haven't posted in a while because, well, I was packing up and moving.

Let me know how you like the new design.
I may re-decorate a few times before settling down.
How right brainy of me.

-- Allison

Friday Filing

2009-01-09T15:24:00.004-05:00

My cat gets in on the filing action.

Un-Resolutions

2009-01-07T18:32:00.003-05:00

This time of year everyone is making resolutions, setting goals, and all that. If you aren't a resolution lover (like me), you will love this resolution Top 10 list.

Jenny Isenman of the Suburban Jungle Blog gives us her humorous take on New Year Goals.
(If you like this, you'll want to subscribe to her blog)

10 Resolutions I Can Actually Keep

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This time of year I amuse myself by looking back at last year’s resolutions. Ones I made with the best intentions, like learning an instrument or a foreign language. Last Chanukah I had my husband buy me a guitar. I had all the confidence in the world that by this new year, I would balk at a request to play Stairway To Heaven, saying something dismissive like… “Please, that’s so cliché, but why not?” or “Por favor, es muy cliché, pero porque no? Unfortunately, my guitar collects dust while my Spanish collects rust.

So for this year, I have made some resolutions that are a bit more achievable:

1. Nag More

For 10 years my husband has not picked up a wet towel, washed ketchup off of a dish, changed a light bulb, or remembered trash day without a friendly, “How many times do I have to tell you?” I vow to be relentless in my nagging. I will lay immediate blame using words like always and never. As in, “I always, and you never.” I will play the martyr by saying, “Forget it. I’ll do it myself.” I will amp up the guilt with, “I do everything around here.” Or something unarguable like, “It’s obvious by your refusal to change a light bulb that you don’t love me anymore.” If all goes well, I’ll be nagging him to go to couples therapy by 2010.

2. Gain weight

I will add carbs to my diet with reckless abandon. I will start each meal with a generous helping of bread and rolls onto which I will spread an obnoxious amount of butter. I will stuff food into my mouth with such fervor it will make other eaters uncomfortable to watch. I vow to eat everything a la mode including ice cream.

3. Work out less

This will actually take serious effort. The only thing harder would be to shower less. If I need the proverbial cup of sugar, I will drive to my neighbor’s garage and beep until she comes out and hands it to me. I will take elevators in two-story buildings. Lastly, I will drop my membership to the gym and use the money I save to buy more carbs.

4. Forget an old language

This year, not only am I not going to learn a new language, I will let my brain atrophy to forget the one I already know. I will watch endless episodes of Sponge Bob and Chowder. I will stop doing crosswords and speaking in complete sentences. I will break all grammatical rules; I will misplace modifiers, dangle participles, and end sentences in prepositions. I will express my thoughts through that African clicking language, modern dance, and a set of bongos that I will wear around my neck.

5. Stay out of touch

This time of year, I am reminded of the many friends I have let time and space interfere with. I intend to further that distance. I will start by rejecting any new Facebook or social network requests. I will also attach a note that reads “I never liked you in the first place.” I will cuss out and hang up on people who call in hopes of fulfilling their own resolution to rekindle old friendships.

6. Be less patient

I will be aggravated, exasperated, and ready to blow my stack at the slightest misstep. The next time my son wants help with his homework I’ll say, “That’s it! Clearly this whole Elementary Education is not for you. If you don’t know how to spell December by now, you never will…Now go get a job! Oh, and take your sister with you, she sits on the potty way too long.”

7. Hold grudges

This year I will forgive no one. I don’t care if you step on my toe, or pay me the five bucks you owe me, a day after the assigned due date. I vow to hate you forever and never forget how you wronged me.

8. Stress more

I will lose sleep thinking about planning parties, redecorating my house, trying to budget, missing appointments, teacher conferences, and health issues. I will laugh an evil cackle while erasing all the plans from my PDA, and then cry over what I have just done. I will empty our bank account on frivolous investments and watch it dwindle away. Oh, wait…that already happened. Well good, more for me to worry about.

9. Become addicted to something

Smoking, alcoholism and Starbucks are so trite. I’m thinking something unique like nasal spray or hand sanitizer. Or at least something beneficial to my endurance like crack. Look, I already have a shopping addiction, maybe I could offset the bills with a robust gambling problem.

10. Gossip More

I vow to talk about everything you do in the new year. If I see you at the pediatrician for so much as a flu shot, I will tell everyone your child has hand foot mouth, so you can be verbally assaulted when you show up at a birthday party the next day. If you look too skinny, I will assume it’s a divorce or an addiction. If you look too hot, I’ll call it a torrid affair. If you look too young, it’s an addiction to surgical procedures because you’re getting divorced due to a torrid affair. I will start a rumor phone tree and a blog called “WhatYourNeighborsAreReallyUpTo.com.” I may even have a megaphone installed on my “Gossip Mobile,” so I can drive through local parking lots amplifying the skeletons in your closet to all within earshot. Oh, wait… I’ll just write about it in my next column.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thanks Jenny for this fun post!

Save Money Organizing Mail

2009-01-06T14:25:00.005-05:00

A second story ran on organizing today featuring ME! weee.
Here is the link to the video: Save Money Organizing Mail on Ch. 11/NBC Atlanta
http://www.11alive.com

Text of previous day blog which features mail sorting files is here:
http://www.11alive.com/money/columnist/blogs/coupon_blog.asp

Save Money Getting Organized

2009-01-05T12:12:00.003-05:00

Allison Carter is featured on 11 Alive/NBC Atlanta.
Just in time for Get Organized Month.
And that's my real home office. Lots of color for me makes it work.

2009 Word of the Year: "Essentializing"

2009-01-02T21:05:00.005-05:00

The recent shift in the U.S. and world economy has had a remarkable effect on the human psyche.
It's as if we got a re-boot in our thinking and could start fresh like our ancestors.

We have entered the era of essentializing. I thought of that term when I saw the cover of a recent "Real Simple" magazine touting the essentials.

We are now in mode to be realistic about what we NEED vs. what we WANT.
The over-shoppers are having a reality check.
The house-fillers are wondering how they ever got so full.
Even the wealthy aren't spending money as if it grows on trees any longer.

I dare you all to take a moment and write down the top 25 things in your hierarchy of needs (Beyond the physiological needs, safety needs, and love ) and to pause and notice all the other stuff that fills your life that does more harm than good.

My top 10 things I would hate to live without:
In no particular order

Nose strips - so I can breathe
Medicine - I hate feeling sick. I like to treat the symptoms even if virus will go away by itself.
Sneakers - comfortable shoes
Photo albums - I like to make them and view them
Mac computer - to get work done and be creative
Television - cheapest entertainment around
The occasional dinner out - for a change of scenery
Trips to the beach - It's where I re-energize
My dog and cat - I like the company of friends who don't talk back (( That's my dog Sasha at the beach>>>))
Enough free time to be creative, do art, write, think

What's on your list??

Holiday Wrap Up

2008-12-31T14:01:00.003-05:00

The new year is upon us. So that means it's time to put away all the goodies from the holidays, eat all the cookies that remain, and make the last latkes for a while. (They're good all year round).

But you're a right brainer and it's sooooo tedious to clean up when there are so many other things to do...
Time to hunker down, step up and get over to organizing. [dread, sigh]

Here's a short checklist to help you push through.
Do one thing each day and you'll be done in no time.
Get family to help of course.
Put on some rocking music or mellow thinking music.
Ready, Set, Stow!

1. Collect holiday greeting cards. Toss, put into a holiday album or a keepsake box.
Green option: cut up cards to use as gift tags next year.

2. Grab the return addresses from the holiday cards and enter the new ones into your address list.

3. Wrap up ornaments and decorations and put into containers.
If you have many, make separate containers for:
Tree ornaments, indoor lights, outdoor lights, indoor decorations,
outdoor decorations, holiday wrapping paper.
**Label the bins!

4. Before you put all the decorations away, look over the items you did NOT use.
Give away or toss the items that you don't love any longer.

5. Put Hanukkah dreidles and menorah's into a bin with anything else you have for the holiday.
**Label the bin!
Keep extra candles handy to put on birthday cakes!

6. Gather all the instructions from your new gifts.
File them in a "manuals" file box.
Make categories such as: Toys, Electronics, Appliances, etc.
** Label the files!

7. Save gift receipts for one month to be sure the item continues to work properly.
Save original boxes for warrantied items until the warranty expires.
Then you can safely recycle them.

8. For the tracker: Keep track of gifts you have given and received, wish lists, send thank you cards and more at http://www.giftboxhome.com - no cost.

9. What's your best tip for wrapping up the holidays?

Recycle Holiday Gift Cards

2008-12-20T10:43:00.003-05:00

It's been a good year for my husband, who is a High School English Teacher. Every year at this time we get a flood of gift cards (happily accepted).

Up to now, after they were used up, I would struggle to toss some out because some are really cool looking. Honestly. Some stores actually put thought into the design (Target, Starbucks, iTunes).

The other looming question: Will the cards be collectible someday?

I now have a great Right-Brainy way to re-cycle them thanks to a random comment to a comment on a blog. No joke.
(Debbie Jordan Kravitz of Virtually Organized asked her followers on Twitter what we couldn't live without.
I said nose strips. I stand by it.
Paul Merrill, a rubbish artist in Colorado, commented that he has a post similar.)
and here comes the winning comment:

An idea for recycling: Ian cuts these up into guitar picks!
Yay! A great used for cool, hip plastic.

Another idea: Ice scraper for car windows

What else can you do you do with your used gift cards? (besides tossing them)

Re-Gifting gone wild

2008-12-16T15:27:00.003-05:00

I've blogged about decluttering by regifting but I never expected to find this:
The Regift Kit!!!

I couldn't be more proud. (sniff. shedding tears of joy)
For just a few bucks, you can get stickers that help you make light of your re-gifting habit and have a good time with the whole idea!

The Regift kit has stickers and cards for sending a trinket off to a better owner!
Less clutter for you!!

My favorite part of the site though is the owner's email address:
cheapo@theregiftkit.com
-- Allison

About Organizing for Visual People

2008-12-14T09:37:00.003-05:00

Lots of people I organize with say they are "visual" and want to have the fun, pretty things out where they can see them and enjoy their space.
Yesterday, working with a client, this became a slight sticking point because the area was utility shelves in her laundry room, which can be seen from the kitchen when the door is open.
Most of the items were kitchen roll-over items for entertaining, such as trays, bowls, casseroles, etc.
Even though the space was working fine, she didn't like how it looked!

So, when you don't like it, fix it.
We decided to weed out items she didn't need and take some lesser used items to a storage area so her utility shelves didn't look so "busy" and cluttered.

The first thing we did was take everything off so she could visualize the shelves with nothing on them.
Then we only put back up the things that she uses daily or weekly.
Then we put back up the things she uses monthly.
We did some arranging and re-arranging as we went along.
Now the things she uses only rarely (about 30%) we made a space for in her basement storage room. Her Christmas items, Easter platters, and odds and ends were on the way out so that the shelves looked more attractive.
We also found several items she didn't use at all and she was ready to give them to charity (even a gift from her son).
All this took less than an hour.

So what space are you living with even though you don't like how it looks?
Try removing 30% of the items and see if it looks less cluttery.
Send me a photo if you do!
-- Allison

Zappos Creative Environment

2008-12-10T10:29:00.002-05:00

Would you want to work here?
I would! I would probably work for less too just to be in a fun environment.
See more about this workplace here:
Zappos Offices

Re-Gifting Rules for the Season

2008-12-10T10:23:00.002-05:00

As a professional organizer, and rampant de-clutterer, I asked my followers on Twitter and facebook friends about re-gifting to see if people are all in agreement these days.
Our opinions are about the same - re-gifting is a great way to get things to the right person and declutter at the same time.

My Re-gifting Rules:
1. It's ok to re-gift if the recipient would really like it.
2. It's not ok to re-gift anything used
3. Mark your gifts you might re-gift with the name of the person who gave them to you so you don't mistakenly give them back or to friends or at same event.
4. Make fun of re-gifting by having a re-gifting party where you can only bring something you got and isn't right for you for whatever reason.
5. Never re-gift fruit cake
6. Never re-gift a partially used gift-card.
7. Repackage whenever possible (new wrapping) or you might leave an old card in by accident.

---
Twitter replies about re-gifting
Love to regift BUT some have to go to a worthy cause especially from my dear sister in law

I so agree with ur views on regifting something that hasn't been used &was not right for U but is "just right" for ur friend

---
Facebook replies:
So, regifting researcher . . . If someone gets, say a 2.5 lb can of gormet peanuts from a printer, but that someone doesn't eat nuts . . . is it in good taste to regift it to her client who is The Professional Organizer? :)

Depends on the gift - if it is something that you will never use and you give it to someone who can use the item, then I think it is a great idea.

Regifting.. there is nothing wrong with it as long as the person will like, enjoy or appreciate.
Agreed. In the spirit of recycling (and giving) - anything given to the right person for the right reason is OK. I think we should remove the stigma of used items completely, it was artificially drilled into us by retailers. I have a ton of Lincoln Logs and other such things that my kids have grown out of and can easily pass on to several ... Read Moregenerations.
I say - consider it the "green" thing to do. Maybe we can start a "Green Christmas Revolution." By the way - you're all getting socks with holes in them. :)

Depends on the motivation. If it's truly a matter of having a great gift around that you just aren't going to use but is perfect for somebody else, it can work. But if you're secretly trying to justify not spending money on somebody you don't like much by re-gifting, that's bad karma!

Hmmm, I haven't re-gifted, but I have donated several things I would never want or use to a charitiable thrift store nearby. (People, please don't give crap just to say you did something...know your friends and give them something appropriate.) But, if I did get something great but thought another friend could make better use of it, I think I would happily pass it on. (No passing on the dreaded fruitcake, and the like, though.) :)

Did I wear that last time??

2008-12-04T21:13:00.002-05:00

Do you ever worry about wearing the same outfit to an event with the same people, but cannot remember what on earth you wore the last time you went?

I actually tried writing my outfit down on my calendar every day so I didn't wear the same thing to the same client over and over again.

Now the problem solvers over at Weekdate have designed a closet notepad to track your outfits so you're not seen in the same thing too often.

This has even bigger implications for organizing though. If you take the time to really write down what you wear every day, at the end of a year you'll be able to clearly see, without a doubt, if you don't wear certain clothes. And that can help tremendously when you have to make room in your closet and make tough choices about what to keep... and what's gotta go!

It comes with a hole for hanging.
If you don't have a hook in your closet, 3M Command hooks are super easy to put up and come in so many sizes you can find one for just about anything. And you don't have to put a hole in the wall because they stick right on. I like this size for my calendar - it hooks right on.

-- Allison

Either ON or OFF

2008-12-04T21:07:00.003-05:00

Are you a creative person who operates in ON or OFF mode, but not much inbetween?
That's me in a nutshell... and I have been off for a few weeks.
I started a project around the training/mentoring in my organizing business (Organizer U.), and oooops, I have neglected my funky little blog.

But it led me to give some thought to the creative process and whether other Right Brainers have these same tendencies.
Well, today I had a meeting with a book graphic artist and whaddya know, she says she's the same way. No wonder I prefer a marathon of organizing rather than doing it a little at a time. When I'm focused I'm really really focused. And when I'm not, I'm not.

Something to think about. It doesn't make me a good or bad person, but it's useful to know so I don't set myself up for failure, expecting myself to work on something in bits when I'd rather be "All in".

How about you?

Organized Artist/Author SARK

2008-11-11T07:45:00.002-05:00

During my Creativity Consult with author SARK, I took the opportunity to ask her about her own organizing habits.
When she was in Atlanta on book tour I found out she was not only organized, she confessed to being ultra-organized, something that is hard for a creative person to own, because creatives are supposed to be messy and embrace messiness, right?
Wrong!
SARK loves being organized.

Her files are organized by topic and then alphabetically within the topic.
She organizes her address book by first name, which computers and phones are not very cooperative about.
She says she would rather do her winter clothing purge than go to a party!
She is Virgo rising for all you astrology followers out there - which she says indicates she is obsessed with detail.

We got to talking about junk drawers, and the point at which I just toss the crumbs of stuff into the trash. She told me a short story about her packrat parents. She would organize the junk drawer and throw out the stray paperclips and pennies.

But her father would go through the trash and emerge asking, " Do you know what I just found? A string, a paper clip, a rubberband and a penny! Do you know where I found them?"
She would answer, "in the trash."
She laughed thinking about it now.

By the way, SARK says she is planning to add these individual creativity consults to her business coming in January 2009. She's going to call it Couching with SARK, (instead of coaching - It tooke me a few minutes to get the play)

So you too can get inspired by the juicy artist/writer/coach.
Keep watching her website for more details.
Oh - do sign up for her newsletter. It's colorful and so fun to get each month.

There are a few other freebies on the site and one really silly spot - ask Jupiter (her cat)
If the Magic 8 Ball was a cat, what would the answer be when you asked it a question.

Find it in the the Sark Studio

on a SARK high!

2008-11-10T21:23:00.002-05:00

I drank from the SARK water tonight and I'm on a high!
I won a creativity consultation with the author in a blogging contest and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect prize. See I've been hesitating to promote my book "Color Me Organized" because my evil lizard self keeps sending me "not good enough" thoughts.
So tonight I got the chance to talk to my muse about my thoughts.
What an extraordinary woman. She was so easy to talk to, like talking to a friend I've known for years. She gave me some great pointers for using my "not good enough" thoughts to spark the answers for myself.
I give my SARK time two thumbs up with sparkly purple nail polish on my thumbs.
Now I do my exercises and baby steps and become the best organizing writer for artsy fartsies.
-- Allison

Alternate to Filing

2008-11-08T11:02:00.003-05:00

Filing is a great way to store paper. But let's just face the fact that Righties often take issue with it.
1. if you don't do it regularly you get a pile.
so
2. why not just pile in the first place
and
3. I know where things are in my piles so why should I put things in a drawer or box because then I won't know where they are anymore.

There are some handy alternatives for those who don't want to file because it is more work or suffer from OOSOOM (out of sight, out of mind).

My favorite is using stacking trays because you can get lots of them and at least have categorized stacks. The same principles apply as in filing, but you will need broader categories so that you don't have 137 or more trays.
These fun colored trays are from See Jane Work

Begin with the action trays: To Do, To Go, To File, To Pay and Someday
That can be one stack.
2nd Stack will be home papers: House, Finances, Insurance, Health, Personal
This only works well if you're willing to cut the crap and just save the minimum amount of stuff.
If you are an info-holic, you gotta pick another route because you'll end up with too many trays to manage.

Other handy bins, buckets and trays:
coupons to use
receipts to keep/file/toss later
schedules

The people at Pendaflex did a bunch of research and found that there are a ton of people who actually prefer piling to filing and they created some great products to make your piling more workable.

My favorite is the Pilesmart files .
You can see into them and lay them across your desk with just the tab showing or the whole thing showing.
There are a variety of these with write-on tabs on the side or bottom.
The files also make it easy to take your action items on the go.

Lots of people will tell you all kinds of rules about managing paper, but there is only one rule
Find out what works for your style.
Do what works for you
And make it work!

Gadget Junkie Confesses

2008-11-06T09:01:00.003-05:00

Part 1 - The Stuff
It's me. I admit it. I'm a gadget junkie. It started out as a kid. I wanted a calculator (can you guess my age?) They were expensive and were the Bar Mitzvah gift of choice. It grew as I collected walkman after walkman, cd players, tape recorders and cameras. Then came the computer era to usher in a new unfathomable pletorha of cool gadgets. It's not just the stuff that plugs in either. It's also the software and the online tools.
It can be an organizers nightmare.... or a dream.

I have dealt with this need to try new stuff by making a single rule. I can only keep the thing that is newest and the one that came before it. (keep the last generation in case something stops working suddenly) Anything older must go. It's about the only way I can stay sane and not become the collector of all things gadget.

Do I wish I still had my 512K macintosh from college to use as the coolest doorstop ever? Nah.
Once you begin living with a rule, it becomes the norm and a rationalization you can live by forever.

I recently found my college broadcast journalism tape recorder and microphone. I wish I could say they are collectors items, but alas, they are just new techno junkery.

PART II - The Passwords
Every time I want to try out new online gadgets I have to sign in with a user name and password. And sometimes they don't let me use the same one that I usually use.
And like a true Right Brainer - I don't want to take the time to open up my spreadsheet of passwords every time I make one.
So instead I write the PW on a post-it along with my user name and website.
I stick the PW on my every-day-spiral where I write everything I'm doing, thinking, messages, etc.
When the pile gets to be about 10 high - I go to my spreadsheet(s) and enter them all in, and alphabetize the list (by website)

How do you organize your passwords? And is it working?

How to be creative

2008-10-30T16:41:00.004-04:00

There is a lot of great advice on the internet about how to be creative, get inspired, start when staring at a blank page....
This is one of my favorite lists - from Gaping Void's Hugh Macleod.
Here is a sampling to whet your appetite:

15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.

16. The world is changing.

17. Merit can be bought. Passion can't.

18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.

19. Sing in your own voice.

The genius of his cartoons is the utter simplicty.
He is known for cartooning on the back of business cards.
If you haven't seen his work, check it out at www.gapingvoid.com

Color Me Organized is even more colorful

2008-10-27T14:51:00.004-04:00

Coming up with ideas is difficult for so many people.
Not for us creatives!
Ideas come bubbling up all the time for me.
I had so many more activity and how-to ideas that I had to update the activity-play-book for the clutter challenged.

I've uploaded the newest version on lulu.com (she said relieved - as if going through childbirth.)
Take a sneak peek here:
http://www.lulu.com/content/4653870

Here's a page that didn't go in the book.
It is part of the Color-Me-Organized workshop.

-- Allison

Creative way to get kids to clean up

2008-10-24T08:38:00.003-04:00

I've got to tell you I nearly fell off my chair laughing when my wonderfully sarcastic friend Amy told me this story of how she got her 10-year-old son to pick up his room.

Amy said, Jay, come up to your room. There's a get together.
We're having a party.

Of course he was curious and amused and quickly followed.

Once in the room, Amy said Jay, let me make some introductions.
Dirty clothes, meet the hamper.
Mr. Hamper, meet Mr. Underwear.
And Jay put the clothes in the hamper.
Jay, meet your drawers.
And she kept going around the room introducing items to Jay and the spot they belong.
She says he was laughing the whole way through.
Having a sense of humor about it took the stress out of getting Jay to do what needed to be done.
I might serve mocktails if they do a good job.

Have you tried using humor to motivate you or others to get organized?

-- Allison

Creatives do your own marketing?

2008-10-22T20:57:00.003-04:00

Marketing advice is everywhere these days.
But everyone in business has a lightbulb moment - a favorite piece of advice that gets your wheels turning in a new direction.
The best piece of marketing advice I got was to stop doing my own marketing.
Us creatives think if we're visual we are certainly going to do work as good as any designer.
I was trying to make a great logo, print my own business cards, make flyers and more.
They weren't terrible, but they also weren't "professional" looking.
Oh yeah, I did my own web design too.
But now, I let the experts make me look good.
My stuff may or may not be your cup o'tea, but it shows I am investing in my own company.

What is the best marketing advice you ever got?

Creating Books

2008-10-19T09:22:00.003-04:00

Creative people couldn't be living at a better time.
Our techie counterparts have made it soooo easy for us to take our ideas and make them into interesting and memorable products that can be used for ourselves, shared, and sold.
I'm talking about books. Picture books. Word books. Work books. And play books.
The internet abounds with places to put your creative works on paper.

Photography lovers have a multitude of options for creating picture books that are of artistic nature, or just a photo album for the family or to commemorate an event. I'm no photography buff, nor am I a graphic artist, but I was able to make a photo book for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary in minutes using apple's program straight from my iphoto library.

There are so many times these sites would be a great resource: weddings, birthdays, art portfolio, kids' artwork keepsake book, and I recently saw someone who scanned all of her concert tickets and made a book of concert memories. (Makes me wanna scream "freebird!") And how about a cookbook with photos? So many ideas, so little time. (a Right Brainer's curse) And for all you bloggers, you can turn your blog posts and photos into a book on blurb as well. (see example on their site)

Just a few resources for creating photo books are:
blurb
snapfish
ophoto
flickr
bighugelabs - lots of fun products
apple - using iphoto
lulu

For the writers, there are countless websites that allow you to create anything and everything you want in book form and on some there is no cost at all besides the printing and shipping. And what I love on many is that you can print one or thousands.
I have used lulu.com myself for a workbook, tips books, and a coloring/how-to playbook for organizing. But there are so many places to go if you want a printed book of your own poetry, comic strips or any other writing.
Some options are:
lulu
iuniverse
booksurge
xlibris

Information about Publishing and Printing on Demand
http://www.publishondemand.net/
http://www.sfwa.org/BEWARE/printondemand.html

If you are planning to sell your product to the masses, be aware of new policies that Amazon.com is putting into place.

Have you made any print on demand books???
Tell us about your book and the experience!

Right Brainers Rule #3 - Doodle Doing

2008-10-11T19:52:00.005-04:00

Ideas don't always come in neat sequential lists. In fact mine hardly ever do.

The folks at Lobotome know this too and they've made a nifty list maker just for Righties. The List Me ,Doodle Me notepad is great for taking to the grocery store or sitting at your desk. (That's where most my doodles happen)

Little Otsu offers up baloon notes, a to-do list or whatever list that is lined on one side and not on the other.

And Little Otsu also has this to do pad - quirky lines on one side and blank on the other.

What do your doodles mean??
Find out here
And here
and here

Got any products for Right Brainers that you'd like to see here?
Send your ideas!

Right Brainers Rule Month #2

2008-10-09T07:54:00.005-04:00

Try out a Right Brain approach you haven't tried before.
Organize books by color insted of by subject or alphabetical.

This is my shelf of organizing books - I still like to keep them by category.
Other people have organized entire book collections by color. (2nd photo from flickr)

When your brain thinks that way.
If you search for a book by its blue jacket, then you probably think by color. I do that.

I also think in categories simultaneously so it helps me to sort by topic first, and then sort by color.

If you like the look, try it! Let me know how you like it.
-- allison

organizer@theprofessionalorganizer.com

Celebrate Right Brainers Rule Month

2008-10-08T08:31:00.003-04:00

October is Right Brainers Rule Month according to Chase's Calendar of Events.
To kick off the celebration, I interviewed Lee Silber, Author of Organizing from the Right Side of the Brain and Time Management for Creative People (and 11 more books).

You can hear how he thinks Right about organizing and how he suggests Righties do - Listen at itunes (search for Organizing Playground 10/7) or go to http://www.radiosandysprings.com to download (should be posted by 10/9).

10 ways to celebrate Right Brainers Rule Month
10. Take your favorite Right Brainer to lunch
9. Do 3 things at once and do them all well
8. Come up with a list of 100 things to do with peanut butter
7. Organize the clothes in your closet by color
6. Assign a wall or bulletin board for sticky notes and put some up there with silly messages just for fun to break it in.
5. Turn a notebook or journal into your Idea Journal. Keep it by your bed at night with a pen and flashlight. Tape little notes into it.
4. Start an idea file for clippings that are a spark for you.
3. Write a song about how great it is to be Right all the time
2. Clear off your desk and mess it up again.
1. Think of only 9 things and be ok with it.
-- Allison

Creative Women

2008-10-01T16:05:00.004-04:00

Creative women starting businesses are sometimes put off by the traditional, masculine approach.
Spreadsheets are NOT what many creative women want to talk about.
They want to discuss their ideas with friends and like-minded women.
They let their ideas percolate for a while before they're ready to create their baby and let it hatch.
If this sounds like you and you have a business or are looking to start one, you may want to know about the Ladies Who Launch and their Incubator.

LWL was started by women who wanted their business to grow organically from passion to profits. And they wanted to energize other women to do the same.
The incubator is the intense 4-week mind-meld for small groups to help one another grow and progress.

If you want to learn more about Ladies Who Launch, you can start by going to their BYOB - Bring Your Own Business events around the country. The Atlanta BYOB event is in November. The ladies will tell you all about their awesome experiences.

LADIES WHO LAUNCH
Make your dream a reality, grow your business, or just come get
connected and inspired through Ladies Who Launch's BYOB (Be Your Own
Boss) event in Atlanta Thursday, November 13, 2008.
Ladies Who Launch is THE source for entrepreneurial-minded women who
want to live their dreams and love their lives. LWL is a multiplatform
lifestyle company which defines entrepreneurship as a lifestyle choice
and connects women online and in person to foster creativity,
community, and support. For more info visit http://atlantabyob.eventbrite.com

Allison Carter, The Professional Organizer says, "Ladies Who Launch is
an amazing, empowering, and energizing group. If you feel stuck or
just want to connect with like-minded women, LWL is the place to be."

No more ink cartridges

2008-09-29T17:02:00.002-04:00

The end is in sight!
No more $50 ink cartridges.
No more plastic wasteful leftover cartridges to recycle.
Check out Zink - and zink paper - all the color is embedded IN the paper!
http://www.zink.com/how-ZINK-works

The price will no doubt be incredibly high to begin.
But I spend at least $600 a year on ink!!!
This is sooooo awesome.
I love technology.

Read more about the soon-to-be portable printer that is wireless and uses Zink.
http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/09/29/dell.ultra.small.printer/

-- Allison

Do Organizing Tips Work?

2008-09-28T17:13:00.002-04:00

My favorite procrastination expert writes a blog for Psychology Today. Tim Pychyl's recent entry gave me a full buffet of food for thought about whether organizing tips are really what people need.

He says yes, and...
Tips are only good if they are put into action
and
The type of tip counts. It has got to be a tip worth following to make a difference.

Read more about it

http://tinyurl.com/42wcsr

Pink - It's the little things in life

2008-09-26T21:30:00.003-04:00

Sometimes it's the little splashes of color that make organizing fun.

Now you can add some brightness to ordinary filing and help a cause. Pink folders and boxes and hanging files are available now at your local office supply store. (I got mine at Office Max - new NAPO Associate Member). It cheers me up to see pink and know I'm helping out.

Thank you Pendaflex for the nice design and adding the bonus: pink paper clip thingies.

Creativity & ADD

2008-09-23T15:35:00.003-04:00

During my radio interview today with Laura West of Joyful Business, we were discussing the similarities in positive traits for creative entrepreneurs and people with ADD. I think I love working so much with ADD people because ADDers tend to have the same natural tendencies as creative people and may in fact BE creative people.

Some of the traits are:
highly enthusiastic
energetic
goal oriented
good at trouble-shooting
thrive on experiencing a greater variety of what life has to offer
good when directions aren't included
intuitive
exceptional with computers because computers don't come with instructions and the results are immediate.
They are creative and they are explorers.
(From borntoexplore.com)

With all these positive traits, how did ADD come to be called a disorder?
It should be a benefit, right??

Creative people and ADDers both know that for all the positive, there are also some traits that make it difficult to march to the beat of everyone else's drummer.

impulsiveness
restlessness
daydreaming
losing things
talking excessively
often interrupting others
often shifting activity from one uncompleted activity to another

There is and has been some research around ADD as an evolutionary phenomenon.
"Modern theories of evolution embrace the concept of selective pressures on populations rather than individuals. A trait that may be bad for an individual might be good for the population overall. For example, some individuals who are ADD will become criminals, but if a few brilliant ADD inventors change the course of history and increase the fitness of the population, the ADD genes will be favored."
-- From Borntoexplore.com

- So are we producing a population with more ADDers so that our population can be more innovative in the long run?

Whether this is true or not, i like to think of creatives and ADDers as super-abled like a superhero who has special powers to think and link and explore, to do "other stuff' than the rest of the average population. What stuff may come is to be seen.

Read more about the evolutionary theory and more about the positive side of ADD at http://www.borntoexplore.com

Hanger mess

2008-09-21T11:27:00.003-04:00

Hanger mess
Originally uploaded by gaorganizer

Got a crazy hanger mess?
Get it together without spending a ton of money.
BE CREATIVE!
Try this DIY project using a simple box and box cutters.
Keep the box in your closet to store unused hangers.

This means more room in your closet so clothes don't get squashed.

100 LESS THINGS - Sept 22

2008-09-18T17:06:00.004-04:00

Monday September 22 begins the countdown - 100 days until the new year.
How is your de-cluttering goal coming along so far?

If you aren't where you want to be or just want more motivation to clear out some debris and sludge from your life, try this playful exercise.

Delete one item from your life every day through December 31.

It can be a slip of paper or an old vase you haven't used in years.
Toss, recycle, or donate one thing every day.
And in 100 days, you will have 100 less things.

As you de-clutter - you can leave comments here to tell us all what you have purged.
You can even take photos and send them and I'll post them.
Send to organizer@theprofessionalorganizer.com
-- Allison

Stuck

2008-09-18T09:26:00.007-04:00

Do you have so many ideas you don't know where to start?
Or are you staring at a blank page having trouble getting the first words on paper?

The trick to getting un-stuck is to start.
Start with anything.
Start writing about something you don't even intend to write about. Write about your cup of coffee.
Start painting anything. Paint your cup of coffee.
Start organizing something. Organize your coffee mugs.
When you take action, any action, it leads to inspiration.

Action comes before inspiration. (Thank you SARK for that juicy tidbit).

So if you're staring at a blank computer screen or a stack of papers to sift through, just start doing anything and the inspiration will begin to flow after a few minutes.
You'll see.
You know you're creative. It's just a matter of getting the juices flowing and the bubbles percolating again.

If you're worried about doing "it" right, forget perfect. There is no such thing and you know it.
But that is for another post.

File Papers using Album Covers

2008-09-12T21:27:00.003-04:00

Gotta love a fun new way to use the clutter of our former lives.
Look at how DIY shows us how to turn old album covers into paper organizers.
FUN FUN FUN!
= > Allison

Systems = Freedom

2008-09-11T08:58:00.003-04:00

Many creatives think they can only be creative if they are free and unstructured. But most of us have come to realize that there must be some kind of process and systems in place so you can really do what needs to be done to create and be productive.
Coach Laura Howard West says it sooooo well in her article Systems = Freedom.
((Laura will also be a guest on The Organizing Playground radio/podcast on Sept. 23, 2008)

Systems = Freedom!
By Laura Howard West
Center for Joyful Business, http:/www.joyfulbusiness.com

I have a sticky note in my office that says "Systems = Freedom". I have become an avid fan of systems. I used to be rebellious of systems as though they would take away all my creativity and spontaneity. What I have found is that they give me the freedom to be creative, enjoy life and it keep me enjoying my business! Nothing is worse than waking up one day and realizing that you've created a successful business but it's over taken your life and you are afraid you can't maintain all these great marketing vehicles. We've all faced that - gotten caught up in the excitement of launching a new newsletter, blog or podcast only to realize that we have to keep it going for it to have real impact!

Here are five reasons for you to embrace the idea of looking for and commiting the initial time to develop systems:

1. To Grow Your Business You Have to Grow Your Capacity

This is a fundamental truth. If you want to grow bigger - more clients, sell more products, work with larger more high paying clients - then you have to increase your capacity to get more done in less time. This doesn't mean that you personally have to learn to do more work. The first place to start is being willing to look at the areas in your business, specific projects, tasks and the giant never-ending-to-do list and see what you can delegate and what you can let go of. Many people get stuck right here because they aren't willing to let go. I can guarantee if you don't let go - you won't grow!

2. Creating Systems Gives You Valuable Creative Time

One of the most common complaints I hear from clients is they don't have enough time to write the article, the book or the create their new information product. When you create systems for those things you do over and over again, you free up time which you can use for getting those creative projects done. For example, I have a lot of clients who start out creating their own newsletter. They are doing the graphics, the layout, finding the photos and writing the articles. They are struggling with making things fit and the layout looking professional. This could easily become a full day project. If you spend all your time here you'll run out of steam for finding inspiration to write the article! It actually depletes your energy, and it will keep you chained to your computer doing routine work instead of getting you out there thinking about and creating that new product! You want to be doing work that keeps your energy flowing!

3. Systems Give You More Time for "Focus and Flow"

Every morning I spend reflection time on my day and my business. I lovingly call it "Creative Bagel Time" as I get the boys off to school and then head to one of the local cafes or bakeries for some inspiration time (with or without bagels!). You might wonder why as a busy mom-preneur who does most of my work from the bus pickup time to the bus dropoff time, that I can afford the time reflecting over cream cheese and tea? I can tell you that this morning time is invaluable to me in helping me get so much done in a few short hours. I consciously line up my energy behind what's important about my day. I review my Intention Cards so I'm connecting to my bigger vision and then I create my 3 Daily Giggle Goals so my energy is focused for the day and then I let go and let it flow! I am able to do this because I make the morning time a "system" - I have a special bag for my "Focus and Flow" time, I block it out on my calendar in the mo rning and I protect this time (which is a calendar system) so that I have dedicated time to line up my energy for me and my business several times a week. The power that comes from this "focused energy" helps me get more done in less time - certainly more than if I went straight for my computer and sat there all day trying to push a lot of work around.

4. Systems Allow You To Enthusiastically Take Time Off

By creating systems for handling billing, the administrative work, my podcast interviews, and my blog postings, I can comfortably and enthusiastically (meaning without a ton of stress that my business will fall apart without me!) take time off and enjoy life. In fact, my husband and I are on a 10 day trip to England to visit his family as you read this. I can sit back and enjoy because I know that my marketing is still getting done and is consistently getting out there - in fact, this newsletter is set to go out while I'm away! All because of using technology systems and creating systems with my team who are clear about what to do and when.

5. Systems Give You Time to Grow and Learn Without Being Stressed

Look at what you do consistently, over and over again. Chances are there is a way to create a template, a form, or a system for recycling your information into new formats that will free you up to have more time to attend workshops and mastermind groups so that you are continuing to grow personally and professionally. Better yet, work with your team to create the systems so everything flows quicker and more smoothly. Then book time to spend on you and nurturing your brilliance. As you grow - your business grows!

Written by Laura Howard West, Center for Joyful Business, http:/www.joyfulbusiness.com

Laura West is an award-winning online entrepreneur and president of The Center for Joyful Business. If you are ready to shift your marketing and mindset for more success with joy and ease, get your free report: Business Attraction Success Kit

Email folders and labels for ideas

2008-09-06T12:22:00.004-04:00

Right brainers have some different organizing needs that are often overlooked in the run-of-the-mill organizing books and articles. That's because many of them are written by lefties who don't feel compelled to save every idea for when they're ready to act on it.
And email and the internet are full of great idea triggers!!!

If you're an idea saver, how can you work with your need/desire to save?

1. Save based on what kind of idea it is
Make files or labels based on what you will most likely use the idea for.
For instance:

Book ideas

Article ideas

Painting ideas

Coaching ideas

Decor ideas

You get the gist. Then when you get an email you want to save, it has a place to go and sit until you're ready.

2. Save the ideas based on how soon you want to get to it. In this case you can make a limited number of files:

Act now (this week)
Soon (this month)
This year
Someday (these are just to have but don't have any urgency)

3. If you just don't like to file or tag much, dump all ideas into one big file called ideas and use your computer's search function.

Do you have another method that's working for you?

Email Organizing with folders

2008-09-05T09:00:00.003-04:00

Can Righties organize email with folders? Why yes we can.
The trick to using the folder approach is to make the folder titles mean something.
There are 3 kinds of folders
1. Action - emails you drop here are still in the cooker. Some on low heat, some on high. Each still needs some kind of attention.
Action items can be broken down into sub folders such as:
To pay
To read /sites to go to
To reply
To research
Pending orders
To Call
To Go (classes, parties, meetings)

2. Reference - keep info for future reference
This is where labeling of folders gets a little complicated.
a. The folder names work best if they match the names of any real physical files in your file drawers
b. The titles have to be broad enough categories so that you don't create zillions of files.
c. The titles have to be obvious to you

Some example reference file folders
Work
Personal
Kids stuff
Clubs
Recipes
Humor/inspiration
Account /password info
Stuff from Mom (that's real for me)

Business files:
Client correspondence
Website information
Writing ideas
Marketing ideas
Memos from boss/workplace/HR

3. Project files
These are for information to be collected for a short time, then discarded (including deleting the folder icon)
RSVPs for event
Decor project bids

The second trick is to use your in-box as your to-do list.
I know this is a huge no-no, taboo, frowned-upon way to operate - but for some of us it just works better. The reason is because if you're already looking at mail in the in-box, your brain is triggered to attend to the stuff that is still sitting there.
It works great with a running list of urgent to-dos and non-urgent to-dos.
You can mark the urgents with flags or by color marking them if your email system allows it.

Next - how to get less email and be a better emailer friend.

Right Brain Email Organizing

2008-09-03T16:47:00.005-04:00

Email has become a huge big monster to organize over the last several years.
Remember the early days when we just got a few emails a day?
There are so many ways to organize email I'll try to comment on a few over the next few entries.
For me - I have been using folders since I got my first email using outlook express back in the 1990's.
Now I use applemail and still use folders.
But I wish I had switched to gmail years ago - and I'll tell you why.
It is made for Righties!
The system uses labels instead of folders - which allows you to SEE the subject and the label(s) at the same time.
Labeling means SEEing!
Lets look at the usual ways people deal with email:

Filers - this is how it all began - and why it's so hard to turn the corner. We would (and many still do) create folder upon folder within folder to house our email archives so that we may find them again if needed. Some people have more than 100 folders and that doesn't make it easy to find what you need after a while.

Searchers - Hate to put things in a folder, so they leave everything in their In-box, Deleted folder, or Sent mail folder. When they want to find older emails, they just search for it. They love the apple Spotlight function because it can find just about anything using keywords. They use the in-box to house just about everything.

Taggers/Labelers - these are the wise ones who have adopted the tagging system that google created with gmail. It took me days to figure out I was never going to find a way to make a folder in the gmail program.
Instead, you put a label on each email with key phrases you would use for it. Each can have more than one tag as well. Labels can be action - Do, Read, Pending. And they can also be about the sender or the information - Work, Mom, friends.
Labels allow us to SEE everything we need to SEE while simultaneously showing us the label we gave it.
So if you're thinking about finding another way to organize your email, consider the gmail approach.

Read some other great blog entries about how to use gmail
James Melzer's Blog entry on google and outlook - includes a photo of tagging done right.
4 steps to banish email from Think Simple Now blog

When to use Color Coding

2008-09-02T10:02:00.003-04:00

These fabu Index Chopping Boards are a perfect example of color coding outta-the-box.
* Each color MEANS something.
* The color will help you stay organized (or at least less contaminated in this case).

The color also happens to be fun for those who love a splash of color about the home and office.
You can get the index chopping boards at the Museum of Modern Art online store.

Coaching for Creatives

2008-09-01T19:27:00.005-04:00

I generally don't feel like I need coaching. I am a self starter. I set goals and reach them regularly.
But there is something calling me about Christina Merkley's upcoming tele-seminars for creatives.
She speaks to my overgrown child who still wants to play with coloring books.
She speaks to my inner cool-kid who wants to be taking the most unique and creative approach.
She speaks to my grown-up entrepreneur who is always questioning and doubting herself.
Take a look at her upcoming no-charge teleseminars:
http://shift-it-coach.com/free-virtualexpo.php

I've been following Christina's career for a bit over a year now. She was a pioneer in the field of Graphic Facilitation - using pictures with words to capture a meeting and facilitate thought.
I wanted to put in a drawing to show you - but she is smart and protects them so you'll have to go to her website to see for yourself.

Now she has shifted her career to coaching - using the same visual principles she used as a facilitator.

My book, Color Me Organized, (inspired by visual practitioners) is my ongoing effort to capture the organizing process using graphics. My hope is that visual people will recognize and understand something because of the drawings that they otherwise don't "get."

If you have never taken a gander at visual practitioners at work there are many way-cool sites. Each practitioner has a different visual style, but the effect is the same: Pictures help visual people process and remember.

IVPF.org Visual Practitioner organization

Center for Graphic Facilitation Blog

You tube video of facilitation in action

My local graphic facilitator who took the time to show me everything she knows.
Martha McGinnis

Double Rainbow

2008-08-27T16:21:00.002-04:00

Double Rainbow
Originally uploaded by shadowink

Another view of the amazing rainbow I saw on my way to see SARK - Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy.
Found at Flickr.com

I WON THE SARK BLOG CONTEST

2008-08-27T13:37:00.005-04:00

I don't know if it was picked from a hat or what I wrote, but I'm the grand prize winner of a creativity consultation with my writer-muse SARK.
I got the email yesterday and found a way to get to her book signing last night because of it.
Here is my squiggly drawing of SARK at the book signing.

On the way, I drove through drizzle and rain and came off the highway to sunshine and the most incredible rainbow over Atlanta that I had ever seen. (this is an actual photo of the rainbow, found on flickr.com)
Of course I could say it was a sign of some kind.

I slowed down to a stop light and looked at the car next to me.
I caught the woman's eye.
I mouthed "rain-bow" and pointed.
She smiled so big and mouthed - "I know!" nodding her head with enjoyment.
Every driver was looking.
It was so incredibly bright, and a perfect arc like a colorful gateway to see my muse and inspiration.
Wow moments rarely happen like that.

More on the event in my next post.

The Organized Writer

2008-08-27T13:21:00.005-04:00

I have been a SARK follower for years and years.
I always imagined that she lived in a cluttered, messy, colorful, wild space full of toys and tzatchkes to give her inspiration (of course).
In her books, she is often discussing procrastination and avoidance...and how to avoid avoidance, so I just assumed she was disorganized.
So when I went to the book signing for her new book last night, I asked her. I wanted to know what her clutter issues were.
It was a big surprise to me to find out the truth:

She confessed to the crowd that she is coming out:
She is creative AND she is organized... like uber-organized!
She said, quote - " I am wildly creative AND organized."
"If I ever get married, it will be at someplace like The Container Store."
And this is from a woman who is about as right brainy as it gets!!
YOU CAN BE CREATIVE AND ORGANIZED!

SARK also said she doesn't talk about it and I inferred that it is because being organized is sometimes mis-perceived as NOT being creative.

More organizing quotes from SARK, the queen of napping and juiciness:

On time: "There is no such thing as not enough time. It's an invention of the mind."

On perfectionism: "Allow it - then allow it to change form. Do more things badly and see that there is no consequence and no one cares."

On getting help from others: We can't solve the problem with the same mind that created the problem in the first place" - quoting Einstein's phrase:
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

Photo is of SARK blessing me with her big purple crayon (as in Harold and the Purple Crayon.)
Between the rainbow and the blessing I just know I'm going to have an interesting year!

Color Coding vs. Using Color

2008-08-25T07:59:00.003-04:00

Creative, visual, sparkly people love to use lots of color when organizing. (like colorful paper trays)
And there are lots of people who recommend color coding methods to stay organized.
The two are not the same thing.
Using color is not the same as color coding.

Color coding is making color significant and giving it meaning.
It is usually done in order to separate parts of your life and make the sections easily identifiable at a glance.
For instance: my home files are purple and my business files are orange. Or if using desk trays: green for to-do, blue for to file, white for in-box, etc.

Using color is when you add a dose of color to make a boring situation less boring. Or even to make it exciting! Weeeeee, colored paper trays!

I love using color and patterned products to jazz things up.

And I don't recommend doing much color coding for most of my clients and I'll tell you why.
I think it is just more difficult to keep up.
Maintenance is usually a challenge for right brainers (and many moooooorrrre).
When you color code, you then have to keep a stockpile of those colored things around and store them.
It means having a stack of colored files in all your colors so you have some when you need a new one.
It means colored pens for the calendar (withing reach).
It may mean colored towels, colored notebooks, and on and on.
No problem for the organized lefties.
For us righties - you gotta be kidding.
Does color coding work for many? Sure. I'm not saying it doesn't work. It's just more work.

My mother had an organizer (she has actually had 9 now, including me) and this organizer had her compartmentalize her office and do special labels for the files to color code them. Now she is chronically disorganized with paper. So organizing them in a complicated way is, well, too complicated. She had to hunt down those special labels every time she wanted to make a new file. Looking for the labels was enough to make me stop and say hmmmmm. Didn't the oranizer know upkeep is not her stong suit? Eventually the color coding was abandoned. She still has remnants of that original system, but now she just writes on the files as is (or gets her organizer to).
See a video on how to color code here

To all the Righties who are not the best at maintenance, filing, putting away, complicated systems - my best advice is this: Keep it simple. If a process sounds like it takes more than one step or two easy ones, think twice about it.
Take the lid off the hamper
Use open topped bins
Keep you most used files in open carts or crates so you don't even have to open a drawer.

Structure for Creatives

2008-08-22T22:21:00.004-04:00

Structure stinks. Whenever I add formal structure to my day, my inner rebel sticks out her wicked tongue and gives me a raspberry. Thbfffft!

I know that structure and routine bring freedom from worry, and yet I can't stand the thought of being tied down to a time just because I said so.
(Self parenting is even harder than parenting real kids.)
Even when I write down "make calls" at 3:00-3:30pm, I won't follow my own instructions.

If you're anything like me, you may like the "blob" method. Or you can call it "block" if you want to be all like that.
The blob method goes something like this:

Make a list of the stuff you gotta get done.
Look at your calender and identify the large and small blobs of time between appointments.
Pick small tasks to do during the short blobs.
Pick more difficult and time consuming to-do's for the bigger blobs of time.
If you're working on an ongoing project, just do part of it over series of blobs to get it done.

Visualize & Estimate Time
If you like to draw (and even if you don't) you can help visualize how long each to-do is going to take.
Make your to-do list for the day randomly all over the page.
Draw a blob around each task and make each blob bigger or smaller depending upon how much time you think it will take.
Now you have a visual map of your tasks and can easily identify the big ones and small ones.
Draw lines between any blobs that should be grouped together (errands, things at the computer, etc.)
Color in your blobs when you finish them. You can even color in a pie slice or an inner blob if you only get part of your task done.

This may sound a little weired to some, but the only method that matters is the one that works for you.

I got Butlerized!

2008-08-21T16:25:00.006-04:00

From this to that -
I can't believe I finally took the plunge -- I plunked down a small chunk to get myself a purse that is beautiful AND functional.
After months and months of waffling I finally decided I couldn't take another day of my beautiful artsy iro purse (photo left). I love it for it's flowy lines and color but it just didn't have enough inner pockets for keeping all my stuff separated and easy to find.

So now - ta da - I got my Butler Bag
thanks to a sample sale (nearly 1/2 off - send me an email and I'll send you the link, and thanks to Monica Ricci and Monica Premo who luuuuuv em so much they want to marry them)
It is not only knock-out gorgeous on the outside (Orange is the new black), but it also has the fantastic original and ultimately organized interior design.. (Does the bin-thing have a name???)

What do you look for in a purse girls?
Shouldn't men carry bags? Wouldn't it be easier than stuffing their pockets? Or asking their gals for pens and other stuff that doesn't fit in a pocket?

Non-Planner Planner

2008-08-19T14:26:00.003-04:00

In my quest for quirky yet useful planners I always come back to this little wonder at little otsu.
The Non-Planner really speaks to my Rightie. Lefties beware... its a bit squiggly.
This is just one page. It has more traditional looking planning sections as well.
See other funky planners at the little otsu site.

Planning - Theme o' the Week

2008-08-18T08:03:00.004-04:00

I'm a bit obsessed with planners for time management, mostly because I really stink at using most of them. Like many right brainers, I have particular preferences and most planners are made for lefties.
Lefties remember dates. Righties are more likely to remember a day of the week. I remember where the day is visually on a page (middle would likely be a wednesday)

Lefties are linear. Righties don't always think of days in a row but in chunks. (busy week, Which Monday is available)

Lefties can write in pencil (and write small enough to stay inside the lines.) Righties may want to write in colored pens to make the important dates stand out or just for more visual interest.

Lefties tend to be more consistent. Righties generally struggle with structure and consistency. So you may put everything on the calendar one week and then leave it at home the next. Or you might switch calendars often looking for the right fit.

So this week I am devoting the blog to interesting, funky, and off-beat planners that may work better for people who think Right. (pun intended)

This Chrono-notebook non-linear day planner allows you to write your to-dos and activities in a circular manner as if following an analog clock. It is a visual exercise that shows you where activities fall in the day and it's cool looking to-boot!
It will soon be available at Muji stores - home stores in Japan (and now NY City).

Saving Light Bulb Moments

2008-08-15T16:50:00.003-04:00

OK you've got a great idea - but you may not be in a place where you can really write it and track it.
LifeDev blog provides 25 great ways to capture your idea for later.
(organizing the ideas is a whole 'nother story)
For a long time my favorite has been to carry around a little spiral notebook in my purse.
For a while I switched to a palm, using the notes.
But my biggest problem was when I got ideas while driving (in a trance, "how did I get here") I didn't want to write and have an accident.
Now, if I'm out and about, I have use Jott.com to call and email it to myself.
Good thing I'm allowed to make a call and drive in Georgia.

But what to do if you get a great idea in the shower!!
I seriously came up with the idea of a waterproof pen and paper set... but guess what...
It already exists. It's on the list!

What is your favorite way to capture ideas on the go?

Organizing for Creativity

2008-08-15T08:16:00.003-04:00

I started reading the newest SARK book and keep putting it down.
It's not because I don't like it.
It's because I like it soooooo much.
I want to slow down and savor it like a toasty warm cup of hot chocolate or a steak done to perfection.
Thank you SARK for putting your thoughts on paper for the rest of us to enjoy and use for a muse.
I yearn for my own magic cottage for creating.
And I vow to make the time to finish the colorful organizing book I have started.

I now have to organize my time so that I can create a magic cottage time/space to make it really happen.
What do you need to do in order to be able to create your creations and make your dreams come true?
Make a magic space?
Designate creativity hours?
How about form a creativity group where several people come together to be creative in their own way and hold one another accountable to be actively creating? Creativity parties! Hazzah!

-- Allison

It came!

2008-08-14T15:05:00.001-04:00

My book came today. I'm salivating.
I'll get back to you soon.

SARK Juicy Pens Thirsty Paper

2008-08-12T08:12:00.004-04:00

SARK's new book - Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper comes out today - I am standing at my door waiting for the Brown Van from UPS to show up with my very own copy (yes I'm an Amazon luvr).

If you don't know who SARK is and you're reading this blog, you may want to take a look at her colorful and whimsical (and sometimes very serious) books. They are written in hand with watercolor accents that amuse and inspire.
Her voice was one of the first voices I read that I felt gave me permission to let my artsy side bak out even though I had long ago put it aside for work and kids.

I stumbled across her book Succulent Wild Woman when I was working at CNN 15 years ago and saw the press kit in the hallway being given away (the book had already been taken). I quickly ran out to get the book and have been a fan ever since.

She's coming to my home town in a couple weeks on her book tour and I will be there and bring some friends. I was lucky enough to catch her on the wild woman tour as well.

What does any of this have to do with organizing???
Well - I use the books as muses to keep my inner juicy juices flowing. And I have more like them including journals and coloring books.
My creativity often gets sparked when I can see one thing and expand on it or adapt it for another use.
So this means having books to organize, and planning to spend time looking through them - which is a whole 'nother bunch of bananas for right brainers. More to come.

Are you Right Brained or Left Brained?

2008-08-10T21:26:00.004-04:00

You probably already have a hunch or you wouldn't be reading this.
Anyway, here are two tests you can take.

1. Which way is the dancer spinning when you look?

A remarkable thing happened when I did this. I was so amazed that anyone could see it the other way than what I saw - so I looked away - and when I looked back she was spinning the other way!
Perhaps I'm center brained.

2. Hemispheric dominance test

This one is multiple choice.
I scored 15 right. 3 left.
I was pretty embarrassed when it asked if I had a place for everything. Cuz I still don't every have everything in an exact spot even after 6 years of professional organizing.
That's the trouble with us right brainers.

How do you score??? Are you as right brained as you think?

On Creativity

2008-08-10T08:53:00.003-04:00

From Wikipedia:

Creativity (or "creativeness") is a mental process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between existing ideas or concepts.

From a scientific point of view, the products of creative thought (sometimes referred to as divergent thought) are usually considered to have both originality and appropriateness. An alternative, more everyday conception of creativity is that it is simply the act of making something new.

The stages of the creative process:
From ArtLex

Finding or formulating a problem. George Kneller (American psychologist) called this stage "first insight."

Researching and drawing from life experiences (memory), networking, etc. This stage is variously called "discovery" and "saturation."

Mulling over the problem in a sort of chaos of ideas and knowledge, letting go of certainties (forgetting). Jacob Getzel (American psychologist) called this stage "incubation" — engaging the intuitive, non-sequential, or global thinking at the core of creativity.

One or more ideas surface. This is also called "immersion" and "illumination."

The idea is tested as a potential solution to the problem. Getzel called this "verification." This final stage often involves revision — conscious structuring and editing of created material.

When you don't allow creativity to flourish:

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." --Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." --Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." --Western Union internal memo, 1876.

"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" --David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.

"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible." --A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.)

"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?" --H. M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.

"If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said you can't do this." --Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3-M "Post-It" Notepads.

"Aeroplanes are interesting toys but of no military value." --Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." --Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.

Creative Thinkers:

"Creativity is the ability to see relationships where none exist." -- Thomas Disch

"There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with unexpected outcomes." -- Buckminster Fuller

"Whenever you see a successful business someone once made a courageous decision" - - Peter F Drucker.

"Standing still is the fastest way of moving backwards in a rapidly changing world. Imagination is the highest kite one can fly" -- Lauren Bacall.
"Instead of pouring knowledge into people's heads, we need to help them grind a new set of eyeglasses so that we can see the world in a new way." -- J S Brown.

Posting posty posts on the new right brainy brain blog

2008-08-09T22:08:00.002-04:00

The world needs another blog like a hole in the head...
but there is discussion not being discussed and it'd discussting.
The right brainers of the world are a bit sick of the smug left-brain, sequential and logical world making all the rules.
So for all the creative doodlers, right brainers, artsy-fartsies, dreamers, idea people - This Blog's For You!
-- Allison Carter
Coloring my way to organization
the fun way