OrganizingLA Blog

December 07, 2016

6 Tips for Organizing Holiday Re-Gifting

As Santa flies his sleigh past Los Angeles Downtown City Hall, he wants to give you permission to re-gift!

At one time or another we’ve all received holiday gifts given to us with good intentions yet didn’t really work for our taste. Unwanted gifts clutter up the house or office while we figure out what to do with the gift. Guilt and fear paralyze us into keeping gifts we don’t want or need.

Re-gifting is becoming a perfectly acceptable social practice. In a recent survey, when asked if it is okay to receive a re-gifted item, 83% of survey respondents said yes. In our professional organization business, we give our beloved clients permission to reconsider keeping brand new gifts they'll never use.

So if you're considering re-gifting this holiday season, use these 6 tips as guidelines when re-gifting:

Gift packaging and contents must be in excellent condition;
Remove old tape remnants and re-wrap the gift in new wrapping paper;
Only give the gift to someone who will appreciate and use it;
Make sure all the pieces (puzzles, toys) are intact and unbroken;
Never re-gift unsold garage sale merchandise; fruit cakes, gift cards with partially used balances and nothing monogrammed;
Keep track of who gave you the gift; don’t mistake giving it back to them!

Re-gifting is a great way to declutter your space and get organized, to be environmentally conscious by recycling and reusing and helps to keep your budget down. So go ahead and celebrate this season and re-gift, re-gift, re-gift! Santa approves.

Mary Pickford is seen here on Hollywood Boulevard "decorating" for Christmas

Questions or Comments?

What are your thoughts about gift-giving this holiday season? Let us know here in the comment section or you can tweet us @johntrosko on Twitter. You can also check John out on Instagram (@johntrosko).

This original piece was published on FitPerez, Perez Hilton's site featuring celebrity fitness and personal trainer expertise, diet, nutrition and advice from lifestyle experts including John and OrganizingLA. Click here to read our original piece on Perez Hilton's FitPerez.

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Plus, as a gift receive our exclusive Martha Stewart Living Radio recorded radio interview and transcript, chock full of strategies, tips and resources direct from John.

Posted on December 07, 2016 in FitPerez, Gift-wrapping Room | Permalink | Comments (2)

October 08, 2016

Donald Trump Tours His Trump Tower Office and You Won't Believe What We Find

Presidential candidate Donald Trump shows off his desk papers

Ask any professional organizer what an organized office looks like and you'll generally get the same answer:

"Whatever works for the client."

And that's true for my professional organizing firm, too. If something's not broke, then there's no need to fix it. But while some clients don't need any desk or office organization, many need a complete overhaul or at least some selective help with things like desktop organization, digital organizing, office memorabilia, old-school paper management, dealing with scanning, business card collections, storing architectural drawings, household files, business filings and tax records.

Again, if it's not broke, then there no need to fix it.

Trump Office Tour

Case in point, Donald Trump. The Republican Presidential candidate proudly and rightfully shows off his Trump Tower business offices. In this Wall Street Journal interview, Trump shines when he surrounds himself with his vast memorabilia. We think he handles the opening comments well when Journalist Monica Langley opens up the conversation with the opening line "This office is all you. And it's a little bit junky." Check out the interview video from September 2015:

If the video doesn't load, click here for the WSJ video piece

From The Desk of Donald Trump:

Some clients just love to surround themselves with the things they love, and the totality of those items creates a powerful emotion. But it's a fact that Trump also believes that a messy desk is not a sign of weakness. In fact, it's a part of his success. Check out this fascinating interview from 2011.

Here is a transcript of Trump's desktop philosophy. If you need the desk interview link, click here.

“Many people have been asking about my desk, and the fact that I have so many papers on my desk. It’s actually very neat. I know where everything is. But if you look around, I mean, there’s a lot of stuff. The fact is, I’m busy. I always notice that busy people, people that are very successful in many cases, have a lot going on on their desk. I have papers from deals, I have papers from just about everything. I like to read up on things. I like to study what I’m doing. So, therefore, you have a lot of action going on your office. Now, some of the writers, some of the ones that aren’t so smart, they talk about the desk negatively. They say, “Oh, isn’t it terrible, Trump has so many papers on his desk, let’s analyze everything on the desk,” and they do the best, and they fail. But the fact is, I’ve noticed over the years, successful people have a lot going on on their desk. My desk is in my office, my desk is a very important part of me, and frankly it’s a very important part of my success. Everything I do comes right through this desk. So, if it’s not perfectly neat, if there’s a lot of action, I think that’s okay. I actually think that’s a good thing.”

Questions or Comments?

Politics aside, what are your thoughts on a messy desk, or a so-called junky office? What organizing tips would you give to Donald J. Trump? Let us know here in the comment section or you can tweet us @johntrosko on Twitter. You can also check John out on Instagram (@johntrosko).

Like this Topic?

Want to learn smart and practical organizing tips for your home, office and life? Save time by signing up for free topic updates and receive them as soon as they're published. Plus, as a gift receive our exclusive Martha Stewart Living Radio recorded radio interview and transcript, chock full of strategies, tips and resources direct from John.

Posted on October 08, 2016 in Celebrity Organization, Offices | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 10, 2016

Can the CHAOS Theory Transform Into Scruffy Hospitality?

This is one of John's nautical themed summer barbeques. Way too much planning and a lot of work to clean up. Scruffy Hospitality here we come?

Are you embarrassed about the clutter and mayhem in your house? Does that stop you from having friends and family over? We see this all the time. It's true we help people restore order, but we also work with clients to create realistic expectations for what's important. A little mess is absolutely fine.

Continue reading "Can the CHAOS Theory Transform Into Scruffy Hospitality?" »

Posted on July 10, 2016 in Demystifying the Professional Organizer Experience, Food and Drink, Home & Home Office Tips, Techniques to Tackle | Permalink | Comments (3)

February 01, 2016

Professional Organizer To Appear on ABC's Shark Tank in Special Military Show

ABC-TV's Shark Tank will feature a Denver-based Professional Organizing Company appears on February 5th

Around here we're big fans of reality business shows like The Profit, Restaurant Start Up, Bar Rescue and especially ABC-TV's Shark Tank. Shark Tank features budding entrepreneurs with the chance to "bring their ideas to the sharks in the tank -- five titans of industry who made their own dreams a reality and turned their ideas into lucrative empires."

The contestants try to convince any one of the sharks to invest money in their idea. When more than one of the sharks decide they want a piece of the action, a bidding war can erupt, driving up the price of the investment.

Angela Cody-Rouget, a Denver and Phoenix-based professional organizer will be appearing on ABC-TV's Shark Tank

Major Mom - Featured on February 5th:

We're really excited to learn that our colleague and former Air Force Major from Phoenix Angela Cody-Rouget and her company will be featured on Shark Tank this Friday, February 5th. John co-chaired a national leadership committee for the National Associations of Professional Organizers (NAPO) while Angela was the Chapter President of NAPO Colorado, so they worked together for over a year.

“Episode 719” – Veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs try to enlist the Sharks’ investments in their products—will it be a mission accomplished? A former Air Force Major from Phoenix, AZ looks to franchise her personal organization business that can keep Americans’ homes “majorly” de-cluttered. “Shark Tank,” FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 (9:00--10:01 p.m. EST) on the ABC Television Network."

So how did Angela get on the show? "One of the producers contacted me... and said they were looking for veteran entrepreneurs for their show. Months of contracts, jumping through hoops and lots of stress landed me in LA at Sony Studios where I met five sharks in person as I pitched my business. It was an incredible experience full of many emotions and lots of prayer." According to Angela, she's under a gag order but can say she met with the Sharks for about an hour and the meeting will be compressed into entertainment value.

Questions or Comments?

Do you have questions for Angela, Shark Tank, Reality TV or organizing in general? Let us know here in the comment section or you can tweet us @johntrosko on Twitter. You can also check John out on Instagram (@johntrosko).

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Posted on February 01, 2016 in Business Tips, Community, Demystifying the Professional Organizer Experience, Home & Home Office Tips, Organizing Industry News | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 07, 2016

John Speaking at 2016 Los Angeles Get Organized Month Event Saturday January 9th

Join John on Saturday January 9th for weGo! in West Hollywood

If you're local to Los Angeles, join OrganizingLA founder John Trosko at WeGo! on Saturday, January 9th when NAPO Los Angeles and the City of West Hollywood present a free community event designed to educate and inspire Angelenos to get organized in 2016. John served two terms as chapter president of NAPO-LA.

From decluttering your home or office, aspiring to have a paperless lifestyle or mastering time management to achieve maximum productivity in your day, Los Angeles best professional organizers will give workshops and offer their best tips for getting organized. Ask-the-organizer panels will present attendees with the opportunity to discuss their own challenges and receive advice from the experts, while companies will exhibit products, services, tools and resources to help you get organized and stay organized.

Ask the Organizer Panels:

Ask the Organizer Panel is an opportunity for attendees to hear general organizing advise delivered directly from the experts. Participants include Leslie Haber, Dorothy Breininger, Regina Lark Ph.D, CPO®, Cynthia Smith and John Trosko.

Ask the Organizer Panel with ADHD Specialists includes experts Standolyn Roberts, CPO®, Kim Anker-Paddon, CPO-CD®, COC®, Debra Frank, CPO-CD® and Mishele Vieira, CPO®.

Workshop Experts:

Marcy Melton, Financial Organizing
Dolores Kaytes, Filing Systems for Home and Office
Tracy Bowers, Organizing for K-12 Students
Standolyn Roberts, Organizing Your Kitchen for Heathy Eating
John Trosko and Leslie Haber - Managing Incoming Mail and Paperwork
Tanisha Lyons Porter, ABCs & 123 of DIY Decluttering

Detail for weGo!

weGo!

Saturday, January 9, 2016

11:00am-3:00pm

Plummer Park Community Center

7377 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90046

About NAPO Los Angeles:

NAPO-Los Angeles is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to developing, leading and promoting professional organizers and the benefits of better home and business organization. The founding chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers, "The Organizing Authority®," NAPO-LA has provided members with a forum for networking, professional development and raising public awareness since 1985.

Questions or Comments?

Do you have questions about weGo!? Let us know here in the comment section or you can tweet us @johntrosko on Twitter. You can also check John out on Instagram (@johntrosko).

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Posted on January 07, 2016 in Business Tips, Community, Demystifying the Professional Organizer Experience, Home & Home Office Tips, Organizing Industry News, Storage - Misc. | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 17, 2015

EcoATM Kiosk Helps You Sell Your Old Electronics

Sprinkles in Beverly Hills eases your late-night cravings with the world's first cupcake ATM. But cupcakes aren't the only things ATMs are dispensing.

Southern California is full of modern-day kiosk conveniences; like the world's first cupcake ATM at Sprinkles in Beverly Hills, CA. Coinstar is another innovative kiosk to turn your coins into a gift card or paper bills, Redbox helps you rent movie and video games and Amazon's Locker organizes online purchase package retrieval. So what else is out there?

The EcoATM

Developed by Outerwall in San Diego, EcoATM is an automated device-recycling kiosk that collects unwanted or used cell phones, tablets and MP3 players for instant cash (also known as a cellphone buy-back or trade-in program).

The machines determine the amount by looking at three things:

Model
Condition
Current market value

Did you know by the end of 2015, there will still be an estimated 422 million idle or inactive mobile devices, and out of those, only 99 million will be recycled. They're hoping to help increase the recycled amount. Here's a cool video on how it works.

EcoATM video:

If you are the kind of person who has amassed a truckload of electronics, and you want to responsibly turn them in (and make some cash), EcoATM sounds like a convenient, easy and safe way to declutter your office.

Your Turn to Comment

What do you think of the new EcoATM kiosks? Would you ever use them? Do they provide enough value for you? Will Apple's iPhone Buy-Back program crush EcoATM? Let us know here in the comment section or you can tweet us @johntrosko on Twitter. You can also check me out on Instagram (@johntrosko).

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