Month: September 2008

  • Want To Get Organized? Eat Chocolate And Chicken

    ChocolateCan eating certain foods really help you get organized?  It is possible?

    Getting (and staying) organized is about decision making.  When you're holding an item in your hands, you take responsibility for the care and feeding of that item, just like a pet.  You also choose to put it down right in front of you, or put it back in its proper place.

    CisforchocolateStudies are showing that running low on the neurotransmitter that controls your mood (serotonin) contributes to "low energy, lack of enthusiasm, and regulating emotions."  That's one of the reasons why someone who is depressed actually feel better when they eat, or at least less cranky.  Now that's a simplistic solution, but you get the point.

    Do you feel more motivated to tackle your desk paperwork after you've had a meal?  Or a piece of chocolate?  Try it and share your "scientific" experience.

    images above courtesy of our friends Celine Soprano and Bruno Marcy at 'C' is for Chocolate

    Source:  Whole Life Times, August 2008 issue

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  • Carolyne Roehm Sure Knows How To Organize An Office

    One of the more notable contributors to our new book, The Experts' Guide to Doing Things Faster:  100 Ways to Make Life More Efficient, is Carolyne Roehm.

    Carolyne Roehm is a celebrated American hostess, designer, and author of numerous books ranging from fashion to flowers.  She is quite notable for her garden "notebooks."  Answers.com has a wonderful bio you can read here.  Her newest book, A Passion for Blue and White, will be in bookstores the same day the Experts' Guide comes out, October 28th.

    Roehm has an unusual website where she not only shares her tips for better living, but offers wedding ideas, gifts, favors, beautiful papers, luxury ribbons and more– all for sale.  Her CRStyle Magazine from this past summer offers a glimpse into her unique style.  We discovered an office organizing piece she wrote in 2006.  We feel like we're on organizing crack.  Just beautiful.  Take a look:

    CarolyneRoehmOffice1

    Carolyne calls this "order in the house."  She's organizing her office here, including scrap-booking supplies, ribbons, wrapping paper and stationery.  We call it incredible.

    CarolyneRoehmOffice2

    "Every office space should be good-looking and functional. You will be more likely to keep it orderly."  What do you think of these red folders?  Is this something you can do in your own home?

    CarolyneRoehmOffice3

    We adore these navy boxes (clients know we're suckers for anything nautical blue.)  Not sure where the boxes are from.  Do you know?  They may be from the now defunt Hold Everything or West Elm.  Notice how Carolyne balances beauty with functionality.  This shot may be staged, but can't you picture yourself reaching for a photo box and getting the scent of those orchids?

    You can check out these pictures, and about two dozen stylish workspace organizing tips on her site by clicking here.  You can also sign up for her mailings, which reminded us to write this piece.

    Carolyne will be providing her expertise to The Experts' Guide to Doing Things Faster with a chapter on making the process of writing thank you notes more efficient.

    Buy:

    A Passion for Blue and White, by Carolyne Roehm

    Related Posts:

    Contributing authors to our book

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  • Jeff Goldblum Enjoys Divesting His Life

     Jeff goldblum 

    Just because you're organized, do you think you can actually organize someone else?

    Ask any professional organizer their view of their business before they began, and a few years later.  Working as a professional organizer is difficult when emotions run high, decisions come slowly and patience on the part of the organizer is prudent, or they won't be coming back.  The act of organizing might seem thrilling to some.  The reality is it's tough to actually move someone through the organizing process.

    So take Jeff Goldblum for instance.  Mr. Goldblum may be like Matt Lauer of The Today Show fame.  They both seem to like organizing so much, they could do it as a profession.

    In an interview earlier this year with TV Guide and Jonathan Small, Goldblum talked a little bit about his passion for purging.  Unfortunately, the article is offline, presumably because his show Raines was canceled from NBC.  One of our readers sent it to us, snail mail:

    TV Guide:  Apparently you are an expert pianist… Do you have any other hidden talents?

    "I do a version of spring cleaning, which is sort of recycling, streamlining and divesting myself of unneeded accumulation.  Every year I give away clothes and get down to the minimal thing.  I would be very good at going into someone's house who needed help getting it cleaned.  I would go through their closets and say "Why are you keeping this?"  I'd be good at organizing people's lives."

    We love that he recycles the things he doesn't need anymore.  So, what are your experiences organizing someone else?  Perhaps a college dorm roomate, a parent, your uncle or your children's homework.  Did you smell success or did you bomb big time?

    image courtesy Microsoft

    Related Posts:

    Matt Lauer wants to organize other people

    How to make a home livable, when no one agrees

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  • October Travel Schedule

    Plane Palm Tree

    This October, we're hitting the road for a few industry events, our book launch and some out of town client organizing projects.

    If you're in either these two cities, we'd be honored to work with you for the day or more.  Please check out our policy page first, then contact us for more details.

    October 2 – October 5 – San Francisco

    Attending the NAPO San Francisco 20th Anniversary Gala at Wildwood Acres Resort in Lafayette.

    October 23 – October 29 – New York City (change of plans, see below)

    October 25 – November 1 – New York City

    Attending the book launch of Experts' Guide To Doing Things Faster:  100 Way To Make Life More Efficient in the heart of midtown Manhattan.

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  • Real Simple Premieres on TLC October 17th

    Real Simple

    Step aside Mission Organization,Clean Sweep, Clean House, Neat, and Homemade Simple, there's a new lifestyle makeover series about to hit like Ike.

    TLC Logo Real Simple Magazine finally premiers Real Simple, Real Life on October 17th, on TLC.  This is from the Real Simple website:

    "The new lifestyle makeover series REAL SIMPLE. REAL LIFE. will help busy women tackle their daily challenges, sharing strategies to help make life easier. Each week the show will feature a 360-degree lifestyle makeover, using best-in-class experts to help women identify their day-to-day challenges, and offer realistic solutions and ‘aha’ tips to help them live an even better life. “We embrace the reality that it’s not about making the perfect meal or having the most organized closet,” explains Executive Producer Jude Weng. ”We’re working with them to make time-saving changes that will let them add more of the fun ‘me’ time they’re craving back into their lives.”"

    Here is the show's "Dream Team" and their personal websites, if available:

    Tomorrow, we'll feature our friend and LA colleague Jodie Watson, who is serving as their "organization expert".

    Read the press release on the Time Inc. website.

    Related Posts:

    Real Simple Magazine Partners with TLC for New Organization Show

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  • A Certificate of Appreciation for Organizing the Organizers

    John Trosko and Heidi Chianta VOM

    One of my most favorite jobs as President of the National Association of Professional Organizers, Los Angeles Chapter (NAPO-LA) is to open our monthly chapter meetings and present the Volunteer of the Month Award.

    What a wonderful opportunity it's been to join with the board of directors and acknowledge a volunteer's contributions with a short talk and a certificate of appreciation.  As the recipient stands next to me at the podium, they're so touched by emotion they cry (and sometimes I cry).  Pictured next to me (above) at our last chapter meeting on August 25 is the beloved winner Heidi Chianta, owner of Your Project Managerin Manhattan Beach.  No crying for Heidi!

    Heidi has donated her personal time over the past year to work on the Los Angeles Organizing Awards as our host escort, as well as performing a lot of unglamorous duties on The Organizing Expo to be held on September 22nd.  Sometimes (how do we say this gently?) having professional organizers working side-by-side is little bit like who's going to pull the sled on the first big snow day of winter.  Heidi (and all our volunteers of the month) handle their volunteer jobs with dedication and professionalism I admire.

    Whether the recipient cries or not, my point is this:  it's a moment of joy to show someone you appreciate them, and to be appreciated.  When is the last time you gave someone you care about a "certificate of appreciation?"

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“John Trosko offers creative solutions for clearing cluttered spaces while spilling Hollywood habitués’ domestic obsessions.”

– Cristina Tudino, Self Magazine

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