OrganizingLA Blog

Organizing Offices - Is a Messy Workplace Perilous To Your Career?

Does a messy office contribute to a lack of upwardly mobility?

This is the question posed in Monday's "Ask Annie" column in a CNNMoney.com Fortune article.  The answer?  Yes-- and you need to do something about it now, or pay the consequences later.

According to Productivity Specialist (and friend) Christine Reiter, of Time Strategies in Pasadena, California:

"People often don't realize that piles of paper, boxes in corners, and stacks of stuff behind the office door can affect one's upward mobility," she says. "Appearances are important."

Why? "Your office is a reflection of your capabilities," Reiter says. "Even though a messy desk isn't a sign of a character flaw, it does tend to give your managers and peers the impression that the job is too much for you to handle, you can't make decisions, you are not doing the job, or all of the above."

It was fun surprising my friend Chris with the knowledge her expertise was used in the article.  Thanks to Denise Wakeman for forwarding the story.

Readers-- What's your opinion?  Is is important that your work space, desk and office be neat or not?

Noted Trend Expert & Freelance Writer Sally Horchow Names John Trosko and OrganizingLA to her March "Hit List"

Sally Horchow, noted Trend Expert and Freelance Writer has named OrganizingLA and John Trosko to her "Hit List" for the month of March, 2006. Ms. Horchow has been working with our company on various "Pile Destruction" activities and organizational strategies for her home in the Hills above Hollywood.  We're so truly honored to receive this important distinction!

Employee of the Month
John Trosko, Master Organizer
OrganizingLA
My files, my shelves, my life will never be the same (thank GOD)

Sally regularly contributes her original point-of view on all lifestyle trends - from entertaining, food, and travel to design, fashion, and art - to The New York Times, Town & Country, and Daily Candy. Her work has also appeared in: Vanity Fair, Elle, InStyle, Food & Wine, Cosmopolitan, Town & Country Travel, Town & Country Weddings, Women's Wear Daily, Los Angeles Magazine, L.A. Confidential, Angeleno, Distinction, C Magazine, Veranda, Spa, Texas Monthly, and The Boston Globe.  Sally is currently appearing periodically as a lifestyle and trend expert on "TYRA," Tyra Banks' syndicated talk show. She has also appeared on: Food Network, E!Entertainment Television, KNBC/Channel 4 News, AMC, and Travel Channel.

Sally and her father, Roger Horchow (a Broadway producer and founder of The Horchow Collection), are the co-authors of The Art of Friendship: 70 Simple Rules for Making Meaningful Connections, a non-fiction work published by St. Martin's Press, which will be available in stores everywhere this October, 2006.

Click here to read the OrganizingLA "Hit List" mention.

Click here to explore articles written by Sally Horchow.

Pre-order the book, The Art of Friendship: 70 Simple Rules for Making Meaningful Connections.

Related Posts:

• How To Organize & Create a System To Stay in Touch for Business and Pleasure

10 Steps to Organize Your Finances to Promote Good Credit

Earlier this week, an OrganizingLA Client had her identity stolen from the US Mail system, and she got the bad news from someone working at the FBI.  The Client's really worried, and by all accounts, she's going to have to spend a great deal of time repairing the damage to her credit.

Credit is the kind of thing that can make or break you (I know, not good news for our Client.) Did you know you could be a high-income earner, paying bills on time, without ever having a collection … and still have a low or average credit score that's costing you hundreds of dollars each month?  You can.

My friend Phil X. Tirone, Mortgage Broker and Author, created "7 Steps to 720," a no-nonsense credit repair program which includes a book, workbook and audio CD package.  Phil has provided the OrganizingLA Blog with his 10 secret steps for repairing or improving your credit.  Take a look.

Organize.com Domain Name Purchased For Undisclosed Amount

Darn!  Someone beat us to it!

Okay, we've been too busy lately following the Los Angeles home sale of Brad & Jen, the Herb Ritz Estate, Roland Hill's Sleeping Beauty Castle Home in Hollywood, and the conversion of the Tower Records Building in Hollywood to condos.  So busy in fact that we haven't noticed the sale of a different kind.  The online-organizing superstore, "OrganizeEverything.com" has purchased the "Organize.com" domain name for an "undisclosed" amount.  You can read all about it here.  The transition process will be complete on March 31, 2006 and customers should see no service or purchase history issues with the change.

According to their Director of E-Commerce, Kevin Watts (who most recently was in attendance at the 2006 Los Angeles Organizing Awards, chaired by OrganizingLA stalwart John Trosko), the name change also reflects one of the main company philosophies: To make your life simpler and more organized. "Our new name clearly reflects that and will be much easier for our customers to remember."

We know there are many, many die-hard bloggers who read this site-- can anyone give us what we think this "undisclosed" purchase price of "Organize.com" could be?  Just curious-- if our budget is in that ballpark.

Have an Easier Time Organizing Your Closet – Build a Connection with a Charity

On a recent episode of The Apprentice, Donald Trump rewarded the latest team of winners with the opportunity to dress some disadvantaged men in some fine casual and business clothes.  When all was said and done, it was touching television.  Clothes really do help improve self-esteem when you're climbing the ladder of success.  And face it, clothes really do make an important presentation at a company, attending a business meeting, or even during a job interview.

Even the Style Network, dressbarn and Viactive are sponsoring a Send One Suit Week to benefit Dress for Success.

"Giving as a trend never goes out of style" -- Niecy Nash, host of Clean House.

I've noticed over the years that clients have an easier time "letting go" of their unused wardrobe IF the items go to a needy cause and a personal connection is made.  Last week, OrganizingLA provided some closet-clearing tips to a "Big Four" accounting firm here in Los Angeles for their "Professional Clothes Drive."  Employees were encouraged to donate casual and professional clothes to benefit a local charity who in turn provides services to all those seeking recovery from alcoholism and substance abuse.  The charity offers clients a fresh set of clothes and a place to rejoin the workforce.

OrganizingLA Blog Reviewed by Delight.com & Delightful Blogs!

Spring has sprung "from the desert to the sea to all of Southern California" as the beloved Jerry Dumphy used to say.  And so spring has brought us a review of the OrganizingLA Blog!

We're being featured today on Delight and Delightful Blogs.  Here's an excerpt:

"OrganizingLA's organizer guru John Trosko offers daily tips... all presented in a decidedly not Martha format - free from that omnipresent feeling of disappointment in your clutter clearing skills."

Our mission?  Accomplished.  For now.  Delight's mission?  To discover all things refreshing "whether you’re a designer in D.U.M.B.O. or a hipster housewife in Honolulu, Delight’s appeal is widespread because just like our readers, we’re fluent in IKEA and Issey Miyake; we shop Target and Tom Ford."

Thanks for the support!  Now, let's get back to tackling that to-do list.

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