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Sep 27
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Going Paperless is a Process: How to Eliminate Office Clutter

By Blog, Business Organizing, Home Office Organization, Organizing Paper Files No Comments

Is going paperless a realistic goal for you? What’s the reason you want to go paperless?

Is it to be more mobile, work from anywhere, get rid of the stacks of papers, or have information on demand from your computer?

Whatever it is, take a few minutes to decide what going paperless will look like for you. Paper organization is a process; getting clear on your vision from the start will save you a lot of time!

Making the decision to go paperless is a great step in the right direction. But it isn’t a single step… going paperless is a process.

Even after I thought I had cleared everything, I still find it is important to keep going back in and clearing more out! Staying organized is about staying on top of your systems.

What’s Your Goal for Going Paperless?

Initially, my goal in going paperless was to be completely mobile. To be able to do business and work from anywhere in the world.  My goal expanded to giving team access to documents, videos, and photos.

In this transition I had to learn new technology, set up new systems, and schedule time in my calendar for this goal. I also had to be ruthless with myself on what books, papers, magazines, articles, office supplies, and binders I really needed to keep in my office.

At the end of the day I would ask myself, what do I really need to have on hand and just a moment away? Can I access my information online or on my computer quickly? What needs to stay in paper format?

These are questions you must ask yourself, too.

Why Keep Paper in a Digital World?

This is a question that everyone is going to have a different answer for.

How comfortable are you with learning and using technology?

Some prefer the touch and feel of paper and others just want it completely out of their life so they don’t have to manage it at all. In all my years of organizing offices, homes, and small businesses, I have yet to see a completely paperless office. So get clear on what “paperless” means to you.

Where Do I Put Papers I Keep?

Depending on how much paper you have left after deciding what stays and goes, you may want to use binders kept on a shelf or in a smaller filing cabinet.

Create a space for your “Project Files” and your “Reference Files.”

Project files are active and need to be close at hand. Reference files contain information that you may need to refer to from time-to-time. You can keep those in a filing cabinet, binders, or your office.

I went from four lateral filing drawers down to two small file drawers – and it feels great! In those two filing drawers are only what I need in paper format for a few current projects, a few business reference files, and personal documents. Whenever I can, I purge a file or eliminate a project folder.

The paper files in my cabinet are not papers that I want to scan, but those that I want to have in their original formats. I may change my mind one-day, but for now I’m happy with this.

Project management apps to help you go paperless with all the projects you’re working on are:

  • Asana
  • Trello
  • ClickUp
  • OneNote
  • Evernote
  • Monday

My personal favorite is Asana and it has given me the freedom to share projects with my team which gives me peace of mind that tasks aren’t slipping through the cracks.

For simple to lists, planning a celebration, and errands, my personal preference is GoogleKeep.

Get Clear On Your Vision for Paperless

Going paperless is a process and it doesn’t happen overnight. Just like building a home!

You first have a vision and draw up a plan, then hire a contractor to build your home. After many, many months of making a lot of decisions and following through on completing task after task, you finally have reached your move-in day. And you get to walk through your front door into your new dream home!

So, what is your vision for going paperless?

Paint that picture in your mind, write out your desired outcome, and schedule time to follow through with it. Then complete all the tasks it will to take in organizing your space so you have less paper!

 

If you want to take it a step further or need some more guidance, my Organize Your Household Papers will give you a jump start on organizing your paper in your office, home, and life! You’ll get all of my trade secrets and the steps to set up your organizing systems. Really everything you’d need to be organized and manage the paper files taking up too much space in your life!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Aug 26
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Sherry’s Current Reading List

By Blog, Business Organizing, Home Organizing 2 Comments

If you know me, you know I’ve always got a book tucked away in each room of my home!

 

This has been a great encouragement in pushing myself to read more often because no matter the place, when inspiration strikes, I love that I’m able to pick up a book at arms length and delve right in.

 

You may think that by having so many different books on the go I would be mixing up the lessons and stories. But that’s not the case!

 

I try to only have one open book at a time in each of my favourite genres. That way, my mind can stay on track with which is which, since the storyline is just so different for each!

 

But enough from me – let’s introduce my first fave of the moment:

What I just Downloaded on my Kindle:

Great leaders are driven to win. Yet career wins can come at great cost to your health, relationships, and personal well-being. Why does it seem impossible to both win at work and succeed at life?

 

With clarity, humor, and plenty of motivation, Win at Work and Succeed at Life gives you

• an understanding of the historical and cultural forces that have led to overworking

• 5 principles to rethink work and productivity from the ground up

• simple but proven practices that enable you to slow down and reclaim your life

Successful Women Lead Businesses:

In Believe IT, Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics, shares the wild but true story of how a once struggling waitress turned her against-the-grain idea into an international bestselling sensation, eventually selling the company for over a billion dollars and becoming the first female CEO of a brand in L’Oréal’s 100+ year history.

 

Faced with self-doubt, body-doubt, God-doubt, down to her last few dollars and told “No one is going to buy makeup from someone who has your body,” Jamie reveals for the first time what really went down, how she almost didn’t make it, how she learned to trust herself, and the powerful lessons you, too, can use to go from underestimated to unstoppable.

Mindset:

In this groundbreaking book, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee explores how making small changes to your surroundings can create extraordinary happiness in your life.

 

Drawing on insights from neuroscience and psychology, she reveals how the seemingly mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising effects on our mood and how we can harness the power of our environment to live fuller, healthier and more joyful lives.

Interior Design:

Beautiful design isn’t just pleasant to look at; it improves the quality of our lives.

 

In Live Beautiful, EyeSwoon creator Athena Calderone taps into her international network of interior decorators, fashion designers, and tastemakers to reveal how carefully crafted interiors come together. She also opens the doors to two of her own residences.

Spiritual:

In our daily pursuit of joy through people, adventures, and success, we often come up empty and gasping for air. Always needing more.

 

After the crushing loss of both her first and her second beloved husbands, author Heidi McLaughlin desperately needed joy that was sustainable and fresh. Fresh Joy takes you by the hand and guides you through honest and raw stories, biblical truths, and practical steps to help you find and grow deep, fulfilling, and lasting joy.

I will hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection.

Grace, Not Perfection takes this message from a daily planner to an inspirational book that encourages women to simplify and prioritize. Designed with Emily Ley’s signature aesthetic, this book gives women tangible ways to simplify their lives to give space to what matters most. With a focus on faith, Emily reminds readers that God abundantly pours out grace on us–and that surely we can extend grace to ourselves.

Mornings can be tough. Sometimes, a hearty breakfast and strong cup of coffee just aren’t enough.

 

Instead, much-loved author Paul David Tripp aims to energize Christian readers with the most potent encouragement imaginable: the gospel. 365 devotional readings, each beginning with a compelling, gospel-centred tweet (in 140 characters or less), are followed by an extended meditation on a key thought for the day, to inspire reflection and prayer.

Health & Wellness:

Sara Panton, co-founder of the premium essential oil company vitruvi, shares her knowledge of botanicals and wellness practices to help you live more naturally and elevate the simple moments of your day.

 

The book guides you through ways to customize your beauty, body, and home routines–turning them into easy yet sophisticated wellness experiences. Learn how to create a custom face oil for your skin type; do a facial lymphatic massage; make a Mediterranean-inspired botanical foot soak; and blend unique essential oil diffuser aromas for your home.

From the trusted, influential, and famously trend-setting website comes the first ever Well+Good cookbook.

 

Founders Alexia Brue and Melisse Gelula have curated a collection of 100 easy and delicious recipes from the luminaries across their community to help you eat for wellness. These dishes don’t require a million ingredients or crazy long prep times. They are what the buzziest and busiest people in every facet of the wellness world—fitness, beauty, spirituality, women’s health, and more—cook for themselves.

Featuring over 100 recipes, “This Kitchen is for Dancing” shares Karlene’s journey toward healthier living through nutrient-packed, never-complicated menus that simply refuse to skimp on flavor.

 

Too busy to cook? Don’t know where to start? Can’t figure out how to keep everybody in your household happy at the dinner table? Karlene shares all her tricks and tips, from how to shop and stock a pantry, to step-by-step instructions for planning and cooking your week’s meals on a Sunday afternoon.

Organizing:

Having less stuff is the key to happiness.

 

Do you ever feel overwhelmed, instead of overjoyed, by all your possessions? Do you secretly wish a gale force wind would blow the clutter from your home? If so, it’s time to simplify your life! The Joy of Less is a fun, lighthearted guide to minimalist living:

• Part One provides an inspirational pep talk on the joys and rewards of paring down.

• Part Two presents the STREAMLINE method: ten easy steps to rid your house of clutter.

• Part Three goes room by room, outlining specific ways to tackle each one.

• Part Four helps you get your family on board and live more lightly and gracefully on the earth.

At home or on the go, you don’t have to live like a minimalist to feel happy and calm.

 

The Home Edit mentality is all about embracing your life–whether you’re a busy mom, a roommate living with three, or someone who’s always traveling for work. You just need to know how to set up a system that works for you. Clea and Joanna are here to remind you that “it’s okay to own things” in the quest for pretty and smart spaces. With The Home Edit Life, you’ll soon be corralling phone cords, archiving old photos, arranging your phone apps by color, and packing your suitcase like a pro.

Productivity & Performance:

In Essentialism, Greg McKeown, CEO of a Leadership and Strategy agency in Silicon Valley who has run courses at Apple, Google and Facebook, shows you how to achieve what he calls the disciplined pursuit of less.

 

Being an Essentialist is about a disciplined way of thinking. By applying a more selective criteria for what is essential, the pursuit of less allows us to regain control of our own choices so we can channel our time, energy and effort into making the highest possible contribution toward the goals and activities that matter.

Just six habits can make the difference between massive success and a dead-end job.

 

High Performance Habits makes it clear that by building up positive habits you can make a huge change in your life. It is harder than you might think but making a daily effort to incorporate each of the six habits recommended by Brendon Burchard will be the start of your self-growing period. Do you want to be extraordinary? Do you desire more than anything else to be capable of reaching the peak of the professional world? If your answer is Yes to any of the above questions, this book is for you.

Unable to overcome debilitating fatigue and depression, bestselling author and personal devel-opment expert Ben Angel set out on a 90-day mission to find and conquer the root of his rut.

 

The result of his journey is Unstoppable, a highly revealing book where Ben gives you a look into the world of nootropics, wearable devices, and nutrition and delivers a guide to help you reduce stress, increase focus, improve physical performance, and eliminate your fears.

So my fellow bookies, have any of these titles, covers, or synopses caught your eye? Or maybe a few are familiar?

 

Let me know in the comments which ones you’re clicking to buy now!

 

 

 

(Disclaimer: I do earn a small commission from the sales through the links attached to these book recommendations!)

 

 

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Aug 25
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Ultimate Guide: My Kitchen Organizing Process

By Blog, Home Organizing, Simple Living 2 Comments

Do you know what the most frustrating room for the majority of people to organize is?

If you guessed the kitchen… you’re right!

A kitchen is often seen as the least approachable room in a home to organize because it’s one of the bigger spaces, but it’s filled with so many small items!

 

Think about it, you have eating and serving utensils, pots and pans, a morning beverage zone, mugs and cups, serving and eating dishes, baking items, special holiday items, and so much more!

With all of this in mind, I wouldn’t be surprised if you feel a little anxiety creeping up – but relax! Through this guide I will take you on a complete walkthrough of my kitchen organizing process. Hopefully I can show you that once you’re through the messy parts, the rest is simple (like tetris) and just consists of fitting the puzzle together.

Let’s begin!

 

When starting to plan a kitchen,

I always work with your desires and will ask questions in order to create the plan with you.

First I’ll ask,

What does your dream kitchen look like?

What’s not working in your kitchen right now?

What do you have for breakfast? Do you want a coffee & tea station?

Who does the cooking? Do they like to bake?

What are the essential items that you need access to most frequently?

Do you have inspiration pictures to show me?

What look do you want to go with for containers? (glass, wood lids, OXO type containers, etc.)

I’ll need to know what you use daily vs. once in a while. That determines what items get stored on higher shelves or further back in deep cupboards.

Secondly I’ll ask,

Where would you like to do your meal prep?

Typically, it’s close to the sink or on the kitchen island. This is the first step in planning where things will go.

This step is something most don’t think about doing. Open all the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen and take a step back to look at your kitchen. Imagine how you want it to flow.

 

Next, create zones in the kitchen.

These zones are for the different activities based on your personal needs.

We already know the meal prep zone, so we just need to decide where the breakfast zone will be, the baking zone, cooking zone, oils & vinegars, spices, pantry foods, vitamins and supplements, food wraps, dishes, cutlery, glasses, tea and coffee mugs, food containers, kids lunch containers, baby food and bottles, pots & pans, etc.

Then we need to see the zones in action.

I like to use sticky notes and place them on drawers and cupboards.

Most people are very visual and this helps with the planning process. The other way I can do this for new construction or kitchen renovations, is by writing on the actual plans.

Once the kitchen is planned out,

I pull each section’s items out and re-arrange them according to our new plan.

This is where most people get really stressed and want to run the other way. However, you must remember that an integral part of organizing is the mess and chaos. But also keep in mind that it will get worse before it gets better.

I’m also here to help coach you through this stressful, overwhelming stage.

Once everything is in its new place,

I will then measure for containers and drawer inserts to create a shopping list. This is the fun part! Notice how I didn’t go shopping first, then start asking questions and organizing after? You don’t know what containers are going to fit until you have all your items planned and organized.

 

The next step,

Is to label containers and install them as planned.

 

Then we can take a step back and admire your beautifully organized, and highly functional kitchen. At this point, you’ll be so inspired to maintain it and keep it looking organized!

So in the end, does it really seem so stressful? With a vision and a bit of pre-planning, everything comes together very smoothly. The hardest part is to power through the warzone phase, and once you’re on the other side the rest is a breeze!

If you’re interested in working with a professional organizer either in-home or through virtual consult, visit me on my Services Page to learn more about how I can help you design and maintain the home of your dreams!

And yes, it is attainable for everyone!

 

 

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