NAPO-DFW Professional Organizers

NAPO-DFWs 2010 Extreme Garage Makeover is a HUGE SUCCESS!

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:40:27 GMT

NAPO-DFW teamed with Easysale, Inc. to host a "Messiest Garage" contest for “Get Organized” (GO) Month in January 2010! Months of preparation led up to the 2-day event where, despite freezing rain, 22 professional organizers and 10 sponsors united to organize 1 garage, 1 shed, and 1 driveway that had been overtaken with "stuff."

Sponsors 1-800-Got-Junk hauled away 3 truckloads, Easysale submitted items on eBay (valued at approximately $3,000), SAM contributed two portable storage units, Sherwin Williams of Rockwall donated paint and supplies, and Starbucks contributed hot beverages. Both SAM and 1-800-Got Junk donated manpower as well!

We kicked off the contest with an interview of Trish Lengen, (President, NAPO-DFW) and David Goldstein (EasySale) on Good Morning Texas®, coverage in a local newspaper, live video streaming during the event, live news coverage by Fox News®, video news coverage by News Without the Blues, Rockwall Blog, a 5-station radio interview of Pam Bowers (Marketing Director, NAPO-DFW) and David Goldstein, and The Garage Slab Magazine's next issue is devoting 2-pages to the project!

Shortly after the contest's completion, NAPO-DFW followed-up with the Cory family. Mr. Cory is VERY excited about the garage and is doing a little something every day to improve his workspace. He was able to put a bike on a work stand and work on it for easysale! Goal accomplished! As Mrs. Cory says, this was "unheard of in the garage for who knows how long. Thanks so much for all NAPO-DFW did. It's very nice to be able to go in there and get something I need and know EXACTLY where to get it!"

NAPO-DFW is thrilled with the success of this event. We look forward to more opportunities to help local families and promote the value of professional organizers in DFW!

Click here to see photos of the 2010 Get Organized event!

Law and Order: How a Pro Helps Tackle Clutter

Wed, 5 May 2010 15:29:09 GMT

by Andrea Patersen and Jennifer Merritt

If you're aiming to organize a chaotic and cluttered home, the most dangerous place on earth may be the Container Store.

At least that is what some professional organizers say. That is because most people leave that Mecca of boxes, bins, shelves and hooks (the stores carry more than 50 different types of CD holders alone) without much of a plan. Armed with good intentions and a host of shiny new products, they often end up with just as much of a jumble. And even more stuff.

"It is the biggest mistake people make," says Laura Leist, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers or NAPO, a trade group. "They think if they buy something to put their things in that is going to solve the problem." (A Container Store spokeswoman says store employees -- who receive more than 240 hours of training on storage and organization -- can guide customers into making the right decisions about products.)

The most important part of organizing is actually throwing stuff away or "purging," Ms. Leist says. And that is where professional organizers say they can often be the most help, by gently and tactfully encouraging people to get rid of superfluous stuff.

Fantasy Closets
We've all seen magazines showing freakishly organized homes: closets with precision-stacked linens; alphabetized spices; orderly toy cubbies and designated bill-paying stations. Glossy shots like these inspired four lifelong pack rats to get organized -- with a little help.
Professional organizers were asked to tackle everything from a home-office overloaded with piles of paper to a closet stuffed to the ceiling with a melange of baby clothes (the kids are teenagers), school artwork and even an old mattress and box spring. Testers in varied living situations -- from a two-story house in the Atlanta suburbs to a one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, N.Y. -- were enlisted to hire organizers in our hometowns.

In general, we were thrilled with the outcome and were amazed at how quickly we saw results. Forced to justify what we wanted to keep, we were able to be much more ruthless in our purging. (Though, one of our testers did resort to hiding some purge-worthy note cards from her organizer's eyes.) Our organizers kept us focused and on task, and definitely got their hands dirty, digging into the depths of closets and lugging bags of trash. So we were able to avoid what Ms. Leist says is the second biggest de-cluttering mistake: getting distracted and tackling multiple projects at once, never making much headway in any. All this hand-holding didn't come cheap. Our organizers charged between $75 and $100 an hour (for a two-person team). We also ended up shelling out more money -- one tester spent $400 -- for new storage items that our organizers recommended, but the experts we worked with were sensitive to our budget concerns. Two of our organizers came to our homes for an initial consult and then returned for the actual organizing-an approach that seemed to yield the best results.

Anyone can call himself or herself a professional organizer, though those with the designation of "Certified Professional Organizer" have passed an exam and have a minimum of 1,250 to 1,500 hours of hands-on work with clients. All of the organizers we worked with belonged to NAPO (Organizers are searchable by zip code at napo.net.) We also checked references from previous clients.

In Brooklyn, we found Amanda Wiss of Urban Clarity through word of mouth. We wanted help with an entryway cluttered with shoes, coats, newspapers and baby gear and two front closets that were packed so tightly we could barely open the doors. After an initial consult, Ms. Wiss sent us an email with a shopping list of low-cost storage items to buy from the Container Store (A great place when you have a plan.) When she returned for four hours of actual organizing, Ms. Wiss had us take everything out of the closets and put items into four piles: one for trash, one for things we wanted to donate or sell, one for storage and one for items we'd keep in the apartment.

'Delayed Decision-Making'
She had a terrific solution for our biggest eyesore: the mounds of paper, books and other clutter that marred our beautiful six-foot-long dining room table (and often barely left us enough room to fit two dinner plates.) She had us buy an attractive "in-box" for the day's newspaper and mail and create a "project" shelf in one of our nearby bookcases to house the magazines we were saving to peruse later, travel books for an upcoming trip to Italy and novels we're reading. "Clutter is just delayed decision-making," she says. And the best part is that we've been able to maintain the systems she put in place: Weeks after her visit, we're still clutter free ... relatively.

In Los Angeles, we hired Regina Lark of A Clear Path to tackle a room in a four-bedroom house that does double duty as a home office and guest room. Ms. Lark, who has a doctorate in history, started off by asking, "What's driving you crazy?" While she had us sorting through and purging the mounds of paper on and in our desks, Ms. Lark went through a closet stuffed with photo albums, stationery and office supplies. She had some novel ideas for how to deal with the deluge of memorabilia a family of four had acquired, including a poster the 13-year-old twins had made: Instead of letting it take up space in the closet, we should "take a picture of it and put it on your desk," she says. She also recommended that we "Keep one thing that is representative of a time period, like a picture or letter," instead of several mementos that will just collect dust and create clutter.

In Manhattan, we wanted help setting up after a move to a new, bigger apartment. We settled on In Order to Succeed because the company specializes in relocations. When Robin Reid Hunt arrived for a four-hour session she toured our seven-room apartment and immediately went to work making suggestions; adding hooks in the hallway for coats (so we could reform our prior habit of tossing coats on dining-room chairs) and a second rod for the closet in the children's room to expand room for clothes. Then we tackled our biggest issue: the kids' toys. Here is where we wish we'd had a consultation first -- and the opportunity to buy some new storage items before Ms. Reid Hunt did the actual organizing. The organizer did dive in and help us purge and categorize toys, but we knew we needed to buy a new, bigger storage unit.

We did end up buying something similar to what was recommended after our session, but by then we were on our own to do the final set up.

In Atlanta, we needed serious help. A deep basement closet was packed with baby clothes, lamps, mounds of memorabilia from a decade living in Moscow, including nesting dolls and old newspapers, a mattress and even a papasan chair wedged up near the ceiling. Another closet was stuffed with files, luggage, pet food, cases of canned tomatoes and more old newspapers. We knew we had some serious editing to do. One of the best things about the company we hired, Chaos 2 Comfort, was that it recycles or donates purged items for you. Our two-person team was very sensitive to our feelings, suggesting we take a break when we felt overwhelmed and advising us to keep those items that had real sentimental value. In the end, we had five garbage bags full of clothes and toys for our organizers, Susan Fox and Teresa Taylor, to take to a local homeless shelter.

But that night we panicked: In our zeal, we had accidently tossed the blue sweat suit one of the kids had lived in as a toddler -- and we wanted it back. So we sheepishly called Ms. Taylor. Thankfully, the items hadn't been donated yet.

This article was published by The Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) on April 8, 2010.
-Miriam Jordan, Betsy McKay and Judy Dixon contributed to this article.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to communications@napodfw.com.

21 Rules for Social Media Engagement

Tue, 18 May 2010 13:49:01 GMT

21 Rules for Social Media Engagement

Social media is reinventing marketing, communications, and the dissemination of information. While businesses now have access to these rich channels, the true promise of social media lies in the direct connections between people who represent companies and the people who define markets of interest.

Today, many businesses approach this with the establishment of social media guidelines and policies. This is indeed an important step, and not one worth economizing. But it’s also not enough. I highly recommend establishing official procedures that remind representatives of the importance and privilege of engagement.

The openness of popular networks is trivial. Any business can join and create a profile. It’s the devices we employ, the intentions that motivate engagement, and the value we offer that dictate the significance of the brand-specific social graphs we weave. It’s a simple investment in either visibility or presence. In social media, just like in the real world, presence is felt.

Rules of Engagement

As social media continues to evolve, defining the “rules of engagement” will encourage thoughtful interaction that benefits the business, brand, customer, peers, and prospects at every touchpoint. In the end, we earn the attention, relationships and business we deserve.

The following is an outline of best practices to help you craft a practical set of rules to guide representatives as they engage.

1. Discover all relevant communities of interest and observe the choices, challenges, impressions, and wants of the people within each network.

2. Don’t just participate solely in your own domains (Facebook Fan Page, Twitter conversations related to your brand, etc.). Participate where your presence is advantageous and mandatory.

3. Determine the identity, character, and personality of the brand and match it to the persona of the individuals representing it online.

4. Establish a point of contact who is ultimately responsible for identifying, trafficking, or responding to all things that can affect brand perception.

5. As in customer service, representatives require training to learn how to proactively and reactively respond across multiple scenarios. Don’t just put the person familiar with social networking in front of the brand.

6. Embody the attributes you wish to portray and instill. Operate by a code of conduct.

7. Observe the behavioral cultures within each network and adjust your outreach accordingly.

8. Assess pain points, frustrations, and also those of contentment in order to establish meaningful connections.

9. Become a true participant in each community you wish to activate. Move beyond marketing and sales.

10. Don’t speak at audiences through canned messages. Introduce value, insight and direction with each engagement.

11. Empower your representatives to offer rewards and resolutions in times of need.

12. Don’t just listen and placate — act. Do something.

13. Ensure that any external activities are supported by a comprehensive infrastructure to address situations and adapt to market conditions and demands.

14. Learn from each engagement and provide a path within the company to adapt and improve products and services.

15. Consistently create, contribute, and reinforce service and value.

16. Earn connections through collaboration and empower advocacy.

17. Don’t get lost in translation. Ensure your communication and intent is clear and that your involvement maps to objectives created for the social web.

18. Establish and nurture beneficial relationships online and in the real world as long as doing so is important to your business.

19. “Un-campaign” and create ongoing programs that keep you connected to day-to-day engagement.

20. “Un-market” by becoming a resource to your communities.

21. Give back, reciprocate, and recognize notable contributions from participants in your communities.

Brian Solis is the author of Engage and a leading authority in digital branding and marketing. Connect with him on Twitter or Facebook. This article is a modified excerpt from Engage, the complete guide for businesses to build, cultivate, and measure success in the new web.

This article is dated May 18, 2010 from http://mashable.com/.

Get a grip on your mess with these clutter-busting tips from the pros

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:23:05 GMT

By CARLA JORDAN / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

It's no secret that in Big D, we love to shop. While this makes us among the stylishly elite, it also fosters the perfect environment for home-front overload, where closets bulge and rooms are bursting with too much decor. "In Dallas, our sport of choice is shopping, because it's convenient and fun," says Samantha Naeyart, owner of Muddle Management, a local home organization firm, and vice president of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers.

"Many of our homes are large enough to hold so much stuff that it isn't considered clutter until you can't close the closet or find what you need when you need it."

Birth of messy homes

It's easy for clutter to creep up on anyone, especially when there are mitigating circumstances. Experts point to priority shifts caused by life changes including birth, death, job loss, more travel, marriage and divorce upsizing or downsizing. They all act as clutter instigators.

Then, there are those people who'd just rather do something other than tidy up.

"It's easy to close off that junk room," notes Dr. J. Michael Brennan, a Dallas psychiatrist. "Part of the problem is that if we can compartmentalize the mess, we can ignore it – that's the reality of some people's mess."

Whatever the reason, restoring order begins with figuring out why the stuff has accumulated in the first place.

Mark Brunetz, a Los Angeles designer and co-host of the Style Network's Clean House, a show that rescues homeowners from their clutter, has heard it all. In his new book, Take the U Out of Clutter (Berkley Trade, $16), he points to five excuses people give for hanging on to more than they should:

•I might need this someday.

•That was given to me. I'd feel guilty if I got rid of it.

•I've had this since I was a child.

•I can't pass up a sale. Look at all the money I'm saving.

•This isn't clutter. It's a collection!

Sound familiar? If so, then it's time for a change. "When you adjust the way you live your life to accommodate your things, you need to take a look at what you have and why, then instill some discipline and get serious about decluttering," advises Trish Suhr, Clean House organization expert.

The clutter-buddy fix

Even if your home looks as if it'll require a bulldozer to see the light of day, Suhr says there is a practical approach to tackling home organization:

•Go one room at a time until the job is done.

•Enlist a clutter buddy – someone to talk you off the ledge when you're going through your stuff.

•Resolve to not bring anything into your home unless you know for sure it already has a place. This goes for clothes, decor, food – everything.

Handling discards

It may be easier to let go of stuff if you give castoffs a new life. Donate them to a charity (you'll get a tax write-off) or take them to a consignment shop where you can make some cash.

For items in deteriorated condition, call a junk removal service such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK, which will remove almost anything, from old furniture to appliances.

Store it stylishly

Once decluttering is completed, get decoratively proactive and store what you have in a good-looking way. This is in keeping with the look of your home and makes it enticing to keep everything in its place.

~Carla Jordan is an Irving freelance writer. View original print of article at DallasNews.com.

Three steps to a clutter-free life

1. Label four bins and sort accordingly. We recommend these labels:

Retain: items to keep just the way they are
Release: items to donate or resell, plus a garbage bag for rubbish (stuff not fit for anything else)
Repurpose: items to update or modify for other uses
Reserve: items to set aside after setting a specific deadline to address them

2. Get fired up

Ask yourself: "If my house were burning down, what's the one thing I'd grab?" Your response reveals what you truly value. Then, based on the size of a room, set an egg timer to one, two or three minutes.

With a pack of sticky notes in hand, place one on all of the things you'd grab in case of a fire. Consider reallocating or getting rid of anything without a sticky.

3. Act counter-intuitively.

The clutter process begins at the counter of your favorite store. When shopping:

Create a purpose-driven list and stick to it.
Make sure everything you buy will have a space to be stored and easily accessed.
Ask yourself, "What's the worst thing that could happen if I don't buy this? Can I live without it?"

SOURCE: Take the U Out of Clutter by Mark Brunetz and Carmen Renee Berry (Berkley Books)

Also online at the Dallas Morning News: How to tackle clutter at home

Muddle Management's Spiral Method

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 14:41:27 GMT

The Muddle Management Spiral Method (MMSM) provides a method to keep your to-do’s and thoughts in one place. A few of the benefits are:

•Saves money
•Saves time due to easy access to inventory (no website needed to order additional pages)
•Avoids pre-set organizing strategy
•Saves space – fold over to write on page as opposed to composition books
•Easy to transport and fit into your lifestyle
•Provides one location for the myriad of thoughts and to-do’s in your life – as opposed to tablets

What You Need:

Writing Tool: I suggest that you use a pencil for easy changes instead of a pen. But if using a pen, simply clip it to the spiral or use the pen holder to keep everything together and available for quick notes.

Paperclip: Place a paperclip on the first available page or the page you are working on – this saves time in trying to write down your next note. If working on more than one specific project just clip the paper clip to another section of the spiral on the first page.

Always have this spiral with you – this is your brain on paper. If it is not convenient to carry it in for lunch, etc. at least keep it in your car close by.

With each new day, write the date in the top right (either on a new sheet or to create a new section on a page).

Write all ideas onto the page one line at a time (this may take up 3 or 4+ pages when you first start).

Write each to-do or thought with a dash to the left (or square) to check the items off as you deal with each. Use your own coding system, you do not have to write in complete sentences or even write every step of a project down, just something to jog your brain about the thought or project. Keep it simple.

Place a star next to all items for completion outside the home or office – this then easily becomes your errand list.

Move to next page as needed – could use front facing pages for work and back facing pages for personal. You do not have to complete a page before starting a new one.

Each time to sit at your desk, open the spiral to remind and provoke .

Check off as you complete each to-do or work through each thought.

Once a few days have passed and you have remaining to-do’s or thoughts to deal with, write an M with a circle around it and the new date and move the to-do or thought to that date’s page.

Once all items are checked off or have an M next to them, place a check at the top right of the page – this is an important step; it saves time when going back through your spiral.

When the spiral is complete write the beginning and ending dates on the front and place on a bookshelf close to your desk for future chronological reference.

Additional Ideas:

If you write or someone else hands you a sticky note, place the note on a page, this gives this note a home. Deal with the note as necessary and be sure to have the date on the page.

Use the pockets to hold business cards handed to you but do not use as a storage system for business cards. Develop the habit of opening the spiral at your desk, taking out the business card and putting the information where you need it:

Either scan the card into your computer, or
Enter the contact information into your address system and/or phone, or
Enter the URL and save the website as a “favorite.”
Place the card with your other business cards.

If you have a page with research information for a particular project, either take out the page and file (either hot file or storage file) or scan the page and place into a folder in your computer.

When in your car, place the spiral between the driver seat and console (if possible) so that it has a home and if you hear something from the radio that you want to research or purchase, just take the spiral out at the next red light and jot it down quickly.

The idea here is that this system is simple, inexpensive, easy to keep going all year long, provides one location for all of your thoughts and a reference for the past.

For more great ideas from this NAPO-DFW member, view Samantha's profile here.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

The Hidden Cost of Clutter and the Sale of Your Home!

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:53:07 GMT

Homeowners often struggle with the task of decluttering when preparing for the sale of their home and the upcoming move. As you make decisions to keep, fix, donate, or toss items in your home… there is another factor to consider: The HIDDEN costs of keeping it. Ask yourself this simple question: How much will it cost me to keep it? If you say, nothing…

Consider these real hidden costs:

Monetary
• What would the cost be to fix it, repair it, or mend it so it is usable again?
• What is the cost to store it properly?
• What would the cost be to move it?
• What are the lifetime maintenance costs?

Let's say clutter takes up 20% of the total square footage of your home (which is VERY conservative). Now calculate what your home costs per year to heat, light, maintain, now add in mortgage costs and property taxes. Finally, take 20% of that total number and that's what you're paying per year to keep all your extra stuff!
Many move to a larger house thinking they've outgrown the current one. Often, if they just purged all the “stuff” they didn't really need or use, many of them would already have enough space or wouldn't need to spend quite so much on the next house because they'd realize they don't need all the extra room.

Physical
• Consider the exhausting work of packing, lifting and moving boxes, and then unpacking them at the new home…. for items you don’t use, do not LOVE, and are not essential.
Emotional
• The cost of living in a cluttered, stress-inducing space versus a clean and serene home
• The missed opportunity to recycle goods to those less fortunate who could really use that coat, or the toys that are still in good enough condition to make a child's eyes light up.

Finally the last and most important:

The Sale of Your Home

Ask yourself, how much will it cost if I have not decluttered my home for selling, and I lose a potential sale because buyers cannot see past the clutter. Houses are filled with objects we love and treasure. Look in just about every home and you'll find a shelf stuffed with favorite books, a mantel loaded with collectibles or a wall covered in family photos. But when it comes time to sell a house, those items we cherish may look like just plain clutter to prospective buyers.

Consider the following:

1) If you have your belongings falling out of cupboards, shelves crammed and closets bursting, it sends a subliminal message to viewers; not enough storage. The logical mind knows that THEY will have different furniture and different belongings but it’s not the logical mind we are talking about here.

2) There is one single thing everyone wants when they buy a property: Space. The less stuff there is in your house the bigger it looks. A simple mind trick; your home isn’t actually any bigger, it just looks like it is.

3) It saves time later. If you starting eliminating all your less-than-loved items now, it will be much easier to keep clean, and easier to tidy up when viewers come around. In addition, you won’t have to rush when you finally pack your belongings at moving time, and you will reduce time when unpacking and having to find places for all that stuff in your new home!

The Competitive Edge

Even though it is YOUR home-sweet-home, it's a good idea to get used to the fact that your house is now a product. It has pluses and minuses, as well as competition. To be competitive, your house should be priced right and look better than the others. You have to look at your home with a buyers' eyes, The house needs to be as perfect as you can afford it to be.

Since you're going to be packing to move anyway, how about a head start by making your rooms look larger by boxing up excess items and crowded or unnecessary furniture. This allows the buyer to mentally move their furniture into your home. By removing some of the clutter, the focus shifts from the "stuff" in the room to the room itself.

Ok, I need to declutter, Now What?

First, realize you're hardly alone when it comes to clutter. Most American households now struggle against an inflow of more items than they can handle.

As a starting point, visit your next residence (if it’s already known) to take photos and room measurements to see what will fit and where it can go. Next, set a schedule for your decluttering program, allowing two to three times as long as you'd expect it to take.

If you are crunched for time, are feeling overwhelmed, need advice, or just don’t know where to start; contact a Professional Organizer.

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, view Sandy's profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Hosting a SWAP Party!

Sun, 1 Aug 2010 20:02:56 GMT

Here’s a great idea for folks that want to de-clutter their home but are mindful of not adding to the landfill. Be the first in your neighborhood to host a “Shop for SWAPS” Party. The concept is simple – you trade (or swap) your unwanted items for those belonging to your friends and neighbors. And voilà, your trash becomes someone else’s treasure!

Start by picking a date and inviting your guests. Give them enough time to search through their homes for appropriate swaps: old gifts (they never liked), sale items (they never opened), household décor (no longer matches), etc. Specify how many items each guest should bring and be sure you have adequate space to display them all. You may want to choose a theme for the swaps, like kitchen items, or clothing and accessories. If it’s a co-ed party, maybe you include tools and garage stuff in the list of possible swaps.

Once all the swaps are displayed and everyone has had a chance to mingle and check out the merchandise, then it’s shopping time! At my recent party, I gave guests one wooden clothespin for each swap – if they brought 5 items, they received 5 clothespins they could mark with their names. We set a timer for 15 minutes for everyone to “pin” the items they wanted. Then we went through the room and held tie-breakers for any swaps where more than one person had clipped their pin. By special vote, we also allowed guests to place multiple clothespins on items they really, really wanted to win!

Hosting a SWAP Party is a great idea for many reasons:

• A FUN and FREE night of entertainment with friends

• The chance to encourage RE-USE and RECYCLING

• A DE-CLUTTERED home

• And all the leftover swaps are DONATED to CHARITY

So, try the latest “green” trend in organizing…. Host your own SWAP Party!

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, view Cheri's profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Get Organized for School!

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:35:47 GMT

Back to school means many things to parents and kids. For parents, it's the mad rush to purchase school supplies, find uniforms or new clothes, and face the dreaded thoughts of, "How am I going to keep up with all this?" If you're like most parents, you may remember a struggle you faced somewhere in a past school year when keeping up with the many schedules and demands for your school-aged children. We have the answer for you! Our tips + your desire to make the process a little easier and less complicated is exactly what is needed to prevent a repeat of those less-than-memorable moments.

Join Terri Cox, Professional Organizer and owner of Organized by Terri for her answers to the most frequently asked questions on back-to-school organizing!

What are some common organizational challenges that come with back to school time and what are your suggestions for solutions?
Back to school schedules for children have a direct impact on them as well as the family life and its schedules. Areas for coming and going in your home, which I refer to as taking off and landing areas, as well as school supplies, homework, schedules, communication and paper flow for necessary communication between parents and teachers. Each is important and can dramatically effect any given day. The following tips and processes may give you some ideas to make your life a little less stressful.

How can parents organize kids' clothes to make mornings go smoother?
• Finding age appropriate systems for each. Young children that are not reading or those that can, do well with color organization. Closet organizers, attached over the rod, create a group of 5 shelves offer an easy solution.
• Parents can help their children pair up outfits to place into each of the shelves as a daily organizer. This way the decisions have been made before hand and little if any discussion except identifying the color/day separations, or if our Texas dramatic weather changes- necessitate a change.
• For older children, simply use open bins in a closet or drawers for storage of clothing separating tops and bottoms, underwear and socks. Use an organizing system to keep belts, hats, jewelry and accessories within easy sight and reach. Have them plan the night before what they will wear, making sure all items are clean and pressed and ready to wear.
• Closet hang space should be easily accessible and an outside hook could hold an outfit for the next day.
• Make your children a part of the process further by providing a laundry hamper in their living space, preferably inside a closet.
• Beside the obvious of what we hope for, teaching responsibility, they will reap great dividends, clean clothes and the satisfaction of ‘doing it themselves!’

What are some ideas for organizing a kid's study area to encourage the most productivity?
• Homework areas should be user friendly with respect to a quiet area and the necessary age appropriate supplies on hand.
• Pens, pencils, erasers, scissors and glue can be containerized and made portable if needed like the handy sorter from The Container Store for the desktop. Otherwise a drawer in the kitchen area could hold these items keeping them accessible for everyone such as The Container Store desk/drawer organizer.
• Some adults remember doing their homework around the kitchen table; this is still considered an optimum place. If noise levels and interruptions can be kept to a minimum, this is a great area to spread out. Otherwise, consider having a desk in his or her room with supplies and a good study light for reading and writing tasks.
• Remember to keep healthy snacks on hand for the homework process.
• Choose also the best time of the afternoon for getting the homework done. I always made my kids to homework right away (after a five-minute snack), before TV or any other privileges. This motivated my kids to do a good, quick job.
• On the other hand, I’ve known of other kids who needed an hour to decompress from their day by recharging once they had a bit of quiet time, got their snack and then went to work. Plenty of time before dinner and time to spend on other activities before bedtime.

What are some of your favorite products for organizing?
• Message Centers:
Office supply Stores and The Container Store:
Dry Erase Boards/markers
Magnetic pockets
Magnetic Message pads

• Clothing Organization:
Daily clothing organizer bins - Lillian VernonHooks and holders-Container Store
Open bins - Container Store
Hooks and holders such as the Command Hooks for Accessories, belts
Boxes and clear storage for Jewelry- Container Store

• Study Time:
Office Supply Tote- Hobby Lobby- Rubbermaid- The Container Store
Reading lamps-Office supply stores and Target for clip on lamps
Junk Drawer Organizer- drawer supply storage Wal-Mart-Container Store
Snacks-Granola, Trail Mix, fruit; water, juice- Whole Foods

What do you suggest for a family communications center to keep schedules, messages, etc. organized?
• To help keep track of everyone, try placing a large monthly calendar in a central location for schedules and events to be added as they arise. This may be on the side of a refrigerator, or at a desk in the kitchen area. Available are many dry erase versions of a month-at-a-glance to add activities as they come up.
• Use color markers to designate between children or activities.
• For older children, set up a communication center with magnetic pockets and note pads for messages. This is a great way for parents and children to communicate, if home arrival times vary.
• In this area include a pad for lists for groceries and other necessities needed. Family members can add to that list as needed.
• Handling the school notes that need a response, set up a horizontal file with stackable trays as an ‘in and out’ mail system for those that need to be returned to school.
• Schedules that arrive on 8-1/2”x 11” sheets for sports and activities, for a season or the year, may be placed in top loading protector sheets, then place into a desk directory for the family. This “Lifestyle Notebook” can be used for the entire family, with different sections and categories to handle all those schedules, list and important information and much more.

Create “Landing Areas:” As soon as you get home, download all the gear to its designated place for ‘landing.’
This should include:
• Hooks for coats, scarves and backpacks, umbrellas
• Lower bins for shoes, and gear.
• Upper bins for gloves and accessories.
• Remove homework items and replace backpack on hook. All notes to be signed immediately go to the horizontal file to be read and signed. Once the parent signs, it then should be placed in the ‘Out’ horizontal file.

Create “Taking off areas:”
• These are the same as landing in reverse. All items are now at the ready to “Grab & Go.” Only signed notes should be retrieved at this point and packed for school.

What kind and how much school work should I keep? Keep the work that the child is proud of and is a good example of what they are capable of. Keep all papers and sort and purge them twice during the school year in January and in the first month of summer using these guidelines:
• Examples that reflect the beginning of the school year and at the end, which show their progress. Handwriting examples, poems and stories written.
• Use Acid free storage size 9” x 12” boxes such as the archive safe items from the Container Store to store the papers that you have chosen from the twice-a-year papers you wish to keep permanently. Consider using one for each year during the elementary years and then combine maybe two years at a time for the same child as the work becomes less into the junior and high school years.
• If extremely large or bulky art or science projects are made. Take a photo of the child with the project and let the ‘bulk’ go! This is a great idea to remember the project but more so what your child looked like during the time it was made.
• Start a scrapbook for each child, include in it class pictures, certificates and ribbons. This is a great place to display the ‘child-artwork’ pictures with some journaling about the project.
• Trophies for academics and sports alike should be somewhere in their space, on a desk or shelf.
• Most children would probably use a bulletin board for all the current events, photos and memorabilia collected throughout the year. At years end, you may like to add these items to their personal scrapbook. Offer these options, and they will learn to sort, purge and feel good about themselves and their accomplishments.

"Creating that special place in our homes to share our lives, from the ordinary becomes one of life’s other challenges. In that challenge we can find great satisfaction.” -Terri Cox

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, view Terri's profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Is Clutter Holding You Back?

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 10:05:43 GMT

The word clutter means different things to different people. While some people have no problem with messy sock drawers, others get lost in piles of paper and lists that keep them going in circles and accomplishing little in their job searches. That's the kind of clutter that interferes with your goals, and nothing is more crucial than having clear goals during a job search.

Controlling clutter has a lot do with a job search, said Samantha Naeyaert, vice president [sic NAPO-DFW] and owner of Muddle Management. She describes clutter as delayed decisions that happen when priorities are out of line. Clutter keeps people from having peace in their lives and accomplishing their goals.

So, you've got clutter. That's not so bad, right? When you avoid the decision to deal with a messy desk or unread mail, you make a delayed decision, and instead of putting papers where they belong and discarding unnecessary mail, you set up the path for disorder.

Clutter grows when there is no system in place to deal with the papers and materials needed for your job search.

Clutter can be your worst enemy when you're looking for a job. It can fog your mind precisely when a clear mind is needed to focus and plan your next steps. A chaotic work space takes your mind off of your priorities.

Time is valuable when you are job searching, and you can easily lose track of time when you're disorganized. Take for example the important task of following up with contacts during your job search. Studies indicate only about 5% of job seekers send thank-you notes.

One simple way to make your job search more effective is to stand from the crowd by taking the time to acknowledge people by sending thank-yous. It's hard to send notes in a timely manner when clutter abounds.

Clutter does not build confidence. In fact, it does the opposite. It can increase your anxiety level, create a feeling of restlessness and lead to depression.

Picture a job seeker trying to describe their value to a perspective employer during a phone interview. Now, look at the job seeker's work space. There are stacks of paper and dishes, grocery lists, school work and mail scattered all over his work space.

It's hard to be confident when your space is cluttered with stuff, but that's a common scenario when there is no system for managing your job search.

Naeyaert encourages job seekers to keep as much information as possible in digital folders where it can be accessed easily and quickly. Clutter builds when there is no system in place to deal with papers you need to keep for your job search.

Here are some organization ideas:

• One way to create a clean work space is to create a system. Don't delay filing that piece of paper. If you have a system, you already know where it goes. The decision is made already.

• Create large headings for files. Avoid using manila folders, if possible. Remember the Pareto Principle . This is the 80/20 rule, and it is a reminder that if you file 80% of your papers, you will need only 20% of them, so avoid creating a detailed filing system that takes too long to use.

•Keep regularly used items closest to your work space, and put rarely used items out of the way.

• A clear desk leaves room for creativity. Be sure to leave desk space to work.

Has clutter interfered with your job search?

---

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member quoted in this article, view Samantha's profile.

For more from the author, Kim Thompson of Career Rescue, view Kim's blog.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Watch NAPO-DFW on A&E Hoarders 9/13/10 at 9PM

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:29:52 GMT

The A&E Hoarders episode featuring local professional organizers from NAPO-DFW will run on September 13th at 9:00pm. You can watch missed episodes at http://www.aetv.com/hoarders.

The National Association of Professional Organizers - DFW Chapter (NAPO-DFW) received a unique volunteer opportunity earlier this spring. We had 15 chapter members participate in a project here in North Texas for the A&E hit series, Hoarders. The show illustrates the severe challenges faced by individuals with chronic hoarding (disposophobia). We were fortunate to work with a local woman who bravely welcomed the intrusion of organizers, movers, a clinical therapist, camera crew and extended family into her home. Over the course of a single weekend, we were able to de-clutter, clean and re-organize the garage, outdoor shed, kitchen and part of an upstairs bedroom. Thanks to the support and partnership of 1-800-GOT-JUNK, we filled 10 dump trucks with trash, donations and recycling. We also identified numerous collectible items to be sold on eBay through Dallas-based Easysale.

Although the work was physically demanding (and sometimes dirty), we were grateful for the experience. We spent many hours working alongside our fellow NAPO members, all of whom are such remarkable and engaging people. We also witnessed how the efforts of so many committed professionals could bring about positive and dramatic changes in such a short period of time. We created a momentum that would carry this family through the months ahead of additional work. As we prepared to leave Sunday evening, we were rewarded with hugs from the grateful family members.

The episode with “Jo” will be airing this Monday, September 13^th at 9:00pm CST on A&E. Please watch!

If you would like to learn more about hoarding or chronic disorganization, visit the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization at www.nsgcd.org.

Our thanks to the NAPO volunteers!

Joyce Bingham, Organized Touch

Julia Blue, Organized Chaos

Pam Bowers, Organized Chaos

Amie Cartwright

Cita Sue Cox, Coxs Corner

Terri Cox, Organized by Terri

Desiree Hill, Organized Touch

Sandy Jones, Organized by Sandy

Laura Mercer, Organize Your Stuff

Lizzie Perry

Leticia Pfeiffer, Styled & Organized Living

Charles Phipps, Organize It Now

Michael Preston, MSP Productions Services, LLC

Christine Shanklin, Closets by Chicka!!!

Rachel Stockton, Designed to Simplify

Cherie Ware, Organize Your Environment

The A&E Hoarders episode featuring local professional organizers from NAPO-DFW will run on September 13^th, 2010 at 9:00pm. You can watch missed episodes at http://www.aetv.com/hoarders.

Un-Muddle Your Sleep to Get Organized

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:44:35 GMT

Which came first, the good sleep or the organized thinking?

Organized thinking starts with good sleep. Good sleep is essential for me to plan and organize my client's homes and offices.

Everyone's head works better with a good night's sleep. The Internet says, (so it must be true), that Albert Einstein needed at least 10 hours of sleep per night!

No matter how many hours you need, I hope these 9 ideas will help you organize your bedroom for a better night's sleep.

Remove items that don't support sleep
Un-muddle the mess
Dust
Position your bed advantageously
Change the sheets
Do a comfort and ergonomics check
Start a nighttime routine
Watch what you eat
Keep a pen and paper by your bedside

1. Remove items that don't support sleep.
Try not to include computers, work desks, exercise equipment, televisions, they don't do anything to help you relax or get to sleep.

2. Un-Muddle the Mess.
Without a clutter-free foundation, these tips won't be as effective. Start with the floor and the surfaces in your room. Later, go deeper into closets and drawers. Clear out the things you no longer use and donate them. Put things in their proper home. If they don't have a home, make one for them. Throw out or repair anything that is broken. Finish things that are undone or get rid of them. Clutter is usually a delayed decision. Make the decisions necessary to de-clutter the bedroom! Clearing clutter is the foundation to releasing stuck energy and getting a good night's sleep. If you need help in this area - give Muddle Management a call!

3. Dust.
Keep your bedroom as well dusted as you can. Excess dust in your room makes it harder for you to breathe. It can cause allergy symptoms and seriously disturb your sleep. Keep dusting wipes in a utility room near your bedroom so that you can easily dust frequently, especially if you have pets.. Do in-depth dusting 2-4 times a year and your lungs with thank you!

4. Position your bed advantageously.
In the practice of Feng Shui, placement of objects is essential to encouraging positive energy flow. You should be able to see the door from your bed, but not have your bed directly in front of the door. A power position in the room allows you to feel more secure and sleep better overall.

5. Change the sheets.
Make sure you change your sheets at least once a week, but for some people who are very sensitive to energy and dust, every 3 to 5 days works better.

6. Do a comfort and ergonomics check.
Are your pillows right for you? Is your bed soft enough to not cut off your circulation during the night? Are the colors in your room soothing? Does your alarm clock wake you up gently or do you hate the sound of it? Make any necessary corrections to help you physically sleep better every night.

7. Start a nighttime routine.
Don't work just before bed! I know that I have a hard time with this one but it does make a big difference in my sleep. Don't do bills or watch the news or any other things that can cause you stress just before bed. Start by preparing for the next day. Make tomorrow's To Do list, pick out clothes, gather things you need to take with you, brush your teeth, hair, etc. Then relax, read, listen to music or sit outside and get closer to nature.

8. Watch what you eat.
Are you snacking on chocolate, soda, or other foods that may have hidden caffeine in them after dinner? What you eat, and when you eat it can seriously affect your sleep. If you snack before bed, choose whole, unprocessed foods as much possible like nuts, fruit, raw veggies, and homemade low salt popcorn are better choices than candies or ice cream.

9. Keep a pen and paper by your bedside.
If you can't sleep, often it's because your mind is racing. Whatever is rolling around in your brain and won't stop, you need to get your thoughts on paper so you can get them off your mind! This helps clear your mental clutter so you can rest!

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, view Samantha's profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Successfully Navigate your TIME and PRIORITIES during the Holidays

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 14:35:53 GMT

Well – Halloween is done. It’s time to think about turkey, Thanksgiving plans (if you haven’t already) and then we’re into December and her Holidays. Yes, believe it or not, that’s where we find ourselves at the outset of November 2010. WOW!

So – what matters most to you about your Holidays? How are you exploring or visioneering your November, December, and even January?

Author of the the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Dr. Stephen R. Covey suggests “defining a Mission for YOUR Holidays.” Since I am a long time proponent of the “7 Habits”– this really resonates with me. So, let’s start our Holiday tips with the same goal:

Get on the same “Holiday MISSION” page with your spouse/significant other and family members – the people you are sharing this meaningful time of year with; the people who are daily in your home. This is the time to dream together of what you envision your Holiday season to be like and what to include, verses what gets scheduled “at you” from all different directions.

Be sure that your Holiday MISSION…

Includes love for and service to others.
Honors traditions you, your spouse/significant other and family enjoy annually.
Establishes a new tradition this year. Times are changing: it’s nice to honor long held traditions, and it’s also nice to create new ones.

Determine what Is Important and what is Not Important for your Holidays by filtering it through your Holiday Mission. Do the activities and functions you have coming up also line up with your mission? You may want to use Covey’s Quadrant Time Management Matrix as a planning tool to help you think through your Holidays and the multitude of tasks we typically add to our already busy schedules.

As you spend dedicated time considering everything and every person involved with your Holiday Mission and planning, gradually harvest the MOST important details, tasks, and activities that deserve to keep their place on your schedule.

Define your boundaries with extended family and important individuals while you include them in your family’s “Holiday MISSION”. This is when Covey also refers to “set limits” and offers the following suggestions:

Think Blessed vs. Burdensome (How can you be a blessing to others?)
Think Deferred vs. Hectic (What can wait until the weekend, next week, or after the Holidays?)
Think Significance vs. Survival (Rather than do and be everything to everyone, what events and/or people do YOU want to engage with this Holiday season?)

Maintain your sense of humor. This is one of my mom’s lifelong mantra’s. Keep in mind that the store may be out of that really cool Xbox you’re planning to buy for your son or daughter, or the cookies you’re baking may not turn out like the picture in the Martha Stewart magazine. If you travel like my husband and I do each year – there will be snow to deal with on the roads.

This is all part of “the experience” so be prepared to laugh about some of the inconveniences or details that don’t turn out exactly as we envision them to… because you are guaranteed to have some of those. Accept them, and laugh about them.

Then you will Successfully Navigate your TIME and PRIORITIES during the Holidays!

May it be joyous!

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, view Krista’s profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Books Make Wonderful Gifts

Tue, 7 Dec 2010 19:07:14 GMT

I confess – I'm an avid reader of mysteries and other fiction. My husband started a holiday tradition years ago. He gathers recommendations from family, friends and co-workers all year long, and then I receive 20 or so fabulous books on Christmas morning. Keeps me busy for several months!

A book on getting organized is perfect for the holidays -- just in time for National Get Organized (GO) Month in January! Listed below are some of the most popular titles and written by several of my favorite experts in the field.

Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern

Getting Things Done by David Allen

Conquering Chronic Disorganization by Judith Kolberg

Take Back Your Life!: Using Microsoft Office Outlook by Sally McGhee

Organize Your Work Day In No Time by K.J. McCorry

ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau

It's All Too Much by Peter Walsh

Making Time Work For You by Harold Taylor

The Organizing Sourcebook by Kathy Waddill

Organize with Confidence by Elizabeth Hagen

Happy Gift-Giving! Happy Reading!

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, view Cherie Ware’s profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Don't Set Goals This New Year's Eve!

Wed, 5 Jan 2011 07:03:32 GMT

Don't Set Goals This New Year's Eve!
People always talk about setting goals for the new year. And while I agree with this concept, since it helps us to organize our thoughts, my suggestion is to first find the nucleus (center, beginning, purpose) of this set of goals. I'll explain why by telling my personal story.

You'll notice that I have the word peace in my tag line, "Finding Peace Through Organization." There is a deeply personal reason for this.

Defining my need
When I went through my divorce, finalized on December 31, 1996, I needed peace in my life -- badly. But I didn't know that peace was what I needed, I only knew that I needed something. I had an achievement list, or set of goals, for the year, but I wanted to know why I needed to achieve these goals before I worked toward them.

I left my home, my past, my 13-year marriage and my old life to start anew with a 1 year-old holding my hand, looking up at me for direction.

I left knowing that:

I had to make a new home,
I had to keep my job and grow my career,
I had to be the attentive mom that my daughter deserved!

The chaos of my previous life kept creeping in on my new life in ways that would make anyone's neck hairs stand up. I knew that I could survive this, but I wanted to improve my life from the inside and do more than survive. I wanted to find a focused direction to keep on track and away from old habits (like welcoming people into my life that did not have my best interest at heart).

Then one random evening in early January, 1997 while brushing my teeth after putting my daughter to bed, I grabbed my bright red lipstick and wrote the word P E A C E on my bathroom mirror. I didn't even know why. I just knew that I needed a center point, a beginning, a nucleus to set a plan for a better me and therefore a better us.

It was a moment in time that changed me. Seeing that word in red every morning and every evening reminded me that there was purpose in this huge change in my life that now felt lonely and scary. I left it there until I moved, and I rewrote it in my next home, then again with another move and eventually bought some artwork with the word already imprinted on it and placed it prominently in my home.

Defining my priorities
Once I gave purpose to my new challenges with this simple word I needed a decision-making system to keep on track, so I prioritized. I made the list short and simple and listed them in priority order. The priorities I chose were:

1. My relationship with God.
2. My health (mental and physical).
3. My daughter's health (mental and physical).

And with this list in mind, I knew that my subsequent decisions were healthy because they were based on these priorities.

In some ways this list became my "bad guy" because it was now easy to say no if the decision would lead me away from these priorities. The result was that my energies were only spent in an effort toward peace and health.

Eventually, without any fanfare, I became a more peaceful person who collected peaceful friends. I became a better family member and mom -- all starting with a strong focus of peace and a clear set of priorities.

All of this started on January 1, 1997, 14 years ago (on January 1, 2011).

Don't Set Goals This New Year's Eve - Set Your Priorities First
So I with this in mind, I challenge you to find your nucleus before setting your list of achievements for the year. Define yourself from the inside first. Set your priorities. Then create your life achievement goals out of those basics. You'll be more likely to achieve them if you know why you want them!

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member view Samantha Naeyaert's profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Organization Myth-busters

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:01:49 GMT

Myth #1: Organization can be done quickly, and a Professional Organizer should have the job done in an hour.

Let’s face it; the clutter didn’t happen in a few minutes . . . straightening it out won’t happen that fast either. However, the benefits of being organized and clutter-free greatly exceed the amount of time and money spent on getting organized. As the saying goes, “Time is Money.” The time you spend searching through clutter to find a misplaced item is very valuable (especially if you’re missing the car keys). A Professional Organizer can help you become more efficient so that you reap the benefits of time well spent!

Myth #2: One organizational system will work for everyone; I can use the same system as my neighbor.

Everyone’s organizational needs are different, and the systems that can solve disorganization are just as different. A Professional Organizer can help you discover the system that will work for you.

Myth #3: After the Professional Organizer has finished, the systems should just naturally run on their own.

Statistics show that it takes two weeks to make a habit (and two weeks to break one). Once a system is set up, be sure to keep up with the system for at least two weeks. Keeping up with your organizational systems is a GREAT habit to have!

Myth #4: Once I have organizational systems in place, I’ll never need to ask for help again.

Just like our lives change due to circumstance, our organizational needs change as well. Life changes, such as the birth of a child or moving to a new home, may cause an abrupt halt to the way organizational systems work. Sometimes a system needs only a minor adjustment; sometimes it needs a total overhaul. It’s OK to ask your Professional Organizer to come back to help again!

Myth #5 Professional Organizers have all the answers to my organizational problems.

It’s impossible for anyone to have all the answers. Even the most experienced Professional Organizers occasionally have to look outside of their field of knowledge to solve an organizational dilemma. Sometimes it may be as simple as calling a colleague who specializes in a specific type of system, other times it may require doing a little research. No matter what, a good Professional Organizer can help you achieve your goal to end your organizational problems!

Are you ready to get control of the chaos caused by the clutter and disorganization in your life? Organized Chaos can help!

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, view Pam Bower’s profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

NAPO-DFW - MEMBERS IN THE MEDIA!

Wed, 9 Mar 2011 14:59:35 GMT

NAPO-DFW President, Samantha Naeyaert, to be featured on two episodes of TLC's "Hoarding: Buried Alive!"

This coming Sunday, March 13th at 9pm on TLC, our own President Samantha Naeyaert will be featured on an episode of The Learning Channel's popular and eye-opening series "Hoarding, Buried Alive," assisting a woman named Susie, and then on Wednesday, April 13th at 9pm Samantha will be working with KeLain. Be sure to set your VCRs, DVRs, Sling Boxes, or web browsers to record these episodes.

Frisco Style magazine features our member Terri Cox, who will also be one of our distinguished panel of presenters this month at our meeting focusing on Organizing for Seniors.

Also, our very own Terri Cox, with Organized by Terri was featured in Frisco Style magazine in a great article focused on Terri's SPACE method of organizing. Check it out:http://digital.turn-page.com/issue/22009/28

25 Creative Uses for Coffee Filters

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:40:25 GMT

Coffee filters …. Who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing!

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome… Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters..

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors..

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies.. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book.

25. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

And they're also great for making coffee!

Got any more uses for coffee filters? Leave them in a comment!

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Source: Eva Wallace, Contributor to the Clutter Control Freak Blog.

Eva writes this disclaimer: This post came from an email I received, with no author to site.

Members in the Media - updates!

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:06:52 GMT

In January, Frisco Style magazine featured our member Terri Cox, who was also on our panel of distinguished presenters this month at our very well-attended meeting focused on Organizing for Seniors.

Terri Cox, with Organized by Terri was featured in Frisco Style magazine in a great article focused on Terri's SPACE method. Check it out: http://digital.turn-page.com/issue/22009/28

Samantha Naeyaert featured in two episodes of TLC's Hoarding: Buried Alive!

Just this Wednesday, April 13th at 9pm, Samantha Naeyaert, President of NAPO-DFW, organized a creative art instructor and teacher and her boyfriend in their small, overly crowded Southeast Dallas home. Conflicts abound as Samantha’s client feels that all items are potential art projects yet wants to find more space! Watch for future airings of this episode, titled "Like a dog in a cage," and be sure to set your VCRs, DVRs, Sling Boxes, or web browsers to record it.

Also, a previous “Hoarding” episode entitled “Oh my gosh!” is in rerun mode now. Watch as Susie and Samantha work together to reach Susie’s goal to fling open her front door to family fun and friends!

Courtney Milburn to be featured in DHome Magazine

NAPO-DFW Director of Professional Development and Programs, Courtney Milburn,

of Coco M Designs, will be featured in the next issue of D Magazine – Home. Congratulations to Courtney!

Terri's Top 10 Tips

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:02:40 GMT

Tip #1: Organize for the 'Big' picture:

· Set time limits for decision-making. If you have ever found yourself spending days agonizing over decisions that others make in minutes, speed the process by setting a time frame or a budget cap.

· For choosing a calendar event or activity, set a deadline, and make the best choice you can by that date.

· For Purchases pick a price cap and ignore the more costly item.

· Always identify the most important factor to consider in making any decision, whether it's price, convenience, aesthetics, practicality, or something else. Focus solely on that factor when considering your decision.

Tip #2 Fight the tendency to over-commit.

· For each new commitment you make, give up an old one. If you agree to join the school fund-raising committee, for instance, give up the neighborhood watch committee.

Tip #3 Keep your to-do lists brief.

· Using big, bold letters, make a list of no more than five tasks on an index card. (List any additional items on the back of the card.) Once you have done those five things, refer to the back of the card to create a new to-do list - and discard the old one. You'll accomplish more, feel less frustrated, and manage your time better.

Tip #4 Do you Hyper focus?

· Set a kitchen timer, or computer alert - or arrange for someone reliable to call you at a specified time or times. If you tend to lose yourself on eBay for hours at a time, you need this kind of help.

Tip #5 Create Schedules

· Allow for ample time to accomplish each activity. Spreading tasks out will help you to pace yourself so that you can be more productive and create a sense of accomplishment.

Tip #6 Group Like Tasks

· This allows you to do more in the same amount of time. It is much more efficient to run three errands while you’re out and about rather than making three separate trips.

Tip #7 Think about your environment.

· An organized environment means less time looking for things allowing you to be more productive and exponentially less stressful.

Tip #8 Avoid Distractions and lack of focus.

· Identify areas of wasteful use of time.Phone conversations, television or family and friends pull you away from project goals or personal priorities. Take a closer look at what may be preventing you from accomplishing your goals.

Tip #9 Examine Your Task List

· Examine the repetitive tasks, asking yourself if it could be done less, pay someone to do it, delegate it or stop doing it all together. Carving out some of your to do's may be just what you’re needing. Sometimes if you can't fit it into your life, or you just don't want to, learning to say No maybe an option here. If you have trouble with this, there are whole books and seminars just waiting to help you.

Tip # 10: Remember the ‘Big Picture”

· When identifying the priorities of your timeframes, think about all the areas of your life. Making time for yourself is not something that you get around to only if there is time left over. Making time for you is as much a Priority as anything else.

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, click here to view Terri Cox’s profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

9 Tips to Organized Menu-Planning

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:39:59 GMT

Would you be jealous if you knew that I have a magic half hour? It magically makes my food and gas bills shrink, my family healthier, and my life less stressful. Don’t you wish you had that magic half hour, too?

The good news is that you do. All you have to do is use it.

That magic half hour is for menu planning. By planning ahead for the week I reduce the number of trips to the grocery store, avoid last-minute fast food dinners, and totally skip over the hour of doom (you know, the hour before dinner is due on the table and you stand looking in the refrigerator hoping to be able to produce something edible in 40 minutes from slimy lettuce, cottage cheese, and spicy barbecue sauce).

Here’s how it’s done in my home:

1. For menu planning to be done most effectively, you need to set aside a regular time to do it. Sunday afternoon while your husband watches a football game, Thursday afternoon while the baby naps – whenever works for you.

Begin by collecting:

· a pad of paper and pen

· your grocery list, if you have one started

· any cookbooks or magazines you’ll need

· your laptop to access Simple Bites, or your other favorite food sites, for menu planning tips and dinner ideas!

2. Write Monday through Sunday down the side of the paper, leaving space enough between them to write the meal plus comments. The most daunting thing about menu planning is the blank piece of paper. For me it is helpful to have a bit of routine built into my menu planning. Saturday is always pizza night at our house, so once I write that down my paper’s no longer blank and I only have 6 days to go.

3. Note on the paper any things in the upcoming week that affect your day. If you have a busy day of errand running, that’s not the day to plan an elaborate meal. Note any commitment that will impact how long you have to prepare, serve, or eat the meal.

4. Decide what to prepare. I find it helpful to think in terms of categories, for example:

· Soup or Salad

· Ethnic

· Pasta

· Casserole

· Quick & Easy.

Or you could divide it into cooking styles -

· grilling

· crock-pot

· stir-fry

· roast

If I pick one from each category, there’s sufficient variety that my family won’t complain, and by putting the Quick & Easy meals (tacos, hamburgers, spaghetti) on harried days, dinner will get done on time.

5. Save one day a week for a new dish from a cookbook or a food blog if you like to try new things. If it’s from a blog, make sure you print out the recipe and keep it with your menu plan or in a notebook just for that purpose.

6. Make a note of where the recipe is as you write down the menu for each day. Even if you know it by heart, it could be that you’ll be delayed and need to call home and say, “Honey, could you get dinner started?” Or, if you’re like me and have an embarrassing proliferation of cookbooks, remembering which book a certain recipe is in can be challenging, so the notation is helpful.

7. Have your shopping list next to your menu planning sheet. As you write down a menu item, look at the recipe and review it, writing down what you need to get from the store. If you’re unsure about how much of a spice you have, or whether or not you have frozen chicken breasts in the freezer, now’s the time to check. There’s nothing more frustrating than starting to cook and finding out you really don’t have an ingredient after all.

8. If you tend to have a lot of leftovers from your meals, plan one day as LO (leftover) day. In my house that means I take all the leftover containers out of the refrigerator and line them up on the counter and the family gets to pick what they want. It’s a buffet on the cheap that cleans out the refrigerator and reduces the amount of food you waste. And as a bonus, it’s a no-cook night for you!

9. Lastly, look for twofer opportunities. What’s a twofer? It’s getting two meals from the effort of one. You can do that by using the leftovers from one meal in the next meal (roast chicken today is chicken chimichangas tomorrow), or doubling the recipe and freezing half for another dinner on a day when you absolutely don’t have time to cook.

I can’t give you a template to follow or do the menu planning for you, because what a family eats is so individual. The size of your family, the time you have for cooking, your family’s food preferences, and whether or not you have picky eaters ALL affect what you cook.

The best person for the job is you, and the best time to do it is now! And once you’ve done it and have realized the benefits, you’ll never want to return to the stress and expense of not knowing what’s for dinner.

So, the only question left is….what’s for dinner?

This article originally appeared on Simple Bites blog on February 18, 2010 and lives here. The author, Lynn Craig, is a mother of four (two out of the nest, two to go) who homeschools, bakes obsessively, quilts sporadically, and occasionally finds time to clean the house. She and her husband live in Bellevue, Washington where she chronicles her kitchen triumphs and disasters on her blog Cookie Baker Lynn.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Orderly Conduct

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 23:59:45 GMT

I’m not a morning person. Just ask my two older sons who regularly show up at school with each other’s homework folders and water bottles in their backpacks. Even at conferences (which are usually scheduled at the most undesired times since I’m typically the last to turn in my forms), teachers like to point out that it would be nice if the boys didn’t spend the first 10 minutes of class retrieving and trading belongings. This year I’ll have all three kids in school … and this time around I want things to be different.

With grand hopes of change, I called Samantha Hawn Naeyaert, owner of Muddle Management, to enlist her help unmuddling our mornings. Naeyaert is a professional organizer who works with families across the Metroplex to simplify their lives. Naeyaert, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) Dallas-Fort Worth chapter, also appeared on TLC’sHoarding: Buried Alive. She was quick to respond, too, which is always a positive sign of someone on the ball.

First, we talked about what to do for the children. When it comes to your kids, you might create separate stations, such as designated areas or bins where they can put shoes, sports equipment, homework, graded papers and artwork (tip: try hanging a clothesline in the garage for rotating displays).

For mom or dad, an inbox is a necessity. That’s where kids can drop birthday invitations, communication from teachers and coaches, and just about anything else that requires action. “Give it a place to live until you have time to deal with it,” Naeyaert urges. Also set some ground rules. Let’s face it—you can’t keep every single piece of paper they bring home.

Naeyaert suggests making a list of keepers, such as handprint artwork, personal drawings of family and A+ papers. Take a picture of other items before tossing (while the child is not looking), to preserve the memory. She also advises a central “communication station” where everyone in the family can access a group calendar (digital works, too). Then there is the ever-important homework space that should scream “clean, neat and quiet."

The key to organization, says Naeyaert, depends on preparation. “You want to know how to handle it before it ends up in your hands.” Once school starts, your systems and rules should already be in place, adds Naeyaert, who recommends overwhelmed families consult a professional organizer (rates vary from $30-$200/hour).

For non-morning types like me, that means laying everything out the night before. It also helps to adopt a color-coded system to keep each child’s belongings separate and distinct. However, even the best-planned organization system can fail when you harbor little defectors. Naeyaert laughs as I tell her that even though I have marked bins for shoes, somehow my sons manage to toss their Crocs everywhere but the designated spot.

Naeyaert, who is the mother of child who has ADD and dyslexia, suggests employing good ol’ bribery to entice kids to cooperate. Allow them to pick an “incentive” for putting things away. Then “don’t give up,” she reminds.

At what age can you expect kids to chip in? Naeyaert says professional opinion varies, but she advocates that 5 years old is a ripe age to start building good habits. As they grow, it’s important to shift responsibility to children for their own orderliness. That might mean one of them shows up at practice without his cleats. But, Naeyaert stresses that parents should not swoop in to the rescue. “It doesn’t help them learn and, in fact, teaches them that organization is not important,” she says.

Even Naeyaert advises that we all cut ourselves some slack. Try not to compare yourself to other “super parents” who always seem to have everything together. In fact, she cautions that it is possible to go too far in the quest for tidiness, inordinately opting order over play.

“Organization is about relationship management. You should strive to create a balance … and forgive yourself if you’re not perfect,” says Naeyaert, who herself employs an organizer. And, hopefully, teach your kids to take it in stride when they end up at school with their brother’s lunchbox again.

6 RULES FOR SIMPLIFYING SCHOOL MORNINGS
Samantha Hawn Naeyaert, owner of Muddle Management and president of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) Dallas-Fort Worth chapter, offers the following tips:

Prep the night before for clothes, shoes, backpacks, etc.—everything in its home.
Make sure everyone has an alarm clock set.
Teach each child a routine: Get up with the alarm, brush teeth, wash face, get dressed, eat breakfast, hug parent! (Write this in marker on the bathroom mirror.)
Use color-coded systems for each child—for school and breakfast.
Do not turn on the TV; keep everyone focused on getting out the door.
Ask your child what he or she would like in exchange for doing this well and without being reminded

Must-haves for parents: Extra keys by the back door, online calendars, coffee maker with a timer and a send-off with a smile.

By: Shelley Hawes Pate

Illustration: Mary Dunn

This article originally appeared on Dallas Child Magazine's website on August 3, 2011 and lives here.

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, view Samantha Naeyaert's profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Organize Your Photos!

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:39:03 GMT

As a professional organizer, I don't know how many times I've been in a conversation with a client and the subject of photos comes up. Getting their photos organized is always something they want help with, but it always seems to be the last on the to-do list and the thing they will get to "someday."

Just like with anything we own, if we can't find it when we need it, what good does it do to have it? I believe the same theory relates to our photos. Whether it be trying to locate photos for a child's school time-line project, or creating a poster for an Eagle Scout ceremony, or pulling together a slide show for a wedding -- there will be many events in our life where if our photos are in order, we can enjoy doing it instead of spending the time stressed trying to find the pictures!

Back before digital cameras (which really wasn't that long ago), we were very careful in the pictures we took because we had to buy the film and pay for the developing. Technology has once again made things easier for us but yet more stressful because we are now taking thousands of photos! There is now a hoarding somewhat of digital photos because we can take as many as we want and there is no cost involved. We don't have to take the film out of the camera, take it in for developing, and then go pick it up all so we can look at our pictures. Did you know statistics show 83% of people that own a digital camera never even transfer them off of their camera? Hard to believe, isn't it?

So why do we take pictures in the first place? We all want to preserve our memories and share them with others and tell our stories. There are many niches in the organizing industry and personal photo organizing is one of them that is becoming more popular.

Have you ever thought of why you would want to scan your paper photographs? First of all, it's a great way to have a back-up copy. Second, once they are digital, you can enhance them and blow them up which is great when you have been left with unidentified family photos. Finally, it's a way to share them with other family members who would like to have copies. Once they are digitized, digital photo albums and slide shows can easily be created. Scanners have come a long way and scanning services also include converting slides and negatives.

Many different types of services are offered in this arena, not just the organizing of the traditional hard-copy photos. Organizing digital photos and assisting with getting all of them in one place, off your camera and on your computer and setting up a system where you can locate them when you need them is something a photo organizer can do for you.

Organizing photos on the computer does not require special software, but there are software programs out there specifically for managing photos. Either way you choose, a personal photo organizer can install it for you, teach you how to use, and implement a back-up system for you so you won't lose your memories. Photos are one thing that cannot be replaced if lost -- lost in a natural disaster, lost on your camera, or lost on your computer so this is a very important piece of preserving your photos.

The sheer number of photos we possess can be overwhelming, whether it be hard-copy or digital, not to mention the task of getting them in order; however, it is a task that is extremely worthwhile not only to you but for future generations.

_____

Do you need help with your photos? Now is the time to start working on those Christmas projects! Click here to find a professional organizer in your area!

For more information on how to contact this NAPO-DFW member, click here to view Cita Sue Cox’s profile.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

16 Tips to Simplify Your Life (and Increase Your Productivity)

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:51:12 GMT

Someone once said “it takes a genius to live a simple life” and I totally agree with that.

In this world of “dramatic distraction” and information overload it is too easy to become overwhelmed, lose focus and be swept away from the things that matter most.

Here are 16 tips that I have learnt from other leaders, blogs and books, and have been trying to apply in my life to de-clutter, un-complicate and become more intentional about how I spend my time…

1. Turn off all technology for 60 minutes a day and focus on doing your most important work.

2. Don’t check your email first thing in the morning. (This one in particular has been life-changing for me!)

3. Start your day with exercise. (or even better, learn how to surf – no better way to start the day!)

4. Be obedient to the sabbath! (That means learning how to really rest and refuel – taking one full day a week as a complete recovery day.)

5. Learn to say no.

6. Plan your week ahead. (I spend 10 minutes every Sunday evening looking at my diary for the upcoming week and planning spaces for work, rest, exercise, relational meetings etc. It helps me to stay focused on that which is important and gives me permission to say no to that which isn’t.)

7. Don’t answer your phone every time it rings.

8. Get up early.

9. Go to bed early.

10. Eat a big healthy breakfast.

11. Clean out your closets. Get rid of things you never wear or don’t use anymore.

12. Stop watching TV. Or at least cutback to no more than 1hr per day. (Jess and I haven’t had a TV for the nearly 6 years we’ve been married. When you don’t have it, you simply don’t miss it.)

13. Make sure you plan a decent holiday break once a year. (I find it should be at least 10 days for it to become truly regenerative.)

14. Learn to protect your time. The data says workers are interrupted every 11 minutes. Distractions destroy productivity and complicate your life.

15. Do your banking online.

16. Use Evernote. Seriously, it’s an amazing piece of software.

In the end, it’s about priority. About deciding what really matters and, as Stephen Covey says, “putting first things first”! And so, as you simplify your life, may it increase your productivity and grant you a greater sense of purpose, and may it bring you great freedom and peace.

______

Author: Tom Basson

This article originally appeared on Tom Basson’s blog on June 20, 2011 and lives here.

Do you have an article to share with NAPO-DFW, Inc.? Please email your submission to articles@napodfw.com.

Enter Today! Get Organized Contest Giveaway!

Tue, 3 Jan 2012 21:47:47 GMT

What You Can Win

Two prizes will be awarded:

· Home Office Makeover including:

o Complete organization of your Home Office by volunteers from the DFW Chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO-DFW)!

o Custom-built wall storage (shelves) and Desk furnished and installed by California Closets!

o Storage of belongings during the project provided by Mi-Box Moving & Mobile Storage of Texas!

o Donatables/Recyclables/Trash hauled away by College Hunks Hauling Junk!

· Kitchen Makeover including:

o Complete organization of your Kitchen by volunteers from NAPO-DFW!

o Custom Glide-Out™ shelving furnished and installed by Shelf Genie®!

o Donatables/Recyclables/Trash hauled away by College Hunks Hauling Junk!

Prizes are awarded "as is" without warranty or guarantee either express or implied by Sponsor. Any and all warranties and/or guarantees (if any) shall be subject to the manufacturer's terms therefore each winner agrees to look solely to such manufacturer for any such warranty and/or guarantee, (if any).

How to Enter

1. Email submission to contest@napodfw.com.

2. For valid entry, submission must include: name, address, and phone.

3. Entrants must attach a minimum of three (3) pictures with a full view of the Home Office or Kitchen, with a maximum of five (5) pictures.

4. Submissions accepted beginning on January 2, 2012 8:00am Central Time (CT).

5. Submission deadline is January 25, 2012, 5:00pm CT.

6. One entry accepted per household address for each prize.

How the Winner is Chosen

1. Finalists will be chosen on January 28, 2012, from all eligible entries received by the deadline of January 25, 2012, at 5:00pm CT.

2. The finalists will be notified by E-mail.

3. Voting begins 12:01am CT on February 1, 2012, and will end at 5:00pm CT on February 10, 2012.

4. Vote by clicking the link via the website www.napodfw.com/napo-events/go-month.asp.

5. The winner will be announced February 13, 2012, via telephone and E-mail.

6. Both makeovers will occur February 24-25, 2012 (keep this weekend open!).

How Long the Contest Lasts

The “Extreme Double Makeover—DFW Edition” Contest (the Contest) begins at 8:00 a.m. CT on January 2, 2012, and is scheduled to end at 5:00pm CT on February 10, 2012 (the “Promotion Period”), but sponsor reserves the right to shorten, extend, modify, or cancel the Contest, at its discretion, at any time.

Schedule and Voting Summary

January 2, 2012	Entries Accepted	8:00am CT
January 25, 2012	Deadline for Entries	5:00pm CT
January 28, 2012	Finalists chosen by Event Committee	Notified by Email
February 1, 2012	Public Voting Begins	12:00am CT
February 10, 2012	Public Voting Ends	5:00pm CT
February 13, 2012	Winner Announced	Notified via Email and Phone
February 24^th – 25^th, 2012	Makeover Events	Keep this weekend open!

Privacy

Personally identifiable information that is submitted by entrants as part of this Contest will be used to administer the Contest, select prizewinners, and fulfill prizes, and will be treated in accordance with Sponsor's privacy policy.

Limitations

No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase or payment of any kind will not improve your chance of winning. The Contest is open to legal residents of the DFW Metroplex who are 21 years and older. Void where prohibited by law.

While you are able to submit an entry for each prize, only one prize per person will be awarded. One person can not win both prizes.

Employees of all sponsors including: California Closets, Shelf Genie, College Hunks Hauling Junk, and Mi-Box Moving & Mobil Storage of Texas, and members of NAPO-DFW, Inc., and their respective related companies, parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and agents may NOT participate in the contest.

Members of NAPO-DFW, Inc. and employees of all sponsors including: California Closets, Shelf Genie, College Hunks Hauling Junk, and Mi-Box Moving & Mobil Storage of Texas, are not responsible for incorrect or inaccurate transcription of information, for problems related to any of the equipment or programming associated with the Contest or utilized by the contestant, for any human error, for any interruption, deletion, omission, defect, or line failure of any telephone network or electronic transmission, for problems relating to computer equipment, software, inability to access the Website or online service, or for any other technical or non-technical error or malfunction. Under no circumstances, including but not limited to negligence, shall any of the releasees be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising out of the contest or merchandise offered through the contest, even if any or all of the foregoing or any of their authorized representative have been advised of the possibility of such damages. To the fullest extent allowable by law, members of NAPO-DFW, Inc., and all sponsors including: California Closets, Shelf Genie, College Hunks Hauling Junk, and Mi-Box Moving & Mobil Storage of Texas, and their promotion agencies specifically disclaim any representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the products and/or services offered.

VOTE TODAY!

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 09:06:12 GMT

Vote Today!!!!

Get Organized Contest Giveaway!

Feb 1st - Feb 10th

Click here to vote now!

The winner will be contacted on February 13th and the makeover will be held on February 24-25th!

Vote! Vote! Vote!