Recently we posted product reviews on a few Smead organizing products (the Stadium File and the SuperTab Folders) that were fairly new on the market. Now we want to let you know of a give-away Smead is doing of some of those very same products.

 It is really very simple:

• You want to get organized
• Smead wants to help you succeed
• All you need to do is “like” them on Facebook and simple, bite sized tips and tricks will be coming your way. (Everyone’s a winner of this “prize”.)

So here are 3 reasons to like Smead Organomics on facebook

1. It’s a Zen Thing: Getting organized helps you lower stress and often saves time and money. Who doesn’t want that?

2. Take the !*#? Out of Organizing: It’s easy to do and won’t take a lot of time. Why not try it?

3. Win Some Stuff: “Like” Smead Organomics NOW and you could win an amazing basket of organizing products!

While you’re at it (and on Facebook), don’t forget to stop by the Simply Placed Facebook page and if you haven’t already, “Like” us too for additional great tips and conversation on Organizing and Productivity.

Good luck with the give-away. Here’s to your organized and productive life!

Yesterday I posted about two products I used recently to help someone who was a self-professed “piler” organize his piles of paper. It was his preference to make the piles work, as opposed to file away the paper we were dealing with. It seemed the perfect opportunity to give a couple of PileSmart products I had been sent to review from Pendaflex a test run.

Here are some details on the products, my thoughts, as well as information about cost and where to find them.

Pendaflex PileSmart Organizing Tray and Dividers

Features: The Desktop Organizer Tray is a clear acrylic tray slighly slanted towards a back corner with edges made to hold papers in place and looking neat. The tray comes with six dividers with write on/erase off labels that can be used to categorize and identify papers (either by label or by color).

Pros:

• Both the acrylic tray and the dividers are very durable and feel well made.
• The dividers are thick enough to help easily lift the paper on top of them for viewing what is underneath.
• The dividers have tabs on both the end and the side, making them easy to see and read from either angle.
• For pilers, these dividers will help identify categories of papers and the tray will help keep them tidy

Cons:

• The dividers are 8 1/2 x 11, about the same size as a letter size piece of paper. This means that anything larger that is placed in the pile will cover the divider(s) below it (like a larger envelope, a file folder, or larger piece of paper), making it difficult to see the tabs and labels.
• If a piler has paper that stacks above the defined edges of the tray, the papers can become unruly. Most pilers I know have more paper that they pile than one tray would hold, making multiple trays necessary.

 Cost and Where to Buy: Retail list price is $45.99 but I saw it at Amazon for $20.66. I also saw it on other online stores such as those listed here for a little less.

Pendaflex PileSmart View Folders

• I would prefer a clear front instead of the translucent to make it easier to see what is inside the folder. Made of translucent color poly so you can easily view folder contents.
• When filled to capacity, the tab holding the third side closed begins to fail, potentially causing a situation where papers could fall out.

Cost and Where to Buy: $6.27 on Amazon, $4.99 at Office Depot, available at other online and retail stores as well.

If you’re considering using these products to organize your piles, you may want to check out this handy guide to desktop organization for pilers. You can also follow Pendaflex employee advice or tips through their blog, Facebook Page, or on Twitter. (While you’re at it, don’t forget to “like” the Simply Placed Facebook  page and visit often to participate in discussion or pick up a new organization or productivity tip. You can also follow us on Twitter for some of the same. )

Please comment and let me know what you think of these products. Bottom line: if you’re going to pile, and want a line of products that may help you organize your piles, Pendaflex has some good options.

Disclosure: This is sponsored content and we have been given product samples and a nominal gift card to do this post. That being said, we do not blog about anything we do not believe in and Pendaflex did not edit our post or direct our content in any way.

I’ve been known to urge, “File, Don’t Pile!” I think a well designed, thoughtfully organized filing system is an excellent choice for those who want to put papers away, eliminate the distraction of papers on their desk that they don’t need right now, and who want to be able to find what they need, when they need it.

With that said, I have come across a few clients or seminar participants who really like their piles, they just want them tidier and more organized. They worry about “out of sight, out of mind” and insist on keeping particular paper out right in front of them; especially papers they need to act on.

My husband is one such “client”.  As long as I’ve known him (22 years), he’s been a paper piler. While not my personal preference, I can respect that, for the most part, piling works out o.k. for him. The drawbacks are that the piles become unruly, and that things would get “lost”; important papers buried below unimportant.

When I was sent Pendaflex’s PileSmart products and asked to review them, I knew I had a perfect test case. My “client” and I set aside an afternoon and began with one of his piles.

We went through the process of sorting what was there, tossing the clutter, separating out papers that required action, and filing away a few things that were for reference and that Rob didn’t want to have out. This process alone brought the pile down to a much more manageable size.

From there, we determined the “next step” Rob needed to take on each piece of paper, and sorted them according to categories that made sense to him and corresponded with a particular action. We used the PileSmart Organizer Tray and Dividers to keep things tidy and categorized. The dividers come with labels on both the sides and ends for easy viewing from either angle. They also come with tabs that you can write on and erase, so you’re able to change your mind about the category or easily fix mistakes.

The other product we used was the PileSmart View Folders. These project folders are enclosed on three sides to hold loose papers that are related to each other together. They also have a Write-On Tab for easy labeling. We used these folders to hold together multiple papers related to one project that Rob was going to refer to when he took action on some research he needed to conduct. The only criticism I have of these folders is that when used in conjunction with the PileSmart Dividers, the View Folders are larger and therefore cover up the Divider tabs, making them harder to see/read.

Here’s Rob’s pile “after”. Much, much better. We included a “to do” list on top, capturing reminders of action steps he needed to take that corresponded to papers in the pile. With the papers now categorized based on what Rob needs to do with them, he’s able to find them easily, and can save time by chunking activities, should he choose. For example, all paper that requires a phone call is now together, so that he can make those calls all at once and knock that category out efficiently.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a more formal review of the PileSmart Products, including details about features, cost, pros and cons, and where to find them, should you like to give them a spin.

I know I’ll be keeping an eye on the Piler in my life, to see how these products (and some of the “keep it organized” tips I taught him) work out.

Are you a loyal piler? Is it working out for you? What are products or techniques you’ve employed so that you can find what you need when you need it and that things don’t fall through the cracks? We’d love to hear from you. Comment away!

We recently posted a product review of Smead’s Stadium File. Today we’ll review their SuperTab Folders.

An alternate to a traditional file folder, the SuperTab Folders’ primary differentiating factor is the size of the tab found at the top of the folder. Providing 90 % more space in which to label, these folders allow the user to write larger for increased visibility, and/or include more text on the tab/label than they would otherwise be able.

These folders are available in Letter Size or Legal Size, recycled manila or a variety of primary and pastel colors, and in boxes of 24, 50 or 100. Oversized labels, made specifically to fit to oversized tabs, are also available. A free Microsoft Word label template for use with these labels and on the oversized tabs is also available for download at www.smead.com/SuperTab.

Pros: Larger labeling space allows the user to write larger on the tab/label for greater visibilility. This could lead to the user being able to find the file faster when looking in their drawer or in a tiered file holder. The user can also include several lines of text on a label, where they may otherwise be limited with standard folders/tabs.

Cons: If you intend to mix these in with your traditional 1/3 cut file folders, some will look different (though not much … overall height of the folder in general is about the same as standard folders, just the tab is bigger). Because of the bigger cut away right below the tab, you can see more of the document you store in the folder itself. For some, this may be a negative. For others, it won’t matter.

Where to Buy/Pricing: You’ll find these folders at a variety of office supply stores, including Office Depot or Staples. Price ranges from about $11.99 for a box of 100 manila up to $20.99 for a box of 100 colored folders.

If you try these, let us know what you think. If you know of other new products we should check out or consider reviewing, we’d love to hear from you.

Disclosure: This is sponsored content and we have been given product samples and a nominal gift card to do this post. That being said, we do not blog about anything we do not believe in and Smead did not edit our post or direct our content in any way.

We’re always on the look-out for new products that can help our clients stay organized. Recently, we were asked to review three from Smead. We were sent samples of their Stadium File, SuperTab Folders, and Viewables Labels. We’ll be posting our review for all three products over the next few days. The first will be for the Stadium File.

The Stadium File is a desktop organizer. This organizing tool contains 12 tiered pockets that keep papers and files visible. A great tool for someone who has papers spread out on their desk and worries about “out of sight, out of mind”. This keeps active papers and files (letter size) in front of you, in an organized fashion. Retailing for around $20, the organizer comes with several options for labels – A-Z, Jan-Dec, 1-31 and household subjects.

Pros:

• Price Point – this is a low investment to make to get the piles of paper up off the surface of your desk.
• Compact – it only takes up a corner of the desk
• Good option for active papers to be set up in a tickler file based on when the action needs to happen or categorical file based on what needs to happen with the paper.
• Not limited to an office desk, this product could also be used on a kitchen counter to corral papers needed in a “Household Command Center” with rosters, schedules, frequently used forms, lists, etc.
• Can use pre-printed labels or blank labels that come with the product to customize the files for your needs.
• Can accomodate loose papers or file folders
• While some tiered file holders only support the bottom part of paper or files, this supports the entire width of the paper or file. In some tiered file holders I’ve used in the past, the folders eventually curve. That wouldn’t happen in this organizer.

Cons:

• Made of 10 % recycled and 10% post-consumer material, this is a paper based product and is not completely sturdy. The whole unit may be pretty easy to knock over if you weren’t careful. When the organizer is full, it makes it heavier, and would be less likely to tip over.
• The built in tabs bent pretty easily when I slipped in a manila file folder and then were covered by said folder.

Where to buy: This product can be found at Office Depot, Franklin Covey and on Amazon, among other places.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for an inexpensive solution to help you manage “active” papers and files on your desk top, this is good option. If you decide to give it a try, please let me know what you think.

Disclosure: This is sponsored content and we have been given product samples and a nominal gift card to do this post. That being said, we do not blog about anything we do not believe in and Smead did not edit our post or direct our content in any way.

Please welcome our newest residential organizing teammates, Lynette Apley & Wendy Ayer.  Both Lynette and Wendy have been organizing for the past several years and we are very excited to have them as part of the Simply Placed team!

Meet Lynette Apley:

After 10 years as a media project manager at Microsoft, Lynette started professionally organizing in 2004.  She has experience with all types of residential organizing and particularly likes helping clients with kitchens, bedrooms, playrooms, and even vehicles.  She is comfortable with clients of all ages and has intermediate skills in American Sign Language.

Lynette is especially passionate about collaborating with clients to find a custom solution for them.  She enjoys creating systems and processes that work for each individual client – from organizing tools and products to space planning and room design.

Lynette is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the Seattle Chapter of NAPO.

Meet Wendy Ayer:

Growing up as a detail oriented, organized person, Wendy has found her skills best used as a Professional Organizer.  Wendy loves that organizing not only makes life function so much easier but it also is like a treasure hunt.  She loves helping her clients find the special things that they consider treasures and making them useful again.  Wendy loves teaching you that each object has its own special place.  Organizing is like an adventure and Wendy loves the satisfaction of completing a project and admiring the finished result with her clients.  Don’t we all enjoy a good before and after moment? 

She has experience with all types of residential organizing and particularly likes helping clients with kitchens, bedrooms, playrooms, and craft rooms.  Wendy especially loves to teach kids how to clean and organize their space!

Are you working on establishing a new habit that will positively impact your organization or productivity? Does it feel like a lot of work? One strategy is to find ways to make it fun.

Make it fun - we’ve found this video example of how people will change their behavior if its fun. We see lots of possibility to apply this concept to the work we do with clients who want to be more organized and productive.

Planning on taking 15 minutes at the end of each day to clear off your desk, file, and put things back in their places? Do it while listening to your favorite tunes.

Stuggling with focusing on a high priority for a period of time? Call a friend or co-worker and let them know of your plans. Work hard and focus for the period you’ve decided is best for you and then call the friend or co-worker again to celebrate your accomplishment (and maybe find some other fun way to reward yourself for staying on task).

Limited on time but want to organize a space? Make it a game. Set a timer and work to “beat the clock” – organizing the space you’ve selected before the timer goes off. (I know, I know, this may work better for your kids, but you get the point.)

Watch the video above and then let us know what ideas you have for making organizing or productivity improvement fun. We’d love to hear from you and promise to share the responses with full credit.

How many of you have a reference filing system in place at home and/or in your office that’s working well for you?  A reference filing system creates a home for those papers you already took action, or don’t need to act on, but need to keep for your records.  Are you able to find the papers you need quickly and when you need them?  Is your system user-friendly?  Does your system encourage you to purge your files on a regular basis? 

There are several elements of a filing system that can make it effective. We have come to love and highly recommend the FreedomFiler, a great filing system for your home or home-based business filing needs.  The FreedomFiler has many of the elements we consider key to filing system success. Consider these when setting up your system:

• Have color-coded files for different categories such as (red for permant files, orange for administrative files, blue for tax files and so forth).
• Make sure your file cabinet or drawer has enough space in it.  An over-crowded drawer will rarely get used.
• Use clear plastic tabs and try to organize your files alphabetically.
• Create interior or sub folders when appropriate (ie. under the main folder “Auto Records” you may have sub folders for each car you own).
• Try filing your non-tax related statements, invoices, receipts, etc. by month instead of by vendor.  This makes filing very quick and easy and it also allows you to purge your files every few years.
• Get into the habit of filing right then and there.  The longer you wait…the larger the pile of paper gets which often leads to feeling overwhelmed and then the filing never gets done.
• Try to have your filing drawer close to where you open the mail or pay the bills.  You are more likely to file if you don’t have to go all the way to the basement storage room to do so.

If this sounds like the perfect filing system for you, we would love for you to attend our “End the Paper Pain: File, Don’t Pile” workshop coming up this Wednesday, March 17th from 6:30pm to 9:00pm in Sammamish.  During this fun hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to create a new, virtually maintenance-free filing system for your home or home-based business.  You will walk away with the system in-tact ready to use. 

Can’t make this workshop fit into your schedule this week?  We also offer one-on-one FreedomFiler Consultations where we can come into your home and set-up the system with you and begin to transfer your piles into files.  Contact us if you are interested in learning more.

Want to make it easy to file instead of pile? Learn the stragegies and the system on Wednesday, March 17th.

Come join us for this fun, hands-on workshop where you will learn how to create a new, virtually maintenance-free filing system for your home or home-based business.  You’ll walk away with the system largely in-tact, ready to use for your home or home-based business filing needs.  When you leave class, you’ll be able to:

• Easily locate the papers you need by keeping out the ones you don’t need
• Finish routine filing in 5 seconds or less
• Reduce the time and energy required to file and retrieve papers
• Know when to toss paper – document retention made easy!

Presented by Certified Professional Organizer, Debbie Rosemont.  

Time: 6:30pm to 9:00pm                      

Location:  Beaver Lake Lodge 25101 SE 24th Street, Sammamish, WA 98075                                      

Investment: $149 (includes FreedomFiler kit and light refreshments)

For more information or to register click here!

Class Limit: 12 participants (to ensure individual attention)

For the month of February we are offering “A Shot of Time Management” Mini Package which includes:

• The Simply Placed Time Log
• Debbie’s book, Six Word Lessons To Be More Productive
• A one hour Phone Consultation (We’ll discuss your time management or productivity challenges, how to use your time log, how to review and analyze the results and how to create an action plan for change)
• Two 15 Minute Follow-Up Accountability Calls
• A monthly e-subscription to the Simply Placed News including strategies to help you increase your focus, organization and productivity.

We’ll help you find more time to focus on high prioirity tasks and more time to spend on what matters most to you.

Investment: $125 with Lacey (Residential) & $225 with Debbie (Business)

Let us know if you have questions or are interested in taking advantage of this special!