Wouldn’t it be great if you could find everything you needed to learn in ONE place?

Get the benefit of advice, brainstorms and business shortcuts from global business consultants and coaches, who are bringing their ‘best game’ to the table.  There are 20 experts lined up to help you fire up your business – and reclaim your life – in 2012.  Seekers of organization and productivity wisdom can go to Fire Up Your Biz and Enrich Your Life  and sign up free to hear over 20 global experts share specific strategies and tactics that helped them gain control and purpuse in their business.

Thanks to to organizer of Fire Up Your Biz – Enrich Your Life, Stephanie Calahan, starting on January 18th, you can listen in on interviews with 3 experts a week for 6 weeks.  You can listen to our own Debbie Rosemont discuss productive meeting techniques on January 25th in We’ve Got to Stop Meeting Like This: How To Run Meetings That Actually Get Things Done!  Each interview will deliver practical, actionable strategy and tips.  You can join in on one call or all of them!  The more you listen in, the more you will learn…and, if you attend live, you just may win a great business boosting prize.

Join us for this amazing interview series and you will:

Fire up your personal performance

Unleash your profit potential

Discover new strategies to manage the demands of running your own business

Have a profitable business and more time to focus on what’s important to you

Simply Placed is honored to have been asked to serve as a Featured Expert for this series. We look forward to sharing valuable information to help you have more productive meetings. In addition, we look foward to listening in on the other expert calls, where we don’t doubt we’ll learn and benefit as well.

Join us, won’t you?

The time for setting New Year’s Resolutions has come again.  Do you have lofty expectaions of what you’ll accomplish each year, but find it can be challenging to follow through and stick to it? It can be hard without a plan. Let Simply Placed help.

This is the first in a series of posts about how to achieve goal setting success in the new year (or any time!).  Join us in making your resolutions/goals successful this year!

Tip #1 Reward Yourself – What will accomplishing your goal mean to you? What will motivate you to stick to it and reach the desired result? How will you reward yourself for accomplishing your goal? Choose something that you’ll look forward to. Post a picture of it in a visible place. It could be a tangible item that you’ll treat yourself to, or an experience, or even the gift of “downtime”. Depending on the degree of difficulty of the goal, choose a reward that is appropriate.

But, don’t just wait until the goal is achieved to reward yourself. Celebrate “wins” along the way to ultimate success.  Decide ahead of time on some “mini-rewards” so that you’ll have something to look forward to in the short term and the long term. How can you reward yourself for accomplishing the milestones along the way to the end result?

Reaching a goal takes dedication and hard work.  You deserve more than a pat on the back.

How do you choose your goals?  What have you used to reward yourself?  We want to hear your ideas!

Stay tuned next week for more tips on Goal Setting Success.

Happy New Year! May 2012 be fabulous for you both personally and professionally. We plan to make it a year to remember!

This week when I flipped my calendar forward to the month of May, I happily saw the little palm tree I had drawn a few months back signifying my vacation to Maui! While I am beyond excited to escape this damp, dark weather, I realized I only have a little over a week before I leave.

Far too often, we schedule trips and vacations to get away and relax. Lets remember that a true vacation does not mean work, work and more work, just with a more beautiful view and a mai tai in your hand. Taking a vacation should mean powering down your laptop, turning off your phone, and yes, relaxing!

It is only natural to find it difficult to relax when you are constantly thinking about all of your work related to-d0’s. For that reason we’d like to recommend a few tips so you can actually enjoy your vacation. Consider the following:

1. Stand Your Ground & Limit Temptation: We’ve all seen those people at the airport or even laying out at the pool, typing away on their laptops or taking conference call after conference call. Think of it like this, if you are trying to eat healthy, don’t go to the grocery store and load up on a bunch of cookies. Why? Because if you don’t buy them in the first place, they won’t sit in your pantry taunting you, and thus you won’t eat them. Same goes for bringing your work with you on vacation. You can’t be tempted to use what you don’t bring. Limit as many distractions as possible.

2. Remember: The World Will Not End: Have you ever found yourself thinking, “but if I leave the office even for a few days everything is going to crash and burn and nothing will get done”? This is where delegating is extremely important. Prepare your colleagues/manager with any and all necessary information. This may even mean printing out instructions. Make sure people who reach out to you during your absence know who to contact instead: 

A. Set-up your voicemail so that if anyone calls, they will known the dates you will be absent from the office and will be directed to whomever you appoint as the next in command should they have any urgent questions.

B. Create an OOF (out of office) email, again, stating the dates you will be gone and the name and contact information of the appropriate party they can reach in your absence. We realize emergencies to arise, and as such, be very clear which situations warrant interrupting your vacation. Remember, people have the tendency to think their situation is most important and should require immediate attention, even when it may be a minor issue that CAN wait.

3. Pony Up the Dough: If you are traveling with someone and you know yourself well enough to realize you may have difficulty overcoming the temptation to check that email or make that call, it’s time to engage an accountability partner and raise the stakes. Set a dollar amount, and tell your travel buddy each time they catch you doing something work-related, you have to pay up.

4. Transition Back to the Daily Grind: There’s nothing like coming back from vacation to see your inbox flooded with emails and your voicemail light blinking incessantly. Regardless of how well you were prepared for your departure and return to reality, it can be an overwhelming feeling. So, where to start?

A. Dedicate the first day to getting back into the swing of things. This means not scheduling any meetings, not making any new calls, and not starting any new projects. Go through your emails and voicemail and start capturing the tasks that require the most attention. Once you have your list, it’s time to prioritize. Simply write a number next to each item (EX: 1 being most important), or place them in priority order on your task list and then get to work, checking things off as you go. Keep in mind, when everything is a priority, nothing is a priority.

B. Put away any items you brought with you, whether they are for home or work. If it is work-related, put all those materials in your work bag, ready to go for the morning.

As far as home is concerned, it is too often we leave our suitcase sitting out for weeks on end before we actually put items away or start a load of laundry. It’s like ripping off a Band-aid. Just get it over with and done.

Remember, a vacation is supposed to be fun. A time to rejuvinate. Do it well and you’ll be more productive at work upon your return. Keep in mind the importance of a positive work-life balance. You will be glad you did. For more organized travel tips, check out Smead Organomics “Preparing at Work for Your Vacation” post.

Can you believe that summer is just a few months away?  I know if you’re in the Puget Sound area it is hard to imagine with all this rain, but the countdown for summer has definitely begun.  It may seem crazy, but if you haven’t already, it is time to start making your summer plans.  Minimally, this will give you something to look forward to as we get through our (ahem) “Spring”.

Will you go on any vacations?  Will your kids go to camp?  Will you plan any day trips in the area?  What activities will you and your family do this summer?  If you are planning to sign your kids up for summer camp, now is the perfect time to start this process!  Registration for a lot of camps has already begun and some registrations are already closed.  If you aren’t on top of it, your kids may miss the camp they have been looking forward to all year.  We would love to help ensure that this doesn’t happen to you by providing you with a few tips on how to start planning for your summer now:

1. Create a “Family Activity Calendar” where you can record where you will be each week this summer.  You can use a different color pen or highlighter for each family member.  (ie. Suzy at waterski camp in pink and Jordan at soccer camp in yellow).  This way you can take a quick peek at the calendar and know who will be doing what.  Be sure to include dates, times and locations.

2. Keep your “Family Activity Calendar” in a central area like your kitchen.  This way everyone is able to see the calendar and Mom or Dad can add/make changes to it.  If you prefer to go digital, be sure to sync calendars so everyone knows what’s going on.

3. Create a file for “Summer Activities” now that you can be placing notes, registration forms, packing lists, etc. in so you have it all organized and in one place.  This way you won’t spend time searching for your packing list the night before camp. 

4.  Create a reference file for “Future Vacations,” “Future Activities,” “Summer Camps,” etc.  This will provide you with a home for papers you get throughout the year that are of interest to you.  Again this will save you time in the end so you aren’t searching for that Football Camp Registration form that your son brought home from school last month.  Instead you can go straight to your “Summer Camp” file and pull out the form.  How great would that be?

5. Need ideas for what to do with your kids this summer? Check out Extraordinary Mama - a great new subscription service that for pennies a day will deliver customized, targeted emails to you each week with specific, age appropriate ideas and links to great activities and summer camp alternatives in your geographic area.

We hope these 5 simple tips will help you and your family get more organized for the summer.  If you would like ideas for a reference filing system for your family, please let us know.  We would be happy to make a recommendation. 

Do you have any great tips for summer planning? We’d love to hear your ideas!  Feel free to share them with us.

Often we’re asked about the ROI of our services – the return on investment. We can easily explain the value that is realized when someone increases their organization and productivity. Another term for ROI is “Risk of Ignoring” – meaning – what’s is the risk of doing nothing about disorganization or productivity challenges?

The Cost of Disorganization: Greater than we Think

We all know that being disorganized undoubtedly leads to stress. And stress undoubtedly leads to numberous pain points within your daily life, whether at home or at work. But have you ever really sat down and thought about what disorganization is costing you?

As Professional Organizers, our goal is to help reduce your stress. As such, we have put together a list of common “pain points” that often result from disorganization. Not only do we wish to make your lives at home and work easier, but we want you to keep in mind that short-term investments yeild long-term results.

Common Pain Points to Consider:

1. Lost Business Opportunity. If your business/company is disorganized, chances are you are missing out on a fair amout of potential business opportunities. Curious what disorganization is costing your company? Click here to calculate it for yourself.

2. Customer Service is Suffering. Forgetting or simply taking too long to follow-up does not make your customers happy. The last thing you want is for your customers to think you don’t value them. Not to mention, it makes your company look bad and can result in a loss of customers and a dive in sales. Haven’t we all had a bad customer service experience that makes us never want to give them our business ever again?

3. Overworked and Overwhelmed. When you are feeling overworked and thus overwhelmed, everything seems to crumble and fall apart. Why? Because you aren’t on your “A” game. Yes, we all have “one of those days” every so often, however, when you are being pulled in too many directions, you become less productive and efficient.

It’s time to be honest with yourself and re-prioritize. Realize you are not superhuman. More importantly, keep in mind that trying to constantly multi-task actually decreases performance. (Insert “Multitasking” into the blog search bar over to the left to read our evidence on that fact). Focus on one thing at a time, complete it to the best of your ability, and move on. Done is better than perfect.

4. No Work/Life Balance. We cannot stress this enough. Which is why we encourage you to check out several of our blog posts about how you can find more time for the things you love most in life. Find that “me-time” you deserve.

5. Your Health is Suffering. Did you know that 80% of our medical expenditures are stress-related? Yikes! We can do something about that. Whether you’re an individual or an employer, health care costs make an impact on your bottom line.

Common Situations Where Being More Organized Could Save You a Pretty Penny:

• Late payments. Misplaced bills ultimately lead to interest and penalties. Avoid these by having a solid bill paying system in place. Who wants to pay more when you don’t have to. These situations are avoidable.

• Pending rebates. You purchase that new cell phone only to realize you did not collect the necessary information to receive your $100 rebate in time. Missing out on a rebate is like setting that $100 bill on fire. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to have some extra cash in my pocket.

• Duplicate purchases. This is especially true when it comes to food. Consider organizing your pantry or refrigerator every so often to ensure you aren’t purchasing multiples of anything. What are you going to do with 10 bottles of ketchup? Organization helps you find what you need, when you need it. You’ll avoid needing to buy another _____________ (fill in the blank), just because you can’t find the one (or several) you know you already have.

• Unused gift cards. We see this a lot. Have you ever gone into a store and you are at the counter digging through your purse or wallet for that gift card you know you have only to realize you left it buried in a drawer or pile at home?

When you get a gift card, put it straight into your wallet that way you will always have it with you when you are out and about. Don’t want to fill up your wallet with gift cards? We recommend the card cubby. Cute, portable, perfect for gift cards.

• Overdraft fees. In other words, failing to reconcile. These fees can really add up over time. If you are ever in doubt, check your balance before making another purchase. Thought you were good to go but still received an overdraft fee? Reconcile it ASAP. The sooner you do, the greater the likelihood your bank will be more willing to work with you.

• Multiple trips to store. There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you come home after a trip to the store only to realize you forgot “X” and “Y.” Our time is valuable and we always say we need more of it. Save time by creating a shopping list. Check out our Meal Planning Made Easy system to help you plan and save you time, money and gas each week.

• Repairs. Neglecting maintenance can end up costing you much more than it may have if you had attended to it in the early stages. Take your transmission for example. Putting off changing your transmission and power steering fluids (which can cost around $300-depending on your car) could turn into thousands when your transmission goes out. Several hundred or several thousand…hmm?

• Tax Deductions. Remember to always track your mileage and business expenses. Create an expense report if you don’t already have one in place. Unsure of what you can and cannot deduct? Check with your manager or CPA. You may be missing items you could have been reimbursed for.

Remember, it is business and no matter how great your relationship is, if you don’t bring it to their attention, they probably aren’t going to bring it to yours. Why would they if they can save some cash themselves?

• Late fees. I’m sure most of us have received a letter or bill in the mail with the words “Payment Overdue” in bright red. Maybe you let out an angry sigh and throw it in an already growing pile of papers telling yourself, I’ll deal with it soon. But guess what? You don’t have to ever see those nagging words again.

When you go to get your mail, automatically separate the junk and any recyling and get rid of it, NOW. All you are left with should be anything that requires action, like bills. Open all of them up, and enter the dates into your calendar or online bill paying system (unless you have auto-pay). Remember, do not enter the date they are due! Remind yourself a few days prior and make that your due date as it sometimes can take a few days for things to do through. Always give yourself a little cushion.

We’d love to hear how you’re saving time, money or stress, or improving your business or life through organization. Leave a comment here on the blog.

Feeling the pain? Contact us today and let us know how we can help. It would be our pleasure to be a resource to you! 

Sure, you’re passionate about your job, feel great about those you serve when you volunteer, you love your family and spending time with them, but we also realize that sometimes, your life can drive you a little nutty. Don’t worry, you are only human. And being human means from time to time, you need a breather to de-compress.

Perhaps some of you are rolling your eyes thinking to yourself, sure, “me-time”, that’s easier said than done. You are absolutely correct, but you also have to ask yourself, where do I fit on my priority list? Did you even put yourself on the list to begin with? Perhaps you should!

Its important, and good for your overall productivity and life balance to make yourself a priority periodically. Here are some ways to help you show yourself the love and keep that “burnt out” feeling at bay. After all, aren’t we all more efficient and productive after a little R&R?

1. Take a step back and reflect. So you know you want more time to yourself, but you have to ask yourself WHY you want that time. Think of it like goal setting, if you have a goal in mind, maybe you want more free time to catch up on some casual reading for example, you’ll be more inclined and motivated to make the change.
2. Make an activity list. Take a few minutes to jot down a list of all the activities you currently participate in AND the ones you would like to do more of. Next to each one, also write down how the activity makes you feel. Do you feel more relaxed when you do this activity? Happy? Energetic? Any that make you feel stressed, timed, bored or anxious? Can you eliminate them? Now prioritize your list. Rank each one in order of importance and then pick a limited number you would like to really devote so time to. Why? Deeper engagement. Not spreading yourself so thin. Remember, you can do it all, just not all at the same time.
3. Know where your time goes. There may be a surprising disparity between how you imagine you spend your time and how you are really spending your time. Consider keeping a time log for a reality check (yes, you need to be honest with yourself when you keep it). Think of it like a food journal. Start tracking how long you spend on tasks and activities you do during the day.  A diary, journal, or small spiral notebook would work. Ask yourself if you are spending your time on the right things. The results may surprise you.
4. Edit your list. Here’s where you really want to be selfish. Now that you have a more accurate picture of where your time is going, it’s time to see what you can get rid of. Eliminate, delegate or reduce time spent on low value or enery draining activities. This frees up time to focus on priorities and activities that energize you or that you love, contributing towards overall increased productivity.
5. Minimize distraction. Turn off the lights, lock your door, whatever dramatic gesture you may need to take to let others know, hey, this is my time and I’ll come out when I’m ready. Ok, maybe not so dramatic but you get the idea. Let your family members, friends, or co-workers know that you are taking some “private time” and will get back to them later. Hide your cell phone, step away from your email/computer, or delegate a task to someone else. Maybe you can outsource something. If you are worried about budget, scrutinize your spending and you might find that you can reallocate your resources. Many times it pays to delegate a task; analyze where you’ll get the best return on your investment.
6. Leave white space. This is especially true of your calendar. Keep in mind, just because you have an empty box doesn’t mean you have to fill it. Don’t have any white space on your calendar? Time to make some! Start by completely clearing one day a month on your calendar. This leaves room for creativity, spontenaity, and rejuvination. Ahhh … now doesn’t that feel better?

Remember, it is all about balance. If you don’t give yourself the time you deserve, other elements in your life will suffer, and that’s not good for anyone.  Check our one of our latest blogs on to have a healthy work/life balance. Here’s to being a little more selfish without feeling a shred of guilt!

For many of us, it is the same routine day in and day out. We get up, get ready, head to work, work for 8 hours (or more), drive home, eat dinner, try and throw in a workout somewhere, and go to bed. It’s like they say, rinse, wash, repeat. But what is lacking here? Sure, we need to work in order to make money to live our lives, buy groceries to feed our family, and juggle errands and everything else for the wheels to keep turning. But are we being as productive as we would like to be or THINK we are being throughout this seemingly mundane routine?

What if there was a way to make those boring, tedious, draining tasks more fun? Do you think you would become more  productive? Might you even find a way to slightly enjoy them?  Would you feel more motivated? What could you accomplish if it included an element of fun?

We recently stumbled across this YouTube video that beautifully puts the following question to the test: What do you need to add an element of fun to in order to encourage you to do it?

While you are doing your taxes, do you blast really bad music (but secretly love) that you would only listen to so long as no one else is around? Maybe you absolutely hate working out but find if you bring your dog along for a jog it’s a little more tolerable? Whatever it is, we’d love to hear what element of fun you throw into the equation to make the tasks of life  more productive and enjoyable.

Are you exhausting yourself trying to juggle too much at once? Do you find yourself coming home from work only to sit down, pull out your laptop, and start working again? It’s time to stop telling yourself and your loved ones, “only one more email” and actually focus on the time we often don’t give ourselves enough of; time for family, friends, and YOU.

When your work life and personal life are out of balance, your stress level is likely to soar. We came across a great 30 second speech by the Former CEO of Coca Cola, Bryan Dyson that we feel offers some great words of wisdom to help you treasure (and make more of) that time which is so very valuable.

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. They are Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four Balls-Family, Health, Friends and Spirit-are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it.

Work efficiently during office hours and leave on time. Give the required time to your family, friends and have proper rest.”

Couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Here are a few more helpful tips to help you find that balance you rightfully deserve:

1. Prioritize. Try to figure out what your top five priorities are, not what you think they should be. Make a list and be honest with yourself. Now see if you can cut that list down to your top three.

2. Eliminate The Unnecessary. Once you’ve created your list of priorities, it will be easier for you to see where you could start cutting things out. Tell yourself, OK, if it didn’t make my top five, I can get rid of it.

3. Private Time. Respect this time and others will too. Ask yourself, do I really need to check my email and phone every five minutes or can it wait? Don’t be afraid to talk to your manager if you feel your work is truly taking away from your personal time. Demonstrate that you can be efficient and productive in the time you are at the office. Keep in mind that more hours does not mean you are being more productive.

Here’s to a better work-life balance and more time for the things you love.

As you think about the year you’d like to have in 2011, begin by reflecting on the year that is coming to a close.

What went well in 2010? What were your wins? Proudest moments? Times when you felt your best? What was the most fun? Brought you joy? Made your heart sing? Made the biggest difference for your work or your life?

Next, think about what challenges presented themselves. What surprised you? What roadblocks did you face? What obstacles got in your way? What drained your energy? What did you try, but didn’t like?

Now, with answers to these questions, think about what you’d like to build on, or what you’d like to overcome and conquer in 2011. What kind of year would you like it to be? What one business goal are you most excited to accomplish? What one personal goal, when achieved, will add quality to your life?

What intentions and goals are you setting in 2011? We’d love to cheer you on!

Watch the blog for more on Planning for Success in the weeks to come. There are some powerful things you can think about and do to set yourself up for success in 2011. We’re excited to share the year with you.

To your success!

An organized child's room saves parents time, money and stress!

Some of you may have heard that my husband and I welcomed a beautiful baby girl into our family back in April.  We love every minute of this new thing called “parenthood,” but are also learning many new things about life.  One of these things is how much more work it takes to stay organized with a baby in the family.  I would say that I am a naturally organized person and have been for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until we brought our baby girl home that I realized just how important being oganized is.

There is just so much more stuff…toys, clothes, blankets, bibs, diapers,wipes and the endless gifts & hand-me-downs from family and friends.  Don’t get me wrong, we are super thankful for everything that we have been given, but with new things constantly coming into our home, it is so crucial that I take the time to purge & organize on a regular basis.  For all of you new moms out there – here are a few simple ideas on how I have learned to be organized these past 7 months:

 1. Create a home for everything – In my daughter’s bedroom, I have designated each dresser drawer for different items (i.e. socks in the top drawer, pants in another drawer, burp clothes in another, etc.  I also have cute baskets under my changing table that hold items like diapers, wipes, changing pad covers and the like. (See photo above) Additionally, in her closet I have these really cute organizers that I use to arrange her clothes by size (0-3 months, 3-6 months…).  I also have specific bins/baskets for her toys, blankets and books. 

 2. Establish a regular  ”tidy time” -  I have learned that if I don’t take 5-10 minutes each evening to tidy things up, my house would be a disaster.  I love taking a few minutes every night after dinner to put everything back into its “home.”   It is so nice to go to bed with a clean house, but it is also wonderful to wake up and start each day in a neat and tidy space.

3. Schedule in time to get your “to-do” list done - Having a baby makes your days much more unpredictable than they once were.  It is really important for me to mark off time in my calendar to get certain things done.  If I don’t schedule in time to do the laundry, grocery shop, and other errands, I would probably never get these things done.  Remember, it is okay and necessary to ask for help when you need it!

4. Take time to purge regularly – Babies outgrow clothes and toys all the time.  If you are planning to have more kids, then I would recommend containing and labeling those outgrown items and storing them.  If you are not planning to have more kids, take time to purge and then donate or consign those items you no longer use.  With each holiday and birthday, I recommend taking time to encourage your child to let go of a few toys before bringing his or her new toys into their room.  This way you are never accumulating too much stuff and you are teaching your kids how wonderful it is to give.

I would love to hear your ideas & tips on how to be an organized mom, so please feel free to share your ideas with us in the comments section on this blog post, on our Facebook page or send us an email through our website. We’ll compile some of your best tips and post them either in the blog or on the Facebook page. Here’s to New Moms, Vetran Moms and those who support Moms in various ways – to your organized life!