Organized Assistant http://organizedassistant.com Virtual Partner to Your Organizing Business Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:16:22 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Three Types of WordPress Websites http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/31/three-types-of-wordpress-websites/ http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/31/three-types-of-wordpress-websites/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:16:22 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=3048 Three Types of WordPress Websites
It’s been quite a while since I blogged about any client projects, but that’s not to say we haven’t been busy here at Organized Assistant®! We’ve actually had a lot of different things on the go, and I can’t wait any longer to tell you about some of them. Above is a screenshot of a [...]

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]]> Three Types of WordPress Websites
It’s been quite a while since I blogged about any client projects, but that’s not to say we haven’t been busy here at Organized Assistant®! We’ve actually had a lot of different things on the go, and I can’t wait any longer to tell you about some of them. Neaten Up With Nancy – WordPress site by Organized Assistant Above is a screenshot of a website we recently created for Neaten Up With Nancy. As a new organizer, Nancy opted for our Basic WordPress Package, choosing the Yukon Theme by iThemes for her design. WordPress is ideal for starter websites, because it’s easy for most people to add new content as needed, and we can easily give it a new design later on without rebuilding the entire site. We’re especially proud to have been selected by some seasoned organizers to redo their older HTML website in WordPress, including Pat McArthur of Home Definition. Pat’s original website looked like this: Home Definition – original website design After implementing a new design created by Snapdragon Design, her site now looks like this: Home Definition – WordPress site by Organized Assistant I’m excited about learning to develop mobile versions of WordPress sites as well, and had fun creating this one for Smart Space Organizing: Smart Space Organizing – Mobile WordPress site by Organized Assistant I can’t wait to mobilize my own sites when I get a break in my schedule! I guess it’s a case of shoemaker’s children syndrome… But don’t let me scare you off if you’ve been thinking about contacting us about a new website or other project! I have some great people working with me, and we’re committed to helping you enhance your online presence in any way we can.
]]> http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/31/three-types-of-wordpress-websites/feed/ 0 NASMM Conference Opens New Doors for Professional Organizers http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/26/nasmm-conference-opens-new-doors-for-professional-organizers/ http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/26/nasmm-conference-opens-new-doors-for-professional-organizers/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:32:14 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=3043 NASMM Conference Opens New Doors for Professional Organizers
As a blogger, I’m committed to sharing all types of information that might benefit you in Your Organizing Business, so when I heard about the recent National Association of Senior Move Managers conference, I was eager to invite an attendee to tell us about it in a guest blog post. Robin Blinder was happy to [...]

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]]> NASMM Conference Opens New Doors for Professional Organizers
As a blogger, I’m committed to sharing all types of information that might benefit you in Your Organizing Business, so when I heard about the recent National Association of Senior Move Managers conference, I was eager to invite an attendee to tell us about it in a guest blog post. Robin Blinder was happy to oblige, and I’m pleased to welcome her here today. Lady Bird Lake, Austin, Texas The annual conference of the National Association of Senior Move Managers was in Austin, Texas this month – January 12th through the 15th.  As a professional organizer who is also a senior move manager, this conference is one of the ways I continue to educate myself, recharge my business batteries, and network with those throughout the country whose professional life has taken the same fork in the road.  This was my second NASMM Conference, and once again, NASMM did not disappoint. First, the venue – the Hyatt Regency in Austin, Texas – was a wonderful place to attend a conference.  Great halls for the nearly 400 attendees to gather for keynote sessions, meals, and events like the 10th Birthday Party of NASMM, excellent rooms for breakout sessions, and a myriad of open meeting areas for networking and small group meetings.  Austin showed up with weather that was warm enough for walks along the river or across the bridge.  And there were plenty of restaurants and nightspots to visit with new friends or old friends reunited.  Fun times! This year’s educational sessions were superb.  I started out my conference time with Thursday’s pre-conference sessions – “Speak Up! And Present Your Way to Success” and “Winning Sales Strategies for Senior Move Managers.”  Both sessions, taught by renown experts in our field, gave me tons of ah-ha moments & things I could implement to grow my business. There were four keynote general sessions – one more than last year, and each of them touched a different area of my business.  Friday’s opening keynote, “Differentiate and Dominate” by John Jantsch of “Duct Tape Marketing” fame, helped us to think of our business and our marketing strategy in a whole new way.  Saturday’s keynote, “My Client Has Dementia: Now What?” by Teepa Snow, was phenomenal.  Teepa delivered some tough information in a very entertaining way.  Sunday’s keynotes, Jeremy Solomon’s keynote on dealing with diversity in the aging market and Tim Richardson’s “Rich Service” presentation, both gave me a number of take-away points to apply. But that wasn’t all!  The 24 breakout sessions during the conference were so rich that I bought the CDs in order to catch the sessions that I wasn’t able to attend.  The topics hit on business topics like marketing, sales, human resource & finance, tactical topics for SMMs like estimating, space planning, and disbursing client belongings, and client-centered topics such as family communication, client “potholes,” and decision-making.  There was definitely something for everyone, and many of the sessions also applied to my organizing business. If you’re a Senior Move Manager and have not attended NASMM’s Annual Conference, join us in St. Petersburg next January 20th-23rd and experience for yourself the tremendous value it brings to you and your business.  If you’re a NAPO or ICD member and have thought about adding senior move management to your services, come to St. Petersburg and see what this growing field can add to your business.  Hope to see you next January in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida! Robin Blinder is a Professional Organizer and Senior Move Manager serving the Tampa Bay, Florida area.  You can find more information at http://www.consideritorganized.com.
]]> http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/26/nasmm-conference-opens-new-doors-for-professional-organizers/feed/ 0 How to Find Great Guest Blogging Opportunities http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/24/how-to-find-great-guest-blogging-opportunities/ http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/24/how-to-find-great-guest-blogging-opportunities/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:30:10 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=3038 How to Find Great Guest Blogging Opportunities
In last week’s post, I gave you 6 Reasons to be a Guest Blogger. Now that I’ve (hopefully) convinced you that it’s worth your while, this week I’ll keep my promise of letting you know where you can find potential hosts, and how to approach them. 1. Your Organizing Colleagues If you know other professional [...]

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]]> How to Find Great Guest Blogging Opportunities
In last week’s post, I gave you 6 Reasons to be a Guest Blogger. Now that I’ve (hopefully) convinced you that it’s worth your while, this week I’ll keep my promise of letting you know where you can find potential hosts, and how to approach them. handshake 1. Your Organizing Colleagues If you know other professional organizers who blog, ask them if they would be interested in having you as a guest – you can even offer them the same opportunity in exchange! If you’re concerned about sending potential clients to your competition, talk to someone in a different region or who offers different services than you. To connect with other organizers who blog, see who has been participating in the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival or join the Organized Bloggers group on Facebook. 2. Just Google It! You probably use Google to find information about everything from where to buy comfortable dress shoes to how to install shelving in a closet, and it can be equally useful when searching for blogs who welcome posts from guest bloggers. Simply enter “be a guest blogger” in the search box, and you’ll get millions of matches. To narrow it down, add another keyword to your search, e.g. “be a guest blogger” productivity or “be a guest blogger” organizing. 3. Sign up for My Blog Guest It only takes a few minutes to sign up for this free service. Once you’re a member, you can search the database for blogs that might be a good fit for you, check out any blogs of interest, and get in touch with the owner through the private messaging system. There’s also a message board where you can let others know what you have to offer in terms of expertise. This service is also useful if you’re looking for guest bloggers, but that’s a story for another day! No matter where you find a potential host blog, take the time to check it out and make sure that:
  • the blog is good quality and one you will be pleased to be associated with
  • the audience is a good fit for you
  • there actually is an audience – look at Alexa for traffic statistics, and check the blog itself for comments and other signs of engagement
Once you’ve decided that you’d like to write a guest post for a particular blog, there is a right and wrong way to approach the owner.  In some cases, you can submit your post through an online form, but in others you must go through a screening process first. Always check the blog for any submission guidelines, and follow them to a tee. When contacting a blog owner about writing a guest post, introduce yourself but instead of making it all about you, focus on how your post will benefit their audience. Provide a link to your blog so they can get a sense of your writing style. It’s a good idea to have a few posts pre-written before you make contact, and suggest some topics for them to choose from. Keep in mind, however, that in most cases guest posts should be original content, and not just a reprint of something you’ve already published on your own blog or that is readily available on article directories such as EzineArticles. I have a number of guest bloggers lined up for Your Organizing Business, and look forward to welcoming my first guest for 2012 this Thursday. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to be considered as well!
]]> http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/24/how-to-find-great-guest-blogging-opportunities/feed/ 2 6 Reasons to be a Guest Blogger http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/17/6-reasons-to-be-a-guest-blogger/ http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/17/6-reasons-to-be-a-guest-blogger/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:23:17 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=3032 6 Reasons to be a Guest Blogger
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ve probably noticed that once a month or so, I welcome a guest blogger. It’s usually a professional organizer, but may be anyone who is able to share some insight on a topic of interest to my audience, often one I don’t feel qualified to cover myself. [...]

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]]> 6 Reasons to be a Guest Blogger
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ve probably noticed that once a month or so, I welcome a guest blogger. It’s usually a professional organizer, but may be anyone who is able to share some insight on a topic of interest to my audience, often one I don’t feel qualified to cover myself. In fact, guest blogging is quite popular throughout the blogosphere. Collective Spirit Perhaps you’re wondering why someone would go to all the trouble of writing something, just to give it to someone else to post on their blog. Unless they’re being paid for their work, you might think they’d be better off publishing it on their own blog, but there are actually many benefits to guest blogging. Here are a few: 1. Reach a Broader Audience According to one of our polls, attracting new readers is the biggest challenge faced by many bloggers. Being a guest blogger for someone with a similar target audience to your own is an excellent way to get your name and your expertise in front of a bunch of potential new readers. 2. Grow Traffic to Your Own Blog As a guest blogger, you will normally be allowed to include a brief bio and link to your own blog, so those who find your post of value will often click through to learn more. 3. Grow Your Subscriber Base Once those new readers have landed on your site, there’s a good chance they’ll become subscribers, provided that your blog is engaging. You’ll find lots of tips on Your Organizing Business to help you make sure your blog represents you and your business as effectively as possible. 4. Improve Your Search Engine Positioning Although Google keeps changing the factors it uses to determine where your blog will appear in the search results, backlinks from related sites remain very important. Social sharing now plays a role as well. Since blog posts tend to be shared frequently on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites, a guest post on a popular blog may benefit you more than a listing on an infrequently accessed directory site. 5. Build Relationships Guest blogging is a type of joint venture, where both parties receive something of value. While the guest blogger receives the benefits listed in this post, the host has an opportunity to take a break from writing and give their readers another point of view. 6. Write About Something Different Ideally, your blog is written for a specific audience – your target market – but you have a wealth of knowledge that goes far beyond what they would find useful. Guest blogging allows you to put on a different hat and explore another topic. Many of my guest bloggers have done just that, such as when Janice Russell shared her Secrets to Growing Your Organizing Team. I did the same thing recently when I wrote a guest post on Paper-based Tools for Organizing Your Job Search for Promotion Career Services. I plan to talk about ways to find guest blogging opportunities in a future post, but for now, why don’t you consider writing something for Your Organizing Business? I would especially love to hear from someone who is actively using Google+ or Pinterest as a marketing tool, but would welcome other topics of interest to professional organizers as well. Please contact me and let me know what you have in mind and we’ll go from there. Have you ever been a guest blogger? Did you find it beneficial? Please share your experience (and a link to your post, if you like) in the Comments!
]]> http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/17/6-reasons-to-be-a-guest-blogger/feed/ 0 Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for January 2012: Organizing and Health http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/10/professional-organizers-blog-carnival-for-january-2012-organizing-and-health/ http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/10/professional-organizers-blog-carnival-for-january-2012-organizing-and-health/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:16:35 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=3024 Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for January 2012: Organizing and Health
At the start of the new year, many people focus on developing a healthier lifestyle. Like most goals, staying healthy is much easier when you are organized, so our first Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for 2012 is all about Organizing and Health. You’ll find lots of practical tips here to use in your own life [...]

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]]> Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for January 2012: Organizing and Health
At the start of the new year, many people focus on developing a healthier lifestyle. Like most goals, staying healthy is much easier when you are organized, so our first Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for 2012 is all about Organizing and Health. You’ll find lots of practical tips here to use in your own life or when working with clients. diet journal As usual, I’d like to start things off by introducing our latest Professional Organizers Blog Carnival Star Blogger. With her post, Family, Friends, Nature & Clutter, Linda Samuels has now participated in 10 Blog Carnivals. I’d also like to recognize Ellen Delap as the first person to have participated in 25 Blog Carnivals! With her post, Organizing and Exercise, Ellen is our very first Professional Organizers Blog Carnival Superstar Blogger! Congratulations, Linda and Ellen! Joining us for the first time this month is Moreen Torpy with Organizing for Your Health. Welcome, Moreen! And there’s lots more great information for you here: Hazel Thornton - Organizing to De-Stress a Major Illness Lelah Baker-Rabe - Keeping ahead of your health Natalie Conrad - Gather Your Medical Information Leslie Josel - Students and Stress: Organized is the Way Julie Bestry - Vital Signs: Organizing For A Medical Emergency, Part 1 Jeri Dansky - Pillboxes with a Dose of Cute Sue West - Organize for Dr.’s Appointments: 6 Tips Linda Vanderkolk - Organized for Healthy Living - 3 Tricks Clare Kumar - How to be healthy, happy and productive at work Tracy Hoth - Is Your Closet Affecting Your Health? Janine Adams - Just do something Heather Burke - Tuesday Tip – Organizing Your Medications and Supplements Lauren Giammarco Silveira - Your Health and Your Home Connected I hope you’ll take some time to read the posts, leave some comments, and get to know the bloggers! It’s a great way to grow your network and pick up some great advice at the same time. Be sure to join us next month when our topic is Organizing for Pets. The deadline for submissions is Monday, February 13.
]]> http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/10/professional-organizers-blog-carnival-for-january-2012-organizing-and-health/feed/ 0 It’s a New Year – Time to Fire Up Your Business! http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/03/its-a-new-year-time-to-fire-up-your-business/ http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/03/its-a-new-year-time-to-fire-up-your-business/#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:39:15 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=3003 It’s a New Year – Time to Fire Up Your Business!
For many of us, the start of a new year is a time for change. Even people who don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions generally see this as a time to set goals for the coming months. As a professional organizer, you probably support your clients in moving towards their goals, but who’s helping you [...]

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]]> It’s a New Year – Time to Fire Up Your Business!
For many of us, the start of a new year is a time for change. Even people who don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions generally see this as a time to set goals for the coming months. As a professional organizer, you probably support your clients in moving towards their goals, but who’s helping you with yours? Fire Up Your Biz - Enrich Your Life   You started your business because you’re passionate about organizing and helping others, but to be a successful entrepreneur, you also need to know about product development, budgeting, branding, marketing, networking, social media, video, and loads of other things. You can really spend a lot of time researching these topics and trying to find people you can really trust to give you the right information! Fortunately, Stephanie LH Calahan of Calahan Solutions, Inc. has pulled together over 20 of the best experts on productivity, mindset and business growth in an extraordinary program designed specifically to meet the unique needs of entrepreneurs who want to excel in business and in life. In Fire Up Your Biz - Enrich Your Life!, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from a number of your organizing colleagues along with other business experts. Take a look at this line-up!
  • Depressing Desks and Psychic Debris: Cleaning up the Work Space by De-cluttering the Head Trash (Regina Lark 01/18 @ 11AM CST)
  • Unlock the Secret to Achieving Your Profit Goals (Nicole Fende 01/19 @ 11AM CST)
  • Mindset Matters: Secrets to a Powerful Mindset (Des Gray 01/19 @ 7PM CST)
  • We've Got To Stop Meeting Like This: How to Run Meetings that Actually Get Things Done (Debbie Rosemont 01/25 @ 11AM CST)
  • Get the Right Support for Your Business, Inside and Out (Marcia Hoeck 01/26 @ 11AM CST)
  • Get Time and Tasks Managed Quickly (Michelle Panzlaff 01/26 @ 7PM CST)
  • Conquering Your Fear with a Knockout Punch (Dr. Shannon Reece 02/1 @ 11AM CST)
  • The 3 Surprising Keys that Open the Door to Small Business Abundance (Andrea Feinberg 02/02 11AM CST)
  • A Busy Family’s Guide to Getting Organized So You Can Live Your Best Life and Still Enjoy Your Family (Ellen Delap 02/02 7PM CST)
  • From Procrastination to DONE! (Carrie Greene 02/08 11AM CST)
  • 5 Keys to Social Media Success: Do it Right, Stop Wasting Time and Get Results! (Janet Slack 02/09 11AM CST)
  • How to Overcome your Mental Money Barriers, and Break Free to Success (Georgina Sweeney 02/09 7PM CST)
  • Networking for Success (Heather Townsend 02/15 11AM CST)
  • Conquer Email Overload (Stephanie Shalofski 02/16 11AM CST)
  • Passion Management: How to Juggle/Prioritize all of the Passions We Have (Lisa Montanaro 02/16 7PM CST)
  • Five Secrets to Streamline Your Work Flow (Miriam Ortiz y Pino 02/22 11AM CST)
  • When Life Interferes: Making it through Life's Transitions as a Business Owner (Sue West 02/23 11AM CST)
  • TiME Strategies for the Busy Entrepreneur (Allyson Lewis 02/23 7PM CST)
  • Solopreneur Motivation Secrets: Create the Work Environment and Results You Want (Elaine Quinn 02/29 11AM CST)
That is already a lot of information, and Stephanie tells me a few more sessions will probably be added to the schedule soon. What’s really amazing is that it won’t cost you anything to take part in this program! And no, it’s not going to be just a series of sales presentations; the goal is to be ALL content and NO fluff! You’ll even have the opportunity to submit your questions when you register, so you know the experts are doing this to help you achieve your business goals for 2012. Sign up for Fire Up Your Biz - Enrich Your Life! today.
]]> http://organizedassistant.com/2012/01/03/its-a-new-year-time-to-fire-up-your-business/feed/ 0 A Shout-out to Our 2011 Supporters http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/27/a-shout-out-to-our-2011-supporters/ http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/27/a-shout-out-to-our-2011-supporters/#comments Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:12:02 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=2993 A Shout-out to Our 2011 Supporters
With 2011 drawing to a close, it’s time for something that’s become an annual tradition here at Your Organizing Business. For my final post of the year, I’d like to acknowledge the many professional organizers and other supporters who have shared their time and expertise with my readers in some way. The following individuals contributed [...]

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]]> A Shout-out to Our 2011 Supporters
With 2011 drawing to a close, it’s time for something that’s become an annual tradition here at Your Organizing Business. For my final post of the year, I’d like to acknowledge the many professional organizers and other supporters who have shared their time and expertise with my readers in some way.

2011

The following individuals contributed as guest bloggers or participated in a blog interview this year. Simply click on their names to read their posts. The Professional Organizers Blog Carnival has continued to grow in popularity, with a total of 191 posts submitted by 61 professional organizers, including seven new Professional Organizers Blog Carnival Star Bloggers. A big thanks to:
  • Ellen Delap
  • Audrey Cupo
  • Linda Samuels
  • Ramona Creel
  • Deb Lee
  • Elaine Shannon
  • Clare Kumar
  • Jane Veldhoven
  • Lisa Montanaro
  • Tracy Hoth
  • Jeri Dansky
  • Julie Bestry
  • Nancy Borg
  • Geralin Thomas
  • Janine Adams
  • Lauren Giammarco
  • Lelah Baker-Rabe
  • Master Cruz
  • Natalie Conrad
  • Pauline Wiles
  • Rivka Caroline
  • Sue West
  • Angela Esnouf
  • Barbara Tako
  • Jane Woolsey
  • Janice Russell
  • Jonda Beattie
  • Leslie Josel
  • Michelle Panzlaff
  • Stephanie LH Calahan
  • Debbie Pendell
  • Hazel Thornton
  • Heather Burke
  • Hellen Buttigieg
  • Jacquie Ross
  • Janet Baker
  • Laura Wittmann
  • Paul H. Burton
  • Shelley Molitor
  • Alys Milner
  • Ann Acquaviva
  • Anne Blumer
  • Deanne Kelleher
  • Debbie Stanley
  • Jacki Hollywood Brown
  • Jennifer Crutchfield
  • Jodi Granok
  • Kate Brown
  • Kimberly Eagles
  • Krista Colvin
  • Kristin Lindstrom
  • Laura Lawrence
  • Linda Vanderkolk
  • Linda Williams
  • Lurlene Anderson
  • Margaret Lukens
  • Margarita Ibbott
  • MaryJo Monroe
  • Michelle O'Sullivan
  • Oksana Bellas
  • Sheri Bruneau
With such a wealth of information and industry contacts at your fingertips, I hope you’ll spend a little time reading or re-reading their posts, leaving some comments, and expanding your online network. I know that many of you support this blog by leaving comments and/or sharing your favorite posts by email or social media, and your efforts are appreciated as well. As you prepare your Blogging Plan for 2012, you may find the following resources helpful for generating content ideas: And if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to Your Organizing Business by RSS or email for lots of ideas for your blog and other aspects of your business! Have a happy and prosperous new year!
]]> http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/27/a-shout-out-to-our-2011-supporters/feed/ 6 Self-Care for Professional Organizers during the Holiday Season http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/20/self-care-for-professional-organizers-during-the-holiday-season/ http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/20/self-care-for-professional-organizers-during-the-holiday-season/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:23:18 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=2960 Self-Care for Professional Organizers during the Holiday Season
When friends find out you have your own business, they often make comments like “You’re lucky. You can set your own hours.” Or “That’s great – you can take time off whenever you want to.” But although it’s true that your schedule is more flexible than others, it’s not without its challenges, is it? That’s [...]

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]]> Self-Care for Professional Organizers during the Holiday Season
When friends find out you have your own business, they often make comments like “You’re lucky. You can set your own hours.” Or “That’s great – you can take time off whenever you want to.” But although it’s true that your schedule is more flexible than others, it’s not without its challenges, is it? Young woman wearing Santa hat smiling That’s especially true during the holiday season, when there’s probably a lot more going on in your personal life than the rest of the year. But where most of your friends with regular jobs can plan to do their shopping, baking, socializing and other activities around their work schedule, it’s probably more challenging for you. For one thing, many people don’t realize they need a professional organizer until it gets down to the crunch. Perhaps they’ve realized they need to declutter before entertaining guests, or maybe they need to clear out the old toys from their kids’ bedrooms and/or playroom before Santa drops another bagful down the chimney. It’s very hard to say “no” to these clients. After all, you started this business because you sincerely love to help people get organized. And let’s face it, it’s hard to turn away potential income at any time, but especially when you know there will be days you’re not  working, and your own expenses are probably higher than usual right now. But how can you meet the organizing needs of your clients and the financial needs of your family and your business, and still have time for your own holiday activities? Why not apply the same strategies you teach your clients all year round?
  1. Assess your priorities. Are there things you do simply because they’re tradition, or because someone else expects you to do them? Can any of them be eliminated?
  2. Delegate. If certain tasks are necessary to your holiday celebrations, do you have to be the one to do them? Can your spouse or children help? Can you buy a dessert instead of making your own?
  3. Establish a schedule. If you need time off for holiday preparations, special events, or even just to relax and enjoy your family, make it happen. Whether you close down your business for a week or two, or simply reduce the number of clients hours you’ll book, make a plan, and stick to it.
If these last few days before Christmas find you scrambling about and longing for the days when you had a fixed schedule, it may be too late to get out of the commitments you’ve already made, but you do have the power to say “no” to anything else that comes up. Your clients will respect you for practicing what you preach! How do you handle the holidays in your business?
]]> http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/20/self-care-for-professional-organizers-during-the-holiday-season/feed/ 6 Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for December 2011: 2011 Conference Highlights http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/13/professional-organizers-blog-carnival-for-december-2011-2011-conference-highlights/ http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/13/professional-organizers-blog-carnival-for-december-2011-2011-conference-highlights/#comments Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:59:37 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=2933 Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for December 2011: 2011 Conference Highlights
In December, many of us take time to reflect on our activities over the past year. Since professional conferences often stand out as some of the best parts of the year, this month I invited my readers to share the highlights of the events which they attended. We’ll kick off this month’s Blog Carnival with [...]

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]]> Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for December 2011: 2011 Conference Highlights
In December, many of us take time to reflect on our activities over the past year. Since professional conferences often stand out as some of the best parts of the year, this month I invited my readers to share the highlights of the events which they attended. Janet Barclay with Donna Campbell and Karen Sencich at the 2011 POC Conference We’ll kick off this month’s Blog Carnival with posts about the Professional Organizers in Canada Conference, not because I attended myself, but because I want to welcome our newest participant, Linda Vanderkolk who blogged about Organizing For A Conference, and to congratulate our newest Star Blogger, Jane Veldhoven, who blogged about Key Areas of Your Business. The most blogged about conference was that put on by the Institute for Challenging Disorganization. Submissions included: Linda Samuels - Vibrancy & Success Ellen Delap - Institute for Challenging Disorganization and Motivational Interviewing Angela Esnouf - Why I flew half way around the world as well as Leslie Josel - The Power of Connection at Conference, whose post encompassed both the ICD and NAPO Conferences. Also blogging about the NAPO Conference were: Lelah Baker-Rabe - NAPO Conference Recap 2011 Julie Bestry - Rock Stars, Heartthrobs, Brainiacs and Organizing Innovators: NAPO 2011 In a Nutshell One participant chose to blog about another conference, not specific to the organizing industry: Tracy Hoth - SuccessPlus 2011 Event As always, I encourage you to read the above posts as you reminisce about the conference(s) you attended and learn what you missed at those you did not. Please leave a note to let us know what conferences you attended this year! This is the last Professional Organizers Blog Carnival for 2011, but we’ve got a full slate of new topics lined up for next year. Be sure to mark your calendar so you don’t miss a single one!
]]> http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/13/professional-organizers-blog-carnival-for-december-2011-2011-conference-highlights/feed/ 2 Develop Your Blogging Plan http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/06/develop-your-blogging-plan/ http://organizedassistant.com/2011/12/06/develop-your-blogging-plan/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:10:43 +0000 Janet http://organizedassistant.com/?p=2922 Develop Your Blogging Plan
I’ve heard a number of organizers say “I just don’t have time to blog,” but often, half the battle is planning ahead. Deciding in advance what you’re going to blog about will give you an opportunity to think about how you’re going to address a particular topic, and to write at least some of your [...]

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]]> Develop Your Blogging Plan
I’ve heard a number of organizers say “I just don’t have time to blog,” but often, half the battle is planning ahead. Deciding in advance what you’re going to blog about will give you an opportunity to think about how you’re going to address a particular topic, and to write at least some of your posts ahead of time. blog tools The key to successful blogging is to continuously create compelling content, and with a new year just around the corner, now is the perfect time to begin working on your editorial calendar, so I’d like to share a few helpful resources. Blogging Planner & Calendar 2012 Blogging Planner & CalendarA great way to get started is to download your free Blogging Planner & Calendar from Blog Energizer. The 2012 planner has a full page for each week with a grid for you to schedule your posts as well as blog-related emails and promotional activities and other notes. Each weekly page also includes special dates that might inspire a blogging idea, such as Clean Out Your Computer day (February 13), Simplify Your Life Week (first week of August) and Procrastination Awareness Month (April), as well as a blogging tip, like
Improve your titles. Add specific info – like price, time investments, results – instead of generalizations.
Throughout the Blogging Planner & Calendar, you’ll also find full-page articles to help you with a particular aspect of your blog, such as “Growing Your Traffic.” This has been one of my favorite blogging resources for several years, and I encourage you to download a copy. Blog Post Ideas plug-in for WordPress Blog Post Ideas Plug-In for WordPressIf you have a self-hosted WordPress blog (if you don’t, we need to talk!), you can install this plug-in, also from Blog Energizer. You’ll find it especially valuable if you like to draft your posts right within your blog dashboard, because each time you go to create a new post, you’ll be presented with a topic idea. You can configure it to display topics related to home, business, and/or health, depending on the focus of your blog. You can purchase the Blog Post Ideas plug-in for WordPress for only $4.00, or receive it free with any WordPress Package from Organized Assistant®. Other Sources of Blogging Ideas There are entire blogs dedicated to inspiring bloggers and other writers. Here are a few that offer topic ideas: If you think about it, your daily life is probably filled with things you can blog about! Consider the following questions:
  • What have people asked you in workshops, emails, and consultations?
  • What have people in your target market posted in forums or on social networks?
  • What organizing products do you use or recommend most often?
  • Do you work with complementary service providers? Who are they and what do they do?
  • What organizing books have you read lately? How about other books that might be useful or inspiring to your clients?
The possibilities are endless! Still feeling overwhelmed? Contact me for a free consultation. I help a number of professional organizers with their blogging strategy, and would love a chance to speak with you to explore ways we can work together for your blogging success in 2012.
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