The first thing to toss....

Getting everyone in the household picking up after themselves can be a challenge. Try to have some fun with it!  Julene Ponipal of Order Restored offers the following quick tips to eliminate nagging and make clutter control fun for all:

1. Over the weekend, set a timer, a couple alarm clocks or, just decide that after every phone call, everyone will spot check the places clutter is quick to pile up and put their belongings away. Let the kids set some random timers and they might just think it was their idea!
2. At the end of the day, allow time for the family to do a 10 minute tidy before settling in for that favorite TV show. In a family of four, you've just done 40 minutes of clutter control!
3. Friday Box. There comes a day when you are "done" talking about it. When no one is around, scoop up everything left lying around and toss it in the "Friday Box" There is no discussion, nagging or whining this way. At the week's end, dump the entire box on the table and tell everyone to come claim what they want before it gets donated to charity. IMPORTANT: no one may save an item from Friday box (if it was that important they would have put it away right?) I can guarantee that the Friday box (or pick a better day for your household) has worked for every family I've recommended it to.

As a mother of four and a Professional Organizer in Vernon, BC, Julene understands the demands of work and family. For more info, visit Julene's website at www.orderrestored.ca.

Spring Clean your Computer

With spring cleaning in full bloom, its time to start thinking about organizing your office, and your computer. 

Computer clutter is often overlooked until your computer is downloading at a snails pace. Clearing the clutter will help in removing blockages from you and make your computer more efficient.

• If you have never archived any of your e-mails, now might be the time to start.  Check the size of mail folders and archive old e-mails using Mailbox Cleanup, available from the Tools menu.
• To customize what e-mails are archived, go to File in the menu bar and click Archive. You can choose which folders to archive and the date range you wish to archive. Keep only the last 3 months of e-mails in your current e-mail folders and archive the rest.
• Archiving creates a duplicate set of folders in the archive folder system that hold all your old files. Archiving compresses the size of the e-mail folder so it doesn't take as much space on your computer but you can still access the files when you need them.

Check out Microsoft.com for free online tutorials and great tips to declutter your computer!

Imagine The Ripple Effect

Back in 1982, a visionary named Ann Herbert penned a very special phrase: "Practice random kindness & senseless acts of beauty."  From this moment, a subtle movement started, the world began to practice random acts of kindness, people began to "pay it forward" & a ripple effect was created!

Imagine The Ripple Effect is a website created by Crystal Flaman.  She created special cards that encourage you to perform anonymous gestures of kindness creating a ripple effect of joy and hope to ultimately change the world!

For more information or to purchase your own set of cards, visit www.imaginetherippleeffect.com

NAPO 20th Annual Conference

Organizing Help teams up with
E-OrganizerPro™  at the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) 20th Annual Conference and Vendor Expo from April 9-12th in Reno, Nevada, showcasing the latest trends and resources in the organizing industry. E-OrganizerPro™ is the only professionally recognized client management software in the Professional Organizing industry. For more information about NAPO and the conference visit www.napo.net. 

Clear the Clutter Teleclass

Clear the Clutter and take back your space! Teleclasses are held every Tuesday and Thursday.  For more information or to register for an upcoming teleclass, contact info@organizinghelp.ca. 

Give Mom the Gift of Time!

101.5 Silk FM and Organizing Help join together to offer one deserving Mom "The Gift of Time" this Mother's Day. Enter online from April 28 to May 9, 2008 to win an amazing prize package of time saving indulgences, including a full day of professional organizing services.  Show Mom just how much she's appreciated. Enter online at www.silk.fm between April 28 & May 9.  The winner will be announced on Silk FM's morning show on Friday May 9th!

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