How often do you try to unplug an appliance, computer or lamp and realize that your cords are a tangled mess?  Because we all live surrounded by electronic goods, organizing their power sources can quickly become a complicated job.  Cord management tools to the rescue!  There are several unique and innovative items on the market that will help you keep cords wrapped, labeled, hidden, bundled, clipped, and organized!

It’s officially spring! There may be showers in the forecast, but soon we’ll be putting our winter clothes away and bringing the warm weather attire out from hibernation.  As you begin assessing your closet, consider this quote from professional organizer Peter Walsh:

“You should have only three types of clothes in your closet — clothes that fit you, clothes you love, and clothes that always bring you compliments.”

This is a great mantra to repeat to yourself – not just when organizing your closet in the springtime, but any time of the year.  Be ruthless with your possessions and eliminate clutter. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• Streamline your hangers – get rid of mismatched hangers, like the ones you get from the dry cleaner or the plastic tube ones that take up a lot of space. My favorite type is the ultra-slim designed ones that are flocked so your clothes don’t slip off the hanger and end up on the floor.
• Use the top shelf – items like fancy dress shoes, hats, purses and sweaters that you only need during certain times of the year can go at the very top of your closet.  These items don’t need to be accessed all the time, so they shouldn’t take up valuable real estate in the closet.
• Five minutes and one hook – Take a few minutes before you go to bed each night to pick out your clothes for the next day. Place a hook just inside your closet or place one over-the-door to hang up your outfit.

Filing papers away is only useful if you can quickly retrieve it when you need it again. A great way to store important documents is to simply move hanging file folders from your cabinet to a “banker’s box” and add a label to the outside. This box accommodates the lip of hanging file folder so that the lid closes properly.

Join Innovatively Organized this Saturday, March 19th from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the Lynnwood Storables and shred up to 2 shopping bags of your excess paper for FREE in a secure environment. We’re very excited about this event, and look forward to seeing you there!

Repetitive strain injuries are on the rise with the amount of time we spend in front of computers and using mobile devices. Regardless of what your desk looks like or what type of machine you’re using, there are some universal rules to follow:

• Follow the “20/20 rule” – every twenty minutes, look twenty feet away for twenty seconds.
• Have sufficient lighting to prevent eye strain.
• Reduce clutter. Ensure you have sufficient space on your desk to work and you are not suffering from overcrowding.
• Keep the things you use frequently near you, to prevent over reaching.
• Have the proper chair to support your lower back and keep your knees at a right angle.
• Position the keyboard at or below your elbows.

Remember that a well-organized space can positively attribute to proper ergonomic set-up! Learn more about what you can do for your desk and office.

If you’re like me, collecting business cards and contact information is a big part of running your business. Building professional relationships is critical, and knowing how and where you made the connection is an important part of networking.

The ‘Contact Keeper’ is a great paper-based tool that lets you store business cards and write notes all in an easy-to-carry notebook that is compact and refillable. It’s compact but gives you plenty of space for jotting down information and details which makes it ideal for trade shows, conferences and seminars where you tend to meet many people in a short amount of time.

 It’s a much more organized way to keep cards and notes before entering them into an online database or application. No more scribbles on the back of a business card and no more random stacks of cards in your briefcase!