I’m excited to announce–Organized Artistry has a YouTube channel!
It’s something I’ve been considering adding to my business model for a while. YouTube is a great vehicle for reaching those in need of organizing assistance outside of my Northern New Jersey area. I thought it would be a creative marketing tool for my residential and virtual organizing services as well as for my book and any books I write in the future.
Slowly in 2018, I created the channel, added a banner, uploaded a few FaceTime videos but I wasn’t putting a ton of time and effort into it. Why? What held me back? A few things…
Time
As a business owner, parent of two, and volunteer for business and religious organizations, did I really have time to pursue something new?
Knowledge
My son told me it was easy to make a YouTube video. He said to me, “My friend from middle school and my camp counselor have YouTube channels. How hard could it be, Mom?” I tried to convince him that Mommy’s YouTube channel had to be a bit more professional than teens playing Xbox together and videotaping it. I’m still not sure I’ve convinced him…In order to have a professional-looking channel I was going to have to figure out the ‘How-To’ part.
Doubt
Was anyone going to watch? Could I fit creating, optimizing, and uploading videos into my already tight schedule?
Bad Hair Days
Yes, if I’m being honest, bad hair days kept me from making videos. I don’t have the most predictable hair and it doesn’t always look as professional as I’d like it to look. Kinda silly, but true. #honesty
What I know about owning a business is that it has to always be moving forward and keep up with the ‘times’ in order to survive. Many articles I read this past year pointed to video marketing as a game changer for 2019. I decided if I really wanted to make it happen, I had to schedule it, learn what I could, deal with doubt, and my hair. Here’s what I did…
Time
I decided to block out time in my day to brainstorm ideas, write scripts, and film the video (when I’m not working with clients). Mornings after I drop my son at school until noon are my ‘Power Hours’–the time of day when I’m most alert and motivated. This time management technique worked for me when I was writing and self-publishing my book, too.
Knowledge
Do you know the best place to learn about starting a YouTube channel? It’s YouTube! I started watching ‘how-to’ videos while on the treadmill, while getting dressed/putting on makeup, and when I was cooking dinner (it’s the perfect accompaniment to chopping vegetables). I took notes on the videos and created a section in Evernote for them. I also purchased an online course to speed up the process–it’s proving to be a good investment so far.
Doubt
I still have my doubts but I moved forward anyway. I’ve been in this place before as a business owner and realize that anything new is going to stir up feelings of doubt. I decided I wouldn’t let it stop me.
Bad Hair Days
Almost a year ago, I started following the ‘Curly Girl‘ method of caring for my hair. My hair is healthier, looks better and is now (in my eyes) more ‘video-worthy.’ And I bought some products to cover my ‘roots’ so I can film my videos and camouflage some gray hair and hairline without having to run to the salon as often.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working diligently on the ‘Channel Trailer’ for my channel–it’s the first video people will see when they come to my channel if they’re not subscribers. Want to check it out? There may be a few pics of me as a little kid in the video if that piques your interest…You can watch it here or click the video below. Feel free to leave a comment, hit the ‘Subscribe’ button, and remember to click the little bell next to it to get notified when I post a new video!
If there’s an organizing challenge you’d like me to make a video about, let me know at .
Keep an eye out on the Organized Artistry YouTube channel for organizing tips, organizing hacks, and decluttering know-how. My videos will help you to get organized and gain more space in your home, more time in your day, more money in your wallet, and less stress in your life.
It’s that time of year! The Container Store Stocking Stuffers are here!
A few weeks ago, I headed to my local Container Store (a 10 minute drive from my house) to purchase a few Nalgene bottles for an upcoming vacation. I stepped into the store to make what I thought would be a quick purchase and there it was…the Stocking Stuffer collection of 2018. It was all there for me to see, touch, and admire. Yes, this is what brightens the day of a Professional Organizer and no, this did not end up being a quick trip to the Container Store…
Over the years, the Stocking Stuffer Collection has morphed into more of a group of fun, kitchy, somewhat functional items–most small enough to fit in a regulation holiday stocking and less of a collection of small, cool, organizing products. That’s OK. Year ’round we can shop for the ‘cool’ and the ‘functional.’ Sometimes you need a little ‘cute,’ ‘fun,’ and ‘didn’t-know-I-needed-this’ type-of-product, too.
For 2018, I’ve split up my favorites into two categories: Great for Getting Organized and Awww, That’s Cute.
How many times have you thrown your keys in your handbag or backpack and hours later had trouble locating them? No need to search high and low when you attach your keys to the NanoClip Pocket and Purse Clip and attach the clip to the bag you’re carrying. It’s made from stainless steel so it’s strong and lightweight. Works on pants pockets, too.
This Week Notepad $6.99
The funny and creative people at KnockKnock created this pad (and others in their collection) for the organized and disorganized alike. Get organized for the week and get a head start on next weeks’ tasks with the space at the bottom right. And it’s orange–you can’t miss it if it ends up on your counter, the bottom of your purse, or in the middle of a pile of papers!
Who loves Post-its? These colorful and sticky flags will help you to color code documents and mark the spot you need to refer back to. A great visual reminder! I love reading a book and using these to highlight passages I’ll want to read again. I usually use them when reading non-fiction books and cookbooks but sometimes I use them when I’m inspired by beautifully written sentences in novels. And check out the case they come in–oh, so organized!
These are girly and a little pricey in my opinion but if a pretty pad motivates you to make a list and get stuff done then it’s perfect! The size looks like it would fit in the tall part of a stocking, too. Imagine what you could accomplish with 150 blank pages!
My kids love the movie Monsters, Inc. and this bread and egg shaper reminded me of the little green, one-eyed character Mike Wazowski (played by Billy Crystal). I especially like those little cut-outs for the teeth. Add two slices of bacon for legs and it would look even more like a little monster! If your child enjoys eating eggs and toast this could be a cute way to get them to indulge in a fun and healthy breakfast.
Little Pigs in Blankets Mold $12.99 Pigs in blankets are a fan-favorite in my family. We call them ‘little hot dogs’ and no get-together is complete without a platter of these with sides of ketchup and mustard for dipping. This stocking stuffer made me laugh when I saw it. Although I usually buy my ‘little hot dogs’ pre-made, I think my family would appreciate the humor of having these ‘little piggies’ on a platter. The only problem is, I’d need about four of these or make a batch at a time and freeze them. Twelve piggies are not enough!
Would you like to see the rest of the close to one hundred products in the Container Store Stocking Stuffer collection? They’re all right here!
If I handed you a Container Store gift card, which stocking stuffer would you buy?
Shortly after it’s publication, I came across a quote that I now believe to be true: “If you thought writing a book was hard, try marketing it!”
It has been a challenge getting the word out about The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook, especially because it does not have much in common with my day-to-day home and virtual organizing business. I’m a Professional Organizer–not a Wedding Professional. With this book, I straddle the fields of organizing and weddings–marketing it has been quite a learning experience.
I’ve let the world know about my book via social media, Facebook Ads, giveaways, guest blogging, being included in ‘wedding product roundup’ articles, (and a little bit of begging–I’m not proud) and recently decided to give video a try. Articles on book marketing point to video as the way to go in marketing today. They say a book trailer is an important piece of an author’s media kit. I’ve done a few Facebook Live videos and I’m slowly growing my YouTube channel so I thought I’d give it a try. I had never used iMovie before but I thought, “If my twelve year old can use it, so, can I!”
It took about a week of learning from articles and YouTube videos and a few brainstorming sessions in solitude but I did it! I created my first book trailer using Canva, iMovie, and some loyalty-free music from YouTube.
Presenting…the book trailer for The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook.
Thanks for watching! If you know a bride with a house full of wedding gifts who could use some writing tips and help with their wedding thank you note wording, please share The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook book trailer with them. For more information, go to the Organized Artistry website or Amazon.com.
Download Our Gift Tracker Printables!
Track your engagement gifts, bridal shower gifts, and wedding gifts with our *free* Gift Tracker printables! Click the image below to download and print three gift trackers and valuable tips for keeping your addresses and gift lists organized.
Your thank you note tracking is about to get so much easier…
The holiday season is upon us once again! And if the holidays are here, that must mean it’s time for The Container Store to unveil it’s Stocking Stuffer Collection for 2017. Despite the fact I live ten minutes from a Container Store, I still wait by my mailbox for the Stocking Stuffer catalog to arrive. Yup, this is what gets a Professional Organizer excited…
The day my catalog arrived I grabbed a pen, flipped through the pages, and circled a few of the items I thought I might buy or want to feature in my annual Stocking Stuffer blog post. Unlike years past, I wasn’t overly excited about the majority of this season’s products. I felt as if many were more utilitarian than helpful organizing tool. Some of them prompted me to ask myself, “Would anyone really want THIS in their stocking?”
As the saying goes, “There’s something for everyone…”
I recognized a few products from last year’s collection. They must have been popular–a great idea to bring them back again! I chose five products from the 2017 Stocking Stuffer collection to feature here and split them up into two categories: Helpful and Amusing. Read below–you may find the perfect helpful or amusing gift for a special person in your life…
It’s a comb! But, it’s also a bottle opener, Phillips head screwdriver, chip clip, money clip, phone kickstand and contains four hex wrenches. A great gift for someone who loves cute and functional gadgets–or who really likes hedgehogs…and neatly combed hair… $11.99
Have you ever been chillin’ on the couch surfing your smart phone when the ‘Low Battery’ message pops up? You’d have to get up and plug in your phone, right? Not with the Couchlet USB Outlet Extender! The detachable 6 ft. USB cable fits between cushions or under a mattress so you can stay connected while relaxing. $14.99
At 8″ x .5″, this tool can scrape the bottom of most makeup bottles–even the taller ones. I should pick one up for my mom to try. She’s been using Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion for years and there’s always a bit of moisturizer clinging to the bottom that’s practically impossible to get out. I’d bet money that this spatula could dig up the last bits at the bottom of the bottle. And it would pay for itself in a matter of months. OK, Mom–one’s coming your way… $4.99
When I saw this product, I thought of two people in my life who might love it–my kids! I have two boys and they are crazy about playing basketball. OK, I think my husband might enjoy it, too. We have an outdoor hoop and if they all could play in the dark, they would. And now they can! Hoop Brightz outlines the backboard and rim in LED light which attach securely with zip ties and adhesive backed fasteners. A removable battery pack light it up for approximately 40 hours of light (battery operated). I’m going to be purchasing this Stocking Stuffer and I think it’s going to be a hit with my boys. The neighbors may not appreciate it, but my ‘guys’ are only kids once… $24.99
Mr. Al Dente? Your pasta is ready! Food safe and BPA-free, this pasta timer lets you know via four different songs when your pasta is cooked to four different lengths of time. He’s cool enough to sit on your counter (what a great conversation piece!) and tough enough to swim around in boiling water. If you cook an abundance of pasta in your household and appreciate fine Italian-themed music, this stocking stuffer is for you. $19.99
Want to check out the rest of The Container Store Stocking Stuffer Collection? Click here to see the almost one hundred products featured this year. You never know what might grab your eye–happy shopping!
I just flew home from the NAPO Conference in Pittsburgh and boy are my arms tired! But, seriously folks…
Over a week ago, I attended the NAPO Conference 2017 in Pittsburgh, PA. Over 500+ Professional Organizers descended upon ‘The Steel City’ to learn, network, and talk organizing. I had a fabulous time doing all three.
The conference was held at the Westin Pittsburgh which is attached to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center–the two buildings are attached by a short sky bridge. Even though I sat for the workshops, I got a lot of exercise going back and forth between the two buildings (happy Fitbit). And apparently, the Heinz Corporation is headquartered close by. Look at what the NAPO-Pittsburgh chapter gave out to us–itty bitty ketchup and pickle pins. They will definitely be a part of my wardrobe during BBQ season!
After attending the Opening Keynote, I went to the first workshop which this year centered around three TED Talks. I attended the session based on Amy Cuddy’s popular TED talk: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are and learned all about the idea of ‘Power Poses.’ Next, the EXPO–where organizing-related businesses/organizations showcase their products and services to the attendees of the conference. It’s the perfect place to find out about the newest innovations our industry partners have to offer.
This year, I had two EXPO favorites:
OXO. I Love this company. They are experts at combining good design with functionality. I’ve owned and currently use some of their kitchen products since receiving them at my bridal shower sixteen years ago. On display were two of my personal favorites: OXO POP Containers and their Expandable Drawer Organizer. But, two products that were new to me were their OXO Good Grips Over-the-Door Fold Away Valet and their Large Expandable Utensil Organizer. I love the idea of the retractable valet–great for putting together outfits or for hanging the dry cleaning before it goes back on good hangers in a closet (that’s a not-so-subtle reminder that you need to give those wire hangers back to your dry cleaner…). And, when OXO says ‘large’ they mean LARGE. The utensil organizer is one of the largest I’ve seen.
Rubbermaid. My favorite company for bins/totes. They are some of the sturdiest ones you can buy. On display this year were items from their ‘Auto Collection.’ I was oohing and aaaahing over some of the pieces. They had a small trash receptacle and a ‘wedge’ to place between seats for pens, paper and other slim items that might otherwise fall through the crack between the seats. Then I saw what I needed for my car–the Single Headrest hook. I’ll be looking into buying those for my kids so they have a place to hang their baseball hats, knapsacks, and neck pillows in the car.
NAPO Conference 2017 is more than the EXPO–there’s learnin’ to be done! Workshops I learned a lot from:
How to Prioritize When Everything is Important I wasn’t going to take this workshop because I thought I had some pretty decent prioritizing skills. And I do. But, I learned how I can prioritize my work and life EVEN BETTER. I had seen this speaker (NAPO member, Mridu Parikh) at a conference a few years ago and greatly enjoyed her workshop then and now. So glad I decided to make learning about priorities, a priority! Workshop Tip: If you need help focusing on your work, try using a Pomodoro app.
How to Succeed at Speaking for Fees After having my second child, I took a break from public speaking. It’s been seven years, and I just jumped back into giving presentations. I was thrilled to leave this session with many helpful take-aways that will enable me to grow the public speaking part of my business. Workshop Tip: Create a title for your presentation that is engaging, clear or intriguing, and shows a benefit to the audience.
How to Get and Keep Media Attention Most of my media exposure has been in print and online. But, on the off chance I break out of my comfort zone and try to get on TV or Radio, I’ll be prepared thanks to this workshop. Lots of talk about the media and how to pitch them stories–my pen worked overtime taking notes in this session! Workshop Tip: If you want to get on TV, start getting comfortable on video with You Tube.
If you thought all Professional Organizers like to do is sort and measure things, you’d be incorrect. NAPO Conference 2017 isn’t all work and no play–we like to party! Good food, good music, and a little Cha Cha Slide makes for happy organizers. I danced half the night away and got over 14,000 steps on my Fitbit (really happy Fitbit!). Here’s many of my NAPO-NNJ colleagues before we hit the dance floor–lookin’ great in NAPO blue and white!
I have to give a shout-out to the peeps of Pittsburgh because everyone I encountered–the staff at the Westin, the airport, the SuperShuttle, and restaurants, were SO NICE! Across the board–helpful, courteous, and pleasant. And boy, do they love their sports–Pirates, Penguins, and Steelers. Lots of people walking around dressed in yellow and black and it’s not because they love bumblebees…
A big thank you goes to my hubby for holding down the kid/homework/baseball/meals fort while I was in Pittsburgh. I could not succeed in my business without his support!
At our last lunch of the conference, 2018’s conference location was revealed. Next year, something new–a corporate retreat in Chicago. Did they say RETREAT? I’m all over THAT in a big way. I’m starting to relax just THINKING about it. Pardon me while I go register for the retreat…um, I mean conference. Then it’s off to do laundry and get back to organizing!
Normally, I do product reviews of organizing tools I use in my work and personal life but today I am writing my first Sponsored Post! The lovely folks at Storables contacted me a while ago and asked me to review a product of theirs–my choice. Hmmm…what to choose? This was like letting a kid run wild through the aisles of Toys ‘R Us…
I had so much fun perusing the pages of their website. My pick? A product I had never used before–a shelf divider. Today’s ‘Cool Product‘ is: Storable’s Large White Shelf Dividers. I am doing this review in exchange for the product and a gift card.
Big thanks to my sponsor, Storables for reaching out to me with this opportunity. All words, opinions, and photos are my own.
If you’ve been following my blog for the past year, you’ve read that I just went through a major home renovation. We have a lot of new closets (yay!) so when Storables told me I could review any product from their website, I gravitated towards the ones that would work best in a closet. I had always seen shelf dividers similar to these in pictures and thought they were pretty ‘cool’ so I selected their Large White Shelf Dividers. A great idea–that is until they arrived and I realized they were too big to use in my clothes closet as well as my husband’s. Oops. (They do come in a smaller size in Chrome.) I’m a stickler for measuring but I think my excitement got the best of me…
But, have no fear! I found many uses for this product in my home besides my clothing closet. All I did was use some ‘out-of-the box’ or in this case ‘out-of-the-closet’ thinking.
Here are four ways the Large White Shelf Dividers from Storables worked brilliantly in my home:
My Son’s Closet
The kid has a lot of sweatshirts. Piling them more than 4-5 high is useless because they’re just going to topple over. Enter Storable’s Large White Shelf Dividers. This product makes it easier for my son to put away his own sweatshirts. Wait, did I just say that? Ha ha ha! I must be dreaming…he’d prefer to pile them on his chair instead. Not folded. Ummm…thrown over the chair. OK–this product is for me, not him–I freely admit it! It’s going to make MY life easier!
My Purses
I’m pretty practical–I don’t have a huge collection of purses. I use the same purse everyday for Fall/Winter and a different one for Spring/Summer. I own a few larger ones for carrying more and a few dressy ones for special occasions.
On the flip side, I have worked with clients who own 50-100 purses. And that’s after we’ve purged the ones they don’t like/need/want anymore. Whether it’s a collection made up of 5 or 50 purses, no woman wants them piled one on top of another in her closet. It doesn’t look good, piles can cause damage to a handbag, and it’s challenging to find the purse you want when you need it. See below how beautifully the shelf dividers function? These shelf dividers act as ‘parking spaces’ for purses. If these dividers work for my tiny purse collection, think about how well they’d work for someone who really likes purses!
The Linen Closet
Towels, sheets, blankets–if there’s more than one person and one bed in your household that can add up to a lot of linens. Piled high. Toppling over each other in your linen closet. Not with these Large White Shelf Dividers. The shelf dividers keep those linens piled high but not falling over onto another stack.
The Pantry
This may be my favorite use for the Large White Shelf Dividers. I use paper bags from Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s for recycling and paper organizing projects with clients. I need easy access to them and a ‘front-and-center’ place to store them. Since my recycling lives in my pantry before being taken outside, I created a space in my pantry for the paper bags. I slid the shelf divider onto a shelf in my pantry close to a wall to create the space for the bags. When I get more bags, I can adjust the divider to accommodate more. This is working beautifully and will make my life much easier!
So, if you have large shelves with spaces that need dividing or maybe you have piles of sweaters/towels/purses that are constantly topping over each other, consider purchasing Shelf Dividers (in any size or color you need) from Storables. As a Professional Organizer and a homeowner, I recommend it!
How would you use Storable’s Large White Shelf Dividers in your home?
Stylists recommend matching your shoe and sock color to make you look taller. As a petite woman, I don’t want to appear any shorter than I already am so I try to match my sock color to my pant or shoe color. Sometimes all three are the same color and I’m feelin’ pretty tall!
Then one day, I left the house wearing black pants and navy blue socks.
Some of you might say, ‘So, what?’ Some of you might be shrieking in horror. I was shrieking.
When I got home later that day, I looked closely at my sock drawer. One side was for lighter colored socks and one side was for darker colored socks. The lighting in my bedroom wasn’t that fabulous. I could see that my navy blue and black socks (especially the knee-hi’s) were looking a lot alike. Something had to be done to prevent another fashion faux-pas!
Now, this scenario pre-dates my professional organizing days by about five years, but organizing is in my DNA so I set out to find a solution. I needed an easy, low-to-no-cost product that would separate my socks so I could find the color I needed quickly. I ended up getting a box from my neighborhood liquor store, took careful measurements and cut the cardboard. Twenty minutes later, I had sock drawer dividers!
Almost twenty year old cardboard!
Believe it or not, these pieces of cardboard survived three moves and many sock drawer purges. But after close to twenty years of service, I decided to retire my cardboard drawer dividers. We had recently renovated our home and the built-in dresser in my new closet had different dimensions. It was time to look for an upgrade.
I took to the internet to assist in my search for souped-up drawer dividers. After reviewing sizes, colors, and pricing, it was a no-brainer. It had to be an OXO product–The OXO Expandable Drawer Organizer (set of two).
I love OXO products. To put it bluntly–they’re made well with ergonomics in mind. I love, love, love my OXO POP Containers and other OXO kitchen tools I own. For years. Still working. Still in great condition.
From their website:
“OXO is dedicated to providing innovative consumer products that make everyday living easier. OXO was founded on the philosophy of Universal Design, which means the design of products usable by as many people as possible.”
But, did I really need an OXO product in my sock drawer? Once you install the drawer dividers, they just sit there doing their dividing job–right?
Here’s why I purchased the OXO Expandable Drawer Organizer…
Reputation – OXO has a long-time reputation for creating products with the user in mind. They’ve been around since 1990 and continue to create innovative tools for everyday life.
Design – I liked the way the dividers looked. They’re white and match my drawers. They have rubber ends so they don’t damage the inside of drawers.
Construction – OXO makes their products out of sturdy plastics and these drawer dividers are no different. When I took them out of the box, I felt the expansion mechanism was sturdy and would hold up to repeated changes in size if I needed to use them elsewhere someday. I was willing to spend a little more money on them because I felt they would last.
Reliability – I’ve had OXO products in my kitchen that were given to me as bridal shower gifts. Sixteen years later, I’m still using many of them. If kitchen tools I use multiple times a week can last almost two decades, so can drawer dividers.
Bonus: I also had a 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond coupon which made the purchase a little easier on the wallet. And it makes me happy to look at them every time I open my sock drawer. There’s something to be said for that, too. I’ve been using them for six months and no complaints from me or my socks. They’re working well, looking great and my black and blue socks live on opposite sides of the divider.
My organized sock drawer!
So, if your socks drawer needs some organization, consider using one or two sets of The OXO Expandable Drawer Organizer. It’s my latest ‘Cool Product’ pick.
What have you done to make your socks easier to find?
I just had the opportunity to attend the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) Annual Conference in Los Angeles, CA (can you imagine 600+ Professional Organizers in one place at one time?). Since my first conference back in 2004, I’ve stuck to the east coast and midwest locations. Jet lag is not my best friend but this year, I decided to not let that stop me. I heard the whispers…
“Go west, young lady!”
And so I did! Off to the 2015 NAPO Conference in sunny Los Angeles I went. And besides looking forward to learning and networking, I was looking forward to that California sun. The winter here in NJ was long and dreary and I needed some natural Vitamin D to jumpstart my body for Spring. The five hour flight provided me with time to indulge in a novel–what a ‘novel’ idea since most books I have read lately have to do with my business, my kids, or health. If you’d like to read a great book, try Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.
This year, my Conference experience was a bit different. With two kids at home, it’s not easy to get away for an extended period of time. I usually get to the Conference as soon as it begins and leave as it’s ending. This year, I flew in the afternoon before and stayed an extra day to visit with my cousin. Took the red-eye flight and was home before 8am. Shout-out to my hubby for ‘holding down the fort’ so I could grow in my career and visit with family in L.A..
Also different about this year’s Conference: my book. I belong to a NAPO Special Interest Group (SIG) for people who are or wish to be authors. This year at our EXPO/Marketplace, our SIG had a bookstore and I jumped at the opportunity to sell my book, The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook in the bookstore along with more than twenty of my PO/Author colleagues. Besides having my book on display for purchase, I had a book signing which was a ton of fun. I signed books while wearing a tiara and veil–it definitely drew people to my table!
The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook
NAPO EXPO Authorship & Publishing Bookstore
Me (in the tiara and veil) and the first person to buy my book–she’s just got engaged!
The EXPO/Marketplace was abuzz with large and small companies showing off their organizing wares to the attendees. Some of the booths I found to have interesting products were: Forever, Time Timer, and of course–Pendaflex which gave out a bountiful goody bag to everyone who walked by. Who could resist?
The NAPO Conference is always chock full of interesting workshops. This year, I took classes in Virtual Organizing, Branding, Digital Photo Organizing, YouTube Video Marketing, and Using Technology to Increase Productivity. Learned a few things I didn’t know in an Evernote workshop, too. There was an ‘Ask the Business Organizer’ panel and an Opening and Closing Keynote. The Opening Keynote was done by two guys who call themselves ‘The Minimalists.’ If you haven’t read their blog and their back story (which was fascinating) check out The Minimalist’s website.
The Minimalists giving the Opening Keynote address at the 2015 NAPO Conference in Los Angeles
This has very little to do with organizing but I felt the need to snap a picture of this yummy dessert we were served at our last lunch of the Conference.. And yes, it was as good as it looks…
Mmmmm….
After three days of workshops, networking, and noshing it was time to leave the Westin Bonaventure and meet up with my cousin who is a life-long resident of Los Angeles. We had about 24 hours together and I got to see the highlights of L.A. including a quick trip to a beautiful place I must get back to someday–The Getty Museum.
Me visiting The Getty Museum
The day I returned from the NAPO Conference, my son was on Spring Break. This week I’ve been catching up with organizing appointments and meeting with prospective clients. Next week, I’ll be focusing on what I learned in the classes I took at the NAPO Conference and bit by bit will be incorporating the knowledge into my business. I’ve already got my sights set on attending the NAPO Conference in Atlanta in 2016. No jet-lag worries! Can’t wait–it should be just peachy…
It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. I’ve been a little busy.
I wrote and self published a book…
Don’t walk down the aisle without it!
Last time I blogged about it over the summer, the cover had been designed but the interior was not finished. Now, I can proudly say…
The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook is available at Amazon.com.
I refer to it as ‘The Thank You Note Writing Guide for the Overwhelmed Bride.’ Some of its features are:
• A seven-step system for organizing and composing nuptial thank you notes
• Basic organizing principles to be applied to thank you note writing, wedding planning, and everyday life
• Solutions for easing thank you note anxiety
• Tips and helpful hints for keeping your words of thanks and the writing process organized
• 101 modern sample thank you notes to jumpstart a bride and groom’s note writing process
• An eye-catching, icon-based key for quickly finding sample notes
The writing was finished in 2013. The editing and design were completed in 2014 and the ‘Publish’ button was pressed at the beginning of 2015. With all this work, I could barely compose a post for my blog. I think I was a little ‘burned out’ when it came to putting words together on paper (or screen). I’m also still a bit ‘wet behind the ears’ when it comes to WordPress. So, I took a little time off from blogging to meet one of my personal goals: becoming a published author. It’s 2015–time to start blogging again.
I’ll continue to blog about ‘everything organzing’ but in the coming months, I’ll also share my journey to becoming a published author, offer sneak-peeks of the inside of my book (hint: it’s beautiful) and I’ll share how my organizing skills helped me to finish writing and publishing this book.
OK–I’ll give you a sneak-peek now…
This wedding cake is one of the icons used in the key, helping brides to quickly and easily find the sample thank you note they need.
Oh, and the e-book version will be coming out this Spring…(Update: The e-book is now available for download at Amazon.com)
If you know anyone who just got engaged or is about to walk down the aisle, please ‘Pin’ and share this blog post with them. The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook also makes a great gift!
For everything wedding + organizing, ‘Like’ The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook on Facebook, and check out the book’s board on Pinterest.
Do you have any projects you’d like to finish? Please share–I’d love to hear about them.
Last summer, I went on a field trip to The Container Store with my colleagues from NAPO-NNJ. As you can imagine, the bunch of us that attended had a blast! We saw a few demos, learned about some new products, and had a chance to roam freely through the store. While I was roaming, I happened upon these: OXO Good Grips POP Containers
They were so cool! You’re probably thinking that I bought out the store…but I controlled myself and didn’t. Even though they were ‘cool,’ they were a bit pricey. I left The Container Store without them in my hand but those POP containers lingered in my brain and heart…
Here are a few reasons why I thought these were a ‘Cool Product.’
• Their square/rectangular shapes fit well side-by-side on shelves
• They stack!
• Easy open/easy close
• Aesthetically pleasing
Fast forward a few weeks. I was shopping in TJ Maxx and found a shelf in the Housewares Department filled with OXO POP Containers! And, in TJ Maxx fashion, they cost less than the ones in The Container Store–jackpot! I brought these two babies home with me, gave them a good washing, and put them to work in my pantry closet.
Here’s how they open and close… This is the lid when closed. That big button gets pressed to open the container. Press down and…
It opens!
When that big push-button is in the ‘up’ position, the lid is loosened and can be lifted. The push-button also acts as a handle! I thought that was pretty cool, too.
Push the big button down again to create an airtight seal with the pressure of a few fingertips.
Right now, I’m using the two large POP Containers for storing pretzels and Tostitos Scoops. I also bought two tall, slim containers that are holding Twizzlers and small cookies. I purchased one smaller POP Container and it fits an entire package of Fig Newtons perfectly. It’s so easy for my kids to operate them. They are able to get their own snacks and nine times out of ten, the lid goes on and nothing goes stale. That’s pretty good odds for a 7 and 11 year old…
I like this product so much, I was quoted in this Today.com article about how much I love using them in my own home.
If you’d like to try one out for yourself, check your local TJ Maxx store. I have seen some on the shelves at Home Goods but I haven’t seen any in Marshall’s. Want to spring for a 10-piece set? They are sold at The Container Store, Amazon and other home stores. If you have a 20% off coupon, consider purchasing them at Bed Bath and Beyond.
A blog by Professional Organizer Stacey Agin Murray bursting with cool products, 'gotta-tell-a-friend' ideas, and a whole lotta organizing know-how. Learn more...
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About Stacey
When you grow up in a 5’x12′ bedroom, you learn to organize pretty quickly! I chose to take that knowledge and turn it into a business helping people find what they need when they need it. I’m also the author of The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook–a book that offers wedding thank you note-related organizing tips and how-to’s plus 101 unique sample thank you notes (what bride can’t use that?).
These are girly and a little pricey in my opinion but if a pretty pad motivates you to make a list and get stuff done then it’s perfect! The size looks like it would fit in the tall part of a stocking, too. Imagine what you could accomplish with 150 blank pages!
Contact Stacey to Get Started!
