So what does one do when the economy is scraping its belly on the floor of a recession?

You go back to the business basics….the thing that you did when you started…the thing that required your expertise…the thing that started it all.

Over the past month I have been working with 6 amazing women who want to start their own businesses. Now in this economic climate you might think they are a bit bonkers but I am an optimistic.

I think that setting up the foundation of their companies when times are tough will position them for the time when the economy is healthy once again.

While going through the process I have been revisiting all the things that I did 7 years ago when I started my business and I forgot how much fun some of those things can be.

Here are some of the back to business basics I am soooo excited about revisiting:

• Networking with local business owners at events like the International Women’s day event I attended this week.
• Creating attractive flyers to post on local bulletin boards to promote my business.
• Renting a booth at a local market to sell my Home Organizing Videos ,we usually sell these as a download but I think making hard copies and getting out and chatting with people and selling copies locally will be a blast.
• Hands on organizing with people who need to clear the clutter to make way for future possibilities.
• Lunch and learns…these are so much fun, and with small groups of 10 or less you can really get into it.

I hope that I have given you some food for thought and provided some inspiration to get your business flowing in this tough economy.

This past weekend I began a new chapter in my career. I am one of the latest columnists for the Saturday Community insert in our paper. KVStyle is a great read, it has everything from parenting to green living to…you got it organizing. I will be sharing my expertise every second week and am thrilled to be part of this awesome community resource. Here is my first article from the March 6th edition.

As a professional organizer I spend most of my days talking about space planning, storage and time management. I blog, do presentations, work one on one with people and  teach other professional organizers how to start a business. This column is another way for me to share my organizing knowledge and talents with the people in the Kennebecasis Valley.

Here is one of the most frequently asked questions I get. I don’t have enough closet space in my home, what do I do?

Lets talk about Vertical Storage. As the friendly giant always said look up…look way up.

Most older homes have a standard flat shelf with a bar that is attached underneath for hanging clothing.
When these homes were build wire shelving and the custom closet industry was in its infancy.

Are you living with a 30 year old…pre California Closet era design that does not incorporate great storage and functionality? Want to take advantage of all that vertical storage and jump into the new millennium?

By using this 6 Step Organizing System your closets will be functional in no time at all.

1.    Choose a closet that seems to cause the most stress and spend some time Dreaming about what the closet would look and feel like when it is finished.
2.    The Plan for the closet needs to include the budget for upgrades like a wire closet unit or baskets and hanging organizers if you are staying with the current configuration. The timing on when you will be doing the organizing and who will be involved are also important for this step. You can purchase items for the project inexpensively by checking out the local Canadian Tire for shelving units and the Dollar Store for baskets.
3.    Take everything out of the closet so you can Sort like with like. Gather all shirts together, pants, etc…
4.    The Purge is the hardest step in the system. Letting go of things that no longer suit our tastes, clothing that does not fit and sentimental items can stop you in your tracks. Questions to ask yourself. Do I need this item? Do I love this item? Can someone else use this item? Does someone need this item more than I do?
5.    Before you get at the task of Reorganization you need to install your new closet system or add the extra storage options with your baskets and hanging organizing units. When adding the closet items back think about items that are frequently used and keep them at your fingertips. Out of season items and sentimental items can be stored way up top.    By upgrading an average five foot closet you have just doubled or even tripled the square footage of storage space, depending on which configuration you have used.
6.    The last part is actually something that never ends, Maintenance. I like the one thing in and one thing out technique. Once you have your closet just the way you want it this trick will keep it free from clutter.

By revisiting your existing spaces you can reclaim and use the space that you have in a more functional way. Enjoy your new found storage and closet space!

I am thrilled again to be participating in Janet Barclay’s Blog Carnival . This months theme is Financial Organizing. Please take a few minutes to visit the carnival and enjoy all the great tips offered by Professional Organizers.

Are you confused about Organizing Your Finances?

Looking  for the perfect system?

To be honest there is no perfect cookie cutter system…however there are tips that can help YOU to keep on top of this very important task…Now I need to be clear here…I will be suggesting several tips on how to “Organize Your Finances”…not how to “Do your Finances”.

I am a huge believer in hiring experts…it is good for the economy (and our economy needs it right now) and unless you are an expert in this particular area I would leave it to the experts. The carnage of not doing this particular task correctly can be devastating….Ok I will get off my soap box now

After working with over 100 small business owners these are some of the critical financial issues that have been identified during the process of helping them to Get Organized in their office.

• late income tax filing
• important financial documents that have been lost or misplaced
• late sales tax reports
• payroll remittances that are incomplete
• unpaid bills that were filed with other papers
• uncollected receivables…can you imagine

If you are spending valuable time trying to figure out the tax exemption rate of something or a percentage of something related to an expense you are wasting your valuable time that YOU could spend on growing your business and adding to your bottom line….financially that is.

Here are some very simple and creative ways to “Organize Your Finances”

• Have a folder, envelope or ziploc bag for each month of the year for receipts..keeping like items together
• Use the Batching principle for getting the receipts in the folder
• Keep a separate file with invoices to clients and unpaid expenses, check these regularly to keep cash flowing
• Save valuable time by using online banking

I have an awesome Bookkeeper that I meet with quarterly and a very skilled Accountant who I meet with annually. They are both worth every dollar I pay them and I know that they are skilled at helping me to maximize my deductions and increase my income….you can also look for a bookkeeper or accountant who are wiling to barter services. I did that in the first 5 years of my business. It was an awesome way to get a needed service and your accountant could be a great source of referral business.

Moving forward you can create a system that you can manage yourself or you can delegate this necessary task and free up valuable time while keeping the economy moving.

March 8th is a special day….a day that has been celebrated  annually since 1911…it is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

It is International Women’s day and I will be celebrating at the KV Networks 5th annual
International Women’s Day Breakfast this morning. I am excited to hear this years guest speaker Mary Schryer . She is the MLA for Quispamsis and the Minister responsible for the Status of Women.

This day is a celebration of achievements…of  moving  towards equality…making the world a better place for everyone.

It is hard to believe that just last night Kathryn Bigelow made the Oscar history books by taking home the Oscar for best Director….can you imagine…

How many other firsts are we still waiting to achieve?

This is not a day about feminism…it is a day to celebrate Women, our accomplishments and contributions.

I would like to share this article by Jennifer Parmalee who cites this startling statistic “Worldwide, women and girls bear the brunt of poverty, hunger and discrimination, comprising more than 60 percent of the world’s chronically hungry – now charted at a record one billion people. Inherited hunger – when malnourished mothers give birth to malnourished children – is a huge obstacle to development, from Afghanistan to Haiti.”

So I ask again….How are you Celebrating International Women’s Day?

I know, you are waiting for a catchy punchline….

Something profound that will perhaps help you as you are thinking of unplugging, taking a break, spending some time with family or friends and doing nothing work related for several days in a row!

Can you feel the anxiety building up…I can.

Tomorrow I am embarking on a new adventure. I am unplugging and heading away with my family.

I feel it is time to back away from the computer and the Blackberry and give myself, my husband and my family time to live in the present moment. We are disconnecting from the internet ..all of us…even me…and are allowing only one cell phone for emergencies…yes we are vacationing old school…. an old fashioned road trip. Hopefully not National lampoon style!

We are all looking forward to playing board games, reading, walking, and re-connecting.

I am excited and anxious at the same time. Intellectually I  know that my business will go on when I get back, but there are parts of me that think if I am not going at warp speed that I will miss something.

Here are some awesome resources to check out if you are thinking of vacationing and not sure how to manage it.

Alex Fayle of the Someday Syndrome has a Freelancer Vacation Clinic

James at Men with Pens shares the analogy of a Run Away Train and momentum in our businesses. What happens when you stop the train? Check out the article.

And finally Gretchen over at the Happiness Project… yes you read that correctly, a project on happiness. Gretchen shares 5 tips for happiness that were reinforced during her vacation.  I would like to thank Gretchen for helping me to see that the Skippers obsession laundry thing on vacation is just a thing and that I need to just chill and not make a big deal about him knowing where every laundry facility is when we vacation and the need to have clean laundry when we travel.  Obviously doing laundry while on vacation is FUN for the skipper.

Back to the initial questions of how an Entrepreneur takes a vacation…you just go…you enjoy yourself…live in the moment and deal with the stuff when you get back.

Time to open the video vault again…

In this video you will learn the 3 easy steps to a more organized kitchen. By eliminating clutter and putting everything in its place you will have time for more important things in life…. like family and friends.

The first crisis of the day usually happens in this busy room…are you prepared!

This room has so many purposes…. its a Mudroom, recycling depot, homework center, restaurant….

• Be Prepared for the task as hand, have supplies on hand.
• Sort items asking these important questions. Do I love this item? Do I need this item?
• Give everything a Home.

Organizing Today Saves Time Tomorrow!

March break is less than a week away and as I sit here making my huge, really big, gynormous…OMG will I ever get it all finished in 4 days list, I wonder how people who are not organizationally gifted get it all done!

The tasks of this week in front of me are not even on the Top 5 …these tasks require a whole different strategy…

Batching these tasks will work to a certain point but it requires so much more…

Because I love all of you and know that this is a big struggle point with many people here are my techniques that you can use for getting things done.

I am sure that you have heard this saying before….I have, and I use it regularly in presentations and with clients.

How do you eat and Elephant? One bite at a time.

Meaning…you have a huge list, you have a certain time frame to complete all the things on the list and you are now paralyzed by the whole big thing….Did I hit that nail on the head?

This is how I am going to tackle the week so I can go away and have a great family vacation, confident that I have handled all that I CAN handle, delegated where I could and took control of the week.

***warning***

When you have a week like this lighten the load where you can and DO NOT….I repeat DO NOT take on anything else…not even if a cute little old lady needs help this week, stranded puppy dogs or even a good friend…you have enough on your plate…just say NO.

That being said here we go.

• Separate your list for the week into things that you have to do for work and the things that you have to do  for family/home.
• Delegate all the family/home  tasks accordingly. Enlist the troops and allow everyone to pitch in…you do not have to do this alone.
• Group things that require a trip to the bank, insurance company, drug store for supplies, etc and take one morning to do these running around things.

Get your highlighter out and as you finish each thing on the list scratch it off…that one technique always keeps me going as I get er done!

Attempt to accomplish as much as you can at the beginning of the week…leaving time for unexpected things as the deadline approaches.

I must go now and get at that list…may the force be with me!

No elephants were injured during this post…they were only used for illustrative purposes

I love breaking out the slow cooker or crock pot in the winter. There is nothing like the combination of savory spices and sweet root vegetables to warm the heart and stomach.

Yesterday I wanted a beef stew…I am really not a stew person but I am a chef wannabe and it has been my personal challenge mission to find a stew recipe that I like and suits my palate…and the finicky eaters I cater to.

Well I have an awesome recipe to share with you today. I found it on Jamie Olivers site. He is one of my favourite chefs to watch, he has a casual style and anything goes…I also love that he cut a step out of the classic stew recipe…you don’t have to brown the meat ahead of time…I love to save time and this is a real pain in the you know what step.

jool’s favourite Beef Stew

I did make a few adjustments to the recipe;

• I omitted the sage
• I rolled the beef in the flour before adding to the pot
• I did not add the squash…OMG it was so hard I could not cut it.
• I added a small cabbage,  2 sweet potatoes and a turnip
• I did not add the artichokes
• I did not have tomatoe puree so I used Ketchup

When I had all my ingredients laid out I realized that it would not fit in my slow cooker so I pulled out the turkey pan and opted to cook in the oven.

I cooked it covered at 300 for 2 1/4 hours and when I checked it to my surprise it was finished that quick.

The verdict…. 3 out of 5 loved it.

I am looking forward to the leftovers tonight and I hope that you have as much luck with this recipe as I did.

Here is the other best part…it was economical…

I visited the local butcher and for $10.00 I purchased some stew beef that was naturally raised at a nearby farm , for $12.00 I was able to purchase all the veggies and the broth. The wine was leftover from Christmas so it was perfect to add to the dish…so for roughly $20 I was able to make enough for 2 full meals and I will probably have enough to freeze for a couple of lunch portions for me.

Yes there is an actual cost…real dollars that come from your bottom line if you are disorganized….I am not referring here to being messy…real organization means being able to find things when you need them.

The Cost of Disorganization comes right from your bottom-line!

Every minute you spend looking for something is time that you would otherwise spend on important company tasks like writing proposals, prospecting new clients, following up on leads…I think you know what I mean.

Disorganization has many costs:

• Money
• Time
• Productivity
• Your Health
• Your Reputation

Consider that the Wall Street Journal reports the average US Executive loses 6 weeks per year retrieving misplaced information from messy desks and files. The cost in salary and lost productivity is enormous.

Want to calculate the bottom-line impact of disorganization to your company…check out this calculator?

OK …this is not a post about bicycling….it is another cycle we are talking about here!

***This post will be helpful to all my female readers who wonder why they work differently during the course of the month. For all my male readers this post will shed some light on the amazing ways that women work.***

A very wise woman friend and co-worker of mine shared this productivity secret with me many years ago. She was the most productive person in our office… she met and actually exceeded targets…she was the company superstar.

I asked her how she did this month after month…year after year

The productivity secret wasn’t really a secret…it was something that we all know innately but have forgotten. This gal was aware of herself and her cycle and she applied this to her work and because of it she was able to work circles around all of us. It wasn’t rocket science….

Productivity Secret-There are specific times of the month that certain tasks flow better than others….

I have mentioned this in my presentations before. The room goes quiet, eyebrows are raised….yes…deep thinking is happening.  That aha moment when we realize that there are weeks of the month that we could conquer the world, write 100 proposals, build a school….and there are times of the month when you could bite the head off a small child…ok that may be a bit harsh but there are days when all you want to do is curl up with a good book and a hot cuppa.

So why for heavens sake do you plan strategic meetings on a week where the possibility of hurting your co-workers is pretty high?

Just for fun;

• Figure out where you are in your cycle right now
• Evaluate how your week is going
• Which of your Top 5 items are you accomplishing
• What things are you avoiding
• What would you rather be doing

Now you need to get deliberate about what you do and when you do it. For instance on power week plan all the activities that need your highest energy level, on the introspective week do your deep thinking….etc.

Here are some more great articles and resources that I have found about this Productivity Secret.

Miranda Gray- A 28-day plan to help you Boost  Productivity and Work satisfaction

Honoring the Feminine

Do the cycles of Moon affect us? I found this great resource at Evolving Alchemy

Now if you will excuse me I have to go and curl up in ball, pull the quilt up over my head and have a good cry!