I love paper and love my files!!! I am not afraid to say that out loud, but that’s because they are organized and I can find things easily.
Over the years, I came to recognize two common issues with paper: it comes into our homes or offices in droves, and we have no idea what to do with it once it arrives. Where do you put it? How long do you keep it? I get these questions daily. And what about the computer, wasn’t that supposed to help with paper clutter? Not really – the computer age has increased paper use by 60% over the last ten years.
We will be tackling many of these common questions on our next teleclass on January 27, 2010, called Manage the Paper Crisis. This teleclass is for both professional organizers and clients who struggle with paper organizing.
But from now until then, I want to pose a challenge to you. SORT and TOSS one small pile each night between now and January 27th. The problem with paper is we don’t know where to start and so we never do. Start small. Look at the counter, the dining room table or your desktop. SORT and TOSS one small pile from one location each night and you will be blown away at how much you can get done. SORT like items together and let go of any paper you don’t need or plan to use. If you don’t know what to toss, attend Manage the Paper Crisis.
Paper from bills driving you crazy? Get an accordion file labeled January thru December. Pay your bills and place the bill only (not the envelope or advertising) in the month paid. You are all set come tax time. At the end of the year, if you don’t need it for taxes, toss it!
To set up a paper filing system in your home or office, we recommend FreedomFiler. Its the best paper organizing system we’ve found and we’ve used it with hundreds of clients. For other paper organizing resources, visit our website.
Christa Wagner is a professional organizer and speaker located in Vancouver, BC.
Just recently I was reminded of how important it is to purchase the right office supplies. Now, there are many ways to organized and lots of products and tools you can use depending on how you think and organize naturally. That said, it is so important to purchase quality containers and office supplies to give yourself the best chance of success with your organizing project.
Often times, I will see people use old and tattered office supplies that are falling apart and don’t support their needs. What ends up happening is they take the time to organize using products that won’t give them 100% and the system falls down. Now, I am not saying not to recycle, but if the metal strip is falling out of your hanging file folder, then its time for a new one.
Happy Organizing!
Christa Wagner is a professional organizer based in Vancouver, BC.
Tune into Shaw TV, Channel 4 in Vancouver to see professional organizer Christa Wagner in action with her local client Nicole Turcotte. Christa and Nicole have been working on her home office for about 12 hours and we have made a huge dent in Nicole’s paper piles.
As a new Mom and business owner, Nicole has a lot on her plate. Not to mention, she had her beautiful baby girl six months ago and then moved into their new home one month later . What do you often do in that situation? You stuff things wherever there is space, right? Well, now Nicole wants to find a practical, logical home for things and most importantly her home office which is piling up and only getting worse each day.
Nicole’s office is like many others with tons of paper on the desk, many boxes of old, outdated, paper, no file system in place and no motivation to get started. That’s where a professional organizer comes and we have made amazing progress.
In the time we’ve been working together, we’ve set up a FreedomFiler for Nicole creating a home for paper she needs to reference again in the future. We’ve created action files for Nicole’s desktop providing a home for all the paper she has to act upon in the future and we’ve discussed time management. (Want to create your own action files, purchase our eBook Conquer Paper Clutter).
You can see it all on Shaw TV (Channel 4, Vancouver) on the show called “The Express.” Here are the times:
September 22 at 3pm, 6pm, 10pm
September 23 at 5:30am, 10am, 11:30am, 2pm
Check it out and contact us with any questions at 778.839.5792.
I provided a workshop called Kick Start Office Productivity for the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce on June 18th and what a success it was. We had about 30 attendees at the gorgeous Watermark Restaurant on Kitsilano Beach. I have given many seminars and worshops over the years and this has to be one of the most beautiful settings I have ever spoken in. What a view!
I wanted to thank the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce, specifically Terry Clark and Kirsten Severson for hosting the event. The topic was Kick Start Office Productivity and I provided 5 organizing tactics you can use in your office that will make a huge difference to your productivity. There has been no better time to streamline and organize your business. In a challenging economy we do everything we can to drive store traffic and increase revenue and sales. Yet what are you doing to boost internal productivity, which can have a dramatic affect on the bottom line?
Each attendee was asked to select one tactic, where they are the most challenged, and commit to focusing on it for 30 days. Accountability is key so I will follow up and see how they are doing in 30 days. I can’t wait to hear.
The topics we talked about were related to email, desktop clutter, paper, time and focus. We could have talked about each tactic over the course of hours, but we only had an hour and my hope is each attendee left with a few nuggets of inspiration that will make a difference in their day. The feedback was terrific and everyone stayed afterwards to talk and ask me questions about their personal situation. The event could not have been better!
Thanks again to the Kitsilano Chamber and contact us at 778.839.5792 if you would like your own seminar on Kick Start Office Productivity.
I founded Savvy Solutions in the year 2004 because I had a dream of owning my own business. In the beginning I worked with clients throughout their homes, but then I realized nearly all of my clients were challenged by paper. That was when I decided to focus my attention on paper, filing and offices; specifically through speaking engagements and writing. I love paper and love my files, but that’s because they are organized and I can find things easily. Over the years, I’ve come to realize two common challenges with paper: it comes into our homes or offices in droves, and we have no idea what to do with it once it arrives. Where do you put it? How long do you keep it?
Managing your paper is not difficult, but it does take a few minutes each day and understanding a few basic principles shared in this booklet. I know how overwhelming working with paper can be and by having a better understanding of your choices with paper; you will be in a significantly better place.
We have worked with hundreds of clients teaching them The ART of Filing. To be able to help even more people with paper, I have created a line of products focused on organizing paper. One of these is a small booklet called The ART of Filing: How to Conquer Paper in 3 Simple Steps. The booklet will be available on our website later this week and we could not be more thrilled. Use this booklet to have a better understanding how to manage your paper and start to conquer your paper clutter.
“The FreedomFiler® is the only self-purging filing system available today.
Once you begin using FreedomFiler, you will never again have to take time
out of your life for cleaning out or reorganizing files!”
If you read our posts, you will find many of them on the FreedomFiler. It’s a fantastic filing system we use with nearly every single client. We get so many emails about this product which is why you will find a lot of FreedomFiler posts.
Recently, I was talking to my good friend, Debbie Rosemont of Simply Placed, based in Sammamish, WA. We were talking about the FreedomFiler and how we can best use this tool with our clients. We both have been using the product for years and many people want us to help them implement the system, but others have different needs. Here are some ways we can help you with the FreedomFiler.
Ala Carte: You can purchase a FreedomFiler on the website or thru Savvy Solutions.
FreedomFiler eBook: Since we get so many inquires about this product, we decided to write an eBook with the How To’s and Common Questions. Contact us to purchase at info@savvysolutionsorganizing.com.
Pre-Made FreedomFiler kit: We can put your FreedomFiler together for you. We don’t want to see this product become another product that sits on your counter. Let us put it together for you and you will have functioning files with minimal investment.
FreedomFiler Workshop: We offer workshops where you can build your Freedomfiler in a group setting. Check our website for our next File Yourself to Freedom Workshop.
FreedomFiler Consultation: In just a few hours, we can show you how to use the product, how to implement and build your system. You will have files you will never have to organize again in less than 3 hours.
FreedomFiler File Overhaul: This is when you have a lot of paper and we need to dedicate time to building your system as well as reviewing your paper. It takes some times to get thru, but you will love how much lighter you feel in the end.
We love the FreedomFiler and you will too! Check out their website and do yourself a favor and invest in this system. If I had one wish for every home, it would be to have a FreedomFiler. Hang in there, a cure to your paper blues is coming.
As an organizer you will hear me say being organized saves you time and money, and Friday this rang true. John and I met with our new accountant, which is a complex process for us and can be very stressful. We have to report taxes in both the US and Canada and it can be extremely overwhelming ensuring everything has been taken into consideration.
Of course, we use the FreedomFiler to keep our tax papers organized which is vital to our tax success. Our tax files are US Tax, Canada Tax and Savvy Solutions Tax Files by category (advertising, phone, travel, etc.). It’s a lot to keep organized, but FreedomFiler works like a charm.
Our tax paperwork was organized and prepared and when we arrived on Friday the accountant was thrilled as this made it easier for her to review our situation and complete the return. She had a few questions for us, but basically it was a simple and stress free appointment. And the great news is she changed her original quote and reduced the price to complete our taxes by $500.
Being organized saves you time and money and on Friday it saved us $500 out of pocket. My husband and I were very happy.
What happened to the idea of the paperless office? It doesn’t exist and most desktops are drowning in paper clutter and piles. What does that mean for you? Lost time and productivity which greatly affects the bottom line.
Without a doubt the most common organizing challenge we deal with is paper and piles. It’s difficult because paper arrives in many different forms all day long. The computer age was supposed to decrease the amount of paper we brought into our homes; instead, it has increased by 60% over the last ten years.
Our next paper workshop is one week away. Learn our top 10 tips to Uncover Your Desktop. Learn of systems that support your needs and never lose another piece of paper or miss another meeting again. For details, visit our website.
Description: Without a doubt the most common organizing challenge we see, with businesses, is dealing with the overwhelming amount of paper that arrives each day. Learn how to manage your paper and piles to maximize space, productivity and effectiveness.
Oct 25, 2008, 9:00 AM
Money Wi$e Business Women Conference
North Seattle Community College
Seattle, WA
We had about 30 attendees at the gorgeous Watermark Restaurant on Kitsilano Beach. I have given many 
Each attendee was asked to select one tactic, where they are the most challenged, and commit to focusing on it for 30 days. Accountability is key so I will follow up and see how they are doing in 30 days. I can’t wait to hear. 
As an organizer you will hear me say being organized saves you time and money, and Friday this rang true. John and I met with our new accountant, which is a complex process for us and can be very stressful. We have to report taxes in both the US and Canada and it can be extremely overwhelming ensuring everything has been taken into consideration. 
