Best Kept Secrets for Getting and Staying Organized by Barry J. McDonald - HTML preview

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ORGANIZE YOUR MOVE

Organizing your move is much easier than you would think!

Moving is a wonderful opportunity to get organized! It is time to un-jam closets or cupboards, un-dump drawers and anything else that is hidden away. Even the most organized person will occasionally have to return to unused or unseen items to remember they own them in the first place.

Moving is the time to go through all of your "stuff". Some you will keep, some you will give away and lots you will trash! Take the extra time as you are packing to review what you own and make sure everything is something you will find necessary and useful in you new life. If it does not cut the mustard, it is time to throw it away.

You may even find you can "lighten the load" saving you packing time and moving costs as you find things you no longer need.

Keep the stuff someone else will find usable so give to charity as you leave. This can all be a very uplifting experience, honest it can!

Now, start packing by area. This will make unpacking much easier once you arrive. Keep your linen closet items together, bathroom items together, tools or garage items in as many boxes as is necessary.

It is that simple!

Moving can be traumatic or it can be a new adventure for the whole family.

Establish an Organized Home Office

Follow the lead of a well-organized home office. Using the checklist below, incorporate many of the organizing tips found on the list. You will have both a professional and efficient home office.

ORGANIZE YOUR BOOKKEEPING

* Prepare and send invoices to clients

* Enter monthly transactions into bookkeeping software

* Reconcile bank, credit card, and other account statements

* Send reminders for paying bills on their due dates

* Write and prepare checks to be signed to pay bills

ORGANIZE YOUR DATABASE MANAGEMENT

* Enter business card data into a database

* Send an introductory letter to new prospect leads

* Send scheduled marketing pieces to clients and prospects

* Track marketing efforts and summarize the results in a report

* Send regular follow-ups, reminders, and communications to clients

* Call people for missing contact information

* Send fax and email broadcasts

ORGANIZE YOUR DESKTOP PUBLISHING

* Design and print brochures and business cards

* Create flyers, price lists, and other marketing documents

* Lay out, printing, and mailing regular client newsletters

* Prepare professional-looking certificates for seminar participants

* Print labels using company logos or clip art

ORGANIZE YOUR INTERNET SERVICES

* Maintain a newsletter subscription database

* Post announcements and newsletter issues to the list

* Perform an internet search for an item or piece of information

* Edit or upload new information to a website

ORGANIZE YOUR MAIL AND EMAIL SERVICES

* Retrieve email and mail, sort, and get rid of junk

* Respond to routine email requests

* Forward items of importance to the client for attention

* Track and forward urgent issues while client is out of town

* Prepare packages and mail out products as orders arrive

ORGANIZE YOUR MARKETING SERVICES

* Send out the appropriate sales brochures for inquiries

* Create and mail a customer feedback questionnaire

* Track the responses to this questionnaire

* Summarize the responses and suggestions in a report

ORGANIZE YOUR PERSONNEL SERVICES

* Send reminders for annual performance reviews

* Prepare or update resumes and introduction letters

* Review resumes and summarize each in a short biography

* Sort resumes for a job according to pre-arranged criteria

ORGANIZE YOUR PRESENTATIONS

* Prepare PowerPoint slides from sketches of diagrams and charts

* Send questionnaires to seminar participants before the talk

* Track completed questionnaires and call non-responders

* Summarize the questionnaire results in a report

ORGANIZE YOUR RESEARCH

* Research potential locations for an upcoming seminar

* Find which locations have the appropriate dates available

* Find which can accommodate the size and type of event

* Research the services available (decorating, food, entertainment)

* Obtain written quotes and specifications from each location

* Monitor periodicals and clip articles of interest

* Visit the library to copy specific articles

ORGANIZE YOUR SECRETARIAL SERVICES

* Confirm upcoming appointments

* Schedule or reschedule appointments

* Get directions for a meeting or appointment

* Store back-up computer tapes for safekeeping

* Track birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates

* Send out the appropriate cards or gifts for special events

* Manage lists of necessary office supplies and ordering refills

* Coordinate air travel, car rental, and hotel reservations

ORGANIZE YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX SERVICES

* Receive telephone calls while a client is out of town

* Forward important messages that require immediate attention

* Retrieve voice messages and responding to routine requests

* Receive and handle faxes while a client is out of town

ORGANIZE YOUR TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES

* Type letters and memos from tape or handwritten notes

* Type legal transcripts from cassette tape

* Type medical reports from tape or handwritten notes

ORGANIZE YOUR WORD PROCESSING

* Type handwritten notes from a meeting or seminar

* Type letters, printing on stationery, addressing, and mailing

* Proofread, edit, and check spelling / grammar

* Lay out larger documents

Organizing Home Office Tip of the Day:

PAPER ~ Try to keep paper that requires an action on your part stored separately from items that you are keeping just for reference purposes.