Friday's Inspiration & Motivation: Creative Minds

I advocate that organization should be comfortable.  It shouldn't be a layer of stress and habits that just feel inauthentic.  Creatives normally like to see things out.  Organized means that you can find what you need when you need it and you attempt to create balance in your time and space.  I don't think the two things are mutually exclusive. Tidy and put away aren't always appealing to a creative mind so the obvious answer to someone suggesting them to be "more organized" can lead to rebellion.  But if we change the idea of what organized really means, we can break down a barrier of creating organization.  Organization that is creative, beautiful, and authentically you.

Interview With An Organizer: Lisa Elliot

Just about every week I meet some awesome folks! Because I provide a lifestyle service, I try to have as many outstanding professionals in my back pocket that can assist my clients to have a fabulous life personally and professionally.

These interviews are also meant to show that we all have our own style of keeping it together, organized, and productive.  I'm the Organizer but certainly not a know-it-all (if my mom or husband is reading I advise them to stop laughing now).

Here is the latest interview.  Enjoy!

Meet Ms. Lisa Elliott of A Little Bash!

Tell us a little about your company: A Little Bash is an event and wedding planning company that specializes in intimate gatherings.

Name one thing you're really good at keeping organized in your business? I'm really good at organizing electronic and hard copies of documents.

Any specific organizing tool? I love to use labels! The more creative and color coordinated the labels are the better.

How do you stay motivated to keep organized? (book, advice, routine, person) 

I must keep organized to find things and keep my sanity. I don't have a choice.

What is your biggest organizing conundrum? All the different shapes, colors and varying material types that I use to create events, weddings and parties that serve multi-purposes have to be organized so that I can find what I need. This isn't always an easy task.

If you would like to learn more about Lisa and how she can help you plan an event in 2014 (or beyond), connect with her on her website (A Little Bash).

Like what you read? I'd love to hear your feedback so please comment below.  Know someone who could benefit from the information? Feel free to share via social media by pressing any of the social media buttons below!

Would you like to have a 1:1 meeting with me so I can possibly have you in my back pocket as an outstanding service or product for my clients? Then email me at andrea_hancock@bdexterous.com.

Ciao!

A/C Got Your Electric Bill High? Here's to Saving some $!

So there's no way around it, we have more and more technology and appliances than ever before that need electricity.  Which also means that ever before we need to learn and adapt to helping to conserve energy. One method people use is by turning their surge protectors to the off position when they aren't home.  Many claim this saves tons of money.  The problem I have with this, and perhaps you do as well, is that some things you don't mind turning off when you aren't using them. I don't mind having my scanners off when I'm not using them, but I'd always want my cord-less phone or DVR on for obvious reasons and because I'm using my desktop on and off throughout the day it would be a pain to have this reboot every.time.I.needed.it. ugh!

$30 - Belkin Conserve Smart AV ™

Well Belkin decided to help solve that problem. It helps you to conserve electricity by the majority of the outlets turning off then you're not using them (it's smart enough to sense this and turn off) but two plugs of the outlets are for things you want to stay on all the time. They call is smart, I call it genius!

What do you think? For $30 would you invest in this smart plug?  Tell me below in the comments.

Friday's Inspiration & Motivation: Try

Sometimes we look at a challenge that lies ahead and we are stumbled by the past attempts that didn't lead to the ending we wanted to see.  In our organizational challenges the best way to accomplish our end goals is to try.

I challenge you to take a small, seemingly insignificant step toward an accomplishment.  It could be:

• throwing away 3 pieces of junk mail from off your desk
• folding and putting away clothes that have accumulated on a chair or treadmill
• sorting trash out of your car
• taking 3 items that belong in another room to their correct place.

All is takes is a measure of try, consistent effort and soon you have a layer of accomplishment to be proud of.  Go you!

Being Kind to Your Later Self: Going on Vacation & Leaving the Office Behind!

I think the busy professional falls into three categories when it comes to vacation:

1. The person who fully enjoys their vacation, doesn't check emails or voice mails (at least not often) but comes back to a barrage of messages and to-dos waiting to be done on top of the current flow of work in progress.
2. The person who takes work with them on vacation and it stresses themselves out and they don't fully relax.
3. The person scared to go on vacation because they feel like their job or their business is going to crumble in the wake of their absence.

Here are some suggestions from SMEAD® Organomic series that helps you balance life and work and enjoy your vacation:

What category do you fall in? What tip from Smead will you use to create a better plan for your vacation time this year?  Don't keep this to yourself, feel free to leave a comment in the section below.

Keeping Your Valuables Safe on Vacation

They say out of site out of mind, which usually is a bad thing for things you want to find but is actually a good rule of thumb when you are attempting to avoid theft.

During this season most of us use this time to relax, but some in jerks of society use this time to scope out ways to steal from careless tourist and vacationers.

One way to help avoid opportunists is to keep them from seeing the opportunity. Keeping your valuables safe and hidden is one way.

Keep cell device, money, and keys kept hidden in a faux sunscreen bottle.  

Roll up a few bills in an old lip balm dispenser.

What tips do you use to avoid thief on vacation? Tell us about them in the comments below.

Cool & Innovative - Paper Pot Tissue Holder

Are spring and summer allergies still getting the best of you? Grabbing tissues when your neighbors decide to cut their lawn? When you forget to take your allergy pill and tissues need to be abundant, you don't have to turn to your average bland box or be stuck with the attempts of them making the box attractive but doesn't match your current style and decor.

You can bring a cute and mod look to your room.  If your organizing style is to keep things hidden and everything serve a purpose, this piece is both decorative and useful!

Paper Pot Tissue Holder from The Container Store - $39.99

These mod circles are bright and can hide the common tissue box or the tissue box that tries to be decorative but clashes with your room decor.  So when you need a tissue you can be chic too!

I'd love to hear from you. What do you think of them? Don't forget to leave a comment below.