Organizing Exposition in San Diego

If you are organizing addict in the San Diego area there is an event coming up better than Friday night at the movies.  On March 13th, the San Diego chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers will hold their annual Organizing Expo at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla for 6 – 8:30 pm. 

The Expo is an opportunity for organizing busineseese to exhibit and interact on a personal level.  Companies showcasing their products include Pendaflex, 800-Got-Junk, Dovetail Organizing, Organize.com, Critical Digital Data, Securita Inc., Shelf Improvement, Certified Staging Professionals, Pixilyand many more.  “This is a unique and wonderful opportunity to meet with company representatives.  If you have an interest in getting organized, becoming a professional organizer or learning about the industry this is the event to attend”, said Dhawn Hansen, President of NAPO-San Diego.

Cost is only $5 at the door.  For more information visit www.naposandiego.com.

Los Angeles Organizing Expert Elected to Industry Board

Chris McKenry, President of Get It Together LA!, has been elected to a 3 year term on the board of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).  “NAPO has been instrumental in the success of my business.  I am excited and honored to give back to the industry that has nurtured my growth as a professional organizing over the past decade,” said McKenry of his appointment.

Since 2000 Get It Together LA! has been offering clutter control, custom closet/storage design, and managing moves for clients.  Immediately McKenry joined NAPO and became involved in the Los Angeles chapter.

Chris has served on the board of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and was the 2005-2007 President of NAPO-LA.  During that time NAPO-LA created the Los Angeles Organizing Awards, began the Los Angeles Organizing Expo, and initiated the chapter’s successful Leadership Forum - providing training to inspire each member to become a leader in their business, community and chapter.

Chris McKenry is the recipient of the 2008 NAPO Shining Star Award and the 2008 Ambassador of the Year Award from the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.  Chris has appeared on television, been heard on readio, and featured int The Oprah Magazine, Women’s Day, and LA Weekly.  For more information visit www.GetItTogetherLA.com

About NAPO:
The premier national association dedicated to the field of organizing, the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) is The Organizing Authority®.  Formed in 1985 as a nonprofit professional, educational association, NAPO is dedicated to serving its 4300+ members through education, networking, industry resources, and promoting the profession to the public.  NAPO’s mission is to develop, lead, and promote, professional organiziers and the organizing industry.  For more information, visit www.napo.net.

National Archive Your Files Month

Clutter is everyone’s enemy.  Just as potholes slow traffic and damage our cars, clutter is the hole that keeps projects from on time completion and damage our productivity.  Clutter comes in many forms, but in the office paper is the biggest culprit.  It can be defined as excess, but my colleague Barbara Hemphill best describes clutter as ”postponed decisions”. 

Well it’s February 2009 which means it is time archive.  There are many documents probably no longer used at our desks.  Spend a few minutes to go through the files and removed the old files.  If the information must be kept and can not be recycled or shreded,  add them to archive files.  Take advantage of National Archive Your Files Month by reclaiming your workspace for the work that is to come this year.

Chris

Making Time in Your Schedule

Great questions came from the audience at the Small Business Seminar I led this week at the West Hollywood Chamber.  One participant asked “what do I do as  I never have time to follow up with committee members who do not reply if they are attending meetings?”   What a great question.  This is something probably most of us experience.

During the “Time Management” portion of the program I shared that using a calendar correctly will help set necessary boundaries on time.  Time is probably the most difficult area for us to organize since we can see or touch it like physical clutter.

As the “follow up” problem occurs before each meeting the answer is to schedule time in your calendar to make the needed calls.  If an appointment is in your calendar, and the calendar is referenced throughout the day, there will be enough time for all the tasks at hand.

If you are not currently using a calendar, check out Franklin Covey for products that will fit your needs.

Chris

What were people saying about Chris’ program: 
“I really enjoyed your presentation yesterday at the WeHo chamber.  I have already started using some of the techniques with my paperwork and time management.”  -R.H.

“I really enjoyed your presentation and focusing on organization – both mentally and physically.  You motivated me to be more aware about decisions or procrastination regarding new information and records.” -J.B.

 

West Hollywood Event Showcased on Film

The setting was the London Hotel in West Hollywood.  The event was the 25th Annual Creative Business Awards honoring the most innovative companies in the city.  The November event was sponsored by the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Corp Shorts produced the following video showcasing the glam of the night.

And the winners were:

Chris McKenry,Get It Together LA! - Ambassador of the Year
TOTO USA, Inc. – Art & Design
Equality California - Civic/Community Service
CBS Outdoor – Communications
California National Bank - Financial Services
Cake & Art – Retail/Service
Sunset Marquis Hotel and Villas - Travel & Tourism
Deborah Kallick, Cedars-Sinai Health System - Thomas Crail Lifetime Achievement Award

Congratulations to these West Hollywood business leaders. 

Other Events:
The West Hollywood Chamber is holding a Business Seminar on Monday, February 9, 2009 free to its members. 
Topic:  The Organized Office:  Secrets Revealed
Information can be found at wehochamber.com

What a Night for the Stars of Organizing

The Organizing world gathered in Los Angeles last week for the 2009 Los Angeles Organizing Awards held at the Luxe in Bel-Air.  Time management guru Stephen Covey received a Lifetime Achievement Award for helping us better organized our time through his books, products and seminars.  In a special taped “thank you” he noted how important it is to stand back and look at what is in our life.  Covey went on to say many times, upon examination, even our time is cluttered with events and activities that may not be as important as we think.

The Awards were presented by the National Association of Professional Organizers-Los Angeles chapter and event sponsor The Office Depot.  Over 150 professional organizers, product representatives and service providers attended.  Caught on the red carpet before the dinner and awards show were Mary Ann Pate, Past President of NAPO-San Francisco, Janine Sarna-Jones, Past President of NAPO New York and member of the NAPO Board of Directors and Chris McKenry.  McKenry, and his board in 2006 created the Los Angeles Organizing Awards.

The current and past president of the Los Angeles Chapter of NAPO joined Hal Sparks on the red carpet.  Sparks of “Queer as Folk” was the host of the evening.  Pictured from left to right:  Robin Davi, Donna McMillan, Dorothy Breininger, John Trosko, Dolores Kaytes, Hap Sparks, Christine Reiter, and Chris McKenry.

Also attending was Jodie Watson, star of Real Simple.Real Life and NAPO-LA Vice President and Awards chair.  From around the country guests included NAPO National board of directors;  President Standolyn Robertson and board members Angela Wallace, Pam McCutcheon, Janine Sarna-Jones, Allan Young, and Sandy Stelter- all celebrating the glamor of organization.

photo credits:  Sara Getzkin and Michelle Clooney

West Hollywood “Brown Bag” Business Seminar – February 9th

The Organzied Office:  Secrets Revealed

Are you mystified by the thoughts of an organized office?  Is the sight of a cluttered desk keeping you unfocused at work?  The average executive spends six weeks a year looking for lost information according to a Wall Street Journal survey.

West Hollywood Chamber members have the opportunity to hear organizing expert Chris McKenry share the secrets to an organized office on February 9th at the Chamber’s Conference Center.  During the interactive training you will learn:

1. How to make the most of the “prime real estate” in your office.
2. How to make and use an “active file system” to keep clutter off the desk.
3. The four basic principles of getting, and staying, organized.
4. Tool tips for saving time in the office.

When:  Monday, February 9th, 2009
               12:00 noon

Where:  West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
                 8272 Santa Monica Blvd.,  West Hollywood, California

This noon Business Seminar is free to all West Hollywood Chamber members.  For more information and to register contact Teri Maher at 323-650-0688.

You are invited to bring your lunch for this seminar.