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  • May 21, 2017 4:12 PM | Deleted user

    During our monthly May meeting, we had a round table discussion about various organizing business related questions. It was great and we had thoughtful and helpful conversations. 

    What struck me through the course of the small groups sharing their topic highlights was that people enter into professional organizing as a career in two main ways - wading in or jumping in. 

    Waders - They think about organizing for a long time, slowly crafting a business with the perfect name and branding and website. They start with one or two clients they know and grow from there. 

    And that is totally okay. 

    Jumpers  - They dive head first into organizing, they may or may not have a social media presence or website or even a name, but they start organizing and figure it out as they go. 

    And that is totally okay. 

    I bring this up because no matter how you start your business or how you journey down the business owner path, it is your journey. No one can tell you how fast you should be going or what you should have done by this or that date or year marker.

    There are times when you need to heed wisdom, to act, to slow down, to process, to learn. That is part of being a business owner. 

    There are also times you need to listen to your self and own that you might be wading into organizing or jumping in and either way is normal and okay. 

    Words to Leave You With:

    For the Waders, remember that your business and website will always be a work in progress. Don't wait until everything is perfect to act, it never will be.

    For the Jumpers, remember that business goals and plans orient you and keep you focused on ideal clients and you know - having a legal business. Don't wing it, plan it!

  • March 28, 2017 9:15 AM | Deleted user

    As a new organizer, there are thoughts, questions and maybe even pressures to pick a specialty. Do I specialize in ADHD organizing? Holistic organizing? Senior Moves? Is holistic organizing even a specialty or a methodology? The next meeting is tomorrow and I have to introduce myself, so what do I say?

    You might be a seasoned organizer and still feel the pressure.

    I have sat in many chapter meetings and heard frustrated exclamations of "I don't have a specialty yet!" or slightly embarrassed "I am 'just' a generalist." 

    It saddens me to see the anxiety or embarrassment. Those are totally normal feelings, but let's start to shift the mindset of specialties. I have a few thoughts on how to do that:

    1. Picking a specialty is like picking your favorite color. You don't really pick your favorite color - you just know. So go with what feel right and what you enjoy.
    2. Don't stress about it. You don't have to have a specialty. You might develop one later or never. That is okay!
    3. Having a specialty is really for you, not your clients. It gives you a really specific and clear snippet of what you do, so others automatically think "that is me!" or "I know so and so that could use your help!" 
    4. A specialty is also really for your marketing purposes. Marketing is best done with surgical precision, not a shot gun. A specialty helps identify where to focus your marketing efforts in finding and bringing in your ideal clients.
    5. Be aware that if you do everything for everyone, you aren't going to be anything for anyone. Being a generalist doesn't mean that you tell people everything thing you do. Listen to what they are telling you or what group you are in and tailor your elevator pitch or project examples you give about what you do! 

    If you are in the process of specializing or living large as a generalist, I hope this has given you some helpful pointers and encouragement!

  • March 03, 2017 4:22 PM | Deleted user
    Looking for an organizer specializing in ADD/ADHD? Interested in specializing in ADD/ADHD as an organizer?

    Stephanie Eyster with remedy., one of our very own ADD/ADHD specialists, penned some helpful information on ADD/ADHD and how organizing can support individuals with ADD/ADHD.

    ADD/ADHD Is... 
    ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and replaces what was once known as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). 

    It is a condition that affects both adults and children and symptoms include:
    • inattentiveness
    • impulsiveness
    • hyperactivity

    How Professional Organizers Support Adults with ADD/ADHD...

    Professional Organizers can support adults with ADD/ADHD by explaining the organizing process in depth to lower anxiety levels. Organizers can also break large projects down into smaller objectives, so clients feel less overwhelmed.

    Organizers can also develop routines during the organizing process that allow clients to sustain the organizing systems established. A professional can also create an appropriate reward system, so achieving an objective is fun and personally rewarding!   

    How Professional Organizers Support Children with ADD/ADHD...

    Professional Organizers support children with ADHD by providing structure, developing routines, and laying out expectations. ADHD children work well when their environment and schedule are structured. 

    Why? Structure takes the guess work out of knowing what to do and when. The children build confidence when they can successfully follow a routine to achieve an objective or when they are familiar with an expectation.  

    Helpful Tools...

    A Timer

    When working on the actual physical organizing with a client with ADHD, a timer can be your most valued tool. Set the timer for 15 to 30 minutes then allow the client to take a 5 minute break in between. 

    A Calendar

    A calendar of any kind is a very important tool for a client with ADHD. The calendar can be on their smart phone or in paper form. All activities and appointments must be represented on this calendar and it's important that they have only one calendar to reference. When working with several calendars at once, appointments are often missed or overlooked. 

    A "To Do" List

    "To do" lists are equally as important to a client with ADHD. This can come in the form of a planner or utilizing a "to do" list app on their smart phone.  

    For Organizers...

    How Can I Specialize?

    What are Some Local Resources?

    • The NAPO Austin Chapter library has several resources that address clients with ADHD (Come to our monthly meeting for library access!).
    • Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD by Susan C. Pinsky is an excellent book that guides organizing processes for ADHD clients. 
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    Photo 1 by Annie Spratt

    Photo 2 by Brooke Lark

  • February 22, 2017 9:38 AM | Deleted user

    Hello and Welcome to NAPO Austin's blog!

    This is a fun new adventure for us, so we hope you will enjoy the various topics!

    You will see blogs on things like

    • how our chapter can support you in reaching your organizing goals
    • how our organizing specialities tailor our work to you
    • all the details on events you might enjoy
    • a few organizing tips to encourage you along your organizing journey.
    And for the professional organizers, we'll share
    • helpful business tips for you
    • some of the "whys" to our methods
    • how new developments in our field can support your business
    • even some fun product reviews of things we love.
    We are jazzed about our blog and hope you are too!
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