YOUR BUSINESS + A CRISIS: ARE YOU PREPARED ?

People don’t like to think about emergencies. Not in their personal lives and certainly not in business. But as a small business owner you can’t just stick your head in the sand.

If you own a small business (in terms of people, not sales) it is imperative that you are prepared for all emergencies.

Let’s start with thinking about you as the business owner. If something happened to you or a member of your family and you could not be involved in your business for a few days, weeks or months…. could the business survive without you? Do you have someone in place that can run things or take charge while your gone?

You may be the healthiest person on the planet….but a car accident or a medical crisis with a family member can have your spiraling out of control and the last thing that you are going to be thinking about is your business.

Do you have a back up plan?

Do you have a manager or key employee that can handle things while you are gone?

Do you have an operations manual? Do you have anything documented? Those are a lot of things to think about. And unfortunately I have seen too many businesses where there is no documentation of any kind.

Now let’s say that you are just fine but that your key employee leaves. Can your business survive? Have you given one employee too much power that if they left they can cripple your business?

Do you have job descriptions for all of your employees? Including yourself?

Is everyone trained in everyone else’s job?

Let’s go one step further. What if your building burns down? I’m just saying…..

Do you have everything documented and taken OFF SITE ???? Do you have backups of your backups? Have you tested your backup system lately? Have you tried re-storing your backup tapes to be sure they work?

As the old saying goes “been there…done that…”. Yes, my backup tapes said they were “just fine”. They weren’t. And then came the crash. Of course it was two weeks before the end of the year when I usually run every single report with data from January through December. Two more weeks and I would have been fine. But I wasn’t. And it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Are you starting to get a bit nervous because you don’t have a backup plan and I’ve made you think about things that you never wanted to think about?

Don’t stick your head in the sand. Accidents happen. Emergencies happen. Loyal long time employees leave you hanging. Stuff happens.

Be prepared. Get your business organized. Start today.

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

JANUARY = GET ORGANIZED MONTH

As a Professional Organizer and a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) January has been designated as " GET ORGANIZED " month.

So take this time to sit down and come up with a list of things that you would like to get organized. In your home, your business or your life.

Break it down into smaller, more manageable projects. Plan it out, put it on your calendar and start on your way to a more organized life. One small project at a time. It took you a while to get disorganized, it will take you a while to get organized.

If you have any organizing questions that you would like to ask... now is the perfect time.

Or if you have a great organizing idea that you would like to share.....we would love to hear from you.

Send your questions / ideas to: kefconsulting@gmail.com with "organizing question" in the subject line and we will post your questions with our answers in a future article.

Organizational Consulting Services

ORGANIZING YOUR PAPERWORK and YOUR LIFE

It’s the start of a new year so why don’t you start the year off right by making a commitment to be more organized with what counts most, your important papers.

Most people have a lot of important paperwork. Scattered all over the house.

Do you have a “will” ? A “health care proxy” ? A “living will” ? A “power of attorney” ?

Does anyone know where these documents are?

Do you have your medical history documented somewhere? Do you have a list of your doctors ? Do you have a list of your surgeries ? Of your medications ? Of your allergies ?

Stuff happens…… Are you ready ? Do you really want to take that chance ?

If you have a family….is it fair to them ? If you have kids…thinking about protecting them with a “will” is not only important…it’s down right necessary !!!!

Don’t wait until something happens to try and find all of the papers that you need. Be pro-active and have everything in one place. Make sure that someone knows where that place is and had access to it if you can’t get to it.

What happens if there is a disaster and you had to evacuate the house? Would you be able to gather your important papers quickly?

Start the year off right by gathering all of your information in one place. It doesn’t matter where. As long as you do it. One central place. That’s the first step of being organized with your important papers.

If you do that, then you’ve accomplished more than most people.

The second step is to organize your paperwork into some type of system. There are a variety of systems out there. Pick what works for you and get started. Some people like a paper system and some people like a computerized system. Whatever works for you, your budget and your organizing personality. As long as you do it.

There is a great system out there called “Vital Records Portavault”. It’s a portable system that houses all of your vital records in one case. There is room for storing CD’s/DVD’s, flash drive and hundreds of pages of vital documents. It comes with a disaster planning guideline and is endorsed by the American Red Cross. The Vital Records Portavault has been awarded the Parent Tested Parent Approved Seal. The PTPS Media Seal is an international leader in certifying consumer products for quality, effectiveness and value. For more information visit “Vital Records Portavault”.

For a great computerized system there is a product called “CareBinders”. It tracks your personal data (education, events, passwords, resume), your medical data (allergies, immunizations, doctors, medical history), your financial data (account #’s, credit cards, insurance policies, legal documents) and your “fun” data (favorite music, photos, restaurants…)

CareBinders™ is the secure, offline, personal recordkeeping software for today’s busy people. Keep track of all your data—personal, medical, financial and fun! Enter data once and CareBinders™ instantly puts it in all the right places. Track anything and everything that is important to you: from your cholesterol to your wine collections and trips! Output medical intake forms to resumes at the touch of a print key. Start simplifying your life—start using CareBinders™ today.

Both systems are also available through my website. For information on available discounts check out my website on the "links / more products page" or email me.

Those are just two great options for organizing your important information. It doesn’t matter what system you use… as long as your start organizing your information and getting things in place.

Be organized… get your affairs in order….. and go about your life knowing that if a disaster struck you would have all of your information at your fingertips. Or if anything happened to you, your family would know what you wanted and your kids would be protected.

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

New Year - Fresh Start

It's January. A New Year. A new start.

January is “get organized” month.

Decide now that you don’t want to feel stressed and disorganized this year….by making a resolution to become more organized.

And then….. do it !

Make a plan. One project at a time. One room at a time. One closet at a time. One drawer at a time.

By breaking things down into small projects you will be able to manage them more easily and will be more likely to follow through.

As you start putting away your Holiday decorations and presents remember a few basic rules:

* One in - One out >>> if you received some new clothes get rid of some old ones that you never wear or are worn out

* A place for everything >>> find a spot for those presents, don't just put them any old place

A New Year = A Fresh Start. Now is the time to start organizing your home and your life. Take a look at what takes up your time and stop doing things that don't bring you joy anymore. Life is too short to waste.

You have an entire year to get organized. Start now.... a little at a time. And soon you will wonder why you ever waited so long.

Happy New Year !


Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

After the Holidays - Shopping to Save

Well... the holidays are over... the gift giving ones at least. So believe it or not I am going to tell you to shop ! Now, I am not a shopper myself. I hate the crowds and the pushing and grabbing and all the chaos that goes on with "after the holiday" sales. But now is the time to stock up on presents for the upcoming year (birthdays and other things) and for holiday decorations and cards.


Everyone knows that after the holidays there are bargains to be had. If you can, put aside some money to stock up on holiday essentials. Take advantage of the sales on wrapping paper and Christmas cards. You can find a lot of these on sale at 50 % – 75 % off !


Planning ahead can save you money, time and your sanity.


I have a “gift closet” where I keep a stock of candles and other items that are generic enough to give to anyone at a moments notice.


Things such as movies, DVD’s, CD’s, games, clothes…. don’t have an expiration date on them and if you can save 75 % off by buying them a few months earlier, go for it.


Being organized is about planning ahead. So go ahead, I give you permission. Shop and Save.


But please.... don't go overboard. And make sure that you put everything away in an organized manner. Put temporary labels on the things that you buy so that you know who it's for.


Happy Shopping !



Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

What is Clutter and Your Greatest Organizing Challenge

In one of the seminars that I gave on "Clutter & Chronic Disorganization" I asked the following questions: "What does Clutter mean to you?" and "What is your greatest Organizing challenge?".

Everyone answered these questions differently. The following are some of the responses that I received.

What is Clutter ?

Too much stuff all over the place

Stuff that is not in its place

Piles

Stuff left in a haphazard way taking up valuable space

Lots of stuff around – magazines, newspapers, mail

Useless items

Excess stuff around that is not organized

Accumulation of things that prevent use of space

Papers everywhere

Messy

Anything that I don’t know where to put

Unorganized

Papers on the counter

Messy closets, basements, garage

Stuff covering all surfaces

What is Your Greatest Organizing Challenge ?

Paperwork

Organizing any space

Not knowing what to do with things

Mail, magazines, kids school stuff

Basement & garage

Dining room table

Deciding what to keep

Not throwing stuff away in a timely manner

How long to keep records

Finding places to keep things

Starting but not finishing projects

Afraid to get rid of things that might have value

Childhood memorabilia

Closets

Putting things where they belong

Keeping things just because they cost money

If any of the above statements sound like something that you would say....remember.... you are not alone.

Everyone has some type of clutter and everyone has challenges. By knowing what our challenges are we can come up with a plan to conquer the clutter and those challenges and have a more organized home and life.

Start in one small area and clear your clutter. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Set a time limit on each phase of your organizing project. Take a break. Give yourself a reward for a job well done.

Slowly you can take back your home and your life.

Remember: Less Clutter = Less Stress (sm)

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

It's Almost Christmas

It’s almost Christmas. A time for family and friends. A time to celebrate what you have not what you don’t. It’s time to remember what’s important.

Opening presents is fun and exciting. Not only for kids. Adults love getting presents also. Whether they admit it or not.

But in this rush to buy presents step back and think about the person that you are buying a present for. Get them something that they like not that you like. If you are unsure if they will like what you picked out …put it back !

Don’t just buy things for the sake of buying things. If they don’t like it they will just smile and pretend that they do and they will never use it (or wear it). Then it will end up being clutter. Stuff they they feel they cannot get rid of. Because you bought it for them. Guilt will set in. The clutter will be there forever. Reminding them that they cannot throw it out.

So remember that when buying gifts. If you aren’t 100 % sure that they will absolutely love the gift don’t buy it. Save everyone the emotional trauma of having to pretend.

The holidays aren’t about gifts. They are about being together as a family and friends.

Give the gift of time. That is something that everyone will love. And remember forever.

Happy Holidays !

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com