Business of Organizing
It starts again on July 1, 2015
You may remember that in April I had joined the Ultimate Blogging Challenge where you blog everyday for a month. I started out great for the first 10 days feeling like I had some fun content. The suggestions they sent as part of the resources where somewhat helpful. I had forgot about blogging about books. They suggested blogging about fun days and so I talked about the world figure skating chapionships. However as time went on my business got very busy and I felt like I didn’t have interesting content so I blogged less. I am glad I tried this experiment because:
1. It is not for me, once a week is a good time frame for me. I can keep up with the schedule and I have content I am proud to share
2. I discovered that my new blog had not been set up the way I thought and articles were not being shared with my social media sites. Since I was blogging regularly I notice the change and got it corrected.
3.I received 30 different ideas for blogging. Most were personal rather than business topics but they are excellent for brainstorming new ideas and new approaches to blogging.
So overall I think the experiment was valuable. Give it a try, it starts again on July 1, 2015 and let me know how it went for you.
On April 10, 2015 I had the opportunity to attend the World Championship Synchronized Skating Championships in Hamilton, ON Canada. It was an event that I just decided to go to a the last minute. It was a fantastic evening. There were 25 teams of 16 skaters, females and males, from 20 countries . Canada, Finland, Russia and Sweden were represented by 2 teams each. Two surprising countries in the competition where Mexico and Turkey.
I watched the short program for each of the 25 teams. A routine may consist of:
- straight line sequences,
- wheels,
- block pattern where they travel in a square or diamond pattern across the ice ,
- circle step sequences,
- spins in unison,
- pass through where 1 lines pass through the other line and
- many of the skating elements you have seen in other skating competitions.
It very exciting to be part of the crowd when the Canadian teams entered the arena and the crowd went wild. If you have a chance to go to a World Championship Competition for any sport go out and support the participants. I knew nothing about Synchronized Skating, I learned a lot and had a great time. The Pan Am games are coming Toronto Canada you have a chance to learn a lot and have a great time too.
Block formation
A lovely spiral
Line Skating Pattern
What is a virtual assistant?
Virtual Assistants are professionals that supply businesses with help in areas where the owner can’t or doesn’t want to do certain tasks. This allows the owner to do the work that they are good at and hire a Virtual Assistant for as many hours as they need or can afford.
Who is Janet Barclay?
Janet Barclay of Organized Assistant www.organizedassistant.com is a fantastic Virtual Assistant. She specializes in website design and social media. She designed my first website 13 years ago and redesign my new responsive WordPress website. She takes care of hosting the site and letting me know what directories I might want my site on in addition to the directories she has already used. She is a wealth of information and will answer my questions quickly and clearly.
An Organized Assistant can help you virtually all the time
Need blogging help?
She also is a blogger. She runs Blogging Organizers for, yes, Professional Organizers who blog and Professional Organizers Blog Carnival. This blog has a different topic each month and contains lots of information for the public, submitted by Professional Organizers. Her current topic is Organizing Basements and Attics http://organizedassistant.com/organizing-basements-and-attics-professional-organizers-blog-carnival/ She helps the industry and Professionals Organizer become better known to the public. If you are in a specific industry, look at her blogs and how she is helping the industry to grow, increasing her visibility and helping other people in the industry. It is a great model to explore if you want to become a leader in your industry and love blogging.
Website design
Janet is a website design and website maintenance virtual organizer. She helps you take care of your website so it is backed up, virus free, has good SEO and is updated regularly.
There are many Virtual Assistants who each specialize in different areas such as,
- bookkeeping,
- social media,
- webcast videos,
- and specific software programs. etc.
Janet facilitates the Golden Horseshoe Virtual Assistants Association www.GHVA.ca. Check out this site if you need help virtually all the time.
Let me know in the comments what tasks you hire out to a virtual assistant.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, in person and virtually. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She uses her love of physical activity to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you to manage your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
If you are interested in starting your own home based business, how to start a home-based…. is a great series of books. They contain information about the field of business, clients and practical materials such as forms. Some of the books in this series are Computer Repair Business, Personal Chef Business, Interior Design Business and Professional Organizing Business.
Great series of books for information on how to start a business
how to start a home-based Professional Organizing Business has sections on:
- helping you to decide if Professional Organizing is for you,
- setting up your office,
- finding and working with clients,
- products and
- forms
For approximately $20.00 you will have enough information to confidently start your business. The book contains a script for the first phone conversation with a new client. This is very helpful, especially with your very first client. It has sections on setting your rate and a number of different ways to charge along with the pros and cons of each way. The book lists a number of ways to market your business.
Chapters on skills to be a competent organizer.
Along with the business side of professional organizing, half the book contains skills and information a person needs to be a competent organizer. It teaches the psychology of clutter, why areas become disorganized, how to declutter a space and products to use to organize a client.
Forms
The section containing forms is very helpful and they are easy to customize to your own business. There are assessment forms, invoices, mileage records, marketing planning sheets etc.
This book is written by Professional Organizer Dawn Noble. It is easy to read and use.
If you want to start a business see if this series contains a book that could help you be successful.
If you want to talk about becoming a Professional Organizer contact me, I would love to chat with you.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, in person and virtually. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She uses her love of physical activity to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you to manage your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Beware of the location of personal information
Here are some tips from Crime Stoppers published May 13, 2013
An estimated 10 million people each year become victims of identity theft. There are things each of us can do to help prevent becoming one.
- Try not to leave mail in your mailbox for long.
- When sending mail out that contains any kind of account information, it’s best to drop it off directly into a postal box rather than leave it in your mailbox for your carrier.
- Pay attention to when your regular bills or account statements are due to arrive and follow up if they are late. Thieves have been known to submit “change of address” forms to divert mailings. Your account information, including utilities, can then be used to set up phony accounts in your name or run up charges.
- Virtually any document containing more personal identifiers than your name and address can be used by an identity thief and should be shredded. It can be stolen from your purse or wallet, your trash or even your home.
- Be mindful of where you place bank and credit card statements within your residence if you employ outside help or are having work done inside.
- When you are required or asked by a company to provide your Social Insurance number, don’t be afraid to ask why they need it and what their policy is to protect it. Businesses are required by law to properly dispose of your personal information.
For more information, visit MichianaCrimeStoppers.com
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
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