OverHall IT!
Vol. 3 Issue 5
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OverHall IT!
Organizing Newsletter for Your Life
Circulation 3,355
Vol. 3, Issue 5
Publisher: Janet L. Hall janet@overhall.com
http://www.overhall.com
( C ) OverHall Consulting 2002
Administration information located at end of newsletter.
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Help Me Help Others - Please pass my newsletter on to
those you know who might need or like OverHall IT!
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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Welcome and Happenings
2. OverHalling your Office and Home
3. Space Clearing Tip
4. Ask the OverHaller
5. Computer Clutter
6. Feng Shui Tip
7. Products, Books, and Web Site Reviews
8. Jokes, Quotes, and Anecdotes
9. Tips for Professional Organizers
10. Workshops
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1. Welcome and Happenings
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This month many things are celebrated, such as: Listening
Awareness, National Anxiety, and Stress Awareness.
When was the last time you really listened to yourself?
When you listened to what your body and Spirit was telling
you.
Not listening to YOUR needs can cause anxiety and stress.
And if your need is to get organized or get help then my
prayers are with you to do so, and I'm here to help you in
anyway I can.
In my article this month you will get a look at how I became
stressed out, just a little disorganized, and how I recovered.
We also have some great stuff in this issue for you: before
and after pictures, a FREE Time Management Log and a
wonderful guest article about computer clutter that you'll
want to read to continue getting your computer running
efficiently. And don't forget to check out my newest
workshop coming in May.
Thanks for your support and for being a subscriber,
Janet L. Hall, The Organizing Wizard
***** Do Your Employees Need Organized? *****
Call the Organizing Wizard and let her cast her "spells" on
their clutter! Janet delivers a one-of-a-kind, customized
workshop or speech. Call 800/687-3040 and book her
today!
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2. How I Became Like My Clients For One Month
By: Janet L. Hall
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I know exactly when I started falling apart, not mentally but
overloaded with commitments and deadlines I knew I
could make. But then suddenly, surgery was to be
performed again, on Valentine's Day.
I've never hidden the fact that I'm just like you. I'm not
perfect and I'm not super human just because my profession
is as a professional organizer.
We all have things come into our lives, or out of, usually
unexpectedly. We all have emergencies or things that come
up that just have to be completed. We all have someone or
something needing our attention. This is you, this is me, and
this is life!
Many times clients call when their systems have broken
down, if they even had systems. But many call
because their world has fallen off its axis, leaving them and
their world spinning out of control…out of balance.
If they completely ignore the situation or don't know how to
get their world back into balance - into sync - the way it use
to be, they will become overpowered by all the stuff in their
lives.
The daily errands of driving here and there for:
>>Appointments
>>Children
>>Special events
>>Meetings
>>School functions
>>Banking
>>Food shopping
>>Shopping
>>Work
seem to make you drive like a maniac
down the street, racing and rushing from one place to
another. And even forgetting to stop at some places.
The daily activities one usually finds in a home of:
>>Processing the mail
>>Answering the phone
>>Returning calls
>>Reading email
>>Replying to email
>>Cooking
>>Cleaning
>>Playing with the children or pets
>>Bathing the children or pets
>>Watering the plants
>>Reading
>>Being a buffer
makes you just want to throw up your hands and turn
and run.
And what about the unexpected?
>>Illness
>>Visitors
>>Spouse laid-off from job
>>Someone moving in or out
>>Computer problems
>>A friend needing your ear, shoulder, and comfort
>>A client or boss needing it NOW, instead of next week
>>A child with special needs
>>A child with needs
>>Travel for your job
>>Training for your job
>>An accident
just makes you want to SCREAM that you have no time or
patience for all this!
Your world has just exploded! What can you do about it?
On Valentine's Day my world exploded when I was told I
would have to endure yet another breast surgery. I was
working on my book, "Secrets of a Professional Organizer
and How-To Become One," and the deadline was the end of
February. And worse yet, we get short-changed a couple of
days in February! WHO did that? Who thought this up?
Just three days after surgery and between work, clients,
writing, and running a home I had to prepare to leave for
Florida for 13 days to work with a client and attend school at
the beginning of March. WHEW, makes me tired just
thinking back on all this.
In Florida I stayed with a girlfriend, and had the
guest/storage room with some closet space, one drawer,
and a small desk.
My journey into piles began. Things started living in piles:
>>On the floor
>>On top of my suitcases
>>On the bed
>>On the dresser
>>On the chair and desk.
I had all my toilettes sitting out around the sink, carefully
placed (but crowded together) so I wouldn't break anything
or, God forbid, something fall into the toilet!
While in Florida I was so busy I really didn't get to work on
any of my "normal" to-dos. I had so many new to-dos' there!
I went to school from 7 AM until 6 or 7 PM, grabbed
something to eat and started working with my client,
sometimes until midnight, once until 2:30 AM. (I was helping
my friend "client", where I was staying, redo her whole web
site and teach her computer stuff.)
When I returned home to Maryland, all the mail, all the
errands, all my clients, and all my self-imposed deadlines
and other's deadlines were waiting for me.
I unpacked (although I still have a couple of files in my
computer case I need to get out and put away) and started
making a pile here and a pile there. Some in the kitchen,
some in the living room, some in the bedroom, and some
really big piles in my office!
I didn't even touch the mail for the first three days. I didn't
want to look at or deal with mail or the bills. I wanted to start
spring-cleaning. All my clothes needed washed, dried, and
put away.
As I looked around, all I could think was, "I'm becoming my
clients. No time to think about this now. I have to finish my
book, create CD labels, burn 100 CD's and put labels on
them. Oh MY GOD! I forgot to order the blank CD's and
labels before I left for Florida. I need them today. Okay, I'll
just call and order today and get them shipped overnight. I
still have to write the newsletter, return phone calls, reply to
emails, and oh, I just want some really good sleep!"
The shipment came, as promised, the next day. I ripped
open the boxes, got everything out and started working,
leaving the packing material and boxes lie, wherever… See
Janet's Messy Office
I'm writing, researching, and tossing books here and there. I
didn't care at that point. I thought, "I have great systems in
place so when all this is over I can easily get everything back
into shape, put stuff where it belongs, and get my world back
into balance.
And so I have. After finishing the book, labels, CD's,
returning calls and emails, and still working with clients I
tackled my office. It took me just two hours to get everything
in place and put away because I have a sorting and
de-cluttering system, "The 5 W's of Organizing, a TEASER,
and a TICKLE". And it works!
See Janet's Clean Office.
We all have our own ups and downs in life; life happens. We
each ride the waves from the same Universe.
When everything is going 'just right,' we are riding our up
waves; sometimes not even paying attention to our good
'fortune.'
When things are going wrong we feel we are being slapped
silly by the waves; causing us to tumble, crash, and sink to
the bottom and depths of darkness, and asking ourselves,
"What did I ever do to deserve this?"
But what goes down MUST come back up!
So what can you do to help get your world back into balance,
and make your down waves less powerful?
Start by getting organized.
>>Create or find a common 'home' or zone for your things to
live.
>>KNOW what to do with your stuff (do you really need or
when will you use?)
>>Have systems and procedures in place.
Knowing where things "live" and how things are handled can
sure make life a little easier for those 'off balance' days that
we all experience.
Now I really must go. I still have to get out the newsletter,
send out products, send out speaking materials, get ready
for two presentations, do my taxes, take a test, read ten new
books, and, oh yeah, plant some pansies in the garden and
pick some asparagus.
Aha! Life is finally back to normal.
***** Have You Gotten Your * Tickle * For The Day? *****
Check out the secret organizing tool that ALL organized
families and successful people use on a daily basis at
http://www.overhall.com/tickler_file.htm
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3. Space Clearing Tip
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In her book, "Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the
Energy of Your Home," Denise Linn has this to say about
Focus and Balance:
"…smudge [generally a bundle of dried sage, ignited and
then blown out; you want the smoke for smudging] yourself
to clear your thoughts, to cleanse the etheric energy of your
aura and to provide a base of balance and groundedness."
To order this book, Click
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/034539769X/overhallconsulti
To read about performing a Smudging
Ceremony:
http://www.overhall.com/how_directory.htm
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4. Ask the OverHaller
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Dear OverHaller,
I don't know where my time goes! It seems one minute it's
morning and the next minute it's dinnertime! I'm constantly
aware and stressed out of not having enough time and not
getting the things accomplished that I want to do. HELP!
Not Watching the Clock, Nancy H. from Pasadena, MD
Dear Nancy,
I experienced this phenomenon while in Florida. One minute
it was morning and before I knew it it was 9 PM! We have all
at one time or another asked ourselves, "Where does the
time go?"
One of the tools I use with my clients is a "Master Time Log"
in which they have to record their current obligations,
commitments, and to-do's. This exercise does not take too
long to undertake (it can be completed in about an hour or
less); however, in order for it to be complete, you must
record ALL the things you do.
To get a FREE copy and instructions, please see
http://www.overhall.com/time_management_log.htm
*****Know WHO, Know WHEN, Know WHERE *****
Our little Red WHO, WHEN, and WHERE Home
Management Booklet is now available as a download. You
can get it RIGHT NOW on your computer by clicking
http://www.overhall.com/wwwh1.htm
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5. Computer Clutter
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CLUTTER BUSTER TIPS FOR YOUR COMPUTER
By: Jeanine Carson
When most of us think of clutter, we think about it in the
physical sense. Well what about your computer clutter?
National Clutter Awareness Week is the last week of
March and what better clutter to focus on than the clutter
taking up valuable space on your computer. With the
plethora of information we read, track, work on, etc., our
computers can get overloaded very quickly. Using the
SEARCH method you can de-clutter your computer in little
time:
>> Segregate your files. Windows Explorer is one of the
best tools to use on your computer to help get you organized
(START-ALL PROGRAMS-WINDOWS EXPLORER). Make
use of this program to organize your files using folders and
shortcuts. You can use the folders just as you would a hard-
copy filing system. For example, if you would look for a
marketing brochure under a Brochures file then in a
Marketing folder instead of a Marketing file with a Brochures
folder, then create a folder entitled Brochures with a sub-
folder entitled Marketing (FILE-NEW-FOLDER). By creating
folders, you do not have to sort through tens and hundreds
of files to find what you are looking for. Use the shortcut
function (FILE-NEW-SHORTCUT) to create an icon for
frequently used programs or files so you only have to
double-click on one button on your desktop instead of
several (ex., START-PROGRAMS-WORD).
>> Eliminate .TMP files. These are "dead" files left over from
crashes and may also include some documents opened via
e-mail messages you no longer need or may have saved
elsewhere. You can access and delete these files using
Windows Explorer under your C-drive (under C:\TEMP or
C:\WINDOWS\TEMP). Right-click on the document you no
longer want and highlight delete and then and confirm.
>> Alleviate wasting time searching for documents by storing
your files in one place (either on the network or on your
hard-drive) and save all your new files here under the
appropriate folder heading. Keeping your files in separate
locations can cause you to lose time when looking for files.
>> Recreate your files by backing them up regularly. If you
are not on a network system with automatic back-ups,
ensure you back-up your computer files on a regular basis.
You can back them up either using your System Tools
function (START-ACCESSORIES-SYSTEM TOOLS) or by
making another copy to a floppy disk or CD.
>> Create a reminder on your calendar to de-clutter your
computer and back-up your information on a recurring basis
(every 3 to 6 months). Do not wait for a national awareness
week or a computer crash before de-cluttering your
computer. If you do, you could be at risk for losing ALL your
information that you have worked so hard on.
>> Hesitate no more and bust the clutter on your computer
today.
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Article submitted by Jeanine Carson, owner of
NorthStar Organizing
Services, an Orlando business providing organizing services for homes
and offices. Let Jeanine help get your clutter under control and systems
in place so YOU can be more efficient and productive. Contact Jeanine
today about her services by calling (407) 481-9993 or
mailto:northstarorg@clfl.rr.com
*********** Clean Up Your Computer TODAY***********
Running out of space on your hard drive?
Don't know how to do backups?
Want to save your documents to a different media?
Get the ebook everyone is talking about:
How-To Clean and Organize Your Computer is
available at http://www.overhall.com/clean_computer.htm
52 Pages with Screen Shots so you can easily see where
to click.
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6. Feng Shui Tip
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Last time I spoke about Chi (Chee) being the energy in Feng
Shui. Since returning from Feng Shui Pyramid School, my
instructor Nancilee Wydra describes this sometimes
"unknown, what are you talking about" best:
"Chi describes how humans take in information. In a word
Chi describes our sensorial systems. What you see, hear,
feel, smell, and how you move through a space is Chi."
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7. Products, Books, and Web Site Reviews
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Books:
Find It
In 5 Seconds: Gaining Control In The Information
Age:
written by veteran professional organizer Greg Vetter.
A fabulous book that will take you step-by-step through
processing your paper flow to your email, that will guide
you through producing your to-do's and your projects,
planning your day, handling interruptions, and office set-ups.
Well written and full of humor with illustrations and even
cartoons!
This book will not only help you but also help aid all beginner
organizers with clients. It's also a GREAT reference book to
have on you bookshelf. I highly recommend this book! To
order or read more about Greg's book please click
The
Power of Place: How Our Surroundings Shape Our
Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions, By Winifred Gallagher is a
fascinating book that will take you through your outside
world, your inside world, and your relationships to all around
you. From mountaintops to subways, from the womb to
death Gallagher speaks of how we can change our lives by
changing the places we live. To get this book click:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060976020/overhallconsulti
Jeffrey J. Mayer, president of Succeeding In Business, and
author of many books, has an E-Book, "Winning
the Fight
Between You and Your Desk," that I highly recommend.
This inexpensive ebook is filled with humor; Are you a
Pilamaniac? to step-by-step instructions on Creating Master
Lists, Master Files, and Your Master File Drawer. I urge you
all to download this inexpensive but very informative ebook.
Web Sites:
Shirley Green of Personal Records Organizer,
specializing in emergency medical record organizing,
has just announced her web site that offers services to:
Retirement Age Persons and Caretakers, Middle-Aged
Persons, Parents of School-Age Children, and
Medical Personnel. Please visit her site at
Personal
Records Organizing to see how
she can help you!
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8. Jokes, Quotes, and Anecdotes
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>> There are thousands of causes for stress, and one
antidote to stress is self-expression. That's what happens to
me every day. My thoughts get off my chest, down my
sleeves and onto my pad.
--Garson Kanin
>>Stress is basically a disconnection from the earth, a
forgetting of the breath. Stress is an ignorant state. It
believes that everything is an emergency. Nothing is that
important. Just lie down.
--Natalie Goldberg
>>Keep your sense of humor. There's enough stress in the
rest of your life to let bad shots ruin a game you're supposed
to enjoy.
--Amy Strum Alcott
>>In the stress of modern life, how little room is left for that
most comfortable vanity that whispers in our ears that
failures are not faults!
Agnes Repplier (1858 - 1950)
>>A mistake in judgment isn't fatal, but too much anxiety
about judgment is.
--Pauline Kael
>>In almost everything that touches our everyday life on
earth, God is pleased when we're pleased. He wills that we
be as free as birds to soar and sing our maker's praise
without anxiety.
--A. W. Tozer
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9. Tips for Professional Organizers
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Could you use a little help around your office? Then I
suggest you get some and stop stressing yourself out, you're
not super human! TODAY check out what a virtual assistant
can do for you so you can get down to what you do best.
I've used Assistant For Hire for over a year now and I can't
tell you what a tremendous life and time saver they have
been. Check them out at Assistant
For Hire
Tell them Janet sent you!
*****Would You Like to Be a Professional Organizer? *****
Secrets of a Professional Organizer and How-To Become
One is now available as a downloadable ebook. If you'd like
to become a professional organizer and learn what it takes
to be a business owner, then check out my new book. You
can get it TODAY as a downloadable ebook and start
working on becoming a business owner and a professional
organizer. Check it out at:
http://www.overhall.com/become_an_organizer.htm
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10. May Workshop
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"The Energy of Your Space
and How-to Make it Powerful":
Awaken the Energy, Power and Spirit in your home,
office, or in your life by discovering how to declutter
and organize your spaces using Professional
Organizers tips, Space Clearing and Purification,
Feng Shui, and Meditation. Learning and using these
four principles will help you live the life of your
dreams!
May 28, 2002 (7-10 PM)
The Sharing Space in Calvert County, MD
Cost $25/person
Register at http://www.overhall.com/seminars.htm
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***** Learn How to Get FREE Publicity *****
My friend and associates Tom Antion and Joan Stewart have
put together a GREAT publicity ebook, "How to Be a Kick
Butt Publicity Hound." Learn how to get all the free publicity
you can handle with this Giant new reference training
manual. Tom and Joan reveal all their tricks and techniques
to get millions of dollars worth of free publicity. 29 Chapters
PACKED with how to's and such things as "How to Define
Your Publicity Goals, What the Media Want, Identify Story
Ideas, and much much more. Anyone that needs publicity
needs to invest in this ebook! To learn more about this or to
order, Click:
mailto:janet@overhall.com
or send to address
below.
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Smiles, not Piles,
Janet L. Hall
The Organizing Wizard
http://www.overhall.com
"If your current systems aren't working for you... get an
"OverHall"!"
Janet L. Hall is the owner of OverHall Consulting, and
Organizing By Phone, which is based out of Southern
Maryland and can be reached at 800-687-3040 or
410-586-9440, or e-mail her at
mailto:janet@overhall.com
Janet can "OverHall" your office, home, and computer
clutter and can deliver a customized speech or seminar
for your next event.
Copyright (c) 2002 by OverHall Consulting
P.O. Box 263,
Port Republic, MD 20676
All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce,
copy, or distribute OverHall IT! or any articles by Janet L.
Hall so long as article(s) is kept intact, this copyright
notice, and full information about the author is attached.
ISSN # 1533-0702.
OverHall Consulting is proud to send you the bi-monthly
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that someone has forwarded to you. If you are receiving
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free subscription, visit
http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm
Here in OverHall IT! it is my hope to help you stop
juggling areas in your life around and help you "OverHall"
the areas that might have become cluttered, ignored, or
put on the back burner. I want to help you bring back into
focus the things that are important to you. I want the
chaos to stop for you and help bring you some structure
and hopefully some useful advice and systems so you
can accomplish the most important task...running your
life!
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