The Future is Bright

May 21
Extended Networking

Most meeting evaluations ask that there be more networking time so we are responding to your requests. At the May meeting you will be invited to participate in extended networking. Learn more about your fellow chapter members. Let then know your areas of expertise. The more we know about each other the better referral sources we can be.

We will open the meeting by introducing your new Board of Directors. Also, Conference attendees will report on their conference events and experiences.

June
TBA!

Speaker not yet confirmed.

KUDOS

Our thanks to Cynthia Sliwa for the information on networking and a how-to on developing and maintaining a better business image. We will have a chance to use what we learned from Cynthia in March at our May meeting!

By Chris McKenry
Get It Together LA!
and NAPO-LA Immediate Past President

Two years? Impossible! What a difference 24 months can make. It continues to be a privilege to be associated with the best group of professionals anywhere!

I want to thank the members of NAPO-LA for their time and efforts in filming television organizing segments for ABC-7, KCAL 9, and CBS 2 during the past year. Not only our chapter, but also several of our members, have been featured in The Orange County Register, Los Angeles Times, Daily Breeze, and other valley newspapers. In July, L.A.'s Largest Mixer offered another opportunity for the business community to learn about our services.

NAPO in the Schools, which teaches organizing principles to our children, is now a national program. The EDT Committee (formerly the MET Committee) has continued to evolve and offer educational programs. In October, the first EDT workshop was held at the Professional Resources and Networking Expo and was completely sold out.

The Los Angeles Organizing Awards continues to grow and gain both regional and national attention for our members. Industry leaders from around the country attended this year, including NAPO National President Barry Izsak.

YOU made this year's "Get Organized Month" the best ever by taking part in the one-day American Cinematic organizing project. And this was only two days after 40+ chapter members attended our first Leadership Forum - a four-hour training session NAPO-LA hosted as a membership benefit.

Over 110 members and associate members of our chapter have been led this year by a dedicated, hard-working Board of Directors. It has been an enriching experience for me to be your President over the last two years and I thank you all for the opportunity. I am confident our chapter will continue to lead and grow our industry, and I look forward to John Trosko's vision and leadership.

The Educational Development Committee (EDT) is pleased to announce that another training session is scheduled for Tuesday, July 10.
When: Tuesday, July 10, 2:30-5:30 pm
Where: Westside Pavilion, corner of Pico and Olympic
Instructor: Esther Simon
Fee: $89/members $109/non-members

(Limited to 20! Please check in with Esther by 2 pm. Optional group dinner afterward to avoid traffic!)

Go to the NAPO-LA web site for more details and to register.

By Claire Flannery
Simplify
NAPO-LA Secretary
and Newsletter Editor

This year's National Conference was dynamite! The speakers were inspiring; the break-out sessions, thought-provoking; the networking, more fun than ever.

The NAPO-LA contingent (shown in above photo) included: Chantale Bordonaro, Dorothy Breininger, Robin Davi, Dina Durrer, Claire Flannery, Jean Furuya, Ann Gambrell, Lynne Gilberg, Debbie Gilster, John Harris, Carol Hogg, Cindy Kamm, Deborah Kawashima, Donna McMillan, Sheila McCurdy, Marcy Melton, Tom Nevermann, Barbara Ricketts, Diane Ridley, Glorya Schklair, Barb Schmit, Toni Scharff, Joanna Sletten John Trosko, Mishele Vieira, Jodie Watson and Tanya Whitford.

Quite a few NAPO-LA members sat for the inaugural NAPO Certification Exam. The buzz afterward was that it was not so bad, but bad enough! Those who were in study groups prior to the exam were very glad they were. The candidates for NAPO certification were sworn to secrecy and instructed not to discuss the details of the exam, so we will just have to take it ourselves to find out what it was all about.

What an awards ceremony it was! NAPO annually bestows prestigious awards on those people who have done something special for our organization. This year four NAPO-LA members took home the gold.

Glorya Schklair of The Practical Organizer (Retired) and Debbie Gilster of the Center for Growth & Productivity (photo at right) shared in receiving the President's Award for their part in helping to bring certification to the professional organizing industry. In his recognition speech, President Barry Izsak honored Glorya and Debbie who "have been primary torch bearers--the volunteers through thick and thin--kept that torch lit and brought us to what I'm sure history will prove as a pivotal moment in the evolution of this industry." Glorya started the ball rolling on the concept of NAPO certification in 1996 and laid the foundation for the entire program. In 2001-04, Debbie's role was to resurrect the original plan and get it to a point where the NAPO Board approved moving forward again with development activities.

Add to that excitement, President Izsak instituted a new award this year, the Innovator's Award, which was won by our very own Deborah Kawashima of creativeOrganizer and our formerly very-own (now of Fort Collins, Colorado), Laurie Clarke of LIfe Simplified. Together, Deborah and Laurie started the NAPO in the Schools program. Initially, it ran in the Los Angeles area only, but as word spread about the benefits of getting kids organized at an early age, interest grew and chapters in various parts of the country inquired how they, too, could initiate this program. The rest, as they say, is history. Deborah is now the Chairperson of NAPO in the Schools and Laurie is involved with the program at the college level.

And last, but not least, Barb Schmit, of Esselte, an Associate Member of NAPO-LA, took away the vendor-coveted Organizers' Choice Award for Best Business Organizing Product. Barb wowed us at an early morning seminar showcasing Pendaflex products and created such a buzz that all of the organizers present must have rushed straight to the ballot box to vote for Barb!

Amazing stories! Amazing people! Amazing chapter!

Congratulations all!

Related Articles:

by Deborah Kawashima
creativeOrganizer

For Golden Circle members, Conference is a time to recharge and reconnect with other professional organizers. This article is a compilation of the thoughts and reflections from some of NAPO-LA's veteran Golden Circle members who were interviewed while in Minneapolis.

Lynne Gilberg felt that this year proved to be "better than ever!" Robin Davi agreed, commenting that, as always, "It was an amazing event that enlightened, motivated and offered the chance to renew wonderful friendships."

Ann Gambrell's words of wisdom on how to get the most out of Conference were to "mix and mingle."

For Glorya Schklair, who shared in the winning of this year's prestigious President's Award, "Coming to conference energizes us so when we get back home, we do better and we do more."

Toni Scharff thought keynote speaker Jack Canfield, author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, was "really inspiring. He reminded us how positive thoughts can affect both physical and mental behavior."

Embracing Canfield's message, "If you can dream it, you can do it!" from his book, The Success Principles, Donna McMillan walked away with, "Nothing great happens unless we make it happen. We are responsible for our own success."

Sessions this year explored the future of organizing and offered many how-to's on expanding our businesses to the next level. "The sessions educated and inspired," said Jean Furuya, "I learned new information and felt the entire experience confirmed that together we are better." In-between sessions, Jean added that, "I was re-energized through networking."

Everyone felt like a kid in a candy store at this year's Expo, ohhing and ahhing over all the exciting new organizing products. "Expo was bigger than ever with lots of electronic products, and Barb Schmit was an amazing wonder," exclaimed Toni Scharff, "with all of her colorful Pendaflex organizing products."

According to Sheila McCurdy, Mark LeBlanc, the closing keynote speaker, "was truly inspiring." Sheila loved Mark's remark that he will look forward to returning to a NAPO National Conference as a speaker with 800+ Golden Circle members in the room. Sheila also commented, "Many sessions were just great and I'm sorry I couldn't get to all of them at once!"

Each year, conference becomes more of an important event to attend. "You always come away inspired!" quipped Tom Nevermann.

NOTE: This article is one in an on-going series of interviews with Golden Circle members.

After more than a year in NAPO-LA, I was determined to make it to my first ever NAPO National Conference. I knew it would be educational and inspiring, but there was something else I am only now realizing that I wanted from it: To feel part of the national community of organizers. I knew I would get that feeling from Conference, and I did.

My initial experience in Minneapolis was the NSGCD conference, held just before the NAPO Conference. The first person I saw there was Jean Furuya. This would become a recurring theme at both conferences: NAPO-LA members were out in force, and it was so nice to see many familiar faces.

The NSGCD group was quite large, but I was assured that "this will seem downright intimate once the big group gets here." The highlight for me was the feature presentation by Kara Swanson, entitled "O.K., Who Put the Ketchup in the Linen Closet Again?" She was a fabulous speaker, not to mention hilarious!

After NSGCD, my roommates arrived. I was so excited to have not one - but two - partners in crime and I was grateful to the chapter for connecting me to these women.

Once the NAPO conference began, I was blown away by all the people. There were lines at the front desk, lines for coffee, and lines for the bathroom. There was lots of hugging and catching up. Organizers who had become friends at past conferences grabbed at each other like school children fully enjoying this annual reunion.

The EXPO had scores of vendors displaying their wares. Although I am not a huge product enthusiast, I enjoyed browsing and collecting materials. Between vendor brochures and program directories, I lugged home more than 15 lbs. of paper!

My favorite presentations were Jack Canfield's opening keynote and K.J. McCorry's break-out session on getting your clients to change. Both were insightful and inspiring.

Throughout the week, I realized that I was picking out bits of advice that would be important to me for where I am in my business, i.e., transferring skills and marketing. Other topics (e.g., the session on alternative business models) will no doubt percolate until I'm ready for them.

Conference was an energizing experience. Interacting with so many different organizers reinforced the fact that there is no right way to approach your business; rather, it's best to tailor it to suit you. Confernce is the perfect place to collect ideas for that purpose.

I absolutely recommend attending Conference to anyone who has the chance. For me, I know it will be helpful to periodically step back from day-to-day activities, assess where I am, and consider making changes. I left Conference with a new focus, a few key things to work on, and an idea or two to try.

Until next year!

As a new professional organizer, you may want to think about working as an assistant to a seasoned organizer. Assistants are often hired to work on larger projects when the job is too big for one person alone. This is a great opportunity to learn and to gain experience along side a veteran.

Here are some guidelines to consider before taking the plunge into working as an assistant:

1. Ask how you are expected to dress for the job and follow the organizer's directions; e.g., professional/office/in-home attire.
2. Be clear about the time commitment of the project and be sure you will be available for that time period. Be responsible to see the project through to completion.
3. Discuss what your remuneration will be for your work. To gain experience, you may take a lower pay or even work gratis.
4. Be clear with the hiring organizer as to what is expected of you regarding the work as well as any communication with the client. There are some questions or situations the organizer may wish to deal with personally. When you are talking directly to the client, always maintain your professionalism. Share all client discussion, related to the project, with the organizer.
5. Be aware that on occasion there can be awkward situations. The client may share with you and you must report to the organizer such things as:

If the client knows that you are also a professional organizer and asks for your card, how much you are being paid, etc., you must politely explain that any such questions are to be directed to the organizer. Always be professional as you represent both the organizer and the profession.

No matter what the circumstance, it is never ethical to try to acquire the client where you are working as an assistant. If the organizer chooses to ask you to work individually with the client at a later time for maintenance, etc., you may consider doing so.

If you are contemplating working as an assistant, you need to enter the experience with the idea of being a strong part of the team. You will benefit immensely, learn a lot and, if other people are working on the project, have fun as well.

I have used many assistants in the 15 years that I have specialized in working with clients who are moving from one home to the next. Our goal as organizers is for our clients to have as stress-free an experience as possible. We love to hear "I couldn't have done it without you!" at the end of the day. You can be a member of the team creating that successful experience.

by Ann Gambrell
Creative Time-Plus
and Golden Circle Liaison

Eighteen members of the Los Angeles area Golden Circle met in April for a garden party luncheon at the Downey home of Sally Hulem. Donna McMillan was the co-host.

Two new members were welcomed: Carol Keller, who has recently relocated here from Oregon, and long-time NAPO-LA member, Lynne Gilberg.

After some discussion, the group decided to assemble a resource directory to use with and for clients. Marilyn Crouch volunteered to collect the information from members to create the roster.

Jane Reifer offered to research disability insurance available to organizers and to report on it at the next meeting. Bonding and liability insurance were also topics of discussion.

Jean Furuya reported on the upcoming training sessions offered through the Educational Development Committee (formerly the MET committee). Golden Circle members Dolores Kaytes and Esther Simon will present workshops which will be open to all organizers.

Those attending were very generous with organizing tips for the Golden Circle Tips Project. In all, 16 tips were collected.

The next Golden Circle meeting will be held on July 14 and will be hosted by Jean Furuya and Ann Gambrell.

For more information on Golden Circle,
contact Ann Gambrell
Email: gambrellann@aol.com

Follow the Leader

If you are struggling with how to categorize a room, closet or cabinet, follow the lead of major retailers. Pay attention to how stores are organized and mimic them as much as possible. This works for types of clothing in a closet, types of products in a bathroom, or types of tools or food in a kitchen. Labeling takes this to the next level and an added bonus is that shopping becomes less time-consuming and frustrating because you can find things more easily.

Gift Wrap Central

When rolls of gift wrap don't fit anywhere, put them into an attractive shopping bag, throw in a zip-type bag of ribbons, and hang the bag on a coat hanger in the corner of a closet.

About the TIPS Program:
NAPO-LA's TIPS Program is managed by the chapter's Golden Circle members. Ann Gambrell is the chair and invites all chapter members to submit their organizing tips via email or on index cards that will be available at the monthly chapter meetings for deposit into the "Organizing Tips" box.

TIPS are requested in two categories:

The turn-out at the 2007 NAPO Conference went far beyond expectations as NAPO in the Schools held its first committee meeting. The room was packed with more than 10% of this year's total conference attendees (about 85 organizers) all excited and eager to hear about the new program. The Task Force members shared some of the program being developed for elementary, middle school and high school.

NAPO in the Schools is committed to bringing professional organizers into the schools to teach students the benefits and strategies of getting organized at an early age. The elementary school program focuses on helping kids to manage their things. Middle school's emphasis is on paper management and keeping track of individual assignments. For high school, it's time management and being responsible for their own schedules.

The reception at Conference was phenomenal with everyone buzzing about bringing NAPO in the Schools to their chapters and presenting this program in their local schools when it rolls out this fall.

As Chairperson for NAPO in the Schools, I was honored to have Donna Goldberg of NAPO-NY, author of The Organized Student, attend the meeting and share her enthusiasm and commitment to help make this program really work.

Laurie Clarke (formerly of NAPO-LA, now of NAPO-CO ) was there to give her continued support and talk about the College Task Force Program she currently chairs.

Laurie and I were surprised and honored to receive the first-ever NAPO Innovator Award for our efforts in bringing organizing into the schools. None of this could have happened without Barry Izsak's vision for this program as well as his understanding of its possibilities. Barry took a stand for us to make this happen and I am pleased and privileged to be expanding this program on the national level.

On the local front, NAPO in the Schools is looking for additional members to join us. This is an excellent opportunity to volunteer and get involved with our chapter. We are building our committee now. NAPO-LA members interested either in volunteering or in recommending a school or teacher who would benefit from having NAPO in the Schools come to their classroom, please contact me.

Email: deborah@creativeorganizer.com
Phone: 323-656-9665

Leslie Haber
An Organized Life
Los Angeles


Michelle Ries
Squared Away Organizational Services
Los Angeles

NOTE: "Warm Welcome" is a new feature of The Los Angeles Organizer. If you just joined NAPO-LA, be sure to get your photo taken at the next chapter meeting! Or email your photo to the Editor along with your name, your business name, where you live, and the date you joined.Send to cflannery@napola.org

If you are a member of NAPO-LA working consistently and on an ongoing basis with chronically disorganized clients, you are invited to participate in an informal support group. Our topic of discussion will be "Backsliding and Maintenance Strategies."

This meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 12, from 6 - 8:30 pm.

A simple potluck is planned.

To RSVP or for more information, contact Jean Furuya
Email: jean@theofficejeanie.com
Phone: 310-316-1753

Did you know that garage organization has become the fastest growing segment in the multi-billion dollar home improvement industry? And what's the hottest garage-organizing product on the market? Overhead storage racks.

For those organizers who work with residential clients in need of more storage but who don't want the hassle of a major remodel, OrganizIT! offers the perfect solution: overhead storage racks!

Almost every homeowner has wasted space in the garage that is not being utilized. Garage overhead storage racks take advantage of this wasted space to make it extremely valuable.

The racks are perfect to store holiday decorations, legal boxes, suitcases and bulky items that won't fit in cabinets. Made of high-quality industrial steel, the racks come in a variety of sizes to meet your client's needs. The largest units measure 8' x 4' and can hold upwards of 600 lbs of weight. They have a wire-grid deck to help locate items from below; add-on accessories are available to hang items from underneath; e.g., a ladder, folding tables, bikes and skis.

So the next time you have a client who is in need of more storage, just walk out into the garage, look up, and think "overhead storage racks!"

John Trosko of OrganizingLA was named a "feature contributor" in the March issue of Instinct Magazine, the largest monthly American magazine geared towards gay men. Trosko offered up tips on getting organized and merging the households of same-sex couples. Trosko also created an online bonus piece with his favorite organizing products. In addition, Trosko recorded a February podcast for the "Smart Answers" segment at BusinessWeek.com. In January, Trosko's OrganizingLA Blog received a prestigious mention from Steve Rubel, an influential PR strategist and blogger. Delight.com also featured Trosko's Blog in its February newsletter mailed to over 10,000 subscribers.

The Educational Development Committee (formerly the Mentoring, Education and Training Committee) has provided a listing of organizing consultants in NAPO-LA who are available to provide guidance, advice and support to potential, new, and existing professional organizers.

If you are interested, contact the consultants directly for information and fees. NAPO-LA provides the listings only and has no involvement with the consultant and/or the organizer or client. Click below for details:

Met Classifieds