How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cloud

Several years ago, I had a client who used her computer to schedule our appointments. Ok, that wasn’t too exciting – I’ve looked at the calendar apps on computers, but they weren’t really for me. Then she told me that she was using something different: Google calendar. What she loved about it was that her son also used Google calendar – it came with each of their gmail accounts – and they had linked their calendars together. He could see when she was on a business trip and needed his help taking care of her dog, and she could see when her grandson’s birthday party was and not forget the date. I wasn’t sure what I made of this at the time – I was still lugging around my large planner and using a pencil to mark appointments!

Then I got a smart phone where I had a calendar and could put my appointments in that. My shoulder certainly appreciated not lugging that planner around, yet accessing the calendar on the phone was not always convenient. If I was talking to someone and needed to consult my schedule, I either needed to put on the headset or use the speaker and hope that as I navigated this new device I would not inadvertently hang-up on the person.

This is when I started using Google calendar for myself. I could still use my phone to put appointments in, but I could also open up my computer, take the same information, and put in what I needed. Truthfully using the computer for Google calendar is easier – I have access to a full keyboard and scheduling repeating events is simpler. My husband started using Google calendar at the same time, and it provides an easy way for he and I to share our schedules with each other. If one of us wants to make plans for the night, we can check the other’s schedule to see if they’re available or not.

Google calendar was my first foray into cloud computing. The calendar is stored out on the Internet on a secure server, where it is backed up regularly. This is what is called the cloud. To access it, all I need is access to the Internet. All I need to do is log into Google with my e-mail user name and password, go to the calendar, and all my information is there. This is great because if I was visiting my mom and didn’t want to boot up my computer, I could just use hers. It is also wonderfully free and I’m actually saving money since I no longer need to buy a paper calendar for my purse.

It does not matter whether you use a PC or a Mac, Droid or iPhone, Google calendar will function with whatever you use it with. Some devices – like my phone – will even access it with their own calendar app. I helped a client learn about Google calendar recently – it will sync with her new smart phone and we set up her schedules, with a reminder beep to keep her on track. That ability to set an alarm, at the time you want, is another feature I really appreciate.

Too often, I’m a little paranoid about losing data. That is another reason I appreciate cloud computing, although there is always a risk of losing information – the information “living” out in the cloud means that it’s more likely to be accessible. In this case, if something were to happen to my phone, my appointments are available by using another device to access the Internet.

In my blog, I’ll be exploring a different cloud computing app each month. Here are a couple of the ones I’ll talk about fairly soon:

Delicious
Dropbox
Evernote

Soon, hopefully you, too, will learn to stop worrying (about your data) and love the cloud (computing). 🙂

One of My Favorite Things – Containers

My husband knows me well – he used to bring home containers of various types for me. You see, other than media, one of my favorite things is containers. I ooh and aah over them, drooling. They come in many different sizes and shapes, then there’s the material they’re made out of and if they’re drawers or boxes. How I long to take them home with me! There’s no denying how useful and helpful they can be.

My husband has also stopped bringing home those containers for me. We’ve run out of space and use for them – at least for the time being. This certainly doesn’t stop me from yearning to pick more up. Every so often I’ll still get more, like that time I went to the thrift store – I got a basket and a cute little elephant that just had to come home with me.

What we need to do is make sure that we know specifically what we need and only then purchase those things. I talk generally about when to buy things in a previous blog, True Purchasing Power. When it comes to containers and other organizing supplies though, we often buy first. It almost seems counter-intuitive to buy containers late in the process of getting organized. Yet this is exactly what you need to do.

An extreme example is getting a file cabinet. You see all these piles of papers around and just “know” that you’ll need a 4-drawer filing cabinet. You go out and get it and even have a place to put it. Then you start going through all those papers – and discover that most do not need to be filed. You actually only needed a 2-drawer filing cabinet. You could have saved yourself money by waiting.

We tend to fill the available space – so if you have a 4-drawer cabinet but don’t really require it, you’ll probably end up putting stuff in there – whether you keep unnecessary papers or you drop random things in there later. This applies to any of our spaces, therefore buying what you need becomes even more important and will help avoid things getting inadvertently cluttered. As an aside, many organizers claim that we ahould not have more than one 2-drawer file cabinet for papers.

As you begin to get organized, you’ll see that it changes many things. It’s great to start with some ideas of how you want things to be and look after you’ve finished. Yet, as you work through various things, your ideas begin to change. You have the freedom to decide that you want to move something to another room – not just furniture but also what activities you’ll focus on. Then those containers might not work as well.

If you avoid getting containers before you get organized, you are free to figure out how and where you’ll keep things without being limited by the container you’ve already purchased and without any guilt! In this day and age, you have such a plethora of choices of not only container, but also how to store things – like the ottoman that doubles as file storage (as long as you don’t mind the price!) – so waiting until you know precisely what you need to handle and where you want it to go is critical.

Feel free to drool over all the nifty stuff out there for organizing, yet resist the temptation to buy any of it until you know how you will use it and that it will actually work for your needs. I certainly continue to salivate and contemplate whether I could use those organizing supplies.

Make It Fun

Is fun missing from your life? I know I feel sometimes that life has become more drudgery than anything else. And the truth is that you need to find ways to bring real fun back into your life. Although I might be able to help inspire you to find some fun in general, right now, I want to talk about bringing a little fun to the various things that we need to do in our homes. If we can make our chores less tedious, we’ll be more likely to get them done.

I encourage you to brainstorm your own ideas for making things more fun. Therefore, to help get those creative juices flowing, I’ll share some of the ideas I’ve used and ones that have worked for others. Use them for yourself if they interest you.

I’ve mentioned before that I am not an avid cleaner. I also record TV shows to watch at a later point, often enjoying the ability to fast-forward through commercials. I now use those commercials as a perfect time to get some vacuuming done. I look up periodically to see when the show starts again. That is my cue to stop for the moment. I then use that time to move things either out of the way, or back into place. Our rooms are small, so the whole room is easily vacuumed within two commercial breaks. It doesn’t necessarily make it fun, but it does help it feel less tedious. It also stops the task from feeling overwhelming; I work at it for a limited amount of time and then stop for while.

Teamwork is a great way to make tasks more fun – even having company can help tasks feel more fun. This can work in several different ways – from the actually doing the work with someone else to simply working in the same area on different tasks. Another way to apply this idea is to have a phone buddy. Before starting anything, you talk on the phone, sharing what you’re each going to tackle and agree on a time to call back. You then hang up and begin your tasks. You can imagine what they are doing and can look forward to talking later. The key here is that if one of you doesn’t actually work on those tasks, you wait to talk.

I often play music while working on the various things around the house. I’ve heard back from clients that this has helped them as well. (It of course varies depending on the person.) Going through papers are one of the most tedious tasks, and surprisingly draining. One woman found that if she had music playing, she could sort papers for longer periods of time as it made it more enjoyable. As my music tastes are quite eclectic, I vary the type of music – considering my mood as well as my task.

Be sure to have different tools for bringing fun to your tasks, so that our fun things don’t become routine! Then it’s not fun anymore. Mix it up, have alternatives, and explore what works for you.

Of course, anytime we can make our tasks enjoyable, the more likely we are to get them done and feel good about it. I hope you will find ways to make your tasks fun – let your creative juices flow in finding ways that work for you. The holidays are here, and if we can employ ways to make the things we do more fun, it can only help us enjoy the holidays even more.

Tweaking Systems for Yourself

Is there a “right” way to organize something? If you’ve been reading my blog for any time, you’ll know that my answer to that is a passionate NO! The most important question is whether it actually works for you. If you and the people who need to use it are successful, that is all that matters. Often it is challenging to find the systems that will work for you. Goodness knows there are so many “solutions” offered – from books to the Internet, maybe even your mother!

As people promote their solutions, it frequently falls into two categories: the direct outlining of a “do it this way” approach or the more vague “figure out how to do it your way.” Of the two, I’m certainly more of a fan of the later, though this can leave the person searching for those solutions feeling no better off than when they started looking.

Yet we can use those “do it this way” approaches as a place to start. If there is one that draws you – for its simplicity or its logic, whatever it might be, begin thinking about how this would apply in your situation. Then alter it to fit you and your situation better. One of the keys to doing this is to keep it as simple as possible. The more complex we make things, the more likely they are to break down.

I was working with a woman who had found a system for paperwork – break everything down into five categories. I’ll admit this was one system that I’d never heard of and the categories suggested did not completely make sense to me. In my mind I saw a fair amount of possibility of overlap and hence potential trouble in retrieving papers.

Yet the question is not whether this system made sense to me (never mind that I was unfamiliar with it!), it was about whether it worked for that individual. When I talked about setting up filing systems, I’ve been a fan of having some broad categories. What those specific categories are can vary from person to person. If you liked four of those five broad categories, go with only those four. Or even change the fifth to something entirely different that applies to you.

I mention FlyLady to clients sometimes. They come back and talk to me about this or that part of it. They find parts irrelevant or even dislike parts. When we are looking at ways of handling things, from cleaning the house to getting organized, we need to feel like we can follow our own path. FlyLady stresses many different aspects of things: from shining your sink to wearing your shoes to routines for parts of your day. If some don’t make sense for you, ignore them or alter them to mesh with your life.

As you search for the solutions to your organizational challenges, make sure first and foremost that you don’t overwhelm yourself searching through all that’s out there! You could do that for a long time while getting no closer to your own solutions. Next, embrace the idea that you take those specific solutions others’ promote and change them to fit you. There is truly no one right way of being organized and tweak systems until they work for you.

Being Organized is Not Necessarily being Clean and Vice Versa

Do you want to know a secret? It’s not something I’m proud of – I dislike cleaning. I love organizing and always clean as a process of organizing. There’s no better time to get everything spic and span than as you set up new systems. Sometimes clients will ask me, “Of course, your house is always clean, right?” There is a big difference between being organized and being clean, though both flourish with being part of a routine.

Do you know anyone whose house is always immaculate, yet if you get a glimpse of one of their drawers, it is overflowing with stuff? Or there is a room that is off limits, while the rest of the house is pristine? Then there’s our house – you will probably see fuzz balls in corners and décor items will not pass that white glove test! Of course, there are people who have both or neither mastered.

Dusting every week is something I just don’t want to do. As I looked at my behavior and feelings, it occurred to me that I was trying to make myself do the cleaning like my mom had me clean – each week we’d clean the house, all in one day. Here we are back to the idea of finding what works for you, we can change the ways we do things to fit with our personality.

First, I looked at where I cleaned easily. I get the dishes done regularly, though not the way my mom would do it. It works for us. Vacuuming certain areas of the house – where the cat hair dominates – is done fairly regularly. I congratulated myself for the things I do well, even in the realm of cleaning.

Then I examined my preference for cleaning as part of having things cleared out. A great time for cleaning the bathroom was when I washed the towels. The bathroom was cleared of them then and was a great time to dig in and get everything spic and span before I put the fresh towels back in.

Next, I found FlyLady and she presents the idea that we can do a little bit of cleaning each day and break the house into zones. In the way she developed this system, over the course of a month your house is actually cleaned more thoroughly than if you set aside a day for cleaning each week. I tweaked her set up to fit with our house and my style, but the idea of doing a little every day I could actually enjoy doing! For those who need it, she includes de-cluttering in her system.

Have I mastered cleaning? Nope, but it is a process and in setting up new systems, it takes time. Also, I continue to look at what is not working, with curiosity, to see if there is another piece I could tweak.

Maybe you do not struggle with cleaning, though this is an example of how to approach whatever you might struggle with and discover an approach that will work for you. Make sure you recognize where you succeed and give yourself a congratulations. When you identify how things fit for you, you can develop systems for getting a handle on those things you’ve struggled with. If you can limit the self-criticism, you can keep an open mind about finding solutions, as you need them.

Passing Up the Good Deals, or Not

I’m a sucker for a good deal, like many of us out there. Are you one of those that can’t pass up a great deal? The thrift stores and yard sales offer these products at a fraction of the price – it is so cheap. Even the stores offering us huge sales can tempt us.

My husband was reminding me of many years ago being inside a Michael’s where they had a huge clearance aisle. I stocked up on this various items, “it is just a good deal, do you realize how much these things cost at regular price?” We came home with many items, and as he reminded me of some of the specific items, most were ones I had not used. I even had some that I had put into a give away pile because they would not be used.

This came up because I had just gone to a couple of thrift stores the previous night with a friend. I was telling him what I had bought. Some of that old temptation for the great deal was still with me, yet I had resisted many items. My mindset and approach have changed.

First, I knew that I would be heading to the thrift stores with my friend. I planned – I thought about what it was that I needed and wanted. I had a couple of specific things, including size and style, which I wanted to look for. I had a purpose for going though just a couple of small items. I did not even grab a basket or cart when we entered and started wandering.

I perused the store offerings, pleased at how I was avoiding the temptation to get more and more things. Then a couple of things I was not looking for caught my eye. I stopped and looked and moved on. Then I walked by again. And again.

As I was admiring these two items, I thought about their practicality. One was a beautiful wall shelf with cubbies, only $1.79. I could not believe how inexpensive it was; especially considering the condition it was in. I liked the style. I was not crazy about the color, but painting something is so easy. I ended up leaving it there. I “collect” shelves, or I should say that I have collected them. I already have a couple sitting in storage and it is almost guaranteed that I will ooh and ahh over any that I see! As I was admiring it, I knew there was no perfect place for it to go in our home.

While on the other hand, I did go home with an elephant planter type thing. (Now I really like elephants, and have remarkably little knickknacks of them.) Yet, as I was looking at this elephant, I wanted to pet his trunk. He made me smile as I walked by him. It looks like he was never used, and the planter type feature can be functional in other aspects, since it is essentially just a bowl. He also was a good deal, only $1.49, and he now has a new home with me.

Here he is:

I also picked up the couple of items I was hoping to find. I am even excited since I had been thinking about getting a basket at a retail store, but I found the size and style I needed at the thrift store. That certainly saved me some money. Now I don’t even need to look at another store. Yeah!

As we consider what to spend our money on, and are offered these great deals, we need to stop and think about the consequences of what we bring into our homes. Obviously, I’m not advocating resisting all temptation. I shared how I bought something I was not intending to, yet it was more practical and more about a love. Go in with a plan and control how much excess stuff finds its way into your home!

Consider What Your Time is Worth

What is your time worth? What would come up with, if you break it down into a monetary value? Everything we do costs us time and energy. There are things that we value so personally that it would be worth anything to be able to do. Your career may not even pay you what you determine is your worth, though I speaking now about how we use our personal time. Time is limited, we all have the same amount, and how we choose to spend it needs to reflect and enhance what we value.

There are restrictions since most of us have limited money to delegate all the unwanted tasks to someone else. Nevertheless, considering both money and time as having limitations, we can make choices about how we spend both of these. If there is something that you just love to do, that you get a sense of pleasure and accomplishment from doing, it is likely this is something that will never be worth paying someone else to do. The things that we value most will help determine where you might spend your money.

If you enjoy cleaning the house, you get a great sense of pleasure and accomplishment from handling that, you would not consider hiring someone to come in and do that for you. On the other hand, I had a client that struggled to clean and after some things changed financially, she was able to hire someone to come in twice a month. She raved about what a difference it made to her and what a luxury. It had the added benefit of helping her keep on top of her clutter since she picked up regularly so the cleaning lady could do her job.

Sometimes we need to pay for services –due to our own limitations. I had a client who had Peapod deliveries for heavy and bulky items that she could just not handle, while she still did other grocery shopping. This was a benefit for her since it was too taxing otherwise. She recognized that her health was more valuable than her money – what was her money there for besides helping her live a fuller life?

As we consider the idea of what your time and energy are worth, we need to think about your skills. If you already know how to do something, you know how long it is likely to take. You will also know whether you dread doing it or you look forward to it – or most likely something in-between these two extremes. At some point, it is worth asking yourself whether it would be more valuable to you if you could just pay someone to do it.

Changing the oil in your car is a prime example for many people. It is not difficult, yet the minor cost and speed of many shops that change oil means that more people take the car in rather than spend the time and energy to do it themselves. This is a good example of deciding what your time and energy are worth.

On the other hand, you may not already have the knowledge about how to do something. Unless it is something that requires extensive skills, you can consider learning how to do it yourself. This promotes brain health and self-esteem. It also takes additional time and energy since you need to research what it will take. Sometimes you won’t do it correctly the first time and will need to re-do it – more time and energy. That is not to say that it is not worth the effort, just that this needs to be considered as you contemplate how to spend your resources.

Paying someone means that the project will likely be done in a fraction of the time though will likely be more expensive. This is why thinking about the value of our time is important. Is there something else that you’d rather spend your time working on?

Consider what your efforts cost you – the time and effort something takes you and then factor in what the personal value to YOU would be if you paid someone else to do that same thing. When we think about how much our time is worth, it can alter the way we think about things. Money is meant to spent, we cannot take it with us in the end, so if we use it in ways to maximize our time, pursuing our goals and priorities, we are using it for it’s best purposes.

Creating a Digital Filing Cabinet with a Scanner

From the moment my computer connected to the Internet almost 20 years ago, I started saving most of the e-mails that I received. I organized and archived the information. I began daydreaming about converting much of the paperwork around me to digital. I didn’t even own a scanner at that point, so it would have required extensive typing. Then several years ago, when I joined NAPO, I started seeing discussions of scanners and digital filing systems, specifically The Neat Company and Fujitsu ScanSnap. Beyond the actual monetary price of these systems, there are other costs to consider.

Beginning with the upfront, actual cost – the desktop versions range start at $400- and the mobile versions start at $200- so it is an investment not only of your money but your time. They can be helpful for businesses in organizing paperwork and working toward the goal of going paperless.

I adore the idea of these for myself. Then I was talking with my husband about them and how much we could use them. How much more organized we could become and get all digitized to boot! He had envisioned how helpful they could be for having access to reports easily without needing to physically carry around a huge folder. The files that they create are searchable (the extent varies between products) and readable by PDF readers.

I saw myself obsessing about getting all the information into the system. I could then spend hours, or more likely days, organizing it. I could keyword the various files and start shredding the growing pile of papers no longer needed. We could eliminate so much paperwork, making it all digital and I wouldn’t even have to type things out. It takes time to set everything up and then the time to “get caught up” with all the things we want to scan.

What is my time worth? Would it be worth your time? Any time you invest in a new organizational system, it takes time and energy to put it into effect. The new toy and revolutionary tool tempts us with the idea that it will solve our struggles. There are certainly situations where this tool is useful and the best alternative. They’ve been designed so that anyone who wants to pay the money can use it, regardless of their purpose.

One of the things I do as a volunteer, is to scan a sheet once a month to e-mail into the office. I also add the information from that sheet into my own spreadsheet. In addition, I have a file with that original sheet, since that sheet is clearer than the scanned sheet. Oh, and I keep a copy of each e-mail with that attachment. How many copies of this one piece of data do I need? I have fallen into the trap of digital clutter, which I only recently recognized. (I’ve been doing this for almost three years!)

I cannot help but wonder – having this wonderful ability to have so many things digitally available, does that not increase our ability to “hoard?” Those digital files don’t really take up that much space, right? There is no visible clue that we are holding onto more than we actually need. It would be simple to forget about the things that were supposed to be only temporary. Those “what if I need this one day” questions entice us to simple scan it in, adding clutter. Maybe only to our hard drive, but clutter is clutter.

Despite some of the possible detractions, I will keep this technology in mind. It is not for me at this moment, but I am still tempted. That physical cost is more than I am willing to spend and I need to plan how to not lose my time to it when we do get it. I might sound like a broken record, but whatever tool luring us with making our lives easier comes with caveats. The more I look around, the more I am aware of these temptations for making our lives easier have hidden costs that come with them.

Everyone Should Read … Crucial Conversations

In case you haven’t noticed, I do not make such absolute statements often. In fact, I dislike and disagree with most statements that leave little room for flexibility. Yet, I keep finding myself thinking that this book, Crucial Conversation: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, & Al Switzler, is a book that everyone should read. Period.

The first time that I was aware of thinking that everyone should read this book was at one of my ToastMaster’s meetings. I approached one of the members after the meeting. I was not angry or frustrated, I felt compassion for the situation I knew that person was in, and that I needed to speak up about some of my own limits. They ended up walking away from me after looking down dejectedly and saying “yeah.” I felt bad; it did not go the way I had intended. In no way did I want that person to feel bad, what I did want was for certain things to not happen again.

This is one of the reasons I am sure that the book stresses that it should be referred to regularly, using it as a workbook. Many pieces play into having a successful crucial conversation. Then you have to factor in the other person and their state of mind. I had managed to use some of the tools they talk about, but definitely needed to pay more attention to some others.

One of the things that I appreciated about the book was that it did not feel like they were blaming anyone. What mattered was that it was a situation between two people, and both people needed to be in a place to have the conversation. It does offer some tools to help you set the stage so that the other person can feel comfortable having the conversation. In truth, we know that we can only change ourselves, so the focus is on providing skills to us, the reader.

Throughout the book, there are stories, from the business setting to the home. These show how to use the skills they are talking about and illustrate their points well. Those examples helped me stay interested. Although it is a “business” book, it was an engaging read. Anybody can apply these skills in whatever situation.

A lot of us probably know many of these points, yet it is put together in a cohesive way that can increase the success of the conversations we have. Even if we do know all the information, it does not mean that we could not use some refreshers on those points. Having a successful crucial conversation is a complicated process. I would wager that not many of us do it as often as we would like!

Given my interaction at ToastMaster’s I had an immediate framework for what I had failed to do. The timing/place was wrong, since I approached at the end of the meeting while there were still a number of people milling around, it would not be as private. I also think that I did not make it “safe” enough, I was not as clear as I could have been that I sympathized with the reasoning behind their actions. Of course, I was also not finished with the book; I was apparently eager to try the things I was learning.

I appreciate the Crucial Skills newsletter from VitalSmarts and have been enjoying seeing the authors answering questions about different situations. It keeps many of the various skills in the forefront of my mind. I am also excited to read the next book, Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Bad Behavior.

If we could all master the skills presented in this book, the world would be even more amazing place with much less conflict. We would probably all be much happier too since we could comfortably speak up about the things bothering us and be heard. It all starts small; will you pick this book up?

Professional Organizer – 4 Questions Answered

I’ve been trying to write about what makes a professional organizer. It can be challenging since there are differing opinions and I want to be as unbiased as possible yet am passionate about it! In many ways I could go on endlessly talking about various aspects, yet I am going to try to cover the points that I think are the most important as well as some of the things to consider.

There are a few questions that I think are worth answering:
* What qualifies someone to be a professional organizer?
* How does someone become a professional organizer?
* Who needs a professional organizer?
* If you are thinking about hiring an organizer, do you know what to look for?

There are varying opinions about some of the details of what makes a professional organizer. Since it is a relatively new profession, there are no qualifications per se. Many people say that what qualifies someone is that they have a talent for helping people get organized. This is undeniably important, who would want to hire a professional organizer who cannot do that? Organizers can come from any background and have different expertise. This leads us to the next question.

Anyone can become a professional organizer. Yes, anyone can. The person down the block can hang up a sign or build a website and proclaim themselves a “professional organizer.” This is one area where I have strong feelings and I wish there were more restrictions and it was not open to just anybody. The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) has created a Code of Ethics for members to follow. They also offer classes for training and continuing education. Anyone can pay the membership fee and become a member of NAPO. Most states also have a local chapter of NAPO. Being a member suggests that there is commitment to the profession.

Then we come to, who needs a professional organizer? Anyone who feels that they need or want help dealing with any or all of their spaces can benefit. If someone feels stuck and is having problems completing or even setting up an area, having a professional organizer come in can help get past the difficulty. Sometimes it’s simply wanting someone by your side as you deal with the stuff. In many ways I have to chuckle to myself, since there are apparently many people who think that only “hoarders” need an organizer. A client was telling me how she was raving to her co-workers about working with me. She mentioned that several of them turned to her and asked with shock on their faces, “Are you one of those hoarders?” She apparently tried to explain that you do not need piles of stuff around to benefit from working with a professional organizer. What it comes down to is that if you think you could need assistance, a professional organizer can help, no matter how small or large the struggle.

Now, I think the most important question, what to look for when you are hiring a professional organizer. If you are going to hire a professional organizer, they are going to be standing by your side as you go through your things. This is challenging for most people, and understandably so.

This is why the most important thing to look for when you decide to hire a professional organizer is feeling relatively comfortable with them. If you are likely to feel uncomfortable, this can be hard to judge.

Do you appreciate their philosophy? The blog and/or newsletter can reveal their attitudes and beliefs.

Do you feel like you can relate to them? What are people saying about working with them? This is why most websites have a testimonial page; it gives people insight into other’s experiences working with that organizer.

The more nervous you might be at the thought of having a virtual stranger in your home, the more difficult it can be to be objective. Unfortunately I do not have an answer for that, you need to be ready to take the risk!

I have seen other posts on this very topic. I do not think that having an organizer that gives speeches makes them more qualified. I give speeches, and it is a great way to get out there and share my passion and philosophy, but using that as the basis for hiring me seems too simplistic. Likewise for being involved in the local chapter of NAPO. These things do not make me an expert at coming into someone’s home and helping them to create systems that bring organization. While the qualifications and requirements remain loose, it is that much more important to look for someone who fits your style, personality, and values.

What would you look for – first and foremost?