Training for Professional Organisers

Want to become a Professional Organiser?  It’s a great career and one that I enjoy immensely.  The good news is that I run training for Professional Organisers.

This intense one day course teaches you how to successfully consult as a Professional Organiser.  The course has been a huge success with participants last year who learned valuable information and developed crucial skills from one of the best in the business, in fact, one of the graduates is now working at ‘SORTED!’.

You will leave this course equipped to consult with confidence as a Professional Organiser.  You don’t have to learn the hard way – this course makes becoming a Professional Organiser easy, so fast track your success!  We even use real case studies.

Thanks so much Lissanne!  I am so happy I made the trip.  You gave me just what I needed.
Marguerite

Had a blast, learned a heap! Great meeting you – the day was inspirational and motivating.  I am so excited.  Hardly slept a wink last night!
Jan

Absolutely one of the best workshop training environments I have ever experienced. Very well delivered and my attention never strayed. I feel so informed of the industry and confident in whatever path I take.

This was the best foundation I could have asked for! I have been soooo inspired ever since!
Michelle

If you’re interested in Professional Organiser training, note down these dates and email us for more information (see below)

TRAINING DATES FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2009:
1.    Friday 28th August  2009 – SYDNEY
2.    Friday 30th October 2009 – MELBOURNE

For details, please email lissanne@sorted.net.au and we’ll forward you full details.  Places are strictly limited in this small class, so it’s first in, best dressed!

Order & Disorder

I love this picture – it’s me and Barry Izsak, former NAPO president and founder of Arranging it All in Texas.  We’re at the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria).  What a great exhibition for two organisers – “Order & Disorder!)

Barry and his partner, Dan, recently had a holiday in Australia, and I was happy to tour them about.  We had such fun!  Dan took some great pictures.  They are “lovely” and hilarious fun.  Funny when you drop friends at the airport though – you miss them the second you walk away.

I look forward to seeing them both at NAPO conference in Florida!  “lovely”!  (I use the word lovely because it’s not common in the American lexicon)

Author Talks – Melbourne

Join me for author talks thanks to Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corp.

Seats are limited, so be quick! Signed copies of my book, SORTED! The Ultimate Guide to Organising your life – once and for all will be  available for sale on the night.
When:  Tuesday 10 February
6.30pm – 8.00pm
Where: The Pines Library
The Pines Shopping Centre, Cnr Reynolds & Blackburn Rds, East Doncaster

When:  Thursday 12 February
6.30pm – 8.00pm
Where: Box Hill Library
1040 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
Cost: Free
Bookings: Essential
Enquiries/Bookings:
9841 0555 (The Pines) or
9890 1002 (Box Hill)

Controlled chaos at the White House

Happy Inauguration week!  (I can’t say inauguration day because my internet has been down for days).  What a spectacular time in history; I’m thrilled to be witness to such positive change in the United States.  Hope is one of my favourite words and I wouldn’t be without it.
I was excited to read in the NY Times about the way the changeover at The White House happens on Inauguration Day.  Within a matter of hours, all the personal belongings are shipped in / out (the incumbent / the elect).  But what does that take?  ALL HANDS ON DECK!  All 93 White House staff are assigned a task and have precious little time to complete it.  What amazing organising skills that would take!

The NY Times article tells a great story about moving day:
…when Bill Clinton was inaugurated in 1993, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s personal assistant decided to hand-carry Mrs. Clinton’s inaugural ball gown from Blair House to the Executive Mansion for safekeeping. Mrs. Clinton’s mother, Dorothy Rodham, put it away — unbeknownst to the residence staff. When Mrs. Clinton went to get dressed, the gown was nowhere to be found.

“It was found in a matter of 15 minutes,” Mr. Walters said, “but it was 15 minutes of sheer panic.”

What about you?  Have you ever had something go missing on moving day?  Or had someone else move something (well intended) without your knowledge?  Or had a smooth move…. I’d love to hear!

Label makers

Do you use an electronic label maker? I do, and I just purchased a standard refill tape. It was $24. $24! That seems pretty expensive to me ($3 a metre). I purchased from a large retail chain who specialise in this kind of product, and unlike printers, there are no generic options for consumables. What do you think? Are we getting ripped off? Or do you think that consumables are fair cop? Love to know your thoughts.

Get your life organized – for under $10

HOT NEWS!  Barnes and Noble are having an “after holiday sale” and the American version of my book is on sale for just USD$5.99.  And it’s a hardcover! What a STEAL!  Shipping is free if you spend $25 so you could grab a few extra as gifts and tuck them away for later in the year.

Here’s a sneak preview from the dust jacket:

What’s in your junk drawer?

After reading this book you’ll have a plan to clear the mess and reorder the rest.

You’ll learn how to:

• Assemble your own professional organizer’s toolkit.
• Get rid of unwanted items without the guilt of trashing them.
• Discover the ultimate desk layout.
• Sort that tower of paper on your dining room table, without losing your mind.
• Create a functional junk drawer. Yes—you can have one!
• Rotate your child’s toys to free up space and keep your kids better stimulated.
• And tons more!

Forget what your grandmother taught you: Being organized is not about throwing everything out.  Even if the thought of straightening out your entire life makes you want to lie down with a cold rag on your forehead (ho many pairs of shoes do you own again?, start by clearing off enough shelf space for this one little book, sorted!  It will be all the motivation you need.

Don’t think you’re a “neat” person?  Not important.  According to professional organizer Lissanne Oliver, neatness if merely visual order.  True organization is efficient older: having what you need, when you need it.  Not having to waste time and money finding or replacing those errant items in your day.  You’ll have more time to enjoy your life and extra energy (and money) to pursue the activities you truly love.

With this compact collection of forty two clear, concise “recipes” for everyday use, you’ll finally find the strength to battle clutter – and your procrastination along the way – by setting realistic goals and embracing the magic of routine (aka maintenance).  Each recipe is broken into bite-sized pieces and accompanied by a list of supplier s and general time frame, step-by-step instructions, and additional tips for improved performance,  Whether you have ten minutes for a whole afternoon, no task is too great when approached in an informed and logical way.
But Oliver also goes beyond her prescriptions to discuss why organising is physiologically and spiritually rewarding.  Closets will overflow again.  Papers will accumulate.  It’s all a journey.  But with these indispensible techniques, and Oliver’s upbeat encouragement and humor, you’ll never again have to pay late fees, scramble for loose change, or buy multiple copies of that one book that keeps disappearing.