The 2014 Get Organized Workshop Lineup

Did You Know? January is Get Organized month, and we know just the people to help you start! Every Saturday for the next two months, we're hosting workshops with professional organizers at Finders Keepers Furnishings. Additionally, we've just added two Wednesday Workshops. Check out the current line-up of workshops, brought to you by NAPO-GA specialists. More information will be added as it is received! Saturday workshops begin at 9:30am sharp, and Wednesday workshops begin at 1pm. Each workshop costs just one canned-good, (or donation of $1) which will all be given to local food banks.

 
January 4, 2014- Gigi Miller:  I Can't Find My Keys and Other Reasons to Get Organized

o   Gigi K. Miller, an Atlanta based Professional Organizer and owner of Vision Organizing,  will present a workshop on the benefits of getting organized and the steps you can take to get started.  Learn how getting organized can lower your stress, save you money, and give you more time to do the thing you love. 

o   Gigi K. Miller, Professional Organizer
Vision Organizing, LLC
Phone:  404.274.1930     
Email:  gigi@VisionOrganizing.com
Website:  http://www.VisionOrganizing.com

 

January 8th at 1pm: Closet Organizing with Renee Kutner

• Are you constantly running late in the mornings because you spent too long looking for the clothes you want to wear? Does your closet look like a rummaged sale rack when you want it to look like the newly created display rack?  In this workshop, Renee will give you closet organizing tips to help you organize your closet the way you've always wanted it to be.
• Renee Kutner, Peace by Piece Organizing
• www.peacebypieceorganizing.com

 

January 11, 2014-Danielle Carney- Organizing Basics

o   Life Managements

Phone: 678-590-1567

Email: Danielle@lifemangementservice.com

Website : www.lifemanagementservice.com

 
January 18, 2014-David Quam


January 22nd at 1pm: De-Stressing, De-cluttering with Renee Kutner

• If you feel like de-cluttering is much easier said than done, come to this workshop where Renee will help you answer 3 basic questions: What should I keep?  What should I do with the stuff I keep?  And what should I do with the stuff I don't keep? 

January 25, 2014-Karen Leff: Efficiency: Simplify Your Life. Save time and money in 2014!              

o   Karen Eisele Leff, owner of Leff’s Last Re-Sort, LLC  Organizing and Concierge services, will share with you, some easy solutions to help you save time and money in 2014. Simple changes to everyday tasks can help you become more efficient and productive. Whether you are looking for ways to streamline your daily tasks at home or in the office, this workshop will give you some simple take-aways you can incorporate into your or your family’s schedule. If one of your goals in 2014 is more time to do what you WANT to do and not more tasks, this workshop is for you!

o   Leff’s Last Re-Sort, LLC

Phone: 404-226-3292

Email: Karen@leffslastresort.com

Website: http://www.leffslastresort.com/

February 1, 2014-Jonda and Diane :  From Piles to Files

o   This workshop will discuss paper management- recycling as it comes into the house, a proper landing zone, usable files…. Getting ready for tax season.

o   Jonda Beattie-Time Space Organization – jonda@timespaceorg.com - 404-299-5111 

o    Diane Quintana – DNQ Solutions -Diane@dnqsolutions.com - 404-250-0321

February 8^, 2014-Jiffy Page: Tips for Preserving and Sharing Your Photos                               

o   Jiffy Page, of Pixorium, will discuss and take questions about how to digitally preserve the "tangible" photos you have, including the technical information you need to know and what options available -  from doing it yourself to “hiring out.” Then she’ll speak about photo restoration (of prints, negatives and slides) and share ideas of fun and compelling ways to be a photo-storyteller, sharing your family's photographic memories and stories.

o   Pixorium

Phone: 404-680-5341

Email: Jiffy.page@pixorium.com

Website:   http://www.pixorium.com/

February 15, 2014- Stephanie Christopoulos and Tiffany Hill :Event Planning 101

o   This Workshop will discuss steps for planning a stress-free event

o   Stephanie Christopulos-Organized Chick- Stephanie@organizedchick.com -678-697-9609

o   Tiffany Hill-Just the Right Place, Inc-Tiffany@justtherightplaceinc.com – 404-435-5317

February 22, 2014- David McDonough: Organizing with Google

o   This workshop with go over the benefits of using Google to simply your life

o   Modern Image, Atlanta

Phone: 404-840-0101

Email: david@modernimageusa.com

Website: http://www.modernimageusa.com/

March into spring cleaning with these free organization workshops!

March into Spring Cleaning: Winning the war on paper.

Paper. Stacks of paper. Loose sheets. Wadded up balls. A bundle of week old mail. And where did you stick that really-important-gotta-keep-this-somewhere-safe tax form? If that sounds like you, then stop shuffling through those mounds on your desk and check out the schedule below of FREE organization workshops that will help you show paper who’s boss (it’s you, by the way,) and reclaim your desk for life.

This series of free workshops will be hosted by Finders Keepers Furnishings, located at: 2753 E. College Ave., Decatur GA 30030

Thursday, March 8^th from 1pm-2pm:  Creating an Organized Work Space with Gigi Miller:  In this one hour interactive workshop, attendees will learn how to create and maintain an organized (clutter-free) work space, eliminate paper clutter, set up filing systems, create storage solutions and incorporate organization into their daily routines.

About the Presenter:  Gigi K. Miller is the owner of Vision Organizing, an Atlanta based Professional Organizing and Consulting company that creates customized organizing solutions for home, work, and life that are simple, practical, and easy to maintain. Her motto:  Live simple. Live organized. Live well. For additional information, please visit www.VisionOrganizing.com.

Saturday, March 10^th from 9:30am – 10:30am:  Tax Talk with Jim Connelly of H&R Block: Deductions, audits, and the IRS, oh my! Does tax season make you feel like holing up in the cellar and waiting for the storm to pass? A little know-how will help pave a yellow brick road through your taxes. Jim Connelly, CPA and Master Tax Advisor at H&R Block will discuss schedule A itemized deductions, potential for audit, and what to do if you owe the IRS.

About the presenter: Jim has 9 years tax preparation service and specializes in personal tax returns including: investments, rental homes, retirement income, itemized deductions, and education credits.

Wednesday, March 14^th from 1pm-2pm: “Mail Management” with Renee Kutner:  Ever wish you could nail your mailbox shut so you didn’t have to deal with more paper marching its way through your front door every day? The bad news: the mailman would probably just stick it on your doorstep. The good news: there’s a better (and legal) way to gain control of the never-ending parade of new paper. Learn how to manage your snail-mail during this hour long free workshop.

About the presenter: Renee is the founder of Peace by Piece Organizing. She is also a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Learn more about Renee on her website: http://www.peacebypieceorganizing.com/.

Saturday, March 17^th 9:30am-10:30am: Getting Control of Your Household Papers with Jonda Beattie and Diane Quintana. Is the thought of organizing the papers and documents shoved in every drawer and stacked on every surface as daunting as the idea of driving cattle from here to the west coast? Well pull on your boots and giddy on up to this free workshop. Learn how to lasso your daily influx of papers and corral those pesky manuals, warranties, and other important documents. About the presenters:

Jonda has appeared as a consultant on episodes of television shows Buried Alive and Hoarding. She is the founder of Time Space Organization and is a member of NAPO (The National Association of Professional Organizers) and ICD (The Institute for Challenging Disorganization.) Diane is the founder of DNQ Solutions. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing in metropolitan Atlanta and in working with people challenged by chronic disorganization. She is also a member of NAPO, ICD, and the Atlanta Hoarding Task Force.

Saturday, March 24^th from 9:30am – 10:30am: Closet Chaos to Closet Confidence with Bonnie Kallenberg: Take a break, bandage any hard-won paper cuts, and venture to a place that papers dare not go… your wardrobe. Or do you dare not spend more time in your closet than you have to? Your clothes should be a source of inspiration, not frustration Learn how to love your wardrobe at this free workshop with Bonnie, the owner of Finders Keepers Consignment Stores.

About the presenter: With 20+ years of consignment experience under her favorite belt, Bonnie has evaluated a lot (and I mean a lot of clothes.) But did you know she got her start in retail as a buyer for Davidsons Department store? She’s made a living by screening fashion for quality and style since 1982. Learn more about Bonnie on her stores’ website: www.fkconsign.com.

Saturday, March 24th, 12pm - 2pm: You’re invited to a Shredding Event! What better way to show paper who’s boss by telling it where to go and how to there? In this case: on a secure truck bound for one really big shredder. Celebrate your victory by safely destroying old documents during this shred event at Finders Keepers Furnishings. Cost: $6 per box (computer-paper sized boxes please)

Workshop schedule and bios (January 26th - February 1st)

Free Workshop Schedule

Thursday, January 26th at 1:30pm - Closet Organizing with Renee Kutner: Are you constantly running late in the mornings because you spent too long looking for the clothes you want to wear?  Do you trip over a pile of shoes to reach the outfit you're trying to put on? Your closet should be inspirational - not stressful. Renee of Peace by Piece Organizing will teach you a few simple steps to make your closet a place of wow instead of woe. Learn more about Renee on her company's website: http://www.peacebypieceorganizing.com/

Saturday, January 28th at 9:30am - Kitchen Organization Made Simple with Gigi Miller: During this workshop, Gigi Miller of Vision Organizing will teach you how to plan your space, choose the right organizing products, and address problem areas such Tupperware clutter/pantry overload/junk drawers. Each participant will receive a workshop handout outlining Gigi's 5 steps for getting organized in the kitchen and helpful tips for maintaining your space. And....there will be a special give-away for one lucky member! Learn more about Gigi on her company's website: http://www.visionorganizing.com/.

Wednesday, February 1st at 10am - De-Stressing and Decluttering with Renee Kutner:
Renee is back to help you learn how to conquer your clutter for good. During this workshop, Renee will help you answer these three basic questions: What should I keep?  What should I do with the stuff I keep?  What should I do with the stuff I don't keep? Learn how to answer those easy questions and you'll be able to declutter without all the stress! Learn more about Renee's company on their website: http://www.peacebypieceorganzing.com/.

About Renee: They say you should do what you love. It just so happens that Renée Kutner loves doing something many people find daunting, and even dreadful: organizing. So she founded Peace by Piece Organizing to bring order to chaos, and peace to our otherwise hectic lives. Ask anyone who’s crossed Renée’s professional path and they’ll tell you no one they know could get so much done with so little on their desk. It became a trademark of sorts — so much so that starting early in her career, years before envisioning the formation of Peace by Piece Organizing,  Renée was conducting workshops for peers and supervisors alike on efficient time and project management. Renée is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the Georgia chapter of NAPO. For more please visit my website: http://www.peacebypieceorganizing.com/

About Gigi: Gigi serves as the Marketing Director for The National Association of Professional Organizers- Georgia (NAPO-GA) and is the owner of Vision Organizing, an Atlanta based company that works with individuals and businesses.  As a Professional Organizer, Gigi utilizes her highly honed organizational skills towards helping others realize the benefits of living an organized life. Vision Organizing's mission is to create customized solutions for home, work, and life that are simple, practical, and easy to maintain. For additional information, please visit www.VisionOrganizing.com.

Announcing the G.O. Month Schedule of Workshops for 2012

GO MONTH 2012 – FINDERS KEEPERS SATURDAY ORGANIZING WORKSHOPS

Date:  Saturday, January 14

Time:  9:30am – 10:30am

Workshop Title:  Tips for Organizing, Saving, & Digitizing Your Photos

Description:  Professional organizer Jiffy Page and business partner Wally Buckner will discuss and take questions regarding how to organize and preserve the "tangible" photos you have, how to organize the "digital" photos you have and Mac and PC options for identifying and storing information about those pictures. Also, they'll talk about the scanning and restoration of photos (prints, negatives and slides) so you can both preserve and share your family's photographic memories. This workshop is held at Finders Keepers Furnishings and will begin at 9:30am sharp on Saturday, January 14th. Seating is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis so arrive early! Last week's workshop drew a full house, and was standing-room only by the time it started

About Jiffy Page:  Jiffy started Pixorium in the fall of 2006. Her photostorytelling business has helped hundreds of Atlanta-area clients preserve, save and share their photos (prints, slides, negatives, videos, film) and stories by digitizing the images and telling the stories in videos, books and other fun ways. Learn more by visiting www.pixorium.com.

Date:  Saturday, January 21

Time:  9:30am – 10:30am

Workshop Title:  When Collectors Become Hoarders

Description:  Humans are sentimental. It’s a characteristic that distinguishes us from other species. But sometimes our positive affection for objects can backfire. We’ll explore the reasons people collect, how to saving objects undermines the joy of collecting, the signs of hoarding, and how to keep your collecting habits healthy and positive. The presentation will be 45 minutes with a robust 15 minutes question and answer period, free handouts, and discounted books.

About Judith Kolberg:  Judith pioneered FileHeads Professional Organizers in 1989. She founded the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, the precursor to the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) and is credited with launching a field of professional organizing specifically dedicated to addressing the needs of individuals challenged by chronic disorganized. Respected by her peers for her innovative organizing ideas, she is the recipient of the industry’s highest honors. Select books authored by Judith are recommended reading by the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers and the ICD certificate program. Her books have sold a quarter of million copies in the US, England, Korea, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. She is a popular speaker on a wide range of organization/ disorganization topics and is a virtual instructor for Pearson Education, a global education company. Kolberg was a featured organizer on the “Buried Alive: Hoarders ” TV series. She currently directs the Atlanta Hoarding Task Force. A native of Levittown, NY, Kolberg lives in Atlanta, GA where she takes care of her Mom, continues to see clients, writes, publishes, and blogs.

Date:  Saturday, January 28

Time:  9:30am- 10:30am

Workshop Title:  Kitchen Organization Made Simple

Description:  During this workshop, you will learn how to plan your space, choose the right organizing products, and address problem areas such Tupperware clutter/pantry overload/junk drawers.  Each participant will receive a workshop handout outlining Gigi’s 5 steps for getting organized in the kitchen and helpful tips for maintaining your space.  And….there will be a special give-away for one lucky member!

About Gigi K. Miller:  Gigi serves as the Marketing Director for The National Association of Professional Organizers- Georgia (NAPO-GA) and is the owner of Vision Organizing, an Atlanta based company that works with individuals and businesses.  As a Professional Organizer, Gigi utilizes her highly honed organizational skills towards helping others realize the benefits of living an organized life. Vision Organizing's mission is to create customized solutions for home, work, and life that are simple, practical, and easy to maintain. For additional information, please visit www.VisionOrganizing.com.

Free Workshop this Saturday! Survive the Holidaze...

Holidays are often a time of joy, family, and laughter... and chaos, panic, and pandemonium. And that's when holidays turn into holidaze - and makes you feel like you deserve a congratulatory t-shirt commemorating the fact that you made it through with your sanity intact. Is there a way to make the race to the end of the year go more smoothly? Well, this Saturday, you get a chance to learn how to tie a proverbial bow on your practically painless holiday planning. Finders Keepers Furnishings' free workshop series brings you:Surviving the Holidaze with Jonda Beattie: professional organizer, author, presenter, and owner/operator of Time Space Organization. This workshop will begin at 9:30 am this Saturday, October 8th. Learn more about Jonda on her website: http://www.timespaceorg.com/.

A personal note from Saturday's presenter, Jonda Beattie: Is it possible anymore for your holidays to feel peaceful and stress free. To capture that Norman Rockwell feeling? The vision of the perfect holiday fades and becomes dimmer as we get caught up in the turmoil of overlapping preparations. The holidays become a time of long "to do" lists, over commitment, overbuying, overeating, and sleep deprivation. Let's look at how to make your vision of a wonderful holiday come true by prioritizing, using your calendar, and organizing holiday zones in your home.

An Organizational Wrap-Up Workshop with Suellen Germani

Making Room for Purpose and Passion: Certified Life Coach and Organizer Suellen Germani will discuss how to create room, literally and figuratively, for more fun, creativity, purpose and passion in your life. She'll cover everything from cutting clutter to dumping toxic relationships to reclaiming what YOU want more of in your space and in your day-to-day life.

When: This Saturday, 2/26 from 9:30am - 10:30am
Where: Finders Keepers Furnishings - 2753 E. College Avenue in Decatur
Cost: FREE, of course!

A HUGE thank you to NAPO-GA and a couple of its associate members..

It all began in the back of the room at the January re-scheduled NAPO-GA meeting. A new associate member, Doug from MonkeyBarStorage had set up an awesome display with before and after pictures from a garage overhaul. “I want THAT garage” I whined. There was nothing on the floor, everything was neatly placed on super sturdy shelving and versatile poles and hooks.

Doug and I set up an appointment for an estimate when my husband was out of town. My plan? To redo our 2-car garage that barely fit my husband’s 1973 Mustang convertible into one of these picture perfect photographed garages that would house 2 cars AND all of the stuff.

Day 1: Doug came out and listened to me. He gave me a quote. He rearranged his entire week so we could do this when my husband was out of town for the week.

Day 2: Doug planned to arrive at noon to begin the project. I had to have everything down off of the existing shelves and pulled to the center of the garage, leaving a 5 foot perimeter for his installation. I enlisted Kanu, who works for me, and we began at 8:00 am and had it all down by 10:00. I called Doug and let him know we were ahead of schedule.

I took a picture of the pile and regretted not taking a real “before” of odd assorted shelving piled with stuff and every inch of floor space covered by something. He started working. I went to Big Lots to get 10 matching bins….so my garage would look like catalog. Doug worked until about 5, taking down all of the old shelving and getting everything ready to install the Monkey Bar System.

Day 3: I enlisted the organizational help of Betsy (Parke’s sister) and Haji, who works for me. This was a day of many decisions:
What to
1. Throw Away
2. Give Away
3. Take to Charity
4. Take to Finders Keepers to sell
5. Keep and organize

To make the cut for #5, it had to pass the test of “do I want this in my “new” garage?” We touched every single item in the pile and made a decision on each thing. We made multiple trips to Second Life Thrift Store and Finders Keepers. We call in another NAPO-GA Associate member, Just Trash It, to come pick up the huge pile at the end of our driveway because I was not totally sure that the City of Avondale Estates would pick up so much junk at one time. Just Trash It was great! They told me to fill the partially full paint cans with kitty litter so they could take them….all 50 of them, along with old shelving, wood, broken items and an old hot tub that hadn’t worked in years. Yes, I was on a mission. Just Trash It made 2 trips and the fee was very reasonable for everything they did.

Doug continued to hang shelving in 4 foot sections. Each 4 ft. section guaranteed to hold 1000 lbs!

Our good friend David, a carpenter, came and picked up some items he could use for remodels or for “re-purposing” so those things didn’t end up in the landfill.

We sorted the “keeps” into bins:
1. magic (it’s Parke’s hobby)
2. camping
3. Finders Keepers paperwork for long-term storage
4. Sporting goods
5. Yard stuff and equipment

I even had room to bring up a lot of stuff that had been stored in my basement! Now my basement is much cleaner….but that’s a blog for another day!

Doug positioned various items in the “keep” pile unto the storage system to show me how to use the hooks, which come in about 8 sizes. We started putting everything onto the shelves and learned that the height was perfect for 2 bins high or 3 copy paper boxes high. Everything fit and everything is off the floor….and guess what….It looks just like the catalog picture….don’t you think so?

And finally I just want to say that I could not have done this without the inspiration from being an associate member of NAPO-GA, the help of other associate members of NAPO-GA, Just Trash It and MonkeyBarStorage, the brawn of Haji and Kanu, and the tireless energy and encouragement from Betsy.

Parke was thrilled and more importantly….totally amazed at his new garage which now houses not one car but 2!

stuff... stuff... stuff

yes, all of that was in my garage.

sorting begins!

MonkeyBarStorage to the rescue!

ahh, a nice, clean slate!

Just Trash It had their work cut out for them...

Y'all were amazing!

It's safe to say that I "Got Organized" with NAPO-GA :)

A job well done... and a really good night's sleep ahead

I love surprises!

Free Workshop: Closet Chaos to Closet Confidence

Our very own fearless leader Bonnie Kallenberg took a turn on the free-workshop stage earlier this month to teach attendees how to fall in love with the wardrobe again. The first step: Try every. single. thing. that you own on. If it doesn't fit NOW, it doesn't flatter you, or it doesn't make you feel good when you're in it, get it out of your active wardrobe. You pay for your clothing - which means that THEY work for YOU. And if they're not meeting your expectations, they need a pink-slip departure from your closet. Free up room in your wardrobe for clothing that makes you feel like the very best you, and remember that when it comes to clothing, less is more. A lean, mean wardrobe in which you actually ENJOY every piece of clothing that you're choosing from makes getting dressed in the morning simple and fun.

Free Workshop: Kitchen Organization Made Simple

Kitchens see a lot of action every day: from fast and furious breakfasts to dinner clean-up (or clean later...) And more often than not, this daily use happens in frantic fashion as we rush to whatever we have to do next. This lends itself to time lost as we perform a search and rescue operation just to locate the matching lid to the tupperware we need for the night's leftovers. Finders Keepers Furnishings's free Saturday workshop series continues this Saturday with NAPO member GiGi Miller as she reveals a few neat and tidy tricks of the trade to successfully reclaim your kitchen.

Learn more about GiGi and her business: Vision Organizing on her website: http://www.visionorganizing.com/

This workshop will begin at 9:30am sharp and seats are first come, first serve.

Before

After

Meet GiGi this Saturday

Creating Your Own Sanctuary

Last Saturday, NAPO member Carey Lynn gave a workshop about creating your own sanctuary to a packed house! A quick tidbit from the seminar: "Getting rid of clutter will reduce your housework by 40%" (Martha Stewart.) What could you do for yourself with that extra time? If you missed the workshop or are shouting for an encore, let us know! We are planning on continuing these workshops, so tell us what you want and we'll do our best to make it happen! This Saturday's workshop: The Magic Suitcase... learn more on our website: http://www.fkconsign.com/ and click on "future sales and events" for a complete description.

Speaker, Carey Lynn