In September we asked you to: Junk Your Junk Mail - Use online forms to eliminate most of your unwanted ad mail through a contest with Center for a New Dream

11,486 people responded, cutting 1,240,164 pounds of carbon in the process. Congratulations to all who participated for having such a huge impact!

Clutterbusters!! donated a TOTAL HOME MAKEOVER for the contest and the winner was Mandie Yanasak--we'll keep you posted about her project!!

Top 10 Critical Characteristics to Demand from Your Professional Organizer

 Does Yours Stack Up?

1.      Expertise.  The key here is not just experience, but experience in projects such as yours.  There are over 29 different specializations identified by the National Association of Professional Organizers, as well as 9 types of special clients, including chronically disorganized, ADD/OCD, students, seniors, and people with disabilities. 

2.      Fee Policies.  Your Professional Organizer should fully disclose their hourly fees before beginning work, and you should understand how you are being charged.  There should be no "hidden fees" or "surprises."

3.      Relationship.  Will you "click" with your Organizer?  Your professional organizer should speak with you beforehand and you should determine if this is someone you could work with. 

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Clutterbusters!! is proud to announce that the company's President and CEO, Betsy Fein, has been selected to receive the prestigious Top 100 Minority Business Enterprise Award. The University of Maryland University College, the Governor's Office of Minority Affairs (GOMA) and The Maryland Chamber of Commerce notified Ms. Fein of her selection earlier this week. This program is designed to salute the region's best minority and women business owners and to highlight their achievements.

Read Full Article CLICK HERE

Organize Your Desk in 6 Steps!

1.  Start at the beginning.  Remove everything from your desktop.  Put back only the necessities and keep a large clean space for current projects.  What are the necessities?  Phone, notepad, calendar, step file organizer, current project.  Keep the cutesy items in sight but off your desk.

2.  Keep a spiral notebook by the phone for messages.  Start with the date each day.  By doing this, you will have reference info when you need it.

3.  Keep or delete?  If you use something every day leave it in your desk; if you use something once a week, you should be able to reach it from your chair; if you use something once a month keep it in your office or work area.  If you use something less than once a month, keep it elsewhere.

4.  Keep your office supplies in one drawer.  Keep only the supplies you use frequently in your desk.  Do you really need 25 pens and 15 packages of salt? 

5.   Sort through your desk files.  Keep only personal files and files that you refer to weekly in your desk drawers.

6.   Look around. End each day (or at least each week) by tidying up your desk and returning everything to its place. (Yes, everything should have a place.)

If you have an ideas, contests or tips you'd like to share with us--please call 1-866-CLUTTER or email us at info@clutterbusters.com