2009 NAPO Organizers’ Choice Awards

Last week at the annual conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers, we (the 800 or so organizers present) voted for the recipients of the 2009 Organizers’ Choice Awards. And the winners are…

Taking “Best Product – Business” was OfficeMax, for the [IN]PLACE System by Peter Walsh. A series of plastic binders, files, totes, envelopes, and color-coded labels, the [IN]PLACE System provides is a good-looking collection of tools to assist with efficient paper management.

The components include a number of thoughtful details, such as color-coded labels that change easily among right, left, and center locations. Now if you love the sight of your files marching across the drawer (right, center, left, repeat) or if you want all left-justified (we all read from left to right, after all) — whatever you like, you can set it up.

The desktop sorter has adjustable-width sections. Discreet notches in the file folders keep files from slipping out the side of the sorter. It all works. The plastic ensures durability; the translucent finish provides visual calm.

The award for “Best Product – Technology” went to The Neat Company, for their NeatDesk product. Just as the term “paperless office” has become a universal joke, the technology is developing to make it a reality. Desktop sheet-fed scanners coupled with cheap computer memory and superior character-recognition software have begun to bring the paperless environment into view.

NeatDesk will scan a batch of mixed paper — just feed it your business cards, receipts and papers in one go. Data can be exported to the most popular software programs you already use, such as Outlook, TurboTax, Excel, and QuickBooks. Unlike the company’s popular NeatReceipts, which is available in a Mac version, NeatDesk is still PC-only for now.

Though the economy kept many exhibitors away from the NAPO conference this year, the exhibit hall featured a heartening number and variety of companies intent on making our lives more organized with their products. With new and improved systems available every year, especially on the technology side, I see a future that does offer real improvement in the modern office.

Just remember: the organized mind comes first, not the containers or the technology. Containers applied to clutter generally create additonal clutter. And technology applied to inefficient systems? In the words of Mitch Ratliffe, “A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history — with the possible exceptions of hand guns and tequila.”

NAPO-LA announces Organizing Awards finalists

by Margaret Lukens, New Leaf + Company LLC

The Los Angeles chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers has announced the finalists for the 2009 Los Angeles Organizing Awards. This program — which has been getting bigger and “glitterier” every year since it began in 2006 — now features celebrity hosts, red-carpet photo ops, and a whole weekend of events. The awards gala is set for Friday, January 30.

This year the finalists include several of my favorite organizers and products. For example:

Best Home Organizing Product: Vital Records PortaVault from Securita

Founder Sheri Dodsworth was inspired to create the PortaVault as she watched the plight of those who fled Hurricane Katrina’s devastation. People were left stranded without account numbers, identification, and the essential information needed to rebuild their financial lives. She designed a simple, lightweight water-resistant case to carry paper records and CDs (you could even carry complete copies of your digital photos), to help disaster victims recover from devastating loss. Being a little bit prepared is better than making no preparation at all. Everyone would benefit from a tool like the PortaVault, even if they don’t take the time to make use of all its many features.

Most Helpful Organizing Technology: Anywhere Vault

(Update: Anywhere Vault closed its business in 2009.)
There are many home inventory products on the market; this is my favorite. It offers the greatest security — you store your information on Anywhere Vault’s secure servers, so if you aren’t at home to grab your records in the event of a fire, tornado or other disaster, your records are still accessible to you or anyone to whom you’ve given the “keys” to your Anywhere Vault. You can add to your vault a little at a time. You can store as much or as little information as you wish. This product is also useful for businesses, which could save countless hours and many dollars by documenting their assets and storing the information offsite. Too busy to do your own document scanning of receipts and vital records? Anywhere Vault offers an affordable one-time service.

Best Organizing Book: Knack, Organizing Your Home, by Emily Wilska

Books about home organizing is a crowded field. Emily Wilska’s book, in the new Knack series, stands out as comprehensive, beautifully written, and entertaining. She offers tons of decluttering and storage solutions. I dare anyone to read this book and not find practical and elegant ideas in every chapter.

To get a sample of Emily’s organizing philosophy and writing style, visit her blog, The Organized Life.

Best Organizing Website or Blog: Jeri’s Organizing & Decluttering News


Jeri Dansky’s blog is a treasure trove of interesting concepts, useful information, and products to suit every taste and budget. Among Jeri’s outstanding skills is the ability to find anything on the web, if it is there to be found. I have hired her to do product searches for clients who have had very specific or unusual requirements — a corner desk in a certain style with a particular filing capacity, for example. She generously shares this skill for free in her daily blog posts. Dip in and enjoy!

My best wishes to all the finalists in this year’s Organizing Awards!

Are there any products and services that you depend on to keep you organized? What would get your award for organizing excellence? Leave a comment here.

(Photos on this post are copied from the respective links given in the award category description.)

Organizing Awards? This must be L.A.!

by Margaret Lukens, New Leaf + Company

On Friday, February 1, it was my honor to be among the presenters at the Third Annual Los Angeles Organizing Awards, hosted by the L. A. chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers.

Sherri Shepherd of ABC’s “The View” kicked off the evening with revelations both funny and touching about her work with her beloved organizer, Jodie Watson. Professional organizers are familiar with that “blankie” that many of our clients have — the object, collection or habit from which they must not be parted. For Sherri, she confided, it’s her large collection of wigs. When Jodie wondered aloud whether Sherrie really wears all the wigs she has, Sherrie recalled shouting down Jodie: “I’ve GOT to have my HAIR!!” Now her collection is safely organized, labeled, and in containers: curly, straight, fun, short, long. Sherri got to keep “her hair” and find it, too.

The celebrity line-up of presenters continued with NAPO founders Ann Gambrell and Beverly Clower, authors and “Oprah” guests Julie Morgenstern and Peter Walsh, NSGCD president Lynne Johnson, organizing coach Dorothy Breininger, NAPO president Standolyn Robertson, and others.

Many of those who took to the podium had stories to tell, and film clips to share, of lives changed by organizing work. One powerful moment included Peter Walsh pushing for a clear commitment to boundaries on the much-talked-about “Oprah” episode “Inside the Lives of Hoarders” featuring his client with a serious hoarding problem. Another organizer’s clip showed a client overcome with emotion when the final work in his home office was revealed. What touched him so deeply? Not just relief at being rid of the mess, the visible signs of disorganization. No, it was the wonderful way the organizers had displayed his collection of baseball cards, honoring what really mattered to him and allowing him to enjoy it more fully. Moments like these reminded everyone present why professional organizing matters — because it allows people to do more of what they value most, and do it with more ease.

With two colleagues from San Francisco, I presented The Green Award for the most eco-friendly organizing product of service. Finalists included 1-800-GOT-JUNK and Hecht of an Organizer, with this year’s award going to Hecht of an Organizer.

I hope that the LA Organizing Awards will encourage more companies to partner with professional organizers to design and market innovative products and services that provide a dramatic benefit in the lives of clients.

Do you know of any organizing products or services that you feel should be nominated for the 2009 Organizing Awards? Please take a moment to post your favorites here.