From The Canadian Jewish News – February 21, 2002
Get Your House In Order, Professional Organizer Says
Professional organizer Susan Portnoy is convinced people of all ages can improve their quality of life if they develop and practice good organizational skills. A teacher by training, Portnoy established Organized Success in 1999.
Among her clients are brides, new mothers, members of mega-sized families, empty nesters, business executives and company personnel.
Portnoy conducts workshops, seminars and instructs private clients, As a pioneer in the field, she is the only one doing this locally in the Jewish community.
The YM-YWHA will host five of Portnoy's workshops beginning April 30 [2002]. The weekly series will run from 7:30 to 9 pm, People can sign up for the series or attend separate sessions, which feature tips, demonstrations, audience interaction and handouts.
"My goal is to make life more enjoyable for clients by showing them how to function productively, so as to alleviate stress and avoid the feeling of being constantly overwhelmed," she explains.
"Disorganized people spend 20 per cent of their workday looking for misplaced in-formation and waste 50 per cent of their workweek because of interruptions. Forty per cent of our life is spent with other people's priorities and interruptions. In an office, it happens every six minutes and recovery time is four to five minutes."
Portnoy says she has always been organized. "I'm now at the point, where I can simplify the process for others. I know where problems lie."
Married to a physician, Portnoy is the mother of four children, ranging in age from 22 to 31.
"Everyone in my family has benefited from living in an organized environment. In her last job, my daughter was able to employ skills she learned at home."
An articulate communicator, Portnoy smiles while explaining the gratification she derives from her brainchild, Organized Success.
"It's very rewarding to witness the trickle-down effect to the whole family. A certain sense of calm comes from being organized." Portnoy says the bedroom is a good starting point for orderliness in the home. One teenager's marks improved by 15 per cent after Portnoy taught her how to organize her bedroom. In another instance, a career woman with five foster children called to say how much she appreciated Portnoy's guidance.
"Everything in a home or work place must be ready for use," she says, opening one of her orderly drawers lined with dividers separating sharpened pencils, working pens and other supplies.
"You should be able to find any paper you need in 30 seconds or less. I tell clients their offices and homes should be set up with categorized sections."
During the first installment in the five-part workshop series, entitled Erev or the Night Before, Portnoy demonstrates things that can be done to prepare for the day ahead.
In the second workshop, entitled Paper Jungle, she gives a hands-on lesson in filing. A human component comes to the fore in session three, entitled Organizing Your Time, in which participants learn more than how to keep a schedule. Portnoy tells participants to do something to "please themselves" as a tonic for increasing productivity and self-esteem.
For session four, entitled Clutter-Busting, Portnoy asks questions and suggests strategies, "What is this paper? Why would you need it? Where would you find it? Who else would have it? Maybe you know you can get it without a problem, so it can be discarded."
For chronic clutter bugs, one solution is to rent space and store things for a year. In 90 per cent of the cases, Portnoy says, clients tell her they had no need for the items.
In session five, Get It all Together at Home, Portnoy focuses on creating an orderly living space.
As for cynics who proclaim they will slip back into old habits, Portnoy offers reassurance. "Simply arrange for a refresher to get motivated. It's easier once you've done it."