Learned behaviors. We learn so much when we are children: how to avoid the stove because it's hot, how to tie our shoes, and how to practice habits to support us. A few that come to mind are brushing our teeth, exercising, eating foods that nourish us, and yes, putting things in the same place each time so we know where they are.

As the summer season cools down and we come into the rituals and habits of school time, I think about how as a creative human, I practice my organization rituals and habits daily to support my soul, creativity and my business.

I wish you success in your creation of organizing rituals to support you and that these articles serve you in their creation.

Be well!

Jessica Chapman
Chief A-to-B Gal

Accountability Check-in:

How are you doing on those goals you set at the beginning of the year?

Now is the time to check in on those written goals. Don't wait until December to review how you've done. If you need some assistance in sticking to your plan, that's what we do. Send us an email, we'll support you in getting it done.

When Was the Last Time I Touched That File?

Filing cabinets are amazing tools for business. They come in all shapes and sizes and we can fill them to their capacity with pretty file folders, all well labeled. The big question is: When was the last time you actually touched anything in your filing cabinet? Or what about the file drawer next to your desk?

In business, we keep everything. Our accountant tells us to for the "just in case" of an a-u-d-i-t (shhh, don't say it out loud). We keep receipts, bills, printouts of emails, drafts of letters, note cards people sent us that make us feel good, ideas we rip out from magazines that we want to use in our business. We keep EVERYTHING. What is a challenge is that when we keep everything we: 1) need a place for it to go, and 2) usually never look at it again. Even if we label it and have a fantastic filing system so we could lay our hands on it in 30 seconds or less. We don't ever look for it again. So why, oh why, do we keep this "stuff" in our living, breathing offices clogging up our days and space for the papers that we do touch and look at frequently?

Businesses that thrive have what's called an "archive". They only keep the most up-to-date paperwork in their workspace and box up the old stuff that is no longer needed on a daily or weekly basis. They stick a list of the contents on the outside and put it in storage. Before putting the box in storage, they write on the outside when to destroy the contents.

As we move into the ritual of fall and the closing down into winter, I suggest that you start looking at every file you have in your filing cabinet. Take 15 minutes of your time and do a file a day. Ask yourself these questions:

• When was the last time I touched it?
• Is this something that I need to keep for an a-u-d-i-t? Should I ask my CPA what I should keep and for how long?
• Is this something that is actively bringing me income in my business now?
• Can I archive this?
• Where can I keep my archive?

All the office stores have archive boxes that are cheap. You'll be amazed how much you're going to throw away (like those magazine articles you never did anything with) and how much you'll archive (like bank statements from 3 years ago). At the end of it all, you'll have so much more space in your office to bring in exactly the projects and business you desire.

I moved. Well, me and 18 other people moved.

Last month I shared about how July is a monumental month for me. Well, part of that transformation included moving my home to a new space. In all of about 5 days at the end of June I had heard about a new apartment, looked at it, signed the new lease and handed in my notice to my old place (where I had been for 6 years!)

In July I also went to two different conferences and had several important personal engagements on the books. I knew there was NO WAY I could move without help. And when I asked, I was blessed with abundance. Pay attention to the amount of time it took total to pack and move...

Friday July 25th, I had 10 people supporting me by packing all my stuff and beginning to take it to my new apartment. My instructions, "You are smart people. Here are the boxes, here is the paper. Wrap it and pack it." And we did. From 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. we worked and packed it all. Thank you to: Kelli, Jason, David, Gwynnae, Erie, Amanda, Millie, Jen, Kathleen and Becky.

Saturday, July 26th, I had 9 people supporting me by loading the moving truck and unloading it at the new place. My instruction, "You are smart people. It all has to get in the truck. We're making one trip." And we did. From 8:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. we lifted and moved the furniture and remaining boxes into and out of the 16 foot moving truck. Thank you to: Melissa, Matt, Jason, Dante, Becky, Kathleen, Tonya, Monica, and Alvaro.

Of course, there were many others that just couldn't make it on the days. Their positive thoughts and energy through the day was felt and sustained us. Especially getting the couch up the stairs. I am forever grateful to all who helped either physically or spiritually.

It took us a total of under 5 hours to pack and move a 600 square foot apartment. This is what love, collaboration, a plan, being prepared with supplies, and practicing what you teach about organizing habits looks like. My life is more than good. My life is magnificent.

Sexy Cool Product you need to know about!

Coakley Business Class Tote Bag

You may already have seen me with my maroon tote bag. It carries EVERYTHING! The creator and owner of Coakley needs help selling out her current stock to bring in some big investments. If you were only thinking about it before, now is the time to act!

Coakley is having a sale and I want you to get in on it!

In the next 4 weeks, Coakley is offering 35% OFF and FREE SHIPPING on any bag (excluding clutches) at www.coakleybusinessclass.com.

Enter referral code INVEST at check out to take advantage of this very special offer.

You probably don't know the story behind this woman designer and why this bag is really the best business bag/laptop carrier in the world! I met Mary Repke, creator and owner of Coakley Business Class at the eWomen Conference in Dallas in 2004. She told me that she designed this bag while feeling some extreme frustration waiting for her luggage while on her way to the Comdex Conference in Las Vegas (huge conference with 300,000 people!) On her way, the airline insisted that she check her carry-on luggage because she was over the limit of carry-on's allowed ( a) purse, b) laptop, and c) carry-on – the injustice we'll talk about later!). Knowing that collecting her luggage was going to take literally hours, she designed this tote bag on the airplane. She incorporated all of the things that she desired to have. Then, she wrote up a customer survey, took it to the business center at the airport and copied it a couple hundred times. She surveyed women waiting for their luggage to get clearer on their needs, desires and frustrations.

Viola! Coakley Business Class and the Travel Tote was born. She's already in Lord and Taylor, has been in InStyle Magazine, on Home Shopping Network and the Coakley bag was "the" swag bag on the Red Carpet!

The reason I love my bag and would buy it again is:

• The interior is a lighter color so I can SEE inside it (as opposed to a black interior that I can't see anything when looking for something.
• It expands and has pockets in all of the right places for all of my business and personal tools.
• It holds my 17" laptop comfortably.
• It has a strategic zipper that allows me to slide a whole side of the bag over my luggage handle – it's not slipping off anything!
• It makes me look good because I have all of my stuff well organized, including the kitchen sink.
• And finally, it doesn't look like a boring black computer bag that someone may want to steal!
  

Please support Mary in her growth and buy a bag from the collection. You can get to her site through mine on the products page.