In today’s digital day and age, we have forgotten about the benefits of using paper. We turn to our shiny little screens to take photos, notes, and store records. Joining us today on the Stand Out podcast is long-time NAPO member, Julie Bestry. Julie is a professional organizer who dazzles people with her wonderful blogs. Today, we discuss what she is noticing about the shift in our relationship to paper over the last few years, the Cornell note-taking method, haptics, and the beauty of cursive. We also discuss Julie’s hybrid system when it comes to note-taking, planning, and recording, and look at the importance of finding a system that works for you. Finally, Julie tells us why she is known as the ‘paper doll.’ To hear all this and more, tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to today’s guest, Julie Bestry.
• What Julie is noticing about how our relationship to paper has shifted over the past few years.
• Discussing the Cornell note-taking method.
• Julie explains what haptic is.
• How writing was a thing of beauty in the past.
• The beauty of being able to read and write cursive.
• The importance of finding a system that works for you; digital, paper, or hybrid.
• Why Julie is called paper doll.
• Julie’s passion for words and stationary.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Julie Bestry — https://juliebestry.com/

Julie Bestry on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliebestry/

Julie Bestry on Twitter —https://twitter.com/ProfOrganizer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Julie’s Blog — https://juliebestry.com/blog-page/

Evernote — https://evernote.com/

Waze — https://www.waze.com/en-GB/live-map/

TripTicks on Amazon — https://www.amazon.com/Tripticks-British-Literature-Ann-Quin/dp/1564783189

Mint — https://za.mintgroup.net/

Target — https://www.target.com/

The Cornell note-taking method — https://www.umfk.edu/student-success/academic-support/notes/

Remarkable — https://remarkable.com/

TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/

American Scripture — https://www.amazon.com/American-Scripture-Making-Declaration-Independence/dp/0679779086

NAPO — http://napo.net/join

NAPO Stand Out on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlLAQMWs4Ek&list=PLMWVypTlTZSmLTi8pmCASPyIXvnaFkbCr

Itoya — https://itoya.com/

WH Smith — https://www.whsmith.co.uk/

Clare Kumar — https://clarekumar.com/

Clare Kumar on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarekumar/recent-activity/posts/

Clare Kumar on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/clarekumar/?hl=en

Diversity, inclusion, and representation are essential in any field. Unfortunately, most of our institutions still have a long way to go in addressing this. It’s unsurprising that in response to this type of exclusion, whether intentional or not, people of color and other minorities have often formed support groups and alternative organizations where they can find much-needed solidarity and understanding. Today on the show we talk with Carolyn Rogers, an electrical and software engineer and organizer, and one of the six founders of Ebony & Orderly as well as the National Association of Black Professional Organizers (NABPO). We discuss the many positive elements of NAPO, its unfortunate lack of diversity, and some of the steps they’re taking to rectify this. Carolyn reflects on how gravitating towards people who look like us is part of human nature and the important role that human connection has played in her career as an organizer. She describes how NABPO was formed out of a desire to serve a broader community, why NABPO is all about inclusivity, and how anyone can get involved. We also take a closer look at how intimate and personal being an organizer can be and why trust between a client and organizer is essential. To learn more about NABPO, building community, diversity, inclusion, and much more, make sure you tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing the National Association of Black Professional Organizers (NABPO) and today’s guest Carolyn Rogers [00:00:33].
• The group Ebony & Orderly and how it inspired the formation of NABPO [00:03:06].
• How NABPO first started gaining clients and hosting conferences. [00:05:30]
• The importance of helping people see the benefits of getting organized. [00:06:14].
• The figures that have brought awareness to organizing as a career and a service. [00:07:18].
• How the COVID-19 pandemic has created a demand for organizational services. [00:09:14].
• The current state of Ebony & Orderly and how its members are supporting each other's individual journeys. [00:10:18].
• How human connections have helped Carolyn move forward in organizing. [00:13:56].
• How the formation of NABPO came about. [00:16:26].
• Some of the diversity challenges of NAPO. [00:16:52].
• The sense of belonging that comes from being in environments that contain diversity when you’re a person of color. [00:19:02].
• How minorities support each other in different industries, like engineering. [00:20:59].
• The shifts and pushback we’ve noticed from people when it comes to inclusivity. [00:22:54]
• Some of the shifts that have taken place in advertising and representing diversity. [00:25:50]
• The benefits that have come out of NABPO and Ebony & Orderly for the communities that they serve. [00:27:10]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Ebony & Orderly — https://ebonyandorderly.com/

National Association of Black Professional Organizers (NABPO) — https://nabpo.org/

NAPO — http://napo.net/join

High sensitivity is a trait that affects one in five people in the general population, but today’s expert guest agrees that there seems to be a much higher prevalence of this in the organizing and productivity community as well as the coaching community. Joining us today is Melody Wilding, a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), thought leader, coach, professor of human behavior, and the author of Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work. She’s been listed as Business Insider’s most innovative coach and has written for publications such as Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, and many other high-profile publications. Tuning in you’ll hear about the traits that define highly sensitive people, the percentage of people who fall into this category, and how these personality traits can create challenges for us while also being our superpower. Melody breaks down some of the common challenges we face, such as “the honor roll hangover,” and explains how we can harness our emotions to have them work for us and not against us, along with some practical exercises to try. For some fascinating insight into the minds of highly sensitive people that may help you achieve success at work, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Claire’s suspicion that there are more highly sensitive people in the organizing, productivity, and coaching communities. [00:00:42]
• An introduction to today’s guest, Melody Wilding, and her impressive career. [00:01:39]
• Why Melody agrees that high sensitivity is more prevalent in organizing and coaching professions. [00:03:14]
• Insight into the percentage of people who are highly sensitive. [00:04:13]
• The SEED model Claire uses to differentiate highly sensitive people from others. [00:06:07]
• The STRIVE model Melody uses to describe the personality traits common among high-achieving highly sensitive people. [00:07:56]
• What Melody means by the 'honor roll hangover' and the trifecta of common qualities found in sensitive strivers. [00:11:47]
• How we can harness emotions and have them work for us, not against us. [00:13:02]
• How to protect yourself from the emotional exhaustion that may come with challenging clients and the Four Feelings Test. [00:14:32]
• How to show up in your business in a way that you feel good about. [00:18:53]
• Why highly sensitive people tend to disconnect themselves from their intuition. [00:20:55]
• Benefit from your strong inner drive while overcoming the tendency to do too much. [00:23:23]
• The value of rest in today’s corporate climate, particularly for sensitive strivers. [00:26:31]
• Exercises to help you get back in touch with your ‘sensitive striver sixth sense’. [00:29:03]
• Melody’s final thoughts on sensitivity as a strength and superpower. [00:31:15]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Melody Wilding — https://melodywilding.com/ 

Melody Wilding on Twitter — https://twitter.com/melodywilding

Trust Yourself — https://www.amazon.com/Trust-Yourself-Overthinking-Channel-Emotions/dp/1797201964

Fierce Self-Compassion — https://www.amazon.com/Fierce-Self-Compassion-Harness-Kindness-Thrive/dp/006299106X

Stand Out — napopodcast.com 

Stand Out on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfgICVg2b-bKSVmzoDKMrdg

NAPO — http://napo.net/join

Today we talk about the critical role of organizing in caregiving. Joining us for this discussion is Amelia Pleasant Kennedy, a NAPO member and an experienced professional organizer and life coach who runs a company called A Pleasant Solution. Amelia explains how she began her journey into the world of caregiving when her mother could no longer care for herself and how being a professional organizer uniquely prepared her for this role. She shares her story with us about how she first realized her mother needed additional care, how she broached the conversation with her brother, and how together they broached the conversation with their mom. Tuning in you’ll hear how Amelia overcame the emotional challenges of this journey by compartmentalizing, the importance of caring for yourself in a process like this, and some of the unexpected joys that Amelia got out of this experience. To hear Amelia’s advice and encouragement to anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation, or may be serving a client who is going through this process, as well as tips on how to marry compassion with the practical, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The story of how Amelia became a caregiver. [00:03:18]
• How Amelia’s organizing expertise prepared her for caregiving. [00:04:57]
• Amelia explains how she navigated family conversations about her mother’s need for more care. [00:06:38]
• Advice to anyone who has to approach a conversation about care, and the importance of marrying compassion with practicality. [00:08:53]
• How Amelia has overcome the emotional challenges by compartmentalizing. [00:11:24]
• How Amelia’s mother’s home reflected the state of her mental disorganization. [00:12:40]
• Clues that an elder parent may need extra care or assisted living. [00:14:11]
• Some of the unexpected joys that came out of this experience for Amelia. [00:17:31]
• Amelia’s advice to anyone in the organizing profession who may find themselves in a similar situation. [00:20:26].
• Words of encouragement for anyone who may be on a similar journey. [00:23:21]
• The importance of caring for yourself while you care for others. [00:24:55]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Amelia Pleasant Kennedy — https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameliapleasantkennedy/

A Pleasant Solution —  https://www.apleasantsolution.com/

NAPO — http://napo.net/join

NAPO Podcast — napopodcast.com

We’re all familiar with the phrase, “Good enough is good enough,” but today’s guest is here to share some wisdom around why good enough isn’t just good enough, it’s perfect. KC Davis is a therapist, author (of How to Keep House While Drowning, which we highly recommend), and mother of two, who also recently became a TikTok sensation for her open and honest accounts of her home life during the pandemic and her approach to dealing with a messy household. Struggling with postpartum depression during nationwide lockdowns, KC came to the life-altering realization that not folding her kids’ clothes didn’t make her a bad mother and that it’s unrealistic to expect a lived-in home to look fit for the cover of a magazine. She has since come up with practical strategies to help people concurrently look after their mental health and their home environment, which she shares with us today. Sometimes we get too caught up in society’s expectations of us and we forget what’s really important; so if you’re needing some perspective, you’ve come to the right place!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing today’s guest, KC Davis. [00:01:51].
• KC’s accidental journey to becoming internet-famous, and how it has changed her life and continues to change the lives of many others. [00:03:06].
• The mindset shift required to make dealing with a messy house more manageable. [00:08:07].
• How KC’s relationship with the phrase “do your best” has evolved over time. [00:10:11].
• KC explains the concept of moral neutrality, and how it can be applied to so many areas of our lives. [00:15:15].
• Why embracing imperfection is the key to living a full and happy life. [00:17:54].
• A household task that KC struggled with when she had postpartum depression, and the ‘adaptive imperfection’ solution she came up with to manage it. [00:19:55].
• The three layers of function that KC has developed as a way to help people manage their household tasks. [00:26:14].
• An explanation of KC’s 9 square matrix for setting priorities. [00:28:27].

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Struggle Care — https://www.strugglecare.com/

How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis — https://www.amazon.com/Keep-House-While-Drowning

KC Davis on TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@domesticblisters

NAPO — http://napo.net/join

NAPO Podcast — napopodcast.com

“When you think about it, our day starts and it ends in our closet.” These are the words of today’s guest Naeemah Ford Goldson, who joins us as we delve into the world of closets! Naeemah is a NAPO member, the proud owner of Restore Order Professional Organizing, and the host of her own podcast Organize Me! Radio. She's also a member of the ICD and the founder of NABPO which is the National Association of Black Professional Organizers, a non-profit that seeks to empower BIPOC Professional Organizers. Naeemah joins us to help us get a current take on what's hot in the land of closets! She explains why closets are so important, why they should be customized, and how our individual sizes and shapes affect the way we should design them. We discuss how putting things away affects the design of the closet, why it’s so important for the hamper to be convenient and functional, and how to design a closet for two people with different organizing styles. To discover valuable tips for organizing professionals who are looking for closet solutions for their clients, and what is currently trending in design finishes and colors, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Naeemah Ford Goldson’s thoughts on why closets should be customized. [00:02:52].
• How our sizes and shapes affect the way we design closets. [00:04:42].
• Other things to consider when customizing closet space. [00:05:53].
• Why you should edit your closet content before you do inventory. [00:07:40].
• How putting things away affects the design of the closet. [00:09:25].
• The importance of the hamper being convenient and functional. [00:10:50].
• Tips on how to design a closet for two people with different organizing styles.[00:11:50].
• Naeemah’s favorite thing to use in a closet: a valet rod. [00:13:06].
• Tips for organizing professionals looking for closet solutions for their clients [00:14:27].
• Whether or not you should factor kickbacks into your fee. [00:15:14].
• How Naeemah goes about designing a closet using graphing paper. [00:19:09].
• Insight into what is currently trending in design finishes and colors. [00:22:19].
• One of Naeemah’s favorite closet organizing products: the shelf divider. [00:24:49].

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Restore Order — https://restoreordernow.com/

Naeemah Ford Goldson on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/naeemah-ford-goldson

Institute for Challenging Disorganization — https://icdorg.memberclicks.net/

National Association of Black Professional Organizers — https://nabpo.org/

Organize Me! Radio — https://restoreordernow.com/organize-me-radio

Restore Order on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RestoreOrder

Restore Order on Facebook — https://facebook.com/RestoreOrderNow/

Restore Order on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/restore_order_now/

Restore Order with Naeemah on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/user/RestoreOrderNow

NAPO — http://napo.net/join

NAPO Podcast — napopodcast.com

After years of struggling with clutter, today’s guest realized something that would change her life forever; she didn’t organize in the traditional way. Cassandra Aarssen discovered that there are, in fact, four different organizing styles. Once she knew her style, Cassandra (or Cass, as she is affectionately known) was finally able to design a system that worked for her and stay organized for good! She’s now on a mission to spread the Clutterbug Organizing Philosophy and help other families who struggle with disorganization and clutter. You may have seen her hosting Hot Mess House on HGTV, although she also offers free education and ideas through her YouTube videos, podcasts, and her amazing online Facebook support group. In today’s episode, she shares why she believes that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for organization, and the four different organizing types that Cass calls Clutterbugs; Ladybug, Bee, Cricket, and Butterfly. We also discuss how differing organizing styles can co-exist under the same roof, and how you can encourage your children to develop their own relationships with things. Cass gives advice for listeners who are considering a less organized approach, and so much more! Tune in today to find out how Cass has been able to help millions of families transform their lives through organization and how you can do the same!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Cass shares her personal struggle with clutter that drove her to start Clutterbugs [00:02:26].
• Why a particular organizing system works for one person and not another [00:04:30].
• Your guide to understanding different organizing styles [00:06:04].
• Where you can take the Clutterbug Quiz and why you should answer honestly [00:09:38].
• Why Cass believes that self-confidence is half the battle when it comes to clutter [00:10:37].
• Breaking down the four Clutterbug styles: Butterfly, Bee, Ladybug, and Cricket [00:11:00].
• What’s on the horizon for Cass, including product development for each style [00:14:16].
• The trap that she sees professional organizers fall into with their clients [00:15:55].
• How differing organizing styles can live together under the same roof [00:18:05].
• How you can encourage your children to discover their relationship with things [00:26:17].
• Insight into Hot Mess House and the principles that Cass brought to the show [00:27:20].
• Her advice for listeners: it’s okay to take a less organized approach! [00:32:20]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Cassandra Aarssen on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandra-aarssen-5bbba22b/

Cassandra Aarssen on Twitter — https://twitter.com/Clutterbug_Me

Clutterbug — https://clutterbug.me/

Clutterbug on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/clutterbug_me/

Clutterbug on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/clutterbug.me/

Clutterbug on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/user/OrganizedClutterbug

NAPO — http://napo.net/join