Amber’s Home and Office Organizing Blog index
Blog entries for the category Offices
Tickler Systems
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Friday, May 7
31 Day Tickler Filing System Managing Paper, Bills and Tasks Each day of the Month So let me be honest right from the start. I usually don’t suggest tickler systems for my clients. However, for some they do work. So today I’d like to address this system and idea. You never know. It could work for you. I have many organizer friends who ac…
Record Retention
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Tuesday, March 30
We are only a couple of weeks away before tax season culminates. I know some of you may filed an extension but if you haven’t you’re probably asking the same questions I hear often....What records do I need to keep? & How long do I need to keep records? Here are some helpful hints to start you thinking in the right direction.1.…
Taking the Mystery Out of Maintenance
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Tuesday, February 9
How to Maintain Organization in Your Home OfficeWhy does it seem that just after you’ve gotten the office back under control, it falls apart so quickly? Surfaces accumulate paper again and the messy office cycle starts all over again. Of all the areas of the home I think an office or paper station/mail hub tends to relapse to disorganization …
Post It Pockets- A Real Find
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Tuesday, February 2
A Quick Way to Organize Paper Recently I received a promotional packet in the mail from …
A New Start
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Thursday, January 7
Regaining Space, Calm, and Organization. Yesterday, I helped a family reclaim their spare bedroom. It’s now a functioning office and workout space that the whole family can use. If you’re stuck in a rut and want a fresh start in 2010 put aside the excuses, fear, and procrastination. Make a change today. You can do it! Organization is just…
Zero Email in Your Inbox
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Thursday, August 27, 2009
At a recent meeting, a colleague mentioned InBox Zero. He recommended I watch the online video because we were chatting about all the email that piles up in our email inboxes. One woman shared she had 2,000 sitting in her inbox. Others said on average 90 or 100. I usually maintain about 15-20 max. I know email clutter is a bigger probelm than we al…
The Power of a Good Filing System
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Thursday, August 13, 2009
I don’t normally toot my own horn but today I had a “wow” moment that solitfied once again in my mind why I LOVE being organized. Here’s what happened. I went to get my bike tuned up today because my sprint triathlon is drawing near. While I was in the shop, I asked the gentlemen to put on a spedometer my husband handed to m…
An Office- Before and After
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Thursday, July 30, 2009
I recently finished an organizing project in this spare bedroom. It was basically a home office but available for house guests. As you can see, no work was being performed and no one was sleeping over in it’s former state...
Managing Time- The Importance Factor
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Yesterday I wrote about the impossibility of managing time. And in Harold Taylor’s quote we learned we have to manage ourselves and tasks in respect to time. Many people claim: I don’t have the time to work out, cook dinner, organize, file those papers, etc.... yesterday Harold Taylor challenged and said “yes you do”. He sai…
Organizing Quote #2- Author Chris Couch
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Thursday, June 25, 2009
OK, just one more. I know I shared a quote yesterday. But here’s another good one that you really should think about. On Page 50- “Getting Organized is more about decision making than cleaning-up. You can clean up your office and get temporarily organized, but the clutter will quickly return if you don’t have good habits to consis…
Organizing Quote- Author Chris Crouch
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Wednesday, June 24, 2009
I really enjoyed reading Getting Organized by Chris Crouch. The chapters were short and to the point and it was an easy read. One quote I keep coming back to and which I really do enjoy is on page 40. “It may not seem like a big deal to toss that piece of paper in a stack on the corner of your desk . But stacks turn into piles and piles…
5 Quick Tips to Keep your Desk Clear
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Set a buzzer on your phone or computer to go off 15 minutes before your work day ends. Spend those 15 minutes clearing off your desk- i.e. filing paper, returning your glass to the kitchen, and pencils back in the pencil cup Use your calendar as much as possible. Instead of having piles of paper that pertain to different projects stack…
Cord Organizing
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Wednesday, May 6, 2009
I was recently in Office Max buying some items for my clients and a particular item inspired me to get “my act” together as well. The items were cord organizers. I was so sick of looking at a rat’s nest of tangled wires under my desk that I decided I’d also along with my client, organize my wires under my desk. I liked the c…
Mail- Don’t avoid it, attack it!
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Friday, May 1, 2009
I’ve don’t think I’ve ever met a client who enjoys getting and opening mail. Most people loathe it. Some don’t even open it and I open it for them. Having gone through stacks and stacks of mail over the last 5.5 years, I think the 80/20 rule applies- eighty percent is junk mail/ unnecessary and a waster of paper. And twenty …
Unpacking an office
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Friday, April 24, 2009
Moving turns an office upside down.
Completing a project
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Completing one project more effective than starting and leaving 5 uncompleted projects.
Shredding Storefront
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Sunday, April 19, 2009
Here’s a great place to drop off papers to be shredded
Office Furniture
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The right furniture in a home office or any office for that matter is crucial to a productive work environment.
Speed Organizing
Posted by: Amber Kostelny-Cussen on Saturday, March 28, 2009
Organizing at lighting speed. Get a lot accomplished in little time.









