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Rolodex Contest

 

In January 2007, Rolodex®, the standard in office and personal organization for nearly 50 years, developed the Office Makeover Challenge to gauge the skills of professional organizers nationwide. Professional organizers who are members of the National Association of Professional Organizers were asked to provide their expertise to solve the organization problems of business professionals. The program challenged the members to assist in solving the organization hurdles of individuals using Rolodex and Rubbermaid Office Solutions products for the chance at earning $10,000 and the title of Office Makeover Challenge champion.

The challenge was to – organize “Fred” – a recent college graduate whose office clutter resembles a dorm room or “Fran” – a graphic designer whose home office is a design in disorganization. Contest participants were then asked to provide their suggestions on how to get Fred or Fran organized so they can go live their life. Story submissions were limited to 600 words and were to be accompanied by a list of organizing products with a budget of $1,000. Two semifinalists were chosen and won trips to the National Association of Professional Organizer 2007 Conference in Minneapolis, MN. There they would bring their story to life and compete for the grand prize- a trip.

Amber wrote in for the character Fran.

FRAN’S STORY

Fran’s home based graphic design business started out in the corner of her bedroom. As her business grew, so did her list of missed deadlines. After missing an appointment with her largest client, Fran decided she needed help and called your company to help her get organized.

At first glance, Fran’s home appears in order- monochromatic furnishings, clean surfaces, and museum-quality artwork. Fran’s bedroom tells a different story. Piles of papers stacked on the desk and floor- even on the bed-- stacks of computer cds, miscellaneous memory sticks, business cards from networking events, a box of her own business cards, office supplies of all sorts, unopened mail, design magazines, catalogs, bank statements, reference books, receipts, written proposals, wedding initiations, design boards- even appliance manuals.

You asked a lot of questions and took note that Fran:

• Has a solid , light wood desk she loves, complete with two deep filing drawers and two smaller drawers

• Has a pair of old fashioned dark wood chairs that she loves and feels comfortable in

• Has a spacious spare bedroom that is used two to three times a year

• Uses a laptop for taking her designs to client meetings or for working in a coffee shop

• Uses a large-screen Apple computer for designing at home

• Uses her flatbed scanner at least once a week and uses her printer daily

• Has no files for her current clients or prospects

• Hired someone to complete her bookkeeping and is thrilled with the service

• Uses several methods to indicate meetings , including writing them on the backs of envelopes

• Had a career at advertising agencies before going out on her own

• Is in her second year of business

• Is married with no children

• Is introverted

• Is very visual, but also learns by doing

• Is big into recycling but has no bin for recycling in her office

• Is somewhat of a perfectionist

• Has unclear goals for her thriving business and might be afraid of success

RESPONSE

I would help Fran by grouping her challenges into sections and attacking each one together. While going through her bedroom corner, each item will be touched and assigned a section. The organizing obstacles will be solved by setting up systems for her to maintain and by finding permanent places for everything. In light of her decorating taste, I would suggest wood-colored desk supplies to complement her current furniture. Because light greens stimulate thinking and calmness, we will incorporate those colors into her office as well.

Here are Fran’s office sections and my solutions to her current challenges.

Setting up the Office-

I suggest moving her growing company into her spare bedroom, while still accommodating occasional guests. Relocating her office will give her less distractions, room to grow, and most importantly, it will contain all of her work and supplies in one space that is primarily hers.

The closet in the spare bedroom will be used by guests and to store extra linens. So I propose, keeping her desk and comfortable chairs, adding a large bookcase for supplies, and adding a printer/scanner stand to save room on her desk and to store her laptop. A recycling bin designated for the office will enhance her recycling habits. Finally, to hold her design boards, I suggest an easel to complement her visual learning.

Eliminating Personal Items-

Fran’s wedding invitations and appliance manuals have nothing to do with her business. We would store those outside of her new office space.

Keeping Resources Accessible-

Fran needs to be able to access her reference books, design magazines and catalogs for work. They will line up on her new bookcase by topic or by publisher/author, depending on her preference. To help contain and support them, we will use bookends and magazine file holders.

Hiding Office Supplies-

After a much needed purging, the remaining office supplies, CD’s and memory sticks will be separated in light green, labeled containers on the bookcase. A desk drawer organizer will suffice in organizing small desk items. Her business cards will store nicely in a business card holder that also doubles as a pencil holder.

Growing the Business-

To inspire Fran to set and achieve business goals, a sea grass green bulletin board will hang above her desk. There she can mount business ideas and goals in columns in order of urgency and importance. After networking events, Fran can also mount business cards of people she needs to contact. The rest can be stored in a business card binder or inputted into her laptop. Organizing them by profession or alphabetically or topically will be her choice.

Keeping Calendar-

Rolodex’s neo classic red weekly planner will help Fran in keeping appointments and deadlines. The color red will remind her that her time is hot or important and can easily be found in her briefcase. Writing on old envelopes, will be obsolete.

Filing paper-

Setting up a filing system to eliminate the stacks of paper is a must and would include folders for financial papers, written proposals, past clients, and prospects, etc. Grass green file folders will be used to help our theme. Fran’s current projects and clients could be sorted into Rubbermaid’s Active View Project Platform.

Using outside help-

Fran’s bank statements and receipts will be contained in one place to give to the bookkeeper. The statements will await the bookkeeper in a labeled letter tray with an envelope full of the current month’s receipts. The other labeled tray will serve as an inbox for unopened mail. Time each day will be scheduled into her appointment book to go through it.