Our biggest goal for this new year is to get organized.  Anyone else out there feel unorganized and afraid to look beyond what’s right in front of you for fear of being overwhelmed?  I’ll be honest, we’ve been very reactive in our business lately.  When something needed to get done, we scrammed around until it got done and sometimes things didn’t turn out exactly how we wanted.  We had ideas but didn’t put any systems in place to make them reality or to keep up with them.  It’s been exhausting.  We have slowly started implementing some very good organizational systems, such as ShootQ for our business management and Zenfolio for our online galleries and slideshows, but we still have lots more to accomplish.

This task of becoming more organized isn’t only work-related.  We also struggle with organizing our daily and home life.  It’s hard to separate the two when you work from home, let me tell ya! Who’s with me on that one?

We’ve been working on our 2012 goals since November and we now have a timeline to turn these these goals a reality.  I’m sure things will need to be tweaked and reevaluated as the months go by, but it’s a start!

Here are a few organizational tools that we’ve been using to help us clear the clutter and get moving.   ….

• Evernote  :  It’s kind of like a journal / notebook, but way cooler.  It works with nearly every computer, phone and mobile device out there and allows you to sync all of them so no matter where you are, you can update a note, create a new one, and remember everything!
• Google Calendar :  This is pretty self explanatory, but it really helps me to have our calender online and also be able to synch with my iphone and ipad.  It also integrates really nicely to my ShootQ calendar, which is great because I don’t have to keep to 2 separate calendars for work and home.  I use the same calendar and just color code our photo shoots, weddings, work appts, and home life.  It keeps me sane!
• Pinterest : ok, ok, you might think this one doesn’t really count as a tool but it does!  I’ve been able to create boards to help me organize recipes, ideas for activities with the kids, inspirational quotes, ideas for photo shoots, vacations, and home decor.  And, I must say that it really does work.  I have made some really great tasting meals and we’ve had some fun times with the kiddos with some of those pins I’ve found.  Plus, I’ve also found some really great tips on organizing

In the following weeks, I’d also like to share in more detail and give specific examples of what it is we are struggling with, some of our goals, and our timelines for achieving them.  This is partly because I think if I share it openly here with you on this blog then I’m also going to be held accountable.  I’ll be motivated to accomplish them.  Sharing is caring. But, just as importantly, I hope that by sharing a bit of our struggle we can also help you in your quest to become more organized.  I hope I’m not alone and we aren’t the only ones who haven’t mastered the art of organizing…..

Now, why don’t you share some of  your own organizational problems with us, or some tips on what’s helped you become better organized.  Heck, just a little “amen, I’m right there with ya!” would work too!

Thanks!