|
Grab peace of mind by collecting documents in one place 11-11-2006
Oakland
Tribune Newspaper
Oakland, CA
A
couple of weeks ago, I gave a presentation on home staging at
the regional conference of the National Association of
Professional Organizers (NAPO). I was only a little nervous, as
I knew my material quite well, but I was glad when I was
finished could relax and enjoy the rest of the conference.
The
theme of this year's event was Transforming Lives. This may seem
grandiose, but I've got two friends who are professional
organizers who tell me about clients becoming very emotional
when their spaces are finally free of the chaos of
disorganization that once loomed so heavily. Getting systems in
place and things is order is very gratifying. I have seen how
people's lives are improved after their interior space becomes a
harmonious reflection of who they are and how they want to live.
One client still tells me, even a few years after finishing his
design project, "I love coming home every day."
It's
always interesting to see what's new in the world of
professional organizing. Vendors displayed a variety of new
products, from filing systems to closet organizers to
specialized storage boxes for game boards. Just looking at the
items made me feel like I should go home and reorganize some
closets and file drawers. My home office is in pretty good
shape, but I recognize that there is definitely some room for
improvement elsewhere. If you come over, promise you won't look
in our hall closet.
One
particular product caught my eye, because it seemed so
practical. It is called the Grab-N-Go Box.
It is designed to hold all of your important documents, keeping
them in one place, ready to take with you in case of emergency.
The inventor is a professional organizer named Suzan Harnish.
Suzan and her husband found themselves facing evacuation because
of a raging fire in the canyon near their home. While she knew
where all of her important papers were in the house, she didn't
have them all in one place, and didn't have time to retrieve
each one. Fortunately, the fire was contained and they were
spared, but from this experience, Suzan realized an important
need and created the Grab-N-Go Box.
The
sturdy metal box comes with dozens of pre-labeled file folders
and forms to fill out by hand or on the computer, along with a
helpful guide. The folders are organized into color-coded
categories and include space for financial, legal, and medical
documents, just to name a few. Suzan consulted with attorneys,
insurance agents and financial planners to make sure everything
was covered. There is even a category called "Passing On" which
holds documents relating to a person's final wishes. The Grab-N-Go
Box concept is one we should all embrace. One never knows when
disaster might strike; it would provide great peace of mind to
know that important documents are all in one place, organized
and accessible.
Anna Jacoby of Anna Jacoby Interiors is a local interior
decorator. Send your design questions or dilemmas to her at
info@annajacobyinteriors.com.
Call or fax her at (510) 490-0379 or visit
http://www.annajacobyinteriors.com/.
Link to article:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_4643414 |
