|
return to previous page
New Member
Spotlight - B. Organized
Coastlines: Business News from the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce
Summer 2006
 Meticulously
dressed from head to toe, one would imagine that Nicole Gabai has
her life perfectly organized and together – boy, does she ever!
Owner of B. Organized, Nicole is a hands-on professional organizing
consultant dedicated to helping people who want to improve their
living and working spaces. Originally hailing from New York with a
ten year background in TV production, and a fashion degree from
Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology,
Nicole has spent a lot of her time designing, organizing paper work
and creating time-managed schedules.
Seven years
ago Nicole took a leap of faith and started her own company when a
friend (a doctor with loads of paperwork) asked her to help organize
her office. The finished product wowed her friend and Nicole has
been helping people to organize and clear their clutter ever since.
Through word of mouth B. Organized spread into a big production in
New York. Nicole had 5 assistants on staff and found herself
traveling all around the country and internationally organizing
offices, closets, homes and her clients’ lives.
The fast pace
of her successful business life left her a little burnt out and when
her apartment in New York was damaged by a fire last June, she leapt
at the opportunity to stay and unwind at her client’s beach house
in Falmouth Heights. Nicole fell in love with the slower pace of
life the Cape provided and the fresh calming smell of the ocean –
she moved to Falmouth in October 2005 and never looked back on her
NY roots. Now handling a smaller operation, Nicole enjoys a balance
between her life and her work and makes sure to schedule time to
relax and spend with friends.
When asked
what piece of advice she could give a disorganized person, she
laughed as she exclaimed, “hire me!” Nicole says that you
shouldn’t be too hard on yourself. “If you’re overwhelmed then
start with a small pile of paperwork today, file that and then do
another pile tomorrow, soon all of your paperwork will have a home.”
She continued, “Invest the time and don’t be afraid to ask for
help.”
 As far as organizational rules go, Nicole
says to first divide your space into zones. An office could have
three zones and a room in your home may have up to five zones. These
zones are designed to help you sort out the items you will need
close at hand and those that can be placed farther away or filed.
Secondly, “touch paper,” every single paper should be sorted
through and either thrown away or filed in an easily accessible
location. Next, create categories for your file folders. Make sure
that when you are labeling your folders that the category isn’t
too broad. For instance, instead of having one folder for all of
your insurance needs, separate each of your insurances into varying
folders – health, dental, home, car etc. Lastly, file for
retrieval. Put some thought into what you will be looking for when
you go to find your paperwork and label your files with that in
mind.
To organize
your office, begin by investing in a few simple products. Nicole
recommends slanted gradient files because they are easily accessible
and you can view the contents via the label. She states that these
files are your “fingertip files” and should be used to keep all
of your current projects and paperwork on hand. Make sure that all
of your desk accessories are close by too, either on top of the desk
or in a side drawer you can easily reach – a stapler and staples,
tape, extra pens and highlighters, paperclips, white out –
whatever you would normally use as you go through your day. Nicole
also suggests investing in a Brother P-Touch labeler, “the more
beautiful your files are, the more apt you will be to use them on a
daily basis.” Nicole says the use of an in/out box is also helpful
as long as you are strict about it. “This should not be your ‘catch-all’
tray,” she states. Lastly, make sure that at the end of your work
day you take ten to fifteen minutes to get your desk “back to one,”
that is, take the time to file any paperwork that needs filing and
clear off any unnecessary junk so your desk is clutter free when you
arrive the next day. “Organization is a learned behavior,”
Nicole states, “Don’t be shy about it, use file folders for
everything, every piece of paper in your office should have a home.”
If you’d
like more advice on how to organize your office or home you may
contact Nicole via email at nicole@b-organized.net or
via phone at 508-532-2715. Nicole will also be teaching an
organization class at the Falmouth Night School this fall entitled
“Organizing Solutions for your Home & Office” which you
may sign up for by calling the Night School at 508-548-5739.
Nicole is also featured in the July/August edition of Cape Cod
& Islands Home Magazine produced by Cape Cod Life.
return to previous page |
