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Inspired Home Office

  • newCreative Office Organizing Ideas: New digs for the litter box
    Litter boxes. They are the only real drawback to being among the millions of households who keep cats. Unless you have taken the time and trouble to teach her to use the john – and there are training kits made to facilitate even that process – yo…
    - 3 days ago, 17 May 12, 1:40pm -
  • 4 ways to release emotionally-charged items
    Ever wonder why you avoid your space and prefer not to spend time in it? Consider what emotionally-charged items have ended up in your home office. Whether it’s your ex-spouse’s desk, a deceased relatives’ personal effects, or a collection of y…
    - 10 days ago, 10 May 12, 10:14pm -
  • Creative Office Organizing Ideas: Online countdown clocks
    We all know that work will gleefully expand to fill the time we’ve set aside for it. But setting a timer helps keep you on track and also prevents the unhappy tasks from oozing out of their time-block to engulf your entire day. Toward that end, I r…
    - 10 days ago, 10 May 12, 1:32pm -
  • Creative Office Organizing Ideas: Teachers’ hangy bags!
    When it comes to organizational genius, Copernicus was one of the titans! His re-organization of the universe putting planet earth somewhere other than at the center, of course, didn’t gain him much appreciation in his day, but what can we say? He…
    - 17 days ago, 3 May 12, 12:01am -
  • Rethinking fast
    I’ve been noticing lately how fast I think I should complete things. In my mind, I imagine how long a task or project will take — and it’s not pretty. So I’ve developed a new rule: double it. If you think that doing social media should take y…
    - 19 days ago, 1 May 12, 1:03pm -
  • The cost of living at the edge of your energy
    It’s been a rocking week! First I presented the NICER Process to 25 landscape designers and contractors. Then I taught 17 small business owners (from jewelry artists to web designers) about creating systems for their social media. Since many of my…
    - 23 days ago, 27 Apr 12, 12:03am -
  • Sacred Spaces: My “I’m going to Spain” altar
    My “I’m going to Spain” altar This might look a mess, but all I see is that beautiful scallop shell. Next year I’m planning to walk 500 miles along an ancient pilgrimage route through France and Spain. Before it was called the Camino de Santi…
    - 25 days ago, 25 Apr 12, 1:03pm -
  • Guest blogger Regina Mountjoy: Organizing your digital photos
    This guest post is by photographer and organizer, Regina Mountjoy. I’m excited to feature her because she’s a guest speaker in the Creative Haven on April 27th. Would you like to be there? Check out the Haven. And enjoy! Introduction I’m a prof…
    - 32 days ago, 18 Apr 12, 3:11pm -
  • Sacred Spaces: Miniature feng shui arrangement
    My mini feng shui arrangement I love this collection. It’s sits just next to my monitor on an apple crate. Apparently, the center space of any room is the good fortune gua and is associated with earth colors and the earth element. Ask me what this…
    - 34 days ago, 16 Apr 12, 1:03pm -
  • Your daughter’s grief: An open letter to moms
    Dear mom of an adult daughter, It’s happened enough times now that I just had to write. After you’re gone and she’s begun to sort through your things, your tearful daughter tells me how hard it is to go through all of your belongings and decide…
    - 37 days ago, 13 Apr 12, 2:56am -

The Small Business Blog

  • newWork within reason, wise Dad advised
    My father, who worked for himself all his life, either alone or running his small business, said to anyone thinking of going for it (me included) that it would take ten years to get established. I couldn’t see that at the time but I now fully under…
    - 4 days ago, 16 May 12, 4:44pm -
  • Top 5 Tips for Business Credit Cards
    Top 5 Tips posts from the SME Blog are always full of hints and tips for small, home & micro business owners. 1. Using a credit card is actually a sensible thing for a business to do, provided they are going to be paying it off in full each month. Do…
    - 6 days ago, 14 May 12, 7:00am -
  • Getting more out of your networking
    A colleague of mine, Barclay Thompson of Clear Business Development, shared the following link (from Nigel Botterill called Networking – The Surest Way to Stay Poor?) with me the other day. Following that we met up for coffee earlier today to talk…
    - 9 days ago, 11 May 12, 2:43pm -
  • Taking over the (virtual) world

    - 10 days ago, 10 May 12, 3:50pm -
  • More than just a brand
    I told you last week that “back in 1998-9 our instinct was to radically change the course of our lives”, promising to tell you this week just how, where and why. That was a tad ambitious for one small blog, but here are the bones. Mother’s Gard…
    - 11 days ago, 9 May 12, 7:00am -
  • Dinosaurs, Wind Farms & Let’s Twist Again
    Keep up won’t you – most websites that promote ‘how to successfully start and run your own business’ are sponsored by big companies and government bodies and written by people that are in jobs and have never started their own business. The ad…
    - 12 days ago, 8 May 12, 10:19am -
  • To take on a senior employee in your own biz – or not.
    There is a better way of building your business than taking on a senior employee. Unfortunately, this better way is risky and certainly is not possible for all types of micro-business. My preferred options/alternatives to taking on a senior employee…
    - 13 days ago, 7 May 12, 7:55pm -
  • Top 5 Tips for London 2012
    Top 5 Tips posts from the SME Blog are always full of hints and tips for small, home & micro business owners. 1. The London Olympics are expected to cause travel chaos for small businesses and the general public this Summer. Make sure that all your v…
    - 13 days ago, 7 May 12, 7:00am -
  • The Easiest Customer May Also Be The Best
    I love reading Seth Godin’s Blog – you should click over to it, it’s worth it – he has a way to extrude the essence out of all kinds of stuff and topics. But sometimes he gets it spectacularly wrong, at least in my opinion. In one of his post…
    - 15 days ago, 5 May 12, 4:16pm -
  • Life in the little league
    At 5 feet 3 inches, or 1.60 metres if you work in metric, I should be used to feeling small so why then over the last 20 plus years of running my own businesses have I often felt like an inhabitant of Lilliput Land that has just seen Gulliver walk ar…
    - 16 days ago, 4 May 12, 8:28am -

Unclutter

  • newAsk Unclutterer: Designing a new space that prevents clutter and reduces cleaning time
    Reader Howard asks: "Do you have any tips for remodeling or building a house that would help prevent clutter or reduce cleaning maintenance in the design of the space?"Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's Unclutter Your Life in One Week from Amaz…
    - 2 days ago, 18 May 12, 2:01pm -
  • newNew additions to the Unclutterer family: Introducing Dave Caolo
    Today we welcome technology wizard Dave Caolo to the Unclutterer content team.Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's Unclutter Your Life in One Week from Amazon.com today.
    - 3 days ago, 17 May 12, 2:10pm -
  • newUnitasker Wednesday: Pizza Plates
    I have to be honest, I don't understand the need to own six triangular shaped plates with pictures of pepperoni pizza on them for the sole purpose of serving slices of restaurant-made pizza. Introducing, the Pizza PlatesLike this site? Buy Erin Roone…
    - 4 days ago, 16 May 12, 2:20pm -
  • newA year ago on Unclutterer
    2011 Ask Unclutterer: Concert ticketsReader Ali wants to know how best to display her concert, play, festival, and movie tickets she has kept over the years. 2010 Ask Unclutterer: Regular car maintenanceDo you have any tips to keep track of upkeep fo…
    - 4 days ago, 16 May 12, 12:45pm -
  • Unstuck: An app that helps you achieve your goals
    Stuck in a rut? Unsure how to get stuff done? Let the "Unstuck" iPad app to achieve your personal and professional goals.Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's Unclutter Your Life in One Week from Amazon.com today.
    - 5 days ago, 15 May 12, 5:34pm -
  • New additions to the Unclutterer family: Introducing Deb Lee
    We are happy to announce that two writers are joining our content team here at Unclutterer. First up, is professional organizer Deb Lee.Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's Unclutter Your Life in One Week from Amazon.com today.
    - 5 days ago, 15 May 12, 3:42pm -
  • Five tasks to keep your Monday morning productive
    Monday mornings can be tough, especially rainy ones like we're having in the Mid-Atlantic this morning. Instead of wasting away your morning, try these simple five tasks to keep your productivity from stalling.Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's…
    - 6 days ago, 14 May 12, 1:11pm -
  • A year ago on Unclutterer
    2010 Book review: Stuff Hoarding specialists Randy Frost and Gail Steketee recently published Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things that explores the psychological world of hoarding. In the book, the components of the disorder are expl…
    - 7 days ago, 13 May 12, 2:30pm -
  • Workspace of the Week: Lots of necessary equipment in a fixed space
    This week’s Workspace of the Week is Lpvisuals' computer workstation.Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's Unclutter Your Life in One Week from Amazon.com today.
    - 9 days ago, 11 May 12, 2:02pm -
  • An uncluttered plunger, really
    I was recently impressed when I saw a demonstration of the new Rubbermaid Clean and Dry Plunger (yes, you just read that correctly, I was impressed by a plunger ... and you probably will be, too).Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's Unclutter You…
    - 10 days ago, 10 May 12, 1:57pm -

The Solopreneur Life

  • newIf You Had a Do-Over, What Would You Do?
    This is something I’m very curious about: if you had a “do-over” for your career, what would you choose to do? Would it be different from what you’re doing now? Is it too late for you to take a do-over? I’d Be a Football Coach Being a footb…
    - 3 days ago, 17 May 12, 5:09am -
  • newShould You Show Your Warts?
    In his book Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing, author Harry Beckwith offers two examples that he believes illustrate a curious truth. He’s “Difficult” In the mid-1980s, researchers at Cleveland State University created tw…
    - 4 days ago, 16 May 12, 2:46pm -
  • No Doubt About It: You Can Be Great
    If you ever have doubts about your ability to make a difference in the world, remember this quote: “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and ve…
    - 4 days ago, 16 May 12, 4:26am -
  • The Glamorous Life of the Solopreneur, Example No. 83
    The solopreneur life — it’s so, so glamorous! The home on the beach, the 4-hour work weeks, the world travel, the wealth and riches! If you’re a regular reader of my columns, you know that I’m kidding. This week our dog Griffin had, ahem, bow…
    - 8 days ago, 12 May 12, 5:13am -
  • Featured Soloist Derek Peterson: “Always Work to Fill the Glass”
    This is The Solopreneur Life’s “Featured Soloist,” the purpose of which is to give all of us a glimpse at how other solopreneurs operate their small businesses. Today we meet Derek Peterson. If you would like to be the “Featured Soloist,” p…
    - 12 days ago, 8 May 12, 6:13am -
  • A New Service for Solopreneurs: Listening
    Through working with solopreneurs and being a solopreneur, I’ve learned that sometimes — oftentimes! — we need a person who will listen, a person who understands this wacky, wonderful life we’ve chosen. Oftentimes we don’t need advice. We d…
    - 12 days ago, 8 May 12, 6:09am -
  • The Imagination: How Important Is It? How Do You Make It a Force for Good?
    “All successful men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.” — Brian Tracy “I saw the angel in the marble and…
    - 18 days ago, 2 May 12, 6:38pm -
  • What Have You Done Today to Change the World?
    Since the early days of TheSolopreneurLife.com, we’ve had a rallying cry (and even a t-shirt): “There’s no plan B!” The cry expresses my belief that you can’t dip your toe into the solopreneurial pool; you need to do a cannonball. Bellyflop…
    - 18 days ago, 2 May 12, 3:21am -
  • You Are a Solopreneur, a Hero on a Quest
    I want to share a passage from Laurence G. Boldt’s book, Zen and the Art of Making a Living: Imagine that in approaching the Quest for life’s work, you view, consider, and experience yourself as a hero or heroine tracking a great treasure which,…
    - 20 days ago, 30 Apr 12, 1:44am -
  • What Will You Do When Your Passion Disappears?
    When evaluating a business idea, I measure three areas: • The market’s wants and needs • The ability to meet the market’s wants and needs • The level of passion for the work But I’ve learned that I shouldn’t be measuring passion at all.…
    - 25 days ago, 25 Apr 12, 3:56pm -

The Solopreneur Guide

  • newHow Much Does SEO Cost?
    SEO (search engine optimization) is a critical component to any online marketing strategy. Its purpose is to help companies attract their ideal customers to their website and incentivize them to take a specific action or actions. When you create your…
    - 2 days ago, 18 May 12, 5:00pm -
  • The Google Penguin Evolves
    It was just a little more than a year ago when I reported about the roll out of the Google Panda algorithm version 2.2 as Google further attempted to measure user response to the quality of their SERPs. Since then, they’ve made dozens of tweaks to…
    - 5 days ago, 15 May 12, 4:27pm -
  • Facebook Changes Again
    “The only thing constant is change” appears to be the tagline for Facebook. Seems the ever-changing and might FB has decided to do it again. This time, they are altering the dimensions of the profile picture from the 125 x 125 to 160 x 160. Here…
    - 24 days ago, 26 Apr 12, 1:00pm -
  • How Does Blogging Fit in with Your Social Media Strategy?
    When I say, “social media,” you say … “Facebook” “Twitter” “YouTube” “LinkedIn” Maybe you threw in Pinterest and Google+, too. Unfortunately, many solopreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses have been drawn by the buzz of th…
    - 25 days ago, 25 Apr 12, 1:00pm -
  • Online Videos and SEO
    Sure, you’ve watched ‘em on YouTube. You’ve shared other people’s videos on Facebook. But have you let your business star in its own online videos as part of your SEO strategy? If you still question whether online videos are right for your bu…
    - 31 days ago, 19 Apr 12, 1:32am -

Solopreneur.biz

  • newWhat Is Search Engine Optimization? – Part 1
    Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is used in all aspects of web marketing. You need to understand as much as you can about how SEO works in order to get the proper marketing of your website online. When you use SEO in all of your content – both text…
    - 2 days ago, 18 May 12, 11:53am -
  • Is it Time for an iPad?
    Convinced you need an iPad to make your life complete? You’re not the only one! The latest estimates say that there are some 7.5 million iPads already being put to use by rabid consumers world-wide, and those numbers are bound to rise even further…
    - 4 days ago, 16 May 12, 11:13am -
  • Protecting Your Business from Malware
    It’s an unfortunate fact of life that if you do any part of your business on the internet (even if it’s just a simple website or blog), then you’re at risk of an attack from hackers. While we tend to read about the large corporate hacking targe…
    - 6 days ago, 14 May 12, 2:17pm -
  • Guerilla Marketing for Beginners
    The term “guerrilla marketing” was coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in 1984, the same year he released a book with the same title. The term refers to performing marketing and promotional activities on a low budget. The unconventional tactics are des…
    - 9 days ago, 11 May 12, 4:54pm -
  • Staying Focused Can Help You Stay Motivated
    Everyone has times when they lack motivation. On the other hand, you may be so motivated and full of ideas that you lose your focus because you are trying to juggle too many tasks at once. However, multi-tasking may do more harm than good. When your…
    - 11 days ago, 9 May 12, 1:33pm -
  • How to Backup Gmail to Thunderbird
    What would you do if you lost everything in your Gmail account? It’s happened to some people – some Gmail users recently suffered a data loss. Gmail was able to get everything back for them eventually. However, it woke many people up to the possi…
    - 12 days ago, 7 May 12, 11:55pm -
  • Facebook and Going Viral
    There are almost 800 million members on Facebook today. With this vast web of interconnectivity, Facebook is fast becoming the leading way for ideas and content to spread on the internet. If you want to go viral, Facebook is one of the main platforms…
    - 16 days ago, 4 May 12, 4:17pm -
  • Use Magnetic Goals to Earn More and Work Less
    Is your small business massively successful despite everything – the economy and even your own doubts? Are you working less and earning more? Is your life filled with joyful prosperity? Do you know how to set MAGNETIC goals AND achieve them? There…
    - 19 days ago, 1 May 12, 2:08pm -
  • Easy Biz and the 7 Steps to Growing Your Business So You Can Make More Money!
    Do you have to psych yourself up to make a sales call? Have you left ‘money on the table’ because you are paralyzed with fear? Do you sometimes miss seeing the opportunities that exist right in front of you? Why is it so difficult for you to ‘a…
    - 20 days ago, 30 Apr 12, 5:02pm -
  • Developing A Writing Style
    Some people are natural-born writers. They hold a pen up to paper and words start flowing. On the other hand, there are people who struggle to write a few paragraphs. Having a unique writing style will help set your writing apart from others, even if…
    - 23 days ago, 27 Apr 12, 1:46pm -