The 4th of July festivities got me thinking about freedom and, of course, I am always thinking about business so I would like to know “What one problem related to organizing and technology, if solved, would free up time for you or your business?”

Leave me a comment below…

Last night I went to the opening of Sex & the City with some girlfriends at the Georgetown Theater. I had never been to that theater before but it was not difficult to spot with the hoards of women dressed to the nines congregated outside. Without giving too much away to you die-hard SATC fans, I thought I would share the organizing lessons derived from the movie. (Yes, I see organizing everywhere!)

Aside from the obvious lesson that came before the movie even started (purchase your tickets in advance!), there are actually some key points illustrated by SATC.

If you’re a fan, you may be familiar with Charlotte York, who is the organized one, primped and proper and always perfectly appointed and arranged. But I want to emphasize that you don’t need to be perfectly arranged and ordered to be organized. While this approach to living may be aesthetically pleasing, many times it requires too much effort to maintain and it isn’t truly an indicator of how functional a space is. I believe it sets you up for failure- if you can’t be perfect (and nobody is) than you can’t succeed. The best solution is truly a marriage of form and function.

I was in agreement with Charlotte when she pulled out her organizing tools: post-its and a marker and color-coded them according to what to toss and what to take. My two most frequently used organizing tools include: 3″X3″ Super Sticky Post it® notes & Retractable Sharpies® (I stick with black ink). Super Sticky Notes® stay put and this feature comes in very handy when labeling and organizing boxes and piles, etc.  (For you SATC fans, I do not recommend using for break up notes.)  What good is it to label it only to lose the label? You may choose to take it a step further by using the stickies to color code items, but don’t go crazy here. Keeping it simple with higher level categories like green for keep, yellow for donate and red for toss will make your system more effective. Although, I find that this is usually supported by they type of container used i.e. recycle bin, trash bag, boxes for sorting, etc.

I also love my retractable Sharpies® (no cap to mess with or lose in the shuffle) that help make the super stickies a great label that can be read from a distance. You would be surprised how much of a time saver this can be (yep, I’ll say it again- never underestimate the power of labeling).

The next scene has Carrie donning a succession of iconic outfits as her friends help her decide what goes with her by holding up ‘Toss’ and ‘Take’ signs. Sigh…If only it were that easy. Although, this is a great idea if you are stuck and need to winnow down your wardrobe. Invite a couple of friends over, provide some snacks and beverages and have at it. Play some music and make it fun- yes, decluttering your wardrobe can be fun!

Oh, and seriously, packing Carrie’s apartment and wardrobe (don’t forget the shoes!) into thirty-eight boxes- doubtful! Regardless, I’m glad I got to see the movie on opening night and it was fun to experience the full-on fabulousness that is Sex & the City- both on and off screen!

After all, it really is about “love and labels”!