Valerie J. Simpson, creator of A to Z Organizing Pros®  and this month's guest presenter at the Ahwatukee Foothills morning mixer at Sam's Club in Chandler, gave an interesting talk about what might seem to be simple observations.

You might think, "Why would I need to hire someone just to tell me how to take out the trash?"

The answer might be that sometimes it takes an uninvolved observer to point out the messes that need to be cleaned up.

She related a story about a man who was a new hire at an office where she worked.

The man needed to use the copy machine but was unfamiliar with its operation, so he got in line behind a couple of people and asked the guy in front of him to assist.

After handing the guy his documents and turning away, he turned back some moments later and asked how long it would be before his copies were ready.

The guys says, "Beats me, this is the company shredder."

I guess that story was to illustrate how a simple mistake caused by disorganization could cause a major problem with your company.

Valerie went on to offer suggestions on setting priorities, organizing workstations and prioritizing your inbox.

She noted that most people have trouble with e-mail management.

Valerie says we should clear our work area every night.

"You feel more organized if you don't have leftover stuff on your desk from the day before," she said.

A simple thing like organizing desk to be right-handed or left-handed is often overlooked by many of us.

She says it makes a big difference in your energy flow to have your office desk arranged properly.

It's best to arrange your desktop filed in a series of colored folders representing categories like to file, to read, urgent, and bills due.

She uses a pile tray with what she calls "The D-Fat system." Folders are labeled, Delegate, File, Act, and Toss depending on their purpose.

Valerie suggests it's best to label a file with the first thing that comes to mind.

She says it is best not to spend a lot of time trying to decide what a file should be named because oftentimes you end up going back to the first thing that came to mind.

A handheld personal digital assistant is one of her main tools because it is small and can hold a lot of data.

Simpson not only assists clients with organizing business but also does work in bedrooms, closets, pantries and garages.

She helps clients manage time most effectively.

If you would like more information about A to Z Organizing Pros®, check out its Web site at www.AtoZOrganizingPros.com or call Valerie at (602) 674-2649.

Clay Schad graduated from the University of Nebraska School of Journalism in 1976, founded and published the Ahwatukee Foothills News for 20 years.