Mary Pankiewicz, a professional organizer, will help you ... clear your desk

By Melanie Tucker
of The Daily Times Staff

If the paper piles on your desk are older than your children, it might be time to call in a professional.

It's January, and we all feel the urgency to start a healthy eating plan, exercise, get more rest and even be nicer to our fellow humans. And because it's National Get Organized Month, it just might be time to tackle the area we call home from 9 to 5 each day.

That's where Mary Pankiewicz comes in. This mother of seven and teacher at the University of Tennessee, makes a living helping us clean up our acts, specifically our work space and even our homes. She will provide some of her simple solutions at a presentation to be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the Blount County Public Library. The talk is free and open to the public.

Pankiewicz is the author of the book "Clutter-free & Organized: Fast, Easy Organizing Solutions for Paper Piles and Your Office." She consults with major corporations and individuals who want to increase productivity by keeping everything in its place. She is a board member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Woman's Day and HGTV.

From hospitals to home offices, Pankiewicz can jump-start a proven plan.
The key, this organizer said, is to keep it simple. You should start with a corner of your desk, organize what's there, and move on to another area. She suggests that we stand while we are doing it. We will be quicker because we aren't too comfortable, and research shows that standing moves more blood to the brain, helping us make better decisions.

Because January is typically the month we start on our resolutions, we shouldn't make it a month of all work and no play. Pankiewicz said we should also do something fun, like plan a trip, while in the process of getting better organized. That way, major projects like a desk rescue, won't seem like an overwhelming task.

Breaking up larger projects into smaller ones, keeping an appointment calendar and taking advantage of organizing products on the market are things Pankiewicz said can help us achieve our goals. She said there is no project she won't tackle. And more importantly, she doesn't judge people who need help.

According to this organizing expert, there are about 3,000 people who work as professional organizers in this country. Pankiewicz has the distinction of being one of only 10 professional organizers who is certified to specifically help the chronically disorganized.

"I love what I do," Pankiewicz said. She couples her expertise with a good sense of humor, willingness to listen and the reality of an already stressed-out society to bring success to any office in need of some straightening out.

Pankiewicz will have copies of her book available at the library talk. She also has a Web site, www.clutterfree.biz.

Maybe you're a serious saver, someone who never throws anything away. Or you are one of the thousands who are chronically disorganized. The boss may be on your back to get it together.

"I can help people get on track and tackle those piles of paperwork that are taking over," Pankiewicz said.

Professional organizer Mary Pankiewicz will present a program entitled "Clutter-free & Organized," at 7 p.m. Monday at the Blount County Public Library. The program is free and open to the public. Call the library at 982-0981 for information on this or other upcoming programs.