A very big Happy New Year to you all.

Do you want to make 2012 your most organised year yet? Or maybe you want to expand, or begin, your Professional Organising business?

Whatever your goal, I hope that 2012 is an amazing year for you.

If your goals are about business, make sure you get in early with your registration to our annual conference. We are so excited again to have an amazing program with an international keynoter.

I am also thrilled to announce a great new concept for our AAPO President’s Blog: Guest Bloggers. And this month I’d like to thank Immediate Past President Angela Esnouf for her great post helping you to avoid one of the great organising mistakes……

Do you know about all the great member privileges available to you, simply by being a current AAPO member?

Not only do we offer you: use of logo, face to face & online forums, Accreditation, discounted advertising, newsletter feature, website listing, involvement in NOW, co-ordinated social media campaigns and MORE, we also liaise with a range of companies who very generously offer great member deals.

Although AAPO does not specifically endorse an individual or business, we are very appreciative of all organisations who offer deals to our members.

Whether the products are those well used by POs, like kikki-k and HSW, or even products you may be yet to discover like miche handbags, our Member's Privileges page will certainly have something for you. Member Privileges are listed in our Members Area under 'Resources'.

Have you ever had a client who wanted to buy all the beautiful containers, boxes, folders and latest widgets before they took on any new organising habits?  As Professional Organisers we know that a strong foundation of good organising skills is vital. Then you can add beautiful products. But products alone will never get clients organised.  Even in our own business we know that a strong underlying structure is essential to success. 

It is with this knowledge the AAPO Executive Committee has set about creating a strong, solid base from where to serve YOU, the member. We know we can serve you better if we have solid:

• Strategy
• Structure
• Policy  and
• Process

If AAPO was a business, these are the essentials any Manager would put in place.

As you know , already this year AAPO has created a Strategic Plan, and in October the Committee held their inaugural Strategic Review meeting….meaning we got together and worked out the best direction for the next 12 months and how to get there. Each AAPO Portfolio  (Events, PR & Membership) now has a 12 month Roadmap, we are writing Policies under each Portfolio and working out ways to better serve you the Member.  It is an amazing time for the industry......and AAPO has some great things coming up, so stay tuned.... Here is a photo from our latest Strategic meeting.  

Your AAPO Executicve Committee. Left to Right, Back - Secretary, Natalie Morey, Events Portfolio Manager Karen Koedding, Membership Portfolio Manager Carolyn Brown, PR Portfolio Manager Wendy Hanes, Treasurer Bec Johnston, Front - Immediate Past President Angela Esnouf, President Roz Howland and Vice President Sarah Cottman.

For more on AAPO & Committee achievements watch this space........

Hello Everyone,

A very big thank you to Angela for the words of Congrats and her warm welcome to the Presidency. She has been a fantastic President who led us to achieve great results over the last 2 years. Angela you will be a hard act to follow!
I'm looking really forward to working closely with Angela and the whole team for a very strong AAPO year. The Team of course, includes not only the Executive Committee but all our sub comittees & Chairs - who all put in hours & hours (& hours) of work to achieve results for all AAPO members.
Did you know we have 5 main AAPO sub committees:

• Conference
• NOW
• PR
• Accreditation
• Professional Development

all with a variety of active projects. In addition to the hours of planning and hands on work put in by the whole team, we also keep up to date with global issues and industry trends. We have strong international ties, close relationships with international bodies and all work for reciprocal benefits & advantanges.

It's going to be a big year - so stay tuned, get involved, watch this space....and keep on creating those 'solutions for an organised life'.

Roz Howland
President, July 2011

Welcome to AAPO's New Committee.

The following office bearers were elected unopposed -

• Roz Howland as President
• Sarah Cottman as Vice President
• Bec Johnston as Treasurer
• Natalie Morey as Secretary

We received 4 nominations for 3 General Committee positions.  The successful nominees were -

• Carolyn Brown
• Wendy Hanes
• Karen Koedding

Thank you to all those who put their name forward for election. And Congratulations to the Committee – It’s going to be a great AAPO year!

A strong AAPO relies on its volunteers - please support your representatives so that they can work to make AAPO stronger.

Looking back over the past 12 months, I feel a personal satisfaction for all that’s
been achieved. That’s not to suggest I had a personal hand in all AAPO’s
achievements, but I do feel proud to have been involved this year. The year has
presented us with challenges but overall I feel we, as an Association, have met those
challenges with success.

It is my pleasure to record AAPO’s accomplishments and news for the 2010/2011
year.

• Membership has dropped slightly, currently at approximately 165 active
members and more pending. Exit surveys suggest that most leave AAPO
because they are no longer in business.
• The number of Accomplished members stands at 7 and 26 members have
been awarded Expert level.
• The 3rd Dymo NOW (National Organising Week) was a success once again,
and we are grateful to our partners, Dymo, for their continuing support. This
year again promises to be even bigger and better. We now have a dedicated
NOW subcommittee who have been active in developing new ideas and
strategies.
• The 2010 Conference became the 2011 Conference when Christchurch
suffered an earthquake one week before the scheduled start. Those who
attended the postponed conference in February this year were rewarded with
an excellent educational and inspiring program. With numbers down, partly
due to the perceived distant location and partly due to the postponement,
those delegates who made the journey were treated to an intimate
experience.
• The 2010 President’s Award was to be presented at the 2010 Christchurch
conference. When this was made impossible, I took it upon myself to present
that award to the very deserving Sarah Cottman in a virtual meeting.
• The 2011 President’s Award was presented at the 2011 Conference in
Christchurch at the Awards Dinner. All agreed that Roz Howland was a
worthy recipient, and it was especially good to be able to celebrate both Roz
and Sarah’s awards in the company of other members.
• Plans are already underway for the 2012 Conference to be held in Melbourne
on July 19th to 21st.
• Our Forums have been in a state of flux, with some becoming unviable, but
others reaching greater success. Enthusiastic volunteers to lead Forums are
key to their viability, as with many of AAPO’s programs.
• AAPO’s website attracts an average of 75 unique visitors daily. There are
plans for minor improvements in the coming months.
• AAPO is also embracing the world of web 2.0, ensuring the security of our
documents, and also allowing for ease of approved access by using cloud
technology.
• Our Public Relations subcommittee has been active, developing media
releases available to all members and implementing the strategic plan which
was developed last year.
• AAPO’s Social Media Co-ordinator has been a great success, overseeing and
facilitating AAPO’s presence on Facebook and Twitter, and growing our
readership and fellowship.
• Our newsletter continues to grow and improve and enjoys over 30% open
rate, which is considered good in e-newsletter circles.
• AAPO’s annual survey of members was conducted. This allows us to
accurately measure the industry, deliver best programs to our members and
engage with corporate sponsorship. Thank you to all those who completed
the survey.
• AAPO was represented at the NAPO Conference in San Diego by Vice
President, Roz Howland. Roz held meetings with our IFPOA (International
Federation of Professional Organizing Associations) alliances and other
international and US-based NAPO members. Roz made an impression on all
those she met. Several have already indicated their enthusiasm for attending
and speaking at AAPO’s next conference.
• A Professional Development subcommittee was established. Their thorough
work looked at how AAPO can best serve its members in this area, and their
Discussion Paper has informed and assisted the Executive committee.
• Member Benefits have grown slightly. I encourage all members to take
advantage of these, as those businesses who generously offer us a discount
can only continue to do so if it is commercially advantageous to them.
• Something which does not draw fanfare but which quietly makes a huge
difference to AAPO’s productivity and workability is the development of key
policies. This year the committee has focused heavily on working smarter not
harder. This is critical to the future of our Association. We cannot have a
situation where our volunteers burn out. Laying foundations with good
policies is one major factor which will assist us to continue our work and
attract “new blood”.
• Recently we continued that theme by working on AAPO’s first ever Strategic
Plan. I know that this action will have a lasting and positive effect on our
Association, and secure us a bright future.

I believe challenges lay ahead, but that with the team that’s assembled to take us
into the next year, we will meet those challenges head on.

We cannot grow and develop without a team of dedicated behind-the-scenes
volunteer members. I’d like to thank all AAPO volunteers. Without your participation
and enthusiasm, we do not have an AAPO. Thank you to the Committee, who have
great ideas and work hard, and who are supportive and respectful of each other. I
have learned so much from each of you.

Thank you to the team from Admincorp, who keep AAPO ticking along. Their work
on the day-to-day little things allows us to focus on the big picture.

Thank you for allowing me to be your President. I have appreciated serving in my
role tremendously. I look forward to continuing to serve as Immediate Past
President, and will do all I can to support Roz Howland. Roz will make an excellent
President and I wish her all the best for the coming year.

My time as President of AAPO is coming to an end and I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the confidence you've shown in me over the 2 years I've been in the job.  It has been tremendously rewarding personally and professionally.  I have really enjoyed working with a dedicated team of fellow members and watching AAPO grow and develop.  I cannot say it enough.

Thank you!

I hand over to our new President, Roz Howland, on July 1st.  I know she'll be a wonderful representative for us all.  I hope her time in the role is as rewarding as mine has been.  And I want to encourage you to fully support her.  We each have special talents, and it's in the sharing of these with our AAPO community that we can grow and flourish.

For many of us, thinking about preparing our tax return is enough to break out in a cold sweat. However, getting your paperwork organised can avoid a big headache and even save you money, says the Australasian Association of Professional Organisers (AAPO).

“Being organised at tax time is so important, not only in ensuring that your tax records are accurate, but also that you claim all the necessary deductions and receive the best possible return,” said AAPO President Angela Esnouf.

“Sorting your tax paperwork could certainly mean money in your pocket,” she said.

To help take the stress out of tax time, AAPO is offering its top tips for sorting and organising your tax paperwork quickly and easily.

AAPO’s Top Tax Time Tips

1. Know what you need: Keeping everything ‘just in case’ creates unnecessary paper piles which can be very overwhelming. Talk to your accountant or the Australian Tax Office to find out what records and receipts you need to keep.
2. Keep it simple: Set up a simple system for your paperwork and keep everything in the same place. Use lever arch files or a section in your filing cabinet to broadly categorise your tax related paperwork such as deductible expenses, pay slips, health expenses, donations and investments. Ensure each category has an envelope or folder to hold receipts throughout the year.
3. Organise your receipts: Keep a separate section in your wallet or handbag for tax deductible receipts as you collect them. Make a note about what the expense relates to on the back of the receipt.
4. Make time to get organised: Schedule a regular time in your diary to keep on top of your tax and household paperwork. It’s much easier to file as you go, than try and tackle it all at the last minute. One hour a week is all you should need.
5. Archive it: Once you have received your Notice of Assessment, attach it to your tax folder and archive the records in a safe place, so that you can easily retrieve your documents if you are audited. Talk to you accountant to find out how long you should keep your records.
6. Beat the backlog: If you have more than three years of returns to complete, dedicate a lidded plastic box or an entire filing cabinet drawer to the job. Label a new foolscap envelope for each financial year you are missing a return. Round up all your paperwork and place in the envelope for the relevant year. Then hand the envelopes to your accountant.
7. Seek advice: Speak to your accountant or the Australian Tax Office, and visit www.aapo.org.au to find an AAPO accredited professional organiser who can help you put simple systems in place to keep your paperwork in order.

I know many of our members will be concerned for the safety of our Christchurch colleagues and friends.  I can let you know that I have made contact with all our Christchurch-based members and they are all safe as of today, Feb 23 2011.

After our recent successful AAPO conference in this beautiful city, I have strong fond memories of my time there, in particular the people.  At this stage I have not heard news about any of the Christchurch-based speakers, but am endeavouring to make contact.

Please keep the residents of Christchurch in your thoughts and prayers.

Have you ever wondered why people volunteer to help out at AAPO?  Have you ever considered doing so but are just not sure of the benefit to you?  Have you ever wanted to volunteer but don't feel you have the confidence/skills/years of experience required?  Well, by the end of this article I hope you'll feel encouraged to jump in and do your bit to shape the industry in our neck of the woods.

At our recent conference, I had the great pleasure of catching up with people I rarely meet face to face but with whom I've shared many phone calls, skype calls and meetings.  Working closely with these people, learning from them, facing challenges and problem-solving together, achieving results as a team, creates a close bond.  It was great to see them in person and celebrate our year's achievements.  And it reminded me of all the things I get from volunteering my time for AAPO.

While at the conference I was very pleased to have people approach me, and others in leadership, with offers of help.  Sometimes these were for a specific task, and sometimes just "I'd like to volunteer, please tell me how I can help."  Woo hoo!  AAPO really needs people like that who are willing to get stuck in and take on a task, no matter how small... or large!

During conference, as a way to get people mixing, we played a networking game.  You had to meet various people and ask questions of them.  One such question was, "What's one benefit of being an AAPO volunteer?"  We've collected the responses and here is a brief summary -

• You get to know a lot about a lot!
• Being part of the decision-making team
• Learnt a lot
• Increased learning opportunities and networking
• Building rapport
• Strengthening professional relationships
• Feeling and being important in the industry
• Giving back
• Credibility
• Working with organisers
• Help to improve AAPO
• Stretching comfort zones
• Being able to influence the direction of the industry
• Helping build our industry

Convinced yet?  Perhaps you'd like to do something but you feel "too new", not confident, not experienced enough?  When AAPO started 6 years ago, I was "new".  I was new to the career as well as in business, and joining the AAPO committee as a committee member was one of the best things I ever did.  I'm still learning to this day, and that's one of the biggest take-aways for me.

These days there are so many positions available for anyone willing to lend a hand, and you'll be working in partnership with others who can offer guidance and assistance.  All it takes is to ask "How can I help?"

One of my favourite photos from our conference in Christchurch is of our President's Award winners - check it out here.  See the joy on their faces?  That comes from knowing you've made a difference.  It comes from giving but also receiving.  Will you say, "I'll have what she's having?"