I heard a decluttering horror story which should act as a warning to one and all. There's a clear lesson in it.

Someone called a cleaning company to come and declutter.

During the session, the employee kept cherry-picking items she liked and asking if she could have them herself. Alarm bell number 1!

The homeowner was a distributor for a cosmetic company. The employee set aside some product for which she would pay on her return. After she left, she took some of that product with her, without paying. Alarm bell number 2!!

After the session, the homeowner felt uneasy and checked the garbage bags. There she found her son's birth certificate! Alarm bell number 3!!!

That sort of behaviour is highly unethical and something a legitimate Professional Organiser just wouldn't do.  AAPO members are governed by a Code of Ethics, so the public can be protected from this sort of poor service.

There is a happy ending to the story. The homeowner of course lost trust in the process, but has now found a reputable Professional Organiser to help her, and of course they are an AAPO member.

For decluttering tips, don't take your advice from the Australian Labor Party. Much better to consult a Professional Organiser.

In the meantime, it's election time for the Australasian Association of Professional Organisers.  Members should seriously consider making a contribution to their industry association.  Now's the time to get those nominations in quick.

I love to read, and now I'm a grandmother, I love to share my love of reading with my granddaughter.

That's why I'm pleased to pass on news of the Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation's Share-A-Book Campaign.  Marie Claire magazine and Officeworks are getting involved too.  (Thanks to Marianne Shenton for alerting AAPO to this great program.)

Visit the Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation website for full details of how Professional Organisers, their clients and the whole community can get involved in improving child literacy standards in remote indigenous communities.

The answer for one lucky Melbourne woman was $2.5 million!

Think it's just a once off?  Couldn't happen to you?  Another Melbourne woman carried a winning lottery worth $1.3 million around in her handbag for 5 months before discovering her fortune.

What more motivation could you need to get organised?

AAPO members are standing by to help.  Find an Organiser here.

Read the article here.