It’s a good reminder that when it comes to time management, more isn’t always better; sometimes what we really need is clarity.

That’s why I invited my readers to share their time wisdom in this edition of the Productivity & Organizing Blog Carnival. They’ve come through with tips and tools to help you and your clients focus on your priorities and make the best use of your time, and their posts are listed below. As you read their posts, please connect with the bloggers on social media, leave comments, and share your favorites with your own network.

Big thanks to everyone who participated!

The Productivity & Organizing Blog Carnival is a such great way to grow your network and generate traffic to your blog that many people submit posts on a regular basis, earning the rank of Star, Superstar, Megastar or Ultimate Star Blogger. You don’t even have to be a professional organizer or productivity consultant to take part.

Do you offer a product or service that would interest professional organizers, productivity consultants, or their clients?

Why not sponsor an upcoming edition of the Productivity & Organizing Blog Carnival?

The topic for next month is Life in Flow, and you have until 11:59 PM EDT on Wednesday, June 17th to contribute your post.

Image by tomert / DepositPhotos

Visit Your Organizing Business to read Time Wisdom – Productivity & Organizing Blog Carnival and join the conversation.

It is also important to communicate your business practices and policies to your clients in writing so there are no misunderstandings during your work together. Set clear expectations with clients at the beginning of the process about what they can expect from you, as the professional, and what you expect from them, as the client.

To help you be prepared here are a few situations to consider:

Business Hours:

When are you off the clock? It isn’t healthy to be available to clients 24/7. This pertains to client sessions as well as phone calls, emails, and texts. So, spend some time deciding what are your office hours and stick to them.

Fees:

• If your client asks to end your scheduled session early, are you going to charge for the time scheduled or the time worked?
• If your client is late for your scheduled session, are you going to charge for the time scheduled or the time worked?
• How are you going to handle post-dated checks or bounced checks?

Role Boundaries – are you going to:

• Care for your client’s children, elders, or pets if your client needs to leave during your working session?
• Run errands for your client during your working session?
• Perform housekeeping services?
• Perform handyperson services?
• Remove or transport hazardous waste for your client?
• Accept gifts from your clients?

Personal Boundaries – are you going to discuss the following subjects about either you or your client:

• Family members?
• Sexual preference?
• Marital status?
• Religious or spiritual preference?
• Political affiliations?
• Physical or mental health issues?

What strategies do you use to establish boundaries with your clients? Please share in the comments.

Want to talk to colleagues about challenging client situations  – or anything else?

Join the POPS Circle, where organizing and productivity professionals share ideas, experiences, and encouragement.

Image by mentalmind / DepositPhotos

Visit Your Organizing Business to read Setting Boundaries While Working With Clients and join the conversation.

Self-promotion is especially challenging for introverts. The thought of talking about ourselves, especially to total strangers, is enough to send some of us running for cover.

Some will say that we need to act like extraverts in order to succeed, but I disagree. Although it’s been helpful for me to step outside my comfort zone from time to time, even doing a fair bit of public speaking over the years, you just can’t force yourself to be someone you’re not.

You’ll be both happier and more successful in your marketing if you develop strategies that tap into your strengths as an introvert. Here are a few that have worked for me.

1. Build your business around your passion.

Once I discovered my passion for WordPress, I no longer had to work hard at selling my services. I was so enthusiastic about what I did that people “got it” just from hearing me talk or seeing my online activity. No sales pitch needed!

2. Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal client and target market.

When I started my business, I didn’t have an ideal client in mind. Like many new entrepreneurs, I was delighted to work with anyone who was willing to pay me. Gradually I came to recognize that I was happiest and best suited to working with professional organizers. Having been an organizer myself for a few years, I have a good understanding of their needs, so it’s easier for me to tailor my messages to that group.

3. Share your knowledge.

Since you’d probably rather read and write than talk, write articles and blog posts to establish your credibility and demonstrate your knowledge.

Sharing knowledge is what content marketing is all about. There’s so much information that can help your clients and potential clients to reach their goals. When you write out your own ideas in the form of blog posts, they can see that you’re knowledgeable, and when you share links to what others have said, they can see that you’re resourceful. It’s a win-win!

4. Offer to speak.

I’ve given a number of presentations, seminars, and workshops over the years. Of course, I was terrified at first; that’s common even for extraverts. But what I’ve discovered is that it’s challenging for me to catch people’s attention, especially in a large group of people. However, when I’m the speaker, I already have their attention, so all I really have to do is stand there and do Steps 2 and 3. And when I’m really into my topic, I don’t fall into the trap of reading my notes; I just talk.

5. Make the most of your meetings with potential clients.

Do some research in advance so you have at least a basic understanding of your prospect’s situation and how you might help them.

Create a standard list of questions you ask every potential client. Not all will apply every time, but it will save you a ton of prep time and stress if you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time. You also won’t find yourself fumbling for what to say next.

Be sure to ask open-ended questions – and really listen to their answers, so you can learn more about your client’s wants and needs. This will also help you build rapport. Just be careful that they don’t hijack the conversation, or you may not learn everything you need within the allotted time. Running over isn’t good for your energy level or your schedule!

6. Don’t avoid in-person networking.

If you’re overwhelmed by large after-business cocktail party-type mixers, choose small, structured networking events instead.

When you do attend larger events, offer to sit at the registration desk or help out in some other way. You’ll get to meet a lot of people without stepping so far outside your comfort zone.

Plan in advance what you want to say, especially if you have to stand up and introduce yourself. You’ll feel more at ease, and you’ll be more interesting too.

7. Keep in touch with your network.

Take advantage of social media to stay connected to people you meet, while remaining in your comfort zone.

Seek out one-on-one opportunities as well. Make a point of scheduling a lunch or coffee meeting with some of the people you meet, so you can get to know each other and explore how you can help one another’s businesses.

One-on-one conversations are gold which is why I build them into everything I do, including POPS Circle. Join us to talk about building confidence – or whatever’s on your mind!

Additional Resources

Self-Promotion for Introverts: The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead by Nancy Ancowitz

The Introvert’s Guide to Successful Business Conversations by Avery Harper

What’s Your Story? by Meghan Wier (how to prepare for a networking event)

Why Introverts Can Be Great Networkers by Ivan Misner

Let’s Talk!

I’d love to hear from you. Please answer one or both of these questions in the comments.

1. As an introvert, what marketing strategies have been effective while allowing you to be your natural self?
2. Have you ever decided not to do business with someone because their introversion kept you from understanding how they could help you? What would it have taken to win you over?

Photo by Goodluz / DepositPhotos

Visit Your Organizing Business to read What this Introverted Solopreneur has Learned about Marketing with Confidence and join the conversation.

In response to my email announcing that this month’s topic for the Productivity & Organizing Blog Carnival would be Time Wisdom, Judith Kolberg, who is well-known in the organizing industry, sent me a funny story about time from her own life.

Normally, I only accept submissions that have already been published on a blog, but I loved her story, so I’ve shared it here (with Judith’s permission), and I hope you’ll enjoy it too.

Throughout most of my life, my mother wore a watch, not always as a timepiece, but more as a fashion accessory.

As the years went by, she wore the watch less and less. By the time she was 100 years old she was pretty atemporal, not taking much interest in the passage of time at all, and it aggravated her skin which was becoming quite thin as she aged. Ultimately, she put the watch aside altogether.

And then when she was 101 years old, she asked me, “Where is my watch? I want to wear it.”  Not everything a 101 year old says is logical, but my desire to please Mom in her final years always trumped making sense of what she said, so I went on a hunt for her watch. She had a massive amount of jewelry, nothing expensive, mostly thrift store finds and costume jewelry accumulated over many decades. I found her favorite watch, a large-faced one with a wide band that was, remarkably, still working.

She was delighted. Several days later she called me. “It’s broken. The watch is broken” she said. I figured it’s probably the battery. I mean the thing has got to be as old as my bell-bottoms. When I visited her at the assisted living center, she held up her arm showing me the watch on her wrist. “See”, she said, “It’s broken. Every time I look at it, it says a different time.”  I could not help laughing out loud.

Stifling the laughter, Mom and I scoured her jewelry box and found an appealing watch with a rundown battery. The hands were stuck at 2:00. She wore it until a few weeks before her death at the age of 103.

Time waits for no one, but it did hang on a bit for my Mom.

Image by Sabine van Erp from Pixabay

Visit Your Organizing Business to read Time Waits for No One (except when it does) and join the conversation.

Allie and her team primarily serve clients throughout Bucks County, Pennsylvania and the surrounding areas, including the Main Line and parts of New Jersey. Many of their clients are busy families and professionals who want their homes to feel both functional and thoughtfully designed.

Hi Allie! How did you come up with your business name?

When I was thinking about a name, I kept coming back to the idea that organizing isn’t just about putting things away. For me, it’s about creating a home that feels intentional and thoughtfully put together.

The word “curated” really captured that idea. It reflects the way we approach organizing, carefully editing, arranging, and designing spaces so everything has a purpose and the home feels both functional and beautiful.

That’s how The Curated Home Company came to life.

How did your training and experience prepare you to become an organizer?

Before starting The Curated Home Company, I had a background in hospitality, teaching, and real estate. Each of those experiences shaped how I approach my work today.

Hospitality taught me how much the environment and details matter. Teaching helped me learn how to guide people through a process and create systems that are easy to follow. And real estate gave me a strong understanding of how homes function and how people live in them.

All of those experiences combined naturally led me into professional organizing, where I get to help people create homes that work better for their daily lives.

What’s your specialty?

Our specialty is creating spaces that feel both organized and beautifully curated. We focus on developing systems that make homes easier to maintain while also paying close attention to the visual side of the space.

Many of our projects involve whole-home organization, kitchens and pantries, closets, and preparing homes for a move or major transition. We often work with families who want their home to function better day to day, but who also care about the overall look and feel of the space.

The goal is always the same: creating a home that works well for the people living in it while still feeling elevated and intentional.

What other services or products do you offer?

In addition to hands-on home organizing, we offer concierge relocation services for clients who are moving and want a smooth transition into their new home. This can include packing, unpacking, and setting up organized systems so the home feels functional from the very beginning.

We also provide organizing for businesses and office spaces, seasonal refreshes, and project consulting for clients who want guidance on how to improve specific areas of their home. Many of our clients come back for maintenance sessions as well, especially after moves, renovations, or major life changes.

How do you approach a new organizing project?

Every project starts with getting a good understanding of how the client lives in their home and what isn’t working for them right now. I like to ask questions about their routines, what they struggle to find, and how they want the space to function moving forward.

From there, we begin by editing and sorting through the items so we can see what truly needs to stay in the space. Once that’s done, we create simple systems that make sense for the client’s daily life. My goal is always to make the space easier to maintain while also making it look clean and thoughtfully put together.

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve discovered about running an organizing business?

One thing that has surprised me is how much of the job is really about helping people feel comfortable during the process. Organizing isn’t just about putting systems in place, it’s also about building trust with clients and helping them make decisions about their belongings.

I’ve learned that when clients feel supported and not judged, the process becomes much easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved.

What is the biggest challenge you currently face in your business?

One of the biggest challenges is simply managing growth while still keeping the level of service that clients expect. As the business grows and we take on more projects, it’s important to make sure every client still receives the same thoughtful and personalized experience.

That means building the right team, maintaining clear systems, and staying very intentional about how we take on new projects.

How are you marketing your business?

Many of our clients come from Google, word of mouth, and happy referrals from past clients. We also connect with people through our website and social media, where we share projects and give people a look into the kind of work we do. Building relationships with local professionals like interior designers, real estate agents, and moving companies has also been a great way to connect with new clients. At the end of the day, the biggest driver of our business is simply doing great work and having clients share their experience with others.

What professional communities or organizations support your work?

One of the things I really appreciate about this industry is how supportive the organizing community is. I stay connected with other professional organizers where we share ideas, talk through challenges, and learn from each other’s experiences. It’s really helpful to be part of a group of people who understand the work and are always looking for better ways to serve their clients.

I’m also connected with professionals in related industries like interior designers, real estate agents, and moving companies. A lot of our projects naturally overlap with those fields, especially when clients are moving or updating their homes. Having those relationships makes it much easier to work together and create a smoother experience for the client from start to finish.

What’s your favorite organizing product?

Clear bins are probably one of my favorite organizing tools. They’re simple, but they make a big difference, and honestly work for almost all areas of the home! They are also super easy to get and very affordable.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time at home with family and friends. I love cooking, hosting, and creating a space where people feel comfortable gathering. I also enjoy slowing down when I can, whether that’s spending time outside or simply recharging at home.

What else should we know about you?

One thing people usually notice pretty quickly is that I genuinely love what I do. I’ve always been someone who enjoys creating order and making spaces feel more thoughtful and functional. What started as something I naturally enjoyed doing eventually turned into a career where I get to help people feel better in their homes.

At the end of the day, my goal is always the same: to create spaces that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable for the people living in them.

Do you find the organizer interviews on Your Organizing Business inspiring and informative? Have you shared YOUR story yet?

Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned pro, your insights are valuable, and I’d like to feature you!

Start the process here.

Visit Your Organizing Business to read Interview with Professional Organizer Allie Licata and join the conversation.

This article is for aspiring business owners who want fewer surprises and more staying power.

The Big Picture (Read This First)

• Your time will be stretched thinner than you expect.
• Cash flow—not profit—is what keeps you alive.
• Emotional strain doesn’t mean you’re failing.
• Customers are unpredictable.
• Legal and administrative tasks compound quickly.
• Your first idea will probably evolve—dramatically.

If you understand these early, you won’t panic when they show up. You’ll plan for them.

Your Time Will Be Constantly Pulled in Different Directions

In the early stages, you are the marketing team, operations department, customer service rep, bookkeeper, and strategist.

The problem isn’t just workload. It’s context switching.

You might spend the morning negotiating with a supplier, the afternoon solving a tech issue, and the evening answering customer emails. Deep work becomes rare. Decision fatigue creeps in.

Result: Progress feels slower than expected.

Countermove: Create “theme days” or time blocks. Batch similar tasks together. Protect strategic thinking time the same way you’d protect a client meeting.

Cash Flow Matters More Than Profit

Many new business owners focus on profit margins. But profit on paper doesn’t pay rent if the money hasn’t arrived yet.

Consider this simplified comparison:

You can be “profitable” and still run out of money.

What to watch:

• Payment timing
• Subscription stability
• Emergency reserves

Healthy cash flow buys you options. Options buy you survival.

The Emotional Weight Is Real

Doubt, stress, and decision fatigue are common—even when things are going well.

You may:

• Question your strategy
• Second-guess pricing
• Obsess over small setbacks
• Feel isolated

This doesn’t mean your business is broken. It means you’re carrying responsibility.

Entrepreneurship requires emotional stamina. Plan for it.

Practical guardrails:

• Build a peer support network with other business owners.
• Schedule time away from the business.
• Create decision frameworks to reduce constant mental churn.

You don’t eliminate stress. You manage it.

Customers Don’t Always Behave Logically

You’ll assume people buy based on value, price, and features.

They don’t.

They buy based on:

• Perception
• Timing
• Emotion
• Trust
• Convenience

A clearly superior product can lose to a simpler, more familiar option.

How to adapt:

1. Test messaging before scaling ads.
2. Watch behavior, not just survey responses.
3. Expect objections you didn’t anticipate.
4. Iterate quickly.

The market teaches you. If you listen.

Legal and Administrative Work Adds Up Fast

Registering the business is just the beginning.

Soon you’ll encounter:

• Contracts
• Insurance
• Licensing
• Taxes
• Compliance requirements
• Bookkeeping systems

Ignoring these areas can stall momentum or create costly setbacks.

Startup Compliance Checklist

• Register business entity properly
• Separate personal and business finances
• Track all expenses from day one
• Understand tax obligations
• Draft basic client agreements
• Secure appropriate insurance

It’s not glamorous. It is necessary.

Your First Idea Probably Isn’t Your Final One

Many successful businesses pivoted early.

The initial concept may reveal:

• A better niche
• A clearer target audience
• A stronger pricing model
• A more scalable offer

Treat your first idea as Version 1—not your identity.

Problem → Solution → Result Example:

Problem: Low traction with broad audience.
Solution: Narrow target market to a specific segment.
Result: Higher conversion rates and clearer messaging.

Adaptation isn’t failure. It’s refinement.

Considering Further Education to Strengthen Your Leadership

As your business grows, you may realize there are skill gaps—especially in leadership, financial modeling, or long-term strategy. Some founders choose to return to school to deepen these capabilities. A master’s in business administration equips you with skills in leadership, strategic planning, financial management, and data-driven decision-making to excel in diverse business environments.

Earning an online degree can offer flexibility, allowing you to continue running your business while advancing your education. If you’re exploring programs, you can check this out.

For some entrepreneurs, structured education sharpens judgment and expands professional networks. For others, experience is the classroom. The key is intentional growth.

A Resource Worth Exploring: Small Business Administration

If you’re launching in the United States, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers free planning tools, loan guidance, and local mentorship programs.

It’s practical, government-backed information that many first-time founders overlook.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money should I save before starting a business?
Ideally, enough to cover 6–12 months of personal living expenses, plus a cash buffer for the business. The exact number depends on risk tolerance and revenue predictability.

Is stress a sign I chose the wrong business?
Not necessarily. Stress is common in early stages. Evaluate whether it’s temporary growth pressure or a misalignment with your goals.

When should I pivot my business idea?
When data consistently shows low demand, poor margins, or misalignment with customer needs—and you’ve tested improvements first.

Do I need formal education to succeed?
No. But structured learning—whether through courses, mentorship, or experience—can reduce costly mistakes.

Final Thoughts

Starting a business is more complex than it appears from the outside. Time pressure, cash flow gaps, emotional strain, and shifting ideas are normal parts of the journey. If you anticipate them, you won’t be derailed by them.

Photo created with Online AI Image Generator by Depositphotos

Visit Your Organizing Business to read 7 Overlooked Realities Aspiring Business Owners Need to Face Early and join the conversation.

Do you ever help clients to prepare a home inventory? It’s a great fit for residential organizers – either as a standalone service, or to offer once a major organizing project has been completed. There’s even an online service available to help you tap into this business opportunity, and I invited John Bodrozic from HomeZada to explain it to you.

Most people have information about their home scattered everywhere and it is probably incomplete.  They have paper documents about their property in folders, receipts for home purchases have been lost, owner’s manuals in various closets and drawers, and research for home improvement projects are ripped out magazine pages or buried in a spouse’s business email system.  Not only is it unorganized, all that paper is at risk of being destroyed in a house fire or a natural disaster.

An opportunity exists for Professional Organizers to turn this chaos into a complete Digital Home Profile by using a solution called HomeZada Professional. This becomes a business opportunity to develop a new organizing service that can be offered to existing clients, as well as, to new clients. This is a unique opportunity to leverage the growing trend of cloud based solutions to manage various aspects of people’s lives.

HomeZada Professional makes it very easy for a Professional Organizer to create a digital home profile for their customer. The solution has a home inventory feature where you can upload photos of every room and item in a home and track any associated document like receipts, warranties, owner’s manuals, insurance policies, mortgage documents and other important property documents. Financial dashboards help the customer ensure they are properly covered with insurance, and they are prepared in case a house fire, flood, or natural disaster.

But the digital home profile goes beyond a home inventory. The Professional Organizer can easily set up a property calendar based on a predefined list of common maintenance, yardwork, and cleaning best practices. Remembering “the what and when” for home maintenance becomes automated with alerts and email reminders. The organizer can also create common home improvement projects that guide the homeowner through the budget, shopping, purchasing and documentation process.

Once the Professional Organizer has completed the digital home profile, it is a seamless and easy task to provide their client with a complete electronic copy with their own secure consumer account to manage moving forward. The added benefit for the Professional Organizer is their client will see their personal online branding ad every time they login to HomeZada. This creates a great ongoing presence that leads to more referrals and opportunities for future business.

The end result is a win – win for the customer and the professional organizer. The customer receives a digital home profile to manage their largest asset which helps maintain the value, keep the home healthy and safe, and creates a family organization system to keep everyone on track. The Professional Organizer can grow their business by extending or creating this new service offering that also includes downstream online branding opportunities.

Want to talk to colleagues about additional streams of income – or anything else?

Join the POPS Circle, where organizing and productivity professionals share ideas, experiences, and encouragement.

Visit Your Organizing Business to read Getting Organized with a Digital Home Profile and join the conversation.

Stop – Have a Conversation

Before you get too far along, I suggest you stop the session and have a conversation with your client. If she stated a goal during your needs assessment of how much she was willing to let go of, now would be a great time to say, “when we talked at our first meeting, you said you would be willing to let go of x%. We have been working for the past few hours, and you haven’t let go of anything. Do we need to revisit your goal? Or what can I do to help you meet that goal?”

Set Goals

If she didn’t state a goal, ask her what her goal is. How much does she want to let go of? Is there a category of her belongings she knows she wants to significantly let go of or downsize? What criteria does an item need to meet to be kept or discarded?

If she has changed her mind, or never intended to let go of anything, ask her what her expectations of your work together are. Maybe she wants to keep everything and wants you to find a place for everything. If that is her goal, you will need to assess the feasibility of that goal and gently let her know if it is or is not possible.

Help Her Make Decisions

Maybe she has difficulty making decisions because she is afraid of making the wrong decision. Reframing can help your clients see their belongings in a different light that can make the decision about whether or not to keep something easier. Here are some reframing questions I ask when my client cannot decide to keep or not keep something:

1. Does it make you feel mad, bad, or sad to look at it?
2. Do you think you will use it again (or for the first time) and what circumstances will have to be in place for you to use it?
3. When was the last time you used/wore it?
4. Are you putting things before people and relationships?
5. Can you borrow or purchase another one if needed?
6. Does it take more time and effort to take care of it than it is worth?
7. If you knew that someone else would really benefit from having this (i.e., if we found a great place to donate it?), would that make it easier for you to let it go?
8. Are you keeping it because someone gave it to you, and you will feel guilty if you get rid of it?
9. If you took a picture of it, would it be easier to let it go?
10. Do you have anything else that reminds you of this (event, person, or time)?
11. And, the BIG question, how much is this item costing you, and how much is it benefitting you?

What is your strategy or tactics when your clients won’t let go of anything?

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Visit Your Organizing Business to read 11 Questions to Ask When Clients Won’t Let Go of Anything and join the conversation.

You love what you do, and you love your clients (or at least most of them ) But you probably don’t love spending valuable time going back-and-forth to schedule appointments. And don’t get me started on cancellations and reschedules!

There are a lot of ways to simplify booking appointments, and I’ve tried quite a few.  I’ve listed them below, along with what I liked and why I moved on. I hope this helps you find one that works for you.

Appointment Scheduling Tools I’ve Tried

Contact Form

The first thing I tried was to add a field to my Gravity Forms contact form, allowing clients to suggest three possible times for a phone call.

What I liked:

• No additional cost
• No added stress on my website

Why I stopped using it:

• I still had to send an email to the client to confirm the time
• Some clients had unrealistic expectations, like the woman who emailed me late  Thursday night looking for an appointment at 4:30 pm on the Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, or the one that emailed at lunchtime looking for a phone call at 1:00, 1:30 or 2:00 that day. I generally need a little lead time!

Overall:

It was only marginally better than no system at all, so I eventually set out to find a more practical solution.

Doodle

Doodle was my go-to for group scheduling, so I decided to try their one-on-one appointment feature as well.

What I liked:

• Easy to connect to my calendar
• Made my availability visible to clients
• A familiar platform

Why I stopped using it:

• Some clients found the booking process confusing and didn’t complete all the steps
• Appointment requests didn’t always trigger reliable email notifications
• I still had to manually review and confirm appointments
• The overall process wasn’t as smooth or automated as I needed

Overall:

It wasn’t as seamless as I wanted. I’m sure they’ve made improvements since then, but by that point I had switched to a different solution.

Acuity Scheduling

Acuity Scheduling kept popping up in the Facebook groups I’m in, so I decided to check it out.

What I liked:

• Customizable reminder emails for me and my clients
• Automatic time zone conversion
• Branding customization
• Ability to embed the scheduler on my website
• Integration with
  • Google Calendar
  • Zoom
  • Mailchimp
  • PayPal
• Ability to create different schedulers for different appointment types

Why I stopped using it:

• While implementing Profit First, I decided to switch to a less expensive solution.

Google Appointment Scheduling

As part of my financial review, I realized that by signing up for Google Workspace Individual, I could access premium Google Meet features (allowing me to cancel  Zoom) and use their appointment scheduler (allowing me to cancel Acuity).

What I liked:

• Cost savings

Why I stopped using it:

• Fewer customization options than Acuity
• All appointment types appeared on the same page, so I couldn’t separate client-only bookings
• Each appointment type had to be managed separately

Overall

This would be a great option if I didn’t have two separate audiences.

Calendly

Before giving up on Google Appointment Scheduling, I created a free Calendly account (which allows only one appointment type) for my Get to Know You sessions and continued using Google for clients.

What I liked:

• No extra cost

Why I stopped using it:

• Using two systems was more complicated than it was worth.

Overall

The point of using this type of software is to simplify things, so this setup wasn’t working for me.

That said, I did like Calendly and still recommend it. Just keep in mind you’ll need a paid plan for multiple event types or advanced features.

TidyCal

Because I was frustrated with the low-cost options I’d tried, I decided to purchase TidyCal as a one-time deal from AppSumo.

What I liked:

• Low price with no ongoing fees
• Customizable reminder emails
• Automatic time zone conversion for clients
• Integration with Google Calendar and Google Meet
• Ability to set up multiple appointment types

Overall

So far, it’s working well for me. In fact, while writing this post, I discovered another feature that will streamline my admin work even more!

Which Appointment Scheduling Tool Is Best?

There are a lot of great scheduling tools out there, and the best one really depends on your needs.

I recommend Calendly if the free plan meets your needs, or TidyCal if you’re looking for more flexibility without a monthly fee.

Either way, an appointment scheduler is one tool that can easily pay for itself in time saved and a smoother experience for your clients.

How Do You Schedule Your Appointments?

What do you like (or dislike) about your system?

Image © stillfx / depositphotos

Visit Your Organizing Business to read I Tried 6 Appointment Scheduling Tools – Here’s What Worked (and What Didn’t) and join the conversation.

With Earth Day right around the corner, I invited my readers to share their blog posts about creating functional, clutter-free spaces using eco-friendly, low-waste methods.

I think all of us will benefit from their tips for reducing/reusing/repurposing, conscious consumption, responsible disposal, and more.

As you read the posts listed below, please connect with the bloggers on social media, leave comments, and share your favorite posts with your own network.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this Blog Carnival!

Do you offer a product or service that would interest professional organizers, productivity consultants, or their clients?

Why not sponsor an upcoming edition of the Productivity & Organizing Blog Carnival?

I’m now accepting submissions for May’s Productivity & Organizing Blog Carnival, when our topic will be Time Wisdom.

Photo by alenkasm / DepositPhotos

Visit Your Organizing Business to read Sustainable Organizing – Productivity & Organizing Blog Carnival and join the conversation.