People | List Producer

My First Blog Tour

March 23, 2014/in Fellow List Producers, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, People, Uncategorized/by Paula Rizzo

(Photo credit: Dvortygirl)

This post is going to be a slight departure from the content you’re used to reading on ListProducer.com but I hope you’ll find it as fun. I was invited to participate in what’s called a “blog tour” by writer and blogger Sarah Klein.

Here’s how it works: I answer four questions about my writing process and then introduce three new bloggers who will do the same thing on their blogs next week. And so on and so on…kind of like a chain letter for blogs. I hope it’s a fun opportunity to gain some insight into how I’m able to pump out this blog three times a week and also introduce you to some bloggers I really admire.

Here we go!

1. What am I working on?
I’m always working on something! My biggest project to date has been my book, which will be published this fall by Viva Editions. It’s called “Listful Thinking: Using Lists to be More Productive, Efficient and Less Stressed.” Right now we are working on marketing plans and what the cover will look like. It’s very exciting and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with all my Listproducer.com blog readers when it’s ready!

Make Cash From Your Clutter

February 18, 2014/in Apps, Home, Increase Productivity, People, Saving Money, Saving Time, Shopping, Technology/by Paula Rizzo

Yard Sale! (Photo credit: moon angel)

I started my spring cleaning a little early this year, not only in the hopes that maybe Mother Nature will get the hint (crossing my fingers and toes that this ridiculous snow in the Northeast ends) but also to make a little extra cash! YES – cash for your clutter, what could be better then that?

PoshMark
Dig out those glamorous heels in the back of your closet that you love but can’t find another occasion to wear and let this app do the rest. You can set up an inventory of clothes, shoes, and jewelry to sell on the app or through their site. All you do is upload the photos, set the price, negotiate with customers, and voila you now have a little extra space in your wardrobe and cash in your hand. They make shipments super easy by sending you the prepaid packaging – all you need to do is add the address (because of this they take 20% of your sale). You can also browse through other “closets” in case you need to fill that heel hole in your heart 😉

ThreadFlip
This is a similar app to PoshMark, except if you don’t want to spend the time selling your items they will do it for you with their “full service” option (their take on your sale is 40% with this option, “list on your own” is 20%) . ThreadFlip will send you a free pre-paid bag, you fill it with the things you want to sell, and ship it back to them. They will then professionally photograph the items, load them to the site, and send them on there way when they are sold! That’s my kind of outsourcing!

Gazelle
I sometimes keep my old cell phones in case the one I have now suddenly breaks — that’s just the preparer in me. Well, this habit has now taken over an entire drawer, so I decided to sell them on Gazelle. You can sell old cell phones, tablets, Apple computers, and other electronics. Just enter the model, and the current condition and the site does the rest! They will send you a pre-paid box to send back your stuff and send you a check once they receive your package.

YardSale

If you have a random collection of things to get rid of I would try out this app. You can sell pretty much anything from a bike, to a camera, or even a car – it really is a virtual yard sale. Just upload the photo of the item your selling to your profile and set the price. The app shows your location so people can search locally (as well as nationally) for items they want! Maybe someone from the next block is looking for that Beatles poster you no longer want.

Etsy
If you are a avid DIYer and have suddenly found yourself cluttered by crafts this may be the site for you! Whether it’s mason jars, photo frames, or hand crafted jewelry, you can sell it to earn cash! Etsy allows you to set up an account and sell your products through the site. You will be a little more craft free, and who knows, you can actually make a brand for yourself!

Now go dig through your closets and earn some cash! Let me know which apps work best for you 🙂 Happy selling!

Make Awkward Small Talk Disappear With This List

February 11, 2014/in Benefits of List Making, Learning With a List, List Making, People, Reduce Stress, Relationships, Uncategorized/by Paula Rizzo

This picture of Paul McCartney will make much more sense when you continue reading this post! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Remember in high school or college when the teacher would make each student in the class introduce themselves and say one interesting fact? My hands would sweat, and I would panic trying to think of something cool to say before the teacher got to me. Total torture!

Well this still happens today. You know what I’m talking about. Those awkward situations where you are forced to make small talk or be interesting. Like at a business meeting, at the dentist’s office (why do they always want to talk when you can only mumble?,) with your hairdresser, at a party that you felt obligated to attend, or maybe even on a blind date.

My solution for these awkward exchanges are simple. Make a list. This can be something you write down or just keep in your head. But this list should contain several interesting facts about yourself and a few conversation starters. Here are a few of mine for inspiration:

1. I was named after Paul McCartney. Yes, really. My mom had BeatleMania big time.

Oprah’s Most Inspirational Advice

January 28, 2014/in Oprah, People, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

English: Oprah Winfrey at the White House for the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Oprah Winfrey has taught me so much about giving, being a good listener, and striving to achieve your goals. She’s been a part of my life since I began watching her show when I was young and has become more of a role model as I’ve gotten older.

She’s certainly given us a lot of wisdom over the last 60 years! Here are my 10 favorite pieces of advice from Oprah in honor of her 60th birthday:

1. You become what you believe

2. When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.

3. Turn your wounds into wisdom. Read more

6 Productivity Shortcuts To Save You Time

January 19, 2014/in Benefits of List Making, Increase Productivity, List Making, People, Reduce Stress, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Recently, a friend told me she heard a statistic that claimed that the average American living in suburbia can spend up to 3 years of their life waiting at traffic lights. I live in NYC so this time-waster doesn’t apply to me directly, but it really got me thinking about how I might be wasting time even in my very productive life. I’ve written before on the basics – laying out your clothes the night before, having a plan for the morning, etc – but I believe that just like goals are achieved by focusing on the small steps, maximum productivity is achieved through shortcuts.

Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Using keyboard shortcuts – The tech experts at brainwave.com estimate that you save 2 seconds per minute when you use keyboard shortcuts (vs. reaching for the mouse). If that doesn’t seem like a lot of time – that 2 seconds per minute adds up to 8 workdays per year – that’s an extra vacation!