You multitask like nobody's business, juggling work, home and family demands all week long. Now, with 2013 in swing, it's time to add New Year's resolutions to the mix.

Keep all your balls in the air, and all your resolutions on track, by plotting your progress in the new Ampad® Versa™ Crossover Notebook,  which offers a crossover design that takes the best of a notebook, binder and dividers and puts it all in one. Want to log your exercise time? Keep track of healthy recipes? Capture inspirational articles on quitting smoking? Get more organized? Whatever your New Year's goals may be, Ampad® Versa&trade can help you keep track of all the moving parts.  

Versatility Adds Up to Productivity

• Write in it like a notebook; move pages around like a binder.
• Built-in dividers provide easy sorting and categorizing.
• Dual poly dividers separate and capture loose papers.
• Mark key notes with 105 stick-on flags for labeling and highlighting.
• Track to-dos with a lined stick-on task pad.

The New Year is a fresh start, so why dive into it with an outdated notebook? Now, Ampad®  Versa™ lets you manage multiple projects or subdivide one large project into smaller sections. Plus, the highlighting flags make finding and organizing notes easier than ever. And you can reorder and reorganize your notes, again and again.

Ampad® Versa™ reimagines the notebook; use it for your own 2013 reinvention.

Articles on sticking to resolutions are an inescapable part of the January landscape.

But while experts are everywhere offering tips and tricks for remaining committed to resolutions, few pundits take a "no resolutions" approach to ringing in the New Year. In the spirit of "there's two sides to every story," we take a look at the notion of skipping resolutions altogether. Hey, you still got the champagne!

Don't Make New Year's Resolutions: They're Not Good for Your Health: If you're thinking about adopting a healthier lifestyle, eliminating resolutions may be the first step, according to this article: Don't Make New Year's Resolutions: They're Not Good for Your Health. The article posits that sticking to resolutions can create stress, rack up unnecessary expenses and can cause depression when resolutions are unmet. Rather, the article promotes the notion that the healthiest, happiest, fittest people are those that develop successful patterns in their lives--lives which involve achievement and close relationships. By building on successes, whatever they may be, and by maintaining committed relationships, health and wellness naturally flow as part of their "active, achieving, and dependable lives." So socialize with the healthy and happy - wellness is contagious!

New Year's Resolutions Don't Work - Here's Why:  Did you ever stop to think that goal setting is akin to declaring that your life isn't good enough, that happiness is always around the corner and is missing and absent from your life right now? The article New Year's Resolutions Don't Work - Here's Why,  makes the case that when we constantly resolve to make changes, that when we look ahead to a goal, rather than focusing on, and enjoying the present, that we miss the chance to focus on the happiness and success that is currently in hand. Food for thought, no?

Why New Year's Resolutions Don't Work: This article suggests that many resolutions are made with pie-eyed optimism that generally doesn't translate into success. But rather than truly eschewing the notion of New Year's goal setting, the author does in fact make the case for something quite similar: planning. The article advocates making time for an annual (or better yet, quarterly) planning session(s) to lay out goals and concrete strategies for moving the ball forward. Read on for more about why taking stocking of your life or business, and planning for growth or change should be a part of your 2013: Why New Year's Resolutions Don't Work. 

Did you notice how your office looked more festive and welcoming around the holidays? The seasonal décor, baskets of treats and smiling faces gave your workplace an extra glow.

Carry that good feeling througout 2013 with this round up of advice for jazzing up even the dullest workspace.

10 Design Tips for Tiny Offices:  A welcoming environment doesn't need to be costly, as the tips from these ten small startups prove. Snacks and smiles go a long way to warming up any atmosphere. Other ideas include punchy paint colors and pets. Yes, Fido is a welcome guest in some offices; they see the paws-itive benefits of interacting with furry friends! 

9 Pieces of Furniture That Make the Work Day More Fun:  Put a smile on even the grumpiest face with fun furniture. From a swing set that doubles as a conference table, to a green rug designed to mimic picnic grounds, to a ping pong conference table, these designs will put some play in your day.

5 Rules for Office Feng Shui:  A calm, clutter free workplace gives out a welcoming vibe. This beginner primer for organizing your work environment promotes energy and atmosphere.

Finally, we leave you with a mind-blowing design project from a German company that used over 55,000 Lego bricks to create a divider wall  in their office kitchen. This year-long project may not be in the cards for every workplace but it shows that when creativity meets teamwork, magic can happen!

No excuses this year: we have fantastic apps to keep your New Year's resolutions on track.

Add Exercise: Put your money where your mouth is and link your fitness goals to a monetary incentive (or penalty) with the GymPact app.  Users commit to a number of workouts and tie each to a monetary sum, when you show up, it adds up. Skip a workout and cough up. Users can even join in a group and challenge friends/family/coworkers. Other helpful exercise tracking apps include MapMyRun's app  and the Nike Training app.  Or use the mobile companion to the monster exercise hit p90X with this app. Get up and get going!

Quit Smoking for Good: Dump those cancer sticks once and for all with the iQuit app,  which lets you track your decreasing cigarette schedule and plot your progress on social media. The social element enlists positive peer pressure: your social network can cheer successes and rally support if you stumble.

Watch Your Money: Whip your finances into shape with the Expenditure app,  which tracks spending across categories as well as one-time only expenses. The user-friendly interface shows where the money is flowing. Or check out award-winning app Mint.com,which lets users track, budget and manage money in both checking and savings accounts, as well as credit card accounts, investments and retirement funds. Reminders also help prevent late fees. You'll love the price tag: free! 

Be More Organized: Ready for a more organized 2013? Productivity app Evernote,lets users create and save notes, pictures and voice memos and sync them across your phone, computer and the Web.  Never lose track of a to-do list again. When you team Evernote with a time-management tool such as OmniFocus, which lets users track tasks by date, person, place or project, you're on your way to an organized day. Still procrastinating? RescueTime,  not only tracks all your time, it'll block you from visiting distracting websites when you work.

Get Up Earlier: No time for resolutions?  Wake up earlier each day with the Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock, http://bit.ly/Vw6Jzr an intelligent alarm clock that analyzes your sleep and wakes you in the lightest sleep phase of a set period so you wake up feeling rested and relaxed. The app offers lots of customization such as 15 alarm options, sleep cycle monitoring and wake-up options. Use your extra morning hours to keep your resolutions on track.

Finally, if the thought of tracking all your resolutions across various apps makes you overwhelmed, this one-stop-shopping app is for you. Centralize all your goals in one spot with the All My New Year's Resolutions 2012 app. http://bit.ly/YoTDYf

Happy New Year!

'Twas the season for toys, toys, toys. Whether the eight days of Hanukah, Santa, or gifts from generous grandparents, your toy box is likely in overload.

Make room for the newest additions by getting rid of playthings that are no longer in use. Ideas for keeping toy chaos under control include:

Donating: Take a good look around your toy room or spare closets. Often we have brand new toys or art kits that simply don't get opened or used. Many local charities run toy drives this time of year: Goggle for drop-off spots and make another child happy.

While many charities require donations to be new, others accept gently used toys. SAFE  (Stuffed Animals for Emergencies) accepts gently used stuffed animals for children in need. Look for a local chapter here.  Another great place to donate items is Goodwill, a nationwide organization providing assistance and job training for needy families, funded in part by its network of retail outlets selling donated items.

Selling: Plan ahead to the spring for a toy yard sale. Find a spot in your attic or garage to store toys in a clean, dry area. Enlist your children in identifying items that are likely to move in a yard sale. A yard sale is a great way to teach valuable lessons about money; it can also be a great bonding activity for the whole family.  Consider recruiting friends and neighbors to join the fun; multi-family yard sales are often more lucrative. For advice on throwing a great yard sale, read How Much for This Lamp? Tips from the Garage Sale Millionaire.

Repurposing: Saying good-bye to beloved toys can be hard. Consider saving a few special keepsakes by giving them new life. Small toys like Lego minifigures or a Barbie outfit can make excellent tree ornaments. Or use wooden blocks to create decorative signs for your home or as gifts. Other creative ideas for repurposing toys can be found in this wonderful article, 10 Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Toys. 

Spice up your New Year with funky and fabulous organizing treats.

 Slim Purse Organizers: Tame purse clutter with one of these small, compact cases. The organizer makes switching bags simple: just slip the case into your new bag, confident that all your must-haves are on-hand.

Travel Bags:  Fashionistas will love these stylish bags for corralling small items while traveling. Not shopping for a road warrior? The exercise nut in your life will find these equally handy for gym bags.

iPad Organizer: Gift the tablet lover in your life the Grid-It organization system, which uses a weave of rubberized elastic bands to hold digital devices, cords, chargers and other items firmly in place. The neoprene casing also protects your tablet from any knocks.

Minimergency Kits for Her: Good things come in small packages: this glittery little case has every product you would ever need in a pinch. The must-haves include: hairspray, clear nail polish, polish remover, emery board, lip balm, earring backs, clear elastics, sewing kit, double-sided tape, stain remover, deodorant towelette, pain reliever, tampon, breath freshener, dental floss and adhesive bandages. Whew!

Mini Flashlight:  Shine a light with a handy, hand-crank flashlight. Perfect for power outages or sneaky bedtime reading for tweens to the young at heart.

Charge It!:  Keep the juice flowing to your lifelines (aka iPhone, iPad and iPod) with this compact and stylish portable battery. Each adds an extra three-hours to your Apple device. 

Petite Ports:  Take your digital files on the go with this cute cat shaped USB port.  It's purrfect for the cat lover in your life.

Key Holder: Mount this mod Magnetic Cloud Key Holder near your front door and never lose your keys again.

Recipe Box with Divider Cards:  Keep kitchen inspiration close at hand with a recipe box that organizes your culinary greatest hits.

Cactus Flower Sticky Notes: Pretty post-its keep your to-dos attractive!

When climbing the corporate ladder, people often pause to take stock of their skills, resume, and experience. When was the last time you paused and took stock of the people around you?

Are You Good for Me?

A recent Inc.com article with the eye-catching headline 9 People You Must Remove From Your Inner Circle takes a look at the personality types that are best weeded out of your life. Obvious gotta-go types include backstabbers and schmoozers, who value surface connection over deeper relationships. Less obvious sorts are "raving fans" - those individuals who lavish excessive and unconditional praise on you at the expense of honest and unvarnished truths.

So if certain people are best to avoid at work (and in life) who are the people that you should have in your corner?

Team Me

Any quarterback will tell you, you need a team to move a ball forward. Very little in life is accomplished entirely on one's own: so look to partner with the right people. Not sure who should be on your roster? You can't go wrong with the folks in this Forbes.com article, The 6 People You Need In Your Corner,  says contributor Jessica Hagy. Create an inner circle that includes the following:

• Instigator: Count on this person to poke and prod you (aka motivate) to get up, get going and try new things. Together, you create positive energy.
• Cheerleader: We all need someone who will toot our horn. Find an evangelist that will sing your praises loudly and often.
• Doubter: This voice of reason offers needed perspective and helps you identify obstacles and roadblocks.
• Taskmaster: Drill sergeants have their place; find someone who will keep your feet to the fire.
• Connector: Share the love and spread the network; your connector hooks you up!
• Example: We all need a mentor that we can use as a model. Find someone you admire and emulate them.

No sooner does the last slice of Thanksgiving pumpkin pie disappear, when eggnog and holiday cookies dance onto the scene. If you're not careful, too much holly jolly can wreak havoc on your waistline and your health.

This holiday season commit to five simple steps to keep the healthy in your holidays.

Bottoms Up: Make water your go-to beverage throughout the holiday season; when you quaff lots of water along with holiday cocktails, you lessen the chance of overindulging and will feel better the next day. Plus water bottles also make a fun, useful hostess gift. For shopping ideas, click here and here.

Think Veggies: Hitting the veggie platter helps you resist the siren song of baked brie and holiday chocolates. When you fill up on crudités, you take the edge off your appetite, making it easier to say no to temptation. If your party is potluck, offer to bring the veggies to ensure a low-calorie, high fiber snack is on hand. For creative presentation ideas, this article has you covered.

A Long Winter's Nap: Too many late nights of holiday revelry or rushing around the mall can quickly take its toll. Do yourself a favor and protect your shut-eye so you can truly enjoy the season. Find it difficult to get your zzz's during the holiday hubbub? Better your odds of a good night's sleep by relaxing for an hour before bed rather than doing chores or working and by sticking to a regular sleep routine. And use power naps to make up for lost slumber. For more tips on healthy holiday sleep habits, read 6 Ways to Sleep Better During the Holidays. 

Ice Skating Anyone?: Increase your holiday stamina by devoting time to activities that recharge your batteries such as exercise and mediation. When you can, incorporate exercise into your holiday plans; instead of cocktails with friends, suggest an ice skating outing. Or have your family take a hike instead of seeing the latest holiday blockbuster. Schedule blocks of solo exercise each day as well. Even a brisk 20 minute walk daily will improve your mood, help with sleep and keep the pounds and stress at bay.

Indulge When You Can: Deprivation is never any fun, especially around the holidays. Allow yourself to indulge in those little treats that make the season special. After all, the holidays only roll around once a year and treating yourself to small luxuries can help stave off overindulgence later on. And many holiday treats - such as red wine and dark chocolate - also have health benefits - as long as they are consumed in moderation. So go ahead, enjoy, it's good for your health!

Holidays are best celebrated with family and close friends but when loved ones are far-flung, togetherness often means hosting house guests. If your home is doing double duty as a hotel this holiday season, read our tips for creating a welcoming atmosphere (and one that preserves your sanity!)

My Home is Your Home: Signal your open-arm welcome by creating dedicated space for guests. Banish clutter from your guests' quarters, whether it's a spare bedroom or another area of your home. Use attractive bags, bins and trunks to temporarily capture odds and ends.

When quarters are tight and you don't have a dedicated guest room, create space by supplying luggage racks that help house overnight bags which lets them double as dressers. Likewise, by simply supplying hangers on the back of a door, you create a spot for guests to stash their stuff.

Ease bathroom congestion by offering your guest canvas duffel outfitted with fresh towels and travel toiletries that they can tote to and from the bathroom. For more ideas, read Good Housekeeping's Easy Organizing: Hosting Guests. 

Making a List, Checking it Twice: Think through your houseguests' needs before they arrive with this handy checklist from the über-organized folks at Real Simple. Suggested items to have handy include a spare house key, maps and travel tips for your neighborhood, as well as must-have, yet often-forgotten toiletries.

The Extra Mile: Leave it to the ultimate hostess Martha Stewart to suggest special touches for visitors that bring a five-star hotel vibe to even a simple sofa-bed. Tips from Martha include leaving foil-wrapped chocolates and a carafe of chilled water bed side. Don't have a carafe lying around? Use a short water glass inverted over a tall, slim one.  For more inventive Martha tips, read here. 

Happy hosting!

The most wonderful time of the year is once again upon us. Get organized for the post-Thanksgiving-to-New Year hollidaze marathon with these four fun holiday organizing helpers.

Countdown Calendars

Keep track of Santa's arrival with one of these 25 creative advent calendars.  Choose from DIY calendars or even one with whiskey!  These calendars aren't limited to Christmas celebrations: use them to countdown to New Year's Eve or the first day of Hanukah. Or choose this Byers Choice, Menorah Calendar,  to countdown to the festival of lights.

Holiday Card Apps

Does the whole "licking envelopes, buying stamps" thing stop you from sending holiday cards? This year enlist your smartphone as your holiday card elf and use it to create cards and send them by text message, e-mail or snail mail. Yep, it's that easy. Read Smartphone Apps Send Holiday Greetings to learn how.

Shopping Apps

We all wish we could delegate an elf to hit the lines at the shopping mall for us. But tech savvy shoppers know that holiday shopping apps and websites can be almost as helpful. Read 5 Money-Saving Tools, Apps and Websites for Holiday Shopping to make gift-giving easy.

No Time to Cook?

Make feeding the holiday hordes simple by outsourcing some of the cooking to others. No, we're not talking potluck, we're talking catered foods.  National retailers such as Whole Foods,  Dean & Deluca and Zabar's  can deliver everything from apps to a stuffed turkey. Budget shoppers can find deals on fully-catered meals at Costco stores.  Or ask your local supermarket for their catering menu, most have one!

What organizing must-have keeps the jolly in your holidays? Share your thoughts here and on the Pendaflex Facebook page.

Our hearts go out to everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy. As you work to recover and move forward, we've assembled a list of helpful tools to aid the process.

Generator Safety

Many East Coast residents are relying on generators for electricity and heat as power outages continue. Be generator smart with these safety tips  from the Long Island Power Authority.

Food & Water Safety

Once the storm's rains and winds subside, safety concerns start to focus on food and water supplies. For a complete primer, read these two articles: A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes  and Water and Food Safety After Hurricane: Can you drink the water and eat the food? Advice from the FDA.

Returning to a Damaged or Flooded Home

If you needed to evaucate your home and are now returning to a damaged property, please read this check list  of tips from the Red Cross before returning. Tips include bringing cameras to document damage for insurance claims and wearing protective clothing.

Insurance Claims

Educate yourself about how insurance claims work in order to get the best result. We've assembled several useful articles to get you up to speed:

• Filing Insurance Claims After Sandy: What to Expect, CNNMoney.com 
• Need to file a hurricane-related insurance claim? Follow this checklist for getting help fast 
• N.J. offers tips on filing insurance claims after Hurricane Sandy 
• Business interruption insurance claims loom after Sandy 

Finally, we leave you with links to two of the best informational resources on disasters and their aftermaths: FEMA and the American Red Cross. Answers to many of your recovery questions can be answered here.

We wish you the best of luck as you work to recover and rebuild. Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

When you free associate the word "commute" you are probably more likely to think "long" than "marital happiness."  But a recent study that is getting attention in the Harvard Business Review  finds that couples that commute together are more likely to experience marital satisfaction that those that don't. Interesting stuff.

Still not everyone can commute with their significant other, but the study got us thinking: can our commute make us happier in other ways?

Making the Most of Commute Time

Try and take a "glass half full" view of your commute and view the time as an opportunity. The average American commutes almost 50 minutes a day, says the Census Bureau: use this time wisely and you may find yourself appreciating your travel time.

Get to that Book: Curling up with a great read is not for bedtime only. E-books make reading even the weightiest tome manageable on a commute. Join social networking site Goodreads.com  for book recommendations from friends. Or collect useful articles in your e-reader for subway or train perusal. Car commuters, you can get in the action with audio books.

Advance Your Career: No time for networking? Use your commute time to fit critical networking time into your busy schedule. Update your LinkedIn profile; send networking e-mails to industry contacts and schedule future lunch and drinks dates with peers. Keep abreast of industry trends by reading useful articles or listening to podcasts. Car commuters, take advantage of your hands-free device to schedule calls with mentors and peers.

Scheme, Daydream: Downtime is a rare commodity. Make the most of the idle hour to let your mind wander. Keep a notebook handy or download a note-taking app on your smart phone to jot down any inspiration that strikes.

Unwind: Can't find time to get to that crossword puzzle? Squeeze in a nap? Download that new album and play it from start to finish? You're in luck - you're commute provides a window of time to devote to these small moments of Zen.  

How do you make the most out of your commute? Share your thoughts here and on the Pendaflex Facebook page.