Get Organized Now! Newsletter by Maria Gracia http://www.getorganizednow.com Issue: February 6-12, 2010 Number of Subscribers: 181,999 ====================================================== Hello {!firstname_fix} ====================================================== ====================================================== Banish Clutter Once and For All ====================================================== It's not every day that I recommend organizing books from authors other than myself. But, when something really good comes along--something that I feel supplements my books and products beautifully, I'd feel I was doing you a disservice not to tell you about it. Mimi Tanner, the author of 'Declutter Fast' is actually a reformed pack rat. That's right...she has struggled with mountains of clutter for years. But today, she is free. She has discovered the joys of order and organization. She focuses on getting rid of clutter, and she does a wonderful job at it. Mimi makes decluttering your house both quick and pain free. I'm inspired by her excellent methods. I'm sure you will be too. Visit: http://fb1e43irtfrc0vb5vdtzkk0s9i.hop.clickbank.net/ ====================================================== Drowning in Paper? How to Survive ====================================================== Think about all the different types of papers you deal with on a daily basis. They can include flyers, junk mail, newspapers, magazines, clippings, recipes, bills, other mail, letters or postcards, receipts, forms or documents, or kid’s work. And that’s a short list. Your daily papers may include many other types of paperwork. No one method will work for each of these different categories of paperwork. However, there are ways to help lessen the feeling of drowning in paper. 1. Limit paper handling. Try to limit the amount of times you pick up a sheet of paper. Instead of opening your bills and putting them down on the dining room table, put them directly into the proper folder, basket or bill paying system--where they'll be right where you need them on desk day. 2. Designate a desk day. Delegate a specific day on which you will do all your desk duties (such as filing paperwork, paying bills, responding to action items, or shredding papers). Select an area in which you can keep all your supplies for dealing with your paperwork such as checks, pens, pencils, staplers, envelopes, return address labels and stamps. 3. After choosing your desk area, you need a designated inbox and outbox. Inbox: Place incoming papers that require Action such as permission slips to be signed and bills to be paid into the inbox. (This is particularly useful for parents and children. When students come home from school with permission slips or tests to be signed, they can put it in their parent’s inbox.) Outbox: Place outgoing papers that need to be given to others such as the permission slips after they have been signed or letters that need to be mailed. (When the parents have signed either the permission slips or tests they will move the documents to the outbox for the children to take back to school with them.) 4. Indicate urgent items. Place any urgent paperwork in a folder (make sure it is easy to spot--perhaps a colored folder) or place a red sticker on paperwork that needs to be dealt with immediately. 5. Shred sensitive information. Make sure you always shred anything with your personal, banking or sensitive information (such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, etc.) 6. Get professional advice on required documents. Talk to a professional about what documents you are required to keep and for how long (especially those documents that are needed for tax purposes) in your particular area (there are different requirements based on states, provinces, and countries and individual financial backgrounds). ====================================================== Finally Organized, Finally Free -- for the HOME by Maria Gracia * HOT PRODUCT! Huge (405 Pages) HOME Edition! * Finally, a comprehensive resource to help you get organized once and for all! * Get 2,175 organizing tips, ideas and techniques to help you organize your home, your time and your life! Are you absolutely sick of all the clutter that seems to seep into every single room in your home? What about your overflowing email inbox? Do you wish the mountains of paper would magically vanish into thin air? Do you always feel like you can never catch up with your endless to do list? Is your family sabotaging your organizing efforts? In short, do you wish you can live a more organized, happy, less chaotic life? Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/foffhome.html P.S. Make 2010 your year to get organized! ====================================================== 7. Get on a RAFT for sorting paperwork. R: Read: Letters, memos, newsletters and other paperwork that must be read. A: Action: Invitations, subscriptions and other paperwork that requires a form of action. F: Filing: Paid bills, insurance documents and other paperwork that needs to be kept for legal, financial or other important purposes T: Trash: Junk mail and anything else you really don't need 8. Simplify your filing system. Create a simple filing system. The first step, is to choose main headings for each section such as banking, credit cards, loans, insurance, medical, utilities, etc. The second step, is to sub-divide each section into manageable pieces. For example, a section called loans would be divided into folders such as house, automobile, and other. To make each section easier to identify, you might consider using different colors. Make sure each folder is labeled clearly and is specific. To create a 'no-thinking-required filing system, it's all done for you' filing system, visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/filing.html 9. Keep a pad of paper beside the phone to take down messages. This is especially important when others are in your home taking messages for you, such as housekeepers, babysitters, and even children. It can help you as well when you are listening to your answering machine messages. Write down important details and phone numbers so you can return calls. 10. Keep a notebook. Collect all ideas, to-do lists, grocery lists, etc. Keep one notebook beside your bed at night to write down any thoughts that are keeping you from sleeping. Take this notebook with you during the day. You never know when it might be useful--while waiting for your children to finish up at practice or if you are sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office. 11. Create a household binder. Your household binder will allow you to jot down everything normally included on sticky notes and scraps of paper. Include sections such as Movies to See, Shopping Lists, Goals, Calendars, Ideas, Meal Planning and more. You can even add in a few pocket folders to store items such as weekly coupons and gift cards not yet redeemed. Of course, you can always make the creation of your binder super easy on yourself and just pick up a copy of the Get Organized Now! Easy Organizer--since it's already been done for you. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/ezorganizer.html 12. Use technology to lessen the amount of paper. There are many ways technology can be used for your advantage and lessen the amount of paperwork in your home and office. A couple of examples include using your cell phone to keep track of your grocery list or sending yourself a voicemail with important reminders. Print fewer papers. Use a scanner to scan important documents on to your computer. ====================================================== Finally Organized, Finally Free -- for the OFFICE * HOT PRODUCT! Huge (395 Pages) OFFICE Edition! * Finally, a comprehensive resource to help you get organized once and for all! * Get 1,875 organizing tips, ideas and techniques to help you organize your office, your files, your schedule and so much more! Your phone is ringing, your email inbox is bursting, your To File tray is spilling onto the floor. You can't find the paper you're looking for. Your To Do list is already so long, and growing by the second. You can never leave work on time, you're missing deadlines and you're up to your eyeballs in work. As they say, somethings gotta give! Are you ready to get organized at the office? Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/foffoffice.html ====================================================== New Stuff and Site Updates ====================================================== Everything below is accessible by visiting: http://www.getorganizednow.com Please note that we update our site on a weekly basis, so the new stuff and site updates below may only be available for one week. ** Get Organized Now! Blog: Department 2 Read my personal comments, stories tips and observations about getting and staying organized in today's hectic world. You don't want to miss it. Newest entries: 1) 02/04 Creating Time Pockets in Your Life 2) 01/26 The Memory Box 3) 01/20 Organized Spontaneity 4) 01/11 Designate a Day of Oosooji 5) 01/07 - What do you see? Visit: http://getorganizednow.typepad.com/get_organized_now_weblog/ ** February Monthly Checklist: Department 1 Ahhhh, the month of love. Why not celebrate by loving your super organized life! Start today with our new February monthly organizing checklist. Go to the link below and look for the pink flowers. http://www.getorganizednow.com/#checklist ** NEW Weekly Organizing Challenge: Department 1 Each week, you'll get a new challenge. How fun knowing that lots of people are working on the same goal! Check out what this week's challenge is. We've just posted our Week of February 6th challenge. Go to the link below and look for the refrigerator. http://getorganizednow.com/#challenge ** NEW Slideshow: Department 8 Slay the raging paper beast today! We have newspapers, magazines, newsletters, memos, letters, forms, post-it notes, invoices, client information, employee information, family related paperwork -- the list is endless. When those papers begin getting out of control, they turn into a nasty, raging, paper beast! Go to the link below and look for the monster. http://getorganizednow.com/#slideshow ** NEW E-Course: Department 8 Get Organized A to Z! This course takes you through your ABC's, letter by letter, so you can start getting organized today. It consists of 7 lessons and will take about 10 minutes to complete. Go to the link below and look for the A to Z shelves. http://getorganizednow.com/#ecourse ** Web Poll: Department 14 Our featured multiple choice question is, 'When it comes to most meals at dinner time, do you eat home-cooked meals, use a personal chef, order in or eat out?' Go to the following link and cast your vote. It only takes a second, and your opinion can be heard. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/#webpoll ====================================================== Organize Those Mountains of Paper Once and For All ====================================================== So many people have spoken of the so-called paperless society. There's no doubt that the world hasn't caught on to this concept yet. There's more paper than ever... bank statements, insurance paperwork, schedules, school-related reports, medical records, warranties-- and of course all the fun paper too, like memorabilia, articles, hobby-related stuff and more. This is not to mention all the email messages and computer documents that get printed and copied each day--even more paper! These papers start small, quickly turn into piles, and then grow into mountains. Sometimes, these mountains of paper get so high, that the thought of tackling them is just too overwhelming-- especially when you don't have a good filing system in place or much time to put one together. If you're sick and tired of the piles of paper taking over your home and your life and you just don't know where to start, I have a solution for you. The good news is, this solution will take no time at all, and the result will be stunning--a filing system that will allow you to dismantle those mountains and find whatever you're looking for in seconds. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/filing.html P.S. I guarantee you'll be able to get all your paper organized, in an efficient, easy-as-pie to set up filing system that will be the envy of all your friends. ====================================================== An Organizing Tip From One of Our Readers ====================================================== I always jot down items, that I need to purchase, on a refrigerator note pad, but often find I have quite a range of various items that come from several different stores. I take a 4x6 note card, highlight the top and write the name of the stores I most often shop at. Example: Office Max, Michael's, Lowe's etc. I use one card for each store. Then I write the items I need to buy on that store's card. I clip them together and when I'm out running errands I can pull out the card for a particular store and see what I need. I also have a separate card entitled 'Books' and keep a running list of books I want to look into purchasing when I'm at the bookstore. I do the same thing for the local wine shop! I mark off the item when I buy it, and when the cards become messy. It takes me only a few minutes to whip up new ones. This has kept me from forgetting those little items plus it keeps me better focus on where I need to stop when running errands. April Hill Virginia Beach, VA April is a Fundraising Consultant for Hampton Roads and works from her home office. She established a partnership between her company and the Southeastern VA Food Bank where schools or churches that use her company for their fund raiser, get donations of money to the Food Bank. She is married with three grown children and 3 grand children. April does some freelance design consulting, scrapbooking when time is available and volunteers for several events at the beach! She says, 'Organization is a must for me!!!' * * * * * Submit your favorite organizing tip! Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/readertip.html ====================================================== Attention: Cat Lovers: Completely Transform your Cat's Bad Behavior Quickly And Easily! ====================================================== If you're reading this, you've undoubtedly 'had it up to here' with your cat's bad behavior. Maybe something like this is going on in your house right now... * Kitty is in the doghouse again because she ignored the litter box and did her business on the carpet instead. * Your sofa looks like a tattered reject from the thrift store. * Fun play times come to a screeching halt when your sweet ball of fur morphs into a biting psycho kitty. * If cat poop were a good fertilizer for your houseplants, they would reach the ceiling by now. Problem? Yes? But, you really don't need to take a course in Pet Psychology 101 to figure out a solution. Finally, there is a simpler way to understand your cat's quirks and wacky habits--you know, those zany traits that make cats so wonderfully 'cat-like' on one hand, and totally devilish on the other. We'll tell you how to reverse your cat's 'outta control' behavior quickly and easily. Visit: http://getorgnow1.elbvc.hop.clickbank.net ====================================================== An Organizing Tip From One of Our Readers ====================================================== I still receive some bills through the mail, but pay them online. Each bill comes with a return envelope that I would end up not using. I recently decided to use these envelopes for any money that I send to school with my children. Leslie Craig San Antonio, TX Leslie has 3 children--a 12 year old daughter and boy/girl twins that are 8. * * * * * Submit your favorite organizing tip! Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/readertip.html ====================================================== Organizing Challenge Notes ====================================================== Week of January 30th Work on your hobby. I love receiving your weekly newsletter! I host weekly scrapbooking sessions in my home for my friends and customers. My friends and I just returned from a weekend scrapbooking retreat! This coming weekend, I'm hosting three separate days of scrapbooking as my 'Super Bowl Weekend Scrapping Workshop Extravaganza.' We definitely savor and enjoy our hobby and make it a priority. As a fellow scrapbooker, I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about! Keep up the great work. --Debi Damato, Creative Memories Consultant, Bayside, NY I organized my wool container and started crocheting an afghan. Was very relaxing. Love your e-mails. Keep up the good work. Have a good day! --Monique ( from Canada) Week of January 16th: How many books can you donate? and Week of January 23rd: Fill a box A local newspaper was looking for book donations for a charity benefit, so it fit perfectly with the January 16th challenge. Away went a box of 40+ books that I was holding on to needlessly. Your January 23rd Challenge is still 'in the works.' My box of odd 'n ends continue to flow into it and will be donated to the Goodwill Industries once filled. Thanks for the motivation! --Mikel O'Brien, Middleton, New Hampshire ====================================================== How To Save Your Hopeless Marriage... Even If You or Your Spouse Is Ready To Call It Quits! ====================================================== If your dream of a 'happily ever after' has turned into a nightmare, you owe it to yourself to find happiness again. Marital problems literally suck the life out of your soul and they ruin your health--did you know that researchers have found that women who have strained marriages are more likely to develop heart disease than women who are happily married? My friend, Darlyn Burkle, expert marriage reconciliation coach, believes that most marriages can be saved. She’s no fairy godmother, but she'd like to show you how you can have a happy marriage again--even if your situation looks hopeless. If your marriage is not as happy as you would like it to be, read Darlyn’s special letter for you. Visit: http://www.i-choose-us.com/affiliates/go.php?offer=getorgnow1&pid=1&tid=getorgnow1 ====================================================== Become Our Fan on Facebook ====================================================== http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Get-Organized-Now/50467098715?ref=ts * * * * * Follow Us on Twitter http://twitter.com/getorgnow ====================================================== In Closing ====================================================== Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death. --Albert Einstein And remember . . . there's no better time to get organized, than to Get Organized Now! Warmly, Maria Gracia Get Organized Now! http://www.getorganizednow.com ====================================================== (c) Copyright 2010 by Maria Gracia, Get Organized Now! ====================================================== * Copyright, contact and reprint information: http://www.getorganizednow.com/contact.html * You signed up to receive our Idea-Kit and/or our Newsletter at our Get Organized Now! Web site. We never add names unless you have voluntarily opted in. * We never rent, trade or sell our email list to anyone. You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list. * To subscribe, visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/free-ezine.html * To unsubscribe, click the link at the bottom of this email. You are subscribed to our list as: {!name} {!email} ============================================