Get Organized Now! Newsletter by Maria Gracia http://www.getorganizednow.com Issue: March 6-12, 2010 Number of Subscribers: 181,999 ====================================================== Hello {!firstname_fix} ====================================================== ====================================================== ** SPECIAL ONE-WEEK OFFER for Get Organized Now! Readers Only (Keep reading!) Finally...You Can Shed Unwanted Pounds Without Crazy Exercising or Counting Calories... Even if You Love Snacks and Dessert ====================================================== We're quickly approaching swimsuit season...why not begin looking and feeling your best right now? My friend Cate and her husband came up with a simple, workable plan that she and her husband used to shed unwanted pounds without starving or dieting. Cate dropped two dress sizes. Her husband dropped a bunch of pounds too. They did this with three children and full schedules of games and dance classes and all that fun stuff. Her program is called 'Real People Don't Diet' and it's great. Cate is a real person who found a way for a real family to eat and lose, while not grossing out the kids! As she says, 'All you'll need to do is take simple math, apply it to your eating habits and keep on living your life.' That's so do-able. So, if you'd like to stop dieting and start eating, I highly encourage you to check out 'Real People Don't Diet' right now. ** And the best part is...(drumroll please) for this week only in celebration of spring, exclusively for Get Organized Now! Readers, Cate is offering her program for $10 less than she normally sells it. This special rate will end on Sunday, March 14th at midnight, so visit today: http://getorgnow1.budgexpert.hop.clickbank.net ====================================================== Goal Set, Goal Met! An Organized Approach to Reaching Goals ====================================================== Personal goals can help you accomplish an assortment of objectives and serve a variety of purposes. Goals may be short term and relatively easy to accomplish like cleaning the house or making a casserole for dinner before picking the kids up from school. Alternatively, your goals may be more long term or complex and involve multiple steps and processes such as losing weight before a vacation or saving enough to retire by the age of 65. Whatever they may be, the goals you set for yourself will guide your daily actions and steer your life in a direction you deem satisfying. Setting goals, especially long term goals, can be an intimidating process. After all, these objectives will determine what path you will take and directly affect your level of satisfaction with career, family, and life. An organized approach to goal setting will ensure your goals are appropriate, purposeful, and when achieved, will result in a satisfactory outcome. By taking an organized approach to setting goals, you can target your objective and achieve success with minimal stress and maximum fulfillment. 1) Know your purpose. Motivation is a key factor in successfully achieving goals. If you are not able to recognize the reason why you have set a goal, you may find it challenging work towards completion of that goal. If your goals include getting a promotion at work, remind yourself that the effort and hard work you exert to achieve that promotion may ultimately lead to an increase in pay, better hours, a nicer office, or other benefits. 2) Set a reasonable time frame. Rome wasn't built in a day and many goals cannot be accomplished in one either. Give yourself a specific start and end date for your goals and include benchmark dates along the way whenever appropriate. For most people, spring cleaning your home will take longer than one afternoon to accomplish. Ask yourself what a reasonable length of time would be to achieve your goal given your schedule. Break larger goals down into smaller, more manageable sections. Consider addressing bedrooms one day, bathrooms another, and common living areas on a third day. 3) Choose goals that are reachable. Setting goals that are impossible to attainable will only discourage you, resulting in a lack of motivation to achieve that goal and others as well. If your goal is to lose weight, don't expect to lose 10 pounds in the first week. Instead, consult your physician to determine what a healthy goal weight would be and together you can establish a reasonable weekly target. 4) Be Specific. Do not set goals that are vague or unfocused. When setting goals, always ask who, what, where, why, and when. Do your goals include planting a garden this year? Before you begin, ask yourself, who will participate. Is this a family garden or just for mom? What will you plant--flowers or vegetables? Where will you plant it? Why do you want to plant a garden? Is it for stress relief, to save money, or possibly a hands-on science lesson for the kids? When is the appropriate time to prepare the garden and plant it? Answering these questions before your project begins will ensure it is a smooth process and promotes successful completion. ====================================================== 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! ====================================================== 5) Base goals on your own actions. All goals you set should be based solely on your own actions and things that are within your control. We would all like our children to achieve perfect grades on their report cards, but a child’s grades are not within your control and therefore should not be a personal goal for you. Instead, setting aside 30 minutes every evening to help your child with their homework is something you are able to control and can ultimately help your son or daughter achieve good grades. 6) Write goals down and review them often. Goals should guide your life on a daily basis and frequent reminders will help you remember what you are working towards. Once you have set your goals, write them down in a place you will see them regularly. A brightly colored post-it note on your agenda or calendar can catch your eye each time you glance at it and remind you of short term goals. Alternatively, if your long term goal is to retire by the age of 65, designate an annual date to review your progress with a spouse, personal financial planner, or accountant and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that you are able to achieve your goal. 7) Hold yourself accountable. Become your own critic and be critical of the progress you make in achieving your goals. Only you know what your best effort looks like and what you are capable of. If your goals are reasonable and there have been no unforeseen circumstances, you are the one responsible if goals are not met. If finishing the laundry today was your goal and you spent an hour chatting on the phone with a friend instead, you may need to skip your bedtime reading to complete the laundry. 8) Reward yourself! When you have completed your goals, give yourself a small reward for all of your hard work. Knowing there will be a worthwhile incentive in exchange for your efforts will motivate you to finish and inspire you to set more goals for yourself in the future. If you worked hard and saved up enough money for a family vacation, buy yourself a book to read on the airplane or schedule a spa service at your destination hotel. Setting goals, whether they be short or long term, no longer needs to be a stressful or intimidating task. An organized approached to goal setting will greatly increase your chances of success and help you develop a positive attitude towards setting goals. When you take an organized approach, you minimize barriers such as disorganization, inefficiency, lack of motivation, and confusion thus clearing the way for you to accomplish whatever goal you set your mind to! ====================================================== 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) 03/03 Shorten Phone Conversations 2) 02/23 Stop Waiting--Start Progressing 3) 02/17 Make a Task Basket 4) 02/11 Increase Your Kitchen Storage Space 5) 02/04 Creating Time Pockets in Your Life Visit: http://getorganizednow.typepad.com/get_organized_now_weblog/ ** March Monthly Checklist: Department 1 Spring is in the air. Begin this season of renewal with a fresh, clutter-free, organized life! Start today with our new March monthly organizing checklist. Go to the link below and look for the shamrocks. 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 March 7th challenge. Go to the link below and look for the person dragging a load of stuff. http://getorganizednow.com/#challenge ** NEW Web Poll: Department 14 Our featured multiple choice question is, 'Spring is in the air and spring cleaning is on the horizon. What matches your spring cleaning attitude best?' 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 ====================================================== When my children were in elementary school, I had them pick out their clothes for the next day before bedtime each night. Just before waking them up, I put their clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes. If they got out of bed and dressed quickly, they had warm clothes to put on. Not only did the morning go more smoothly, but they really felt loved because I took the time to do a little something extra for them. Brenda Mahone, Virginia Brenda is a mother of four and grandmother of eight. She wishes she could afford to retire so that she could travel and pursue her many hobbies! * * * * * Submit your favorite organizing tip! Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/readertip.html ====================================================== Can This Marriage Be Saved? ====================================================== For many wives, the very thought of their marriage coming undone is overwhelming. Why did the man that pursued her so vigorously during dating now seem so distant in marriage? The truth is that if you're married, those fears don't have to come true in your relationship. There is a way to rekindle lost passion and make your husband crave spending time with you. Every wife that learns the secrets of her husband's heart soon discovers the power to influence her husband on a profoundly deep level. Imagine what would happen in your marriage if you knew.... *The highest compliment you can give your husband, and no, it's not praising his physical appearance * Why you should NEVER give your husband advice--unless he begs you to * How to make your husband willing to listen to you and try practically anything you suggest * The 15 words you can say to your husband when you're lonely and need reassurance -- These words will get you the positive and supportive response you want from him every time * How to make your husband feel powerful so that he'll always want to be with you *The one thing you can do in a split second to make your husband feel like he's married the woman of his dreams * Yes, these insights are powerful and you can have them right now! I never promote anything that doesn't have a track record of success. I am passionate about these discoveries because they actually explain what works with your husband and why. If you want to improve your marriage forever, visit: http://280c8btdtbw9prchnbyonzakdu.hop.clickbank.net Enjoy! Maria Gracia Get Organized Now! ====================================================== An Organizing Tip From One of Our Readers ====================================================== My tip is for those readers who have a collection of small garden flags. I am lucky enough to have a closet right inside the door post where I show off my various flags. However, this would work just fine in any closet that is nearest to your outside door. In my closet I have several pants/slacks/skirt hangers that hold up to 5 articles of clothing on clip clothespin type holders, vertically. I use these to store my flags, putting them in order by season--with one for miscellaneous 'just because I like them' flags. They take up very little space in the closet and are readily visible. When I want to change a flag, it is so easy to take a flag off the hanger, and hang up the one that had been outside in its place. It does not even take two minutes and I do not have to write a reminder to myself to change a flag since it is fresh in my mind as soon as I come in the door. I do it immediately. Regina Shortencarrier Bakerton, PA Regina is a semi-retired senior citizen wondering how she ever worked a full time job into her busy schedule. She has two grown sons and three step grandsons. She says, 'Mothers of boys work from 'son' up until 'son' down!' * * * * * Submit your favorite organizing tip! Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/readertip.html ====================================================== Organizing Challenge Notes ====================================================== Week of February 28th: Organize one drawer I have just organized a drawer of sewing notions. I purchased individual trays of various sizes that fit snugly into the drawer and now have pins, needles, bias tape, elastic, curtain grommet tools, measuring tape, and scissors in their own space, easy to find at a glance. For years, I tried to keep these things in closed containers on a shelf but never seemed to remember which container stored which item without having to take them down and look at the label. Now, I just open the drawer and there they are! --Jaben My husband doesn't know it yet, but I picked two of his drawers for this week's challenge. I couldn't take looking in his PJ drawer or sock drawer, where these articles of clothing were rolled up like balls and not matched up. Ugh! So, even though I know he'll mess up both of these in less than a week, I decided to do it anyway. Who knows...if he likes it, I'll even continue to do it in exchange for him doing a task I'm not crazy about! --Mima, Dayton, OH I chose my desk drawer for this challenge. I've been putting off the task for weeks because it was such a mess. Paper clips, binder clips, rubber bands, business cards, thumb tacks and hundreds of other categories were just thrown in the drawer. It actually wasn't my drawer to start with. It was the employee who had my job before I did. I've been so busy with getting to know the ropes that I haven't had time to get this task done. I purchased drawer dividers and organized the keepers back in. I also tossed a ton of stuff. It looks so much better, and is now functional! --Jeremy, Queensland, Australia ====================================================== Beautiful Home Decorating Made Easy ====================================================== Picture this. You walk through your newly decorated home-- whatever its size or shape--and at every turn you burst with self-confidence and glowing pride, thinking, 'I can't believe I live here...and I did it MYSELF!' Sound like a distant dream? Not any more! Visit: http://1f7385hq0qha-sbz-2sy0klp80.hop.clickbank.net/ ====================================================== 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 ====================================================== Last Web Poll ====================================================== When it comes to most meals at dinner time... 66% I eat home-cooked meals at home, that I cook. 8% I eat home-cooked meals at home that someone else cooks. 1% I eat at home. My meals are cooked by a personal chef that I pay. 3% I eat home, but order take-out. 5% I eat at restaurants more than I eat at home. 17% I eat home-cooked meals at home, order out, AND eat out. It's divided evenly. Total Votes: 2399 ====================================================== In Closing ====================================================== No time. Saddest words ever spoken or written. --Og Mandino 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} ============================================