Get Organized Now! Newsletter by Maria Gracia http://www.getorganizednow.com Issue: September 20-26, 2009 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/ ============================================ 2 ORGANIZING IDEAS FOR EVERY ROOM IN YOUR HOME Take two! That is, take two organizing tips for every room in your home. These will help you begin getting each room in organized, tip-top shape. 1. Garage A. Set up activity zones in the garage. For example, group garden tools in one spot, sporting goods in another, and tools in their own area. B. Using the walls (vertical space) and the ceiling (over head storage) will help you make better use of the space you do have within your garage. Use various storage solutions such as peg boards, containers (see-through and labels make it easy), and open crates which allow for easy access and are easy to clean. Do not use cardboard boxes because of water damage, mold and bugs. 2. Kitchen A. Clear up your countertops. Put away any used (but not used often items or appliances such as a bread machine) into drawers or cabinets. Take a look at some of your appliances and if you haven't used it in 12 months then it might be time to donate it to charity or a friend who could use it. This also works with all the little gadgets such as lemon zesters and melon ballers that might not be used and cause clutter in drawers. Empty the contents of a drawer into a box and put it into your garage or a closet. If you need an item, go get it, use it, and put it back in the drawer. Determine a time to clean out the box (such as a month, 3 months, 6 months, or even a year) and donate what is left in the box to charity. B. Arrange zones or stations in the kitchen to make your life simpler and easier. For example, coffee, filters, mugs, and the coffee maker should be near each other to make it easy and convenient to make coffee in the morning. Another zone may be your baking zone. Include baking supplies like flour and sugar, cookie sheets, measuring cups, etc. 3. Dining Room A. Is there always stuff piled up on your dining room table? Determine what the stuff is and what solutions can be made to conquer the clutter so you and your family can sit down and share a meal. For example, do you use the table for hobbies such as scrapbooking? Make sure you have a solution for your scrapbooking supplies such as a plastic drawer system on wheels. Does your table get piled with mail and other papers? Designate a basket or wall folder system to hold all the papers, magazines, and newspapers that come into the house. Make sure you dump the junk mail as soon as it arrives. Empty the basket on a daily basis. B. A china cabinet for storage or another storage cabinet for fine china? Depending on your lifestyle you might want to have storage for your everyday dishes (maybe even plastic dishes that are within your kid’s reach, so they could set the table for dinner all by themselves). 4. Living or Family Room A. Can you use multi-purpose furniture such as coffee tables, storage cubes, or ottomans with storage inside for children’s toys, extra blankets and pillows, or board games? B. List all the purposes and activities that will take place in the room. Divide your living room into zones. Find storage solutions for your TV and DVDs. Store DVDs or CDs in a cabinet or shelving system that will help keep out dust. Keep all remotes in a basket in a central location. 5. Office A. Keep most-often used items within arm’s reach. For example, items used daily such as pens and pencils, a stapler, and your calendar should be kept on your desk; while items such as scotch tape and paper clips that may only be used occasionally can be kept in a nearby drawer. Find an area to store extra supplies such as printer and fax machine paper, such as a closet organization system, a shelving system, or plastic drawer. B. Sort and file paperwork. For sorting large amounts of paperwork the RAFT method can be useful. The R stands for papers that need to be Read. The A stands for papers that need to be Acted upon, such as a party invitation that needs to be responded to. The F stands for Filed, such as already paid bills. The T stands for papers that can be trashed such as junk mail. ----- FALL IS HERE... THE PERFECT SEASON AND THE PERFECT REASON TO GET ORGANIZED! If you truly want to get organized, I highly urge you to pick up a copy of my book, Finally Organized, Finally Free--for the Home, or for the Office, or both. They contain what you need for you to enjoy an organized, stress-free life! ORGANIZE YOUR HOME: Are you sick and tired of the clutter, the mountains of paper, the overloaded email inbox, the lack of time you have to enjoy yourself, and the general disorganization in your life? If so, you won't want to miss this. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/foffhome.html ORGANIZE YOUR OFFICE: Are you up to your eyeballs in work at the office? Are the paper mountains growing everywhere you look? Do you want to get your projects and tasks done quicker, with less effort, so you have more time to get home and enjoy your family and friends? If so, you won't want to miss this. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/foffoffice.html ----- 6. Kid’s Bedroom A. Sort your children’s toys. Take and pile those with broken or missing parts and make a decision of whether the toy is still safe, useable, or repairable. If not throw it in the garbage. If there are toys that your child has outgrown, decide what you are going to do with them. They may be passed on to a younger brother or sister, cousin, family friend, or donated to a local charity or woman’s shelter. They could also be given away on a website such as Freecycle or Craigslist. Next you must find a storage solution for the children’s toys that you are going to keep. Plastic drawers and shelves are good options. B. Make sure organization tools are easy to use and at a child’s level. For example, hooks can be lowered to accommodate book bags, hats, bags, scarves, and more on the back of their door or in their rooms. Another important tool is to label storage solutions with both pictures and words--especially for those who are too young to read. 7. Master Bedroom A. Re-organize your closet space. Remove the excess items. Donate items that others can use and trash stained or damaged clothing. Double your space in your closet by adding a second rod for part of your closet. Keep an area for long hanging items such as gowns or suits. Use the full height in your closet. Maybe there is room for a shelf or two for out of season storage for clothing or linens. Have a basket, bin, or container to put items that need to be dry-cleaned and another one for items that need to be mended. Invest in a shoe storage solution. B. Use all free space, such as under the bed or mattress, for extra linens or out-of season clothing or shoe storage. There are many shallow bins or bags that can be used for this purpose. 8. Bathroom A. Organize and declutter all the stuff on your counters and surrounding your sink in the bathroom. Do you need three different types of hair gel or can you consolidate down to one bottle instead? Go through all the different bottles and throw out anything with only a drip left in the bottom and those items you do not use on a daily basis. Any items that were bought or even the hotel sample sizes that are unopened can be donated to a homeless or women’s shelter. Get a small shelf, small plastic drawer system, or a decorative basket for each person to contain their daily products. B. Declutter your medicine cabinet. Remember many medications are affected by the steam and moisture in the bathroom. Use a shower holder or cabby to hold your bath supplies in the shower or bath tub. 9. Attic A. Do not use cardboard boxes to help avoid bugs and moisture attacking the contents of the boxes. Use plastic bins or containers that are either clear or clearly labeled. B. Keep like items together in zones. Have zones for holiday decorations, one for sentimental items, another area for keepsakes, another for sports equipment, among others. 10. Laundry Room A. There are many different laundry hampers or laundry sorters depending on your space. Some even fold flat when they are not being used. If you provide an easy place for your family to put their laundry, they will be more likely to put it into the laundry room. Who knows? Maybe they will even help do the laundry. B. Use the space above the washer and dryer. Install and use shelving or cabinets to hold laundry cleaning supplies such as laundry soap, fabric softener, and stain removers. On the wall or inside the cabinet, tape up a copy of stain removal and fabric care symbols. ============================================ 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) 09/16 - We're now on both Facebook and Twitter! 2) 09/08 - The subject of organizing is in nearly every book 3) 09/01 - Back-to-School Meant a Change to My Schedule 4) 08/24 - Always forgetting? You'll love this video Visit: http://getorganizednow.typepad.com/get_organized_now_weblog/ ** NEW Weekly Organizing Challenge: Department 1 Each week, you'll get a new challenge that should take you 30 minutes or less to accomplish. 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 September 20th challenge. Go to the link below and look for the winter coats. http://getorganizednow.com/challenge01.html ** FEATURED SLIDESHOW: Department 8 Strike a balance In today's hurried society, you are constantly pressured to play the juggling act. It's important to allocate time for yourself, family, health, business, education, and so on. But your health, happiness and well-being depends on some sort of balance. Go to the link below and look for the tower of rocks. http://www.getorganizednow.com/#slideshow ** FEATURED E-COURSE: Department 8 'Spring Ahead. Fall Back.' That little saying always helps us remember whether we should set the clock ahead or back one hour. Similar little sayings, are also great for helping you to get and stay organized. This course consists of 5 lessons and will take approximately 5 minutes to complete. Go to the link below and look for the river rocks. http://www.getorganizednow.com/#ecourse ** NEW September Monthly Checklist: Department 1 Turn over a new leaf and get organized this fall with our NEW September Monthly Checklist. Go to the link below and look for the autumn leaves. http://www.getorganizednow.com/#checklist ** FEATURED Web Poll Our featured multiple choice question is, 'What best describes how you feel about the upcoming back to school season?' Go to the following link and cast your vote. It only takes a minute, and your opinion can be heard. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/#webpoll ============================================ DROWNING IN A SEA OF LOOSE PAPERS AND STICKY NOTES? HERE'S HELP! You have to remember a birthday, so that gets written on a calendar. You have to make a grocery list, so you scribble down a few items and stick the list on the fridge. Someone gives you a phone number, and it gets written in the address book. You're planning your garden, and that information is stored in a notebook. You want to keep track of the movies you want to see, or the books you want to read--another sheet of paper. A friend gives you an email address on a sticky note that is now attached to your computer monitor. Paper, paper and yet more paper--it's all over your home, stuck to the refrigerator, bulletin boards and computer monitors, scattered on your kitchen table and your desk. Are you at your wit's end? If so, you'll be happy to know that I have the perfect solution to this problem. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/ezorganizer.html ============================================ AN ORGANIZING TIP FROM ONE OF OUR READERS When I tried to get rid of some of my child's extra baby clothes, I first went to the consignment shops. They just were so picky. Everything seemed to be either too faded, out of style, or stained. So I just took the clothes, shoes, and blankets to the local crisis pregnancy center. They are so desperate for baby and maternity clothes. The girls who use the services usually have little money and sometimes no where to turn for basic baby supplies. They appreciated ALL of my extras, no matter how out of style they were. Plus I got the good feeling you get when you know you've helped someone out in need. Angie Baker Dayton, OH * * * * * Submit your favorite organizing tip! Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/readertip.html ============================================ LOOK YOUR BEST, EARN MORE, ACHIEVE GREATER SUCCESS, BE IN GOOD HEALTH, HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS AND BE THE HAPPIEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN YOUR LIFE Do you want to look and feel your best, earn more, achieve greater success, experience better health and longevity, boost your happiness, involve yourself in more fulfilling relationships and have a more rewarding business/career? Silly questions, right? Why wouldn't you want to be the very best you can be? Discover.... * How to instantly remove the most common obstacles that destroy your chances of success * The ten super-powerful triggers that unlock wealth, health and happiness * How to unleash a 'mental motivation genie' that will compel you to act on and achieve your most important goals * Easy ways to permanently banish procrastination from your thought patterns * How to achieve everything you want without hard work and frustration. It can be effortless and even fun when you use this simple, step-by-step roadmap * The fact that you can experience the joy of ultimate fulfillment--and pass that joy on to your family and loved ones Visit: http://www.motivation123.com/cmd.php?ad=415875 Maria Gracia Get Organized Now! P.S. I have personally reviewed this information, and I vouch for its power and effectiveness! ============================================ GET ORGANIZED NOW! RECOMMENDATION OF THE WEEK Are your child's behavioral problems driving you nuts?! Does your kid have aggressive outbursts that worry and scare you, or have temper tantrums that embarrass and frustrate you? Does your child hit, kick or bite? Are you frustrated with your son or daughter's ADD, ADHD, lack of concentration, inability to focus and hyperactivity issues? If you've tried technique after technique and have still been unable to help your unruly child, it's probably NOT YOUR FAULT. If you've tried everything you hear about on TV or talk about in play groups but haven't been able to make it work, or your child gets worse and not better as a result of the different approaches you've used, here is what I am writing to tell you... It doesn't have to be like this. Yelling, demanding, whining and tantrums do NOT have to exist in your home-- period. A friend of mine is having this issue with her 5-year old child. It's heartbreaking to watch a friend go through this with her son, and scary to think that this behavior will increase as her child gets older. Then what? An out-of- control teenager, perhaps? I've recently discovered and recommended a simple solution that is working for my friend, and for thousands of families around the world--who went from dealing with stressful, bratty behavior to enjoying loving, sharing and cooperative children! Visit: http://61da1enlzhpfxoc974o-3hvdz5.hop.clickbank.net/ Maria Gracia P.S. Just picture yourself feeling confident with your parenting, never needing to punish again and banishing whining and power struggles--in 21 days or less! ============================================ AN ORGANIZING TIP FROM ONE OF OUR READERS When one of my magazines arrives, I go to the table of contents and see what articles are in the magazine for the month. Then I tear out the ones I want to read and recycle the rest of the magazine. I carry articles with me so whenever I have a couple of minutes in line, waiting, or just a little break, I can read them. Debbie Mrazek Plano, TX * * * * * Submit your favorite organizing tip! Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/readertip.html ============================================ 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 won't take hardly any 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. ============================================ ORGANIZING CHALLENGE NOTES Week of September 13th: Organize Some Photos I have about 20 cardboard boxes of old photos acquired from my grandmother who recently passed away. Your challenge inspired me to begin going through them. I got through one whole box--about 400 photos. I scanned each of them and am in the process of organizing them. It's a slow process, but now that I've gotten started, I can't stop. I appreciate the challenge! --Eva Cramdon Your challenge gave me the push I needed to begin organizing my old school photos. This has been a week of very fun memories, thanks to you, and now all of these precious shots are organized in a nice album. Thanks! --Jennifer Loades ----- Week of September 6th: Learn Something New I bought a canning book and taught myself how to make elderberry jelly using elderberries on our property and it's delicious! Since then, I've noted a couple of other canning recipes to use the produce that's ready in my garden. --Angela Malik ============================================ IN CLOSING The strength to dare, the nerve to meet Whatever threatens with defeat. --John G. Whittier 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 2009 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 e-mail. You are subscribed to our list as: {!name} {!email} ============================================