Get Organized Now! Newsletter by Maria Gracia http://www.getorganizednow.com Issue: October 3-9, 2009 Number of Subscribers: 181,999 ============================================ Hello {!firstname_fix} ============================================ YOU ALREADY HAVE THE POWER TO TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. DISCOVER HOW TO EASILY RELEASE IT Imagine being able to... * Hit your ideal weight and stay there forever without feeling miserable * Exercise and LOVE it * Be free of depression no matter how severe or how long you've suffered * Get rid of your panic attacks and stop obsessive behaviors * Quit bad habits for good - and not miss them one little bit * Live every single day with passion and purpose no matter what your age Until now, there has been no way to eliminate the mental patterns that stop you from doing the things you want to do. But now there is, and you deserve to live your dream life. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/ez-brescia-oct9-t.html ============================================ Trick or Treat: Ways to Get Organized for Halloween Whether you are trick or treating, decorating for the season or watching scary movies, there is something for all ages at Halloween. Here are a few helpful tips for getting organized during this fun holiday. 1. Make a list of the family members who will need a costume. Then get together and decide what each member wants to be for Halloween. This will give you an idea of how much time will be needed to prepare or purchase costumes as well as how much to budget. Consider going with costumes that are simple and reusable. You can pull ideas for costumes from a number of sources, including classic fairy tales, video games, comics, cartoons, horror movies, etc. If you want to save money, thrift stores are a great place to find gently used Halloween costumes. 2. If you plan to host a Halloween party, the first thing you need to do is come up with a theme. Then you can pick the location and put together a budget. Make a checklist of all the tasks that need to be done, when they need to be done and the items that need to be purchased, such as invitations, food and decorations. Plan fun activities and games for your party. Bobbing for apples is a one example of a classic game associated with the holiday. Do not forget to set the mood with music. Planning these details ahead of time makes for a smooth event which in turn allows you, the host, to enjoy the party too. 3. To get your home ready for trick-or-treaters, make sure your walkways are well lit. Remove objects from your yard that could present a hazard. Be sure your pets are secured and away from the entryway. And don't forget to get into the spirit of the occasion by putting on a costume yourself. The trick-or-treaters will enjoy seeing you dressed up. 4. There are a few safety tips to keep in mind when going trick-or-treating. Check to make sure that the costumes everyone is wearing are flame retardant. Also make sure that masks are not blocking anyone's vision and that the length of costumes is not going to interfere with walking. If it is dark, try to wear light colored clothing or put reflective tape on the costumes. Don't carry fake guns, knives, swords, or other weapons that look real. Make sure they are flexible and can't hurt anyone. Always carry a flashlight and make sure to stay in a group. ----- FINALLY, AN EASY, NO NONSENSE WAY TO GET RID OF CLUTTER AND TO FIND MORE TIME FOR THE THINGS YOU LOVE TO DO-- NO MATTER HOW BAD OFF YOU THINK YOU ARE 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/ez-fh-oct9.html ----- 5. Planning to spend a quiet Halloween at home alone? Curl up in front of the television with a scary movie or rent a video of a classic horror movie. Episodes of TV series and specials with Halloween themes are aired at Halloween. The dates and times can be found in your local TV guide. Then turn the lights low and enjoy. A good book with a mystery or horror theme is also fun. 6. Halloween decorations do not have to be difficult and elaborate. You can create a festive centerpiece for your table by filling a vase with dried flowers, brown leaves and empty branches and then simply tie a dark ribbon around it. Pumpkins and gourds of all colors are plentiful this time of year. Put them together with corn stalks, hay or other decorations for a festive look. Stores also have a large variety of decorations available for your Halloween decorating projects that fit many different budgets. If you can't find just what you are looking for, you can rent decorations from a local party shop or find decorations on the Internet. 7. Buy your treats ahead of time and have them ready for trick-or-treaters. In the event you choose not to give out candy, consider these healthier options: sugarless gum, trail mix, peanuts, fruit, roasted pumpkin seeds, small bags of popcorn or pretzels, sunflower seeds, or pre- packaged cheese and crackers. Great non-food items to give as treats include Halloween-themed stickers, coloring books, pencils, erasers, temporary tattoos and other small prizes. 8. There are unlimited ways to make food fun and fitting for Halloween. It is a great time to let your creative juices flow. For example, put out snacks such as gummy worms and other Halloween candy treats. Simple party food can be turned into Halloween fare with Halloween embellishments. Freeze raisins in ice cubes and it looks like bugs. Green, red and blue food coloring added to scrambled eggs makes it look like brains. Green jell-o is festive. If you are at a loss for ideas, the Internet, books and magazines are a great source of inspiration. 9. Many communities hold events and activities for the public to attend to celebrate Halloween. Many community groups put on haunted houses. Some farms provide haunted hayrides tours on Halloween. Some cities have local places that are said to be haunted. Visit the library and find out where they are located. Then go check them out. You can check out all of the events in your area by looking through your local newspaper. ----- GET ORGANIZED AT THE OFFICE-- YOU'LL BE SUPER PRODUCTIVE WITHOUT HAVING TO WORK HARDER AND YOUR CLUTTER-FREE OFFICE WILL BE THE ENVY OF YOUR CO-WORKERS 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/ez-fo-oct9.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) 09/28 - 15 Minute Increments Until Completion 2) 09/21 - Your energy levels affect your organizing efforts 3) 09/16 - We're now on both Facebook and Twitter! Visit: http://getorganizednow.typepad.com/get_organized_now_weblog/ ** NEW October Monthly Checklist: Department 1 Leaf disorganization behind and fall into a wonderfully organized life, with our new October monthly checklist. Go to the link below and look for the fallen leaves. http://www.getorganizednow.com/#checklist ** 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 October 3rd challenge. Go to the link below and look for the coupons. http://getorganizednow.com/#challenge ============================================ ENJOY A SUPER-ORGANIZED, STRESS-FREE, TIME-TO-SPARE, CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR Christmas is supposed to be the season of joy, warmth, reflection and good will. Why then, is it such a stressful time for so many people? There's no doubt about it. Once Thanksgiving ends, the season of hustling and bustling is upon you. There are holiday cards to be sent. Gifts to be purchased or made. Holiday dinners to plan. Church, community and family get-togethers to attend. Holiday treats to bake. Stockings to stuff. Tree trimming, gift wrapping, and getting your house ready for company. The list could go on and on. It's no wonder there's so much stress and exhaustion this time of year. But the good news is, it doesn't have to be that way. Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/ez-hp-oct9.html ============================================ AN ORGANIZING TIP FROM ONE OF OUR READERS I discreetly put a plastic grocery bag in each room in my apartment. If I have to toss out some papers or any other item I don't need, the bag is there and at the end of the day I gather the bags that are filled and dispose of them in my kitchen trash container. Rhoda Fisher Boynton Beach, FL * * * * * Submit your favorite organizing tip! Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/readertip.html ============================================ 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://www.getorganizednow.com/ez-clutter-oct9-b1.html ============================================ GET ORGANIZED NOW! RECOMMENDATION OF THE WEEK Breakthrough New Resource Guarantees Your Decorating Success Do you ever throw up your hands in frustration because you can't figure out how or where to get started when decorating your home? Or, do you lose confidence because you're not sure if you're on the right track? Don't worry, you're not alone. The truth is I've found more people confused, perplexed and just plain baffled about colors, patterns, styles and more. And who wouldn't be when there are so many options and combinations available? That's why I'm very excited to introduce a resource that will not only help you decorate your home according to your personality, lifestyle, and goals, but it will help you do it easier and faster than ever before! Awaken your interior designer! Their 'Tools, Not Rules' philosophy takes the guesswork out of decorating, but leaves you firmly in control. You'll feel the difference as you experience the newfound energy that your creations bring to you and your family's life and activities. So, if you're looking for an easier, stress-free way to decorate, then do yourself a huge favor and check out the full story at: http://www.getorganizednow.com/ez-decor-oct9-r2.html Maria Gracia P.S. 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!' ============================================ AN ORGANIZING TIP FROM ONE OF OUR READERS When I purchase something, but decide not to keep it for whatever reason, I put the receipt back into the store bag and hang the package on the knob of the door that leads to my garage. This allows me to return the item soon, as I see it each time I leave the house. Years ago, when I had an item to return, I would store it in a closet, which often resulted in finding the item months later. Some stores will only give you store credit after a certain length of time. Now that I use the door hanger method, I don't get stuck with credit vouchers. Instead I receive a cash refund. Esther Chavez Highland, CA * * * * * 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/ez-mo-oct9-b3.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. Here's what a recent customer had to say... I wanted to thank you for putting together My Oh-So- Organized Filing System. It is such a simple idea, but worth every penny. I put your system to work immediately, and you should see my filing drawer--it's beautiful! I could not have achieved the level of success without your completely thought out system. It's wonderful. Everything is filed away and neat and organized. I can find anything. I showed my husband and he was so impressed, he was telling the neighbors! Excellent product--I highly recommend it! --Jennifer Thoden, Drapery Sewing Supplies ============================================ ORGANIZING CHALLENGE NOTES Week of September 27th: Do 3 Holiday-Related Tasks I write out all my holiday cards in August. I stamp and address them. When it comes time to mail them out, I'm ahead of the game. I do this every year and it pleases me. Thank you. --Rhoda Fisher, Boynton Beach, FL I make a quick quilt for my child's teacher, I wrote out my holiday cards AND I started planning my Christmas dinner menu. Wow, I'm so far ahead of the game this year already. --Becky White, NJ Christmas is always such a stressful time for me. I decided to take your advice and get started early. Already, I've plowed through last year's decorations (our local charity received lots from us this year!), I made a list of outdoor decorations needed, and I plan to surf the web for the stuff I need this year. Hey, maybe I'll even secure a relative or two to help me put it all up, indoors and out, sometime in mid-November. --Alison K., FL 3 holiday tasks done! I wrote out my cards, purchased all gifts and wrapped everything! I've never been this far ahead before in my life--and I've been here for 83 years! --Claire, New York, NY ============================================ BECOME OUR FAN ON FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Get-Organized-Now/50467098715?ref=ts * * * * * FOLLOW US ON TWITTER Visit Twitter and follow me: http://twitter.com/getorgnow ============================================ IN CLOSING Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn. --Elizabeth Lawrence 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} ============================================