Get Organized Now! Newsletter by Maria Gracia http://www.getorganizednow.com Issue: October 24-30, 2009 Number of Subscribers: 181,999 ============================================ Hello {!firstname_fix} ============================================ 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. Visit today to discover how you can get both The Motivated Mind and Motivated in Minutes books FREE! ============================================ ORGANIZE YOUR IDEAS... AND THEN START IMPLEMENTING THEM Do you have so many ideas floating around in your head that you are having trouble keeping track of them? Are you having trouble knowing where to start? Here are some ideas to take away the feeling of chaos and help you to organize and implement the wealth of ideas you have. 1. The first thing we need to do is get all of these ideas out of our head and onto paper. Don't worry about organizing it yet, just do what is called a `brain dump'. Write down every idea--don't try to do more than get them out of your brain and onto paper. 2. Once you have gotten your ideas down on paper, it's time to start to categorize them. Your categories will be specific to you and your situation but could include home decorating, home improvements, craft projects, social activities, family vacations, business projects, and so on. Don't try to do anything more than brainstorm categories for now. 3. Now that you've listed your categories, use different colored highlighters to mark each category a different color. Once you have a different color for each category, it's time to start going through your list of ideas. Decide which category you think each idea fits into, and then highlight it with the corresponding color. Don't worry if you have ideas that don't fit any of your categories. We'll deal with that next. 4. For those ideas that don't fit your existing categories, let them be your guide for additional categories. Some additional categories might include self-improvement, health goals, etc. Self-improvement may include continuing education, learning a new skill or hobby or completing a college degree. You can make your categories as broad or as narrow as you choose. Making them a bit broader eliminates having too many categories. 5. Your categories can now be transferred to a notebook, index cards, folders in your file cabinet, or on your computer or PDA. With the color coding on your original brain dump page you should have no trouble listing the ideas in the correct category. Remember that this is for you--so make it work for you. ----- 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/foffhome.html ----- 6. Now that you've categorized your ideas, it's time to start implementing them. Some of your ideas can be moved to a daily or weekly `TA-DA' list. Now you'll notice that it is a TA-DA list not a To-Do list. TA-DA is what we say when we complete something. It's a simple way to change the way we think. The connotation of To-Do is undone. The connotation of TA-DA is DONE! 7. Are some of your ideas a bit more complex? For example, if one of your ideas is to redecorate your bedroom, you will need several steps to complete it. It may seem a bit overwhelming, but if you break these ideas down into small steps, you'll have every one of them on your TA-DA list before you know it! 8. Are some of your ideas longer term goals like completing your degree? Start by not only listing the steps required to complete them, AND include a time line for completion. Many times we put off doing something like this because we want to wait for available time. Something will fill that time regardless, you might as well fill it with something that will help you to accomplish your goals. Decide that it is important, and do it. 9. As you work through your list of ideas in each category, don't cross them out as you complete them. Instead, highlight each one as it is completed. When we look at a list of crossed out items, it makes it hard to see what we have completed and what is left to be completed. A list that has some items highlighted however is an instant upbeat and bright note of TA-DA items. 10. Think of your categories as living documents. As living documents they will change as you complete items and as you add new ones. You are also able to adapt your category system to best suit your personality and your personal organizing style. This is your document, make it work for you. ----- 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/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) 10/22 - Give Yourself a Daily Pep Talk 2) 10/12 - Tackling Your To Do's 3) 10/05 - So and So is Dropping By 4) 09/28 - 15 Minute Increments Until Completion 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 October 24th challenge. Go to the link below and look for the storage boxes. http://getorganizednow.com/#challenge ** NEW Discussion Forum Post: Department 13 Sometimes breakfast, considered by many to be the most important meal of the day, gets skipped because there is just no time or it seems it's too much trouble. Organization is the solution to both issues. What do you do for breakfast to make things a bit easier AND what are some of your favorite quick breakfast ideas? Go to the link below and look for the breakfast items. http://getorganizednow.com/#forum ** FEATURED Web Poll Our featured multiple choice question is, 'Are you always on time, or generally late, for appointments and events?' 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 ** 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 ============================================ 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/holidayp.html ============================================ AN ORGANIZING TIP FROM ONE OF OUR READERS As an apartment dweller, organizing/storage is always a problem especially for a collector. Years ago I picked up some very sturdy coated wire baskets with pull handles at a garage sale that are worth gold to me. I stack two of them full of bathroom extras in the cabinet under the bathroom sink. Rarely used items go in the bottom one and extra toothpaste, soap and lotions etc go in the top one. The other basket goes into my refrigerator on the deep shelf that holds tall items. No more things going bad because I forgot they were at the back of the shelf. Just slide the basket out and I've got instant access to any bottle or tall container. Another wire basket on a shallow shelf keeps soda/beer cans upright and low containers like sour cream and yogurt at the tips of my fingers. Having access to the back of my fridge gives me lots more space too. Isabelle Dodd * * * * * 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. ============================================ GET ORGANIZED NOW! RECOMMENDATION OF THE WEEK Times are tough, but they don't have to be for you. Did you know that you could make extra money for yourself and your family, just by being the 'email department' for small businesses in your local area? That's right...if you know how to use email, you could be earning a nice income to use as you please--whether you decide to use it to pay off some bills, go on a vacation, buy a car or put it into your savings account! Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/aff-gon-01.html --Maria Gracia ============================================ AN ORGANIZING TIP FROM ONE OF OUR READERS If you are using file folders as subject files, don't put the first category in a left-cut folder, the second category in the middle cut folder, and the third category in the right cut folder. This system is too arbitrary. Instead, put every topic that begins with an A into a left cut folder, every category that starts with the letter B into a center folder and every subject that begins with the letter C into a right category. Continue in this manner for the entire alphabet. That way if you want to go back and add a folder starting with the letter B, for instance, you would put that into a center-cut folder alphabetically with the B section. Joanie Miller * * * * * Submit your favorite organizing tip! Visit: http://www.getorganizednow.com/readertip.html ============================================ SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR MONEY WORRIES...FOREVER Do you sometimes have more month than money? Ever wonder how you're going to dig out of the hole of debt? Would you like to begin controlling your finances, once and for all? I've got a secret. I know of a way that you can pay off ALL your bills without having to pinch pennies, get a second job or cut back your spending in any way. Even better, it's easy, quick, and you most certainly can do it. When you are debt-free, you can ... * Enjoy happiness and peace of mind knowing you don't owe anyone a dime * Get your hard-earned money working for YOU so you can retire early and comfortably * Worry less about losing your job. You need a lot less money when you are debt-free * Spend less time working and more time doing the things you want to do with those you love I highly encourage you to visit: http://www.leoquinn.com/cmd.php?af=250440 P.S. Imagine how wonderful you're going to feel when you're out of debt--this dream is completely in your reach. --Maria Gracia ============================================ ORGANIZING CHALLENGE NOTES Week of October 17th: Complete a task or project you've been putting off Oh, how to choose? There are so many projects I've been putting off for so long. BUT, your challenge inspired me to start and complete 2 of them this past weekend. I finished the heritage quilt I plan to give my daughter before she gets married in a month. I also finally emptied the dead plants out of the flowerpots on my deck. I tried to couple a larger project (the quilt) with a smaller project (the flower pots) so I could check off two projects in one weekend. Thanks for the nudge! --Greta Kemp I've been putting off my filing for months. Seriously, I measured my To File pile yesterday and it was 2 feet high. I'm not exaggerating! It took me a few hours this weekend, but I shredded everything I didn't need and filed the rest. What a relief! --Bella Kuhlman ============================================ 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 It's not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about? --Henry David Thoreau 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. 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