Do you have a surplus of food storage containers? If so, determine how many you truly need, and then donate the rest. Or, if you sometimes send food home with your older kids, as long as you have a huge volume, tell them to keep the container; no need to return it.

Here are a bunch of tips and thoughts from GON Readers to brighten your day...

What I Love About Spring
Hi Maria! You asked your readers, in your April 18th issue, what we love about spring. Here are my ten favorites:

1. Spring greens! Those lovely shades of yellow-green tiny leaves and buds just seem to make the trees glow, especially when it rains.

2. Spotting the first crocus of the season. It has been a family tradition to be the first one in the family to spot the first crocus blooming.

3. Baby birds. Those tiny peeping sounds coming from the bushes remind me of new life.

4. Watching a kite dive and soar into loops high in the sky guided by an unseen "pilot" in the neighborhood somewhere lifts my spirits.

Want one of your own? Get a kite that is easy to fly in low wind for maximum enjoyment!

5. The aroma of the first burgers grilling on a neighbor's (or our own) grill, even if it is a bit chilly outside. A taste of things to come.

6. The explosive joy of celebrating the first moments of Easter/Pascha at sunrise service following the long somber 40 days of Lent.

7. Opening the windows for the first time to air out the sun porch, to catch the fragrant breeze.

8. The freedom of feeling lighter, after removing those extra warm layers of clothes.

9. Freshening up the house by swapping out the heavy blankets and rugs, dark pillows and tablecloths, for lighter weight, brighter colors and fabrics.

If you feel too hot when you sleep, consider a cooling blanket for greater comfort and better sleep.

10. Welcoming longer daylight days and feeling more energized to make the most of them.

--J.L. in Virginia

Eliminates Clogged Drains
If you want to pretty much eliminate clogged tub drains, you can do what I did. I purchased a little 'strainer' that fits in the drain and also one for the kitchen sink which filters much finer stuff than the normal sink strainer (they were 3 assorted on a card at the Big Lots store).

When I turn on the shower, the first thing I do is pick out the drain/strainer, twist my index finger in the center of it which kind of spins the accumulated hair into a clump in the center which can then be picked out. Simple and efficient!

I also added one to my vanity sink, since the lever that controls the up and down of the drain plug came disconnected. I don't ever fill that sink so it was easier to add the strainer/drain screen than to crawl into the vanity to clip the plunger back up.

This also catches any earrings that may drop into the sink and head for the drain. Of course, if your vanity sink drain works, just remember to close it before putting in your earrings. My friend dropped one of her diamond earrings in the sink, down the drain, and her husband had to take the plumbing apart to retrieve it. She was lucky it stopped where it did.

--Dottie

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-- Nancy

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-- Nancy Faltz

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-- Carla Mattingly


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-- Thanks! Maria

To fast-forward to My Oh-So-Organized Filing System Deluxe, visit:

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If you're sick and tired of the piles of paper taking over your home and your life, I have great news. I have the perfect solution for you to get it all organized once and for all, in no time, with little effort!

My Oh-So-Organized Filing System Deluxe, sold exclusively on my Get Organized Now! web site, is ready to help you get your piles of paper organized. It will help you get your papers in perfect order AND ensure that you can find what you need within 10 seconds or less.

In fact, it's not just a filing system. It's actually a Filing System AND an Organizing System rolled into one. And the best part is...no thinking required. I've thought of the easiest method for you to follow, along with all the categories you'll need and then some!

PLUS, ..until FRIDAY, April 29, when you get your hands on a copy of My Oh-So-Organized Filing System Deluxe, you'll also get 7 COMPLIMENTARY eBook BONUSES, all created by me.

P.S. Get rid of your paper clutter and get your paperwork in order once and for all. Don't miss out on your COMPLIMENTARY BONUSES. For more details, visit:
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___ 1. Do today's task on my April Monthly Organizing Checklist. The April 29 TO DO focuses on Arbor Day. Visit GetOrganizedNow.com to access my April Monthly Organizing Checklist.

___ 2. Make a commitment to waste less food. Stop throwing your money in the trash. The average American family of four throws out $1,600 a year in produce alone. Roughly 20% of all food put on the plates of Americans is trashed every year. Visit GetOrganizedNow.com to access my article, '7 Ways to Waste Less Food.'

___ 3. Read a newsletter you missed. In case you just became a member of this newsletter, or if you're a current member and missed an issue, a few week's worth of my Past Newsletters are available to read and enjoy!

"Flowers don't worry about how they're going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful."
-- Jim Carrey

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And remember...there's no better time to get organized, than to Get Organized Now!

Warmly,

Maria Gracia
Get Organized Now!
getorganizednow.com

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