Aug 18 - Your Home's Hot Spots and How to Cool Them Down

Aug 18 - Your Home's Hot Spots and How to Cool Them Down - GON in 5 Minutes Newsletter

Published: Mon, 08/18/25

Updated: Mon, 08/18/25

Get Organized Now!

In Less Than 5 Minutes!

by Maria Gracia

August 18, 2025

GetOrganizedNow.com

We respect your time.

This newsletter will take

3:50 minutes to read.

Identify your biggest “hot spot” today and clear it off before bed. A quick daily reset will stop it from becoming a weekend project.

Your Home's Hot Spots and How to Cool Them Down

Every home has them...those little “hot spots” where clutter seems to gather no matter how often you clear them off. They’re like magnets for random items, and if left alone, they can quickly overheat into full-blown mess zones.

Take Penny’s dining room table. She swears it’s just a place for family dinners, but somehow it’s also the drop zone for grocery bags, unopened mail, and her husband’s baseball cap collection.

Or James’s entryway bench...meant for sitting while putting on shoes, but currently home to reusable shopping bags, two umbrellas, and last month’s library books.

And then there’s Carla’s kitchen island. She keeps it spotless for about an hour before the kids’ art projects, charging cords, and yesterday’s water glasses settle in.

The good news? Hot spots can be cooled down with a little strategy.

1. Identify the Repeat Offenders: Notice where items collect most often. Is it the counter by the fridge? The top of the dresser? The corner of the desk?

2. Give Things a Home: If mail always ends up on the kitchen table, put a mail sorter or wall pocket nearby. If shoes pile up at the door, use a bin, basket, or shoe rack to contain them.

3. Clear Daily (or Almost Daily): Hot spots need more frequent attention than other areas. A quick once-over at the end of the day keeps them from becoming a weekend project.

The secret is staying ahead of the clutter before it gets comfortable. Once your hot spots are under control, the whole house feels cooler, calmer, and more welcoming.

On another note...

When September rolls around, I love pulling out my hobby supplies...and now I’ve curated a fresh idea list for you:

Creative Hobbies & Crafting Essentials You’ll Love

Inspiring finds to spark creativity and make every hobby more enjoyable and producive!

Cassiopeia: A Word as Beautiful as the Constellation

I’ve always loved the movie Serendipity. There’s something so charming about fate, love, and chance encounters all weaving together. One of my favorite little details is when the word Cassiopeia is mentioned...a constellation name that sounds almost as magical as the story itself.

But if you’ve ever wondered how to actually say Cassiopeia, you’re not alone. This starry name has more than one accepted pronunciation. In American English, it’s most often said KASS-ee-oh-PEE-uh.

Across the pond, you’ll sometimes hear KASS-ee-OH-pee-uh. Both are correct, so whether you stretch out the “PEE” or lean into “OH,” you’re still speaking the language of the stars.

Next time you catch the movie, or glance up at the night sky, try saying Cassiopeia out loud. No matter how you pronounce it, the word itself is like a tiny bit of poetry, linking us to constellations, mythology, and maybe even a little serendipity of our own.

Enjoying my newsletter? Please REPLY and let me know! Also, please forward this newsletter to 5 of your family members and/or friends and share the love!

Here's what just one GON Reader had to say...

"Maria, I just love your newsletter and was so excited when I saw you created your new resource.

When I purchased Peace of Mind and Heart, I knew it would be just as helpful, and it truly is. I finally feel at ease knowing my important details are in one place for my family."

-- Inge, Port Washington, WI

Quickly Organize Your Home,
Your Time, and Your Life
Even if You Don't Have
One Ounce of Organizing Sense

I'm Finally Organized Toolkit

IIncludes Literally EVERYTHING You Need

to Get Organized Now
Plus, UNTIL FRIDAY, August 22, at 11:59 p.m.
You Get a Bunch of Amazing,
Complimentary Bonuses with it too!

To fast-forward to the I'm Finally Organized Toolkit immediately...

Click Here for more details about the...
I'm Finally Organized Toolkit

Feeling unhappy, stressed, exhausted, overwhelmed, and frustrated? These five struggles often stem from disorganization...and let's be honest, you deserve better.

That’s why I’ve created the ultimate solution to help you tackle any organizing challenge once and for all. Introducing my I'm Finally Organized Toolkit...a complete system designed to help you get permanently and effortlessly organized.

This Toolkit is packed with EVERYTHING you need to transform your space and mindset so you can finally breathe easier and feel in control again.

Unlock a Collection of Complimentary Bonuses!
When you grab your I'm Finally Organized Toolkit before Friday, August 22 at 11:59 p.m., you'll unlock a collection of complimentary bonuses...because getting organized should feel rewarding.

Don't wait—start your organizing journey today!

Click Here for more details about the...
I'm Finally Organized Toolkit

GON Member Bonus!

As a valued member of my GON in 5 Minutes Newsletter, you get exclusive bonuses, PLUS unlimited access to all of my previous ones. This month's featured bonus is my...

15-Minute Decluttering Projects Printable

Need a quick win? This free printable gives you 15 super-specific decluttering projects you can finish in just 15 minutes each. Print it out, hang it where you’ll see it, and check off one task every day or two. You’ll feel lighter, more organized, and instantly accomplished, one small space at a time.

Plus, my 2025 Monthly Organizing Calendar is always available for you to access...jump in this month and start tackling those organizing tasks with ease.

To access these free resources... click here

Results of Last Month's Web Poll: What clutter zone is the most frustrating for you? Access the results of this poll including a bunch of GON reader comments.

This Month's Web Poll: What phobias do you have? Vote in my GON Reader Poll on my home page

August Organizing Challenge: Summer Fitness Challenge: From morning stretches and desk workouts to yoga, HIIT, and hydration goals, these 15-minute daily fitness tasks keep you moving and motivated! Access here

August Monthly Checklist: My August 2025 Organizing Checklist features 31 fresh and actionable tasks to help you declutter surfaces, plan ahead, maintain outdoor areas, and embrace seasonal changes with ease.

"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream."
-- Vincent Van Gogh

I'd love to hear from you.

I LOVE GON reader mail! Whether it's a comment, suggestion, or just a note to say hello, REPLY to this email with a short note.

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

Warmly,

Maria Gracia
GetOrganizedNow.com

How to Use This Newsletter

In this newsletter, you will find stories, ideas, inspiration, links and more to help you live a less stressful, more organized, more fulfilling life.

We encourage you to apply these ideas to your own life AND share them liberally with your family, friends, and fan base via email, on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, other social media outlets, and in person, of course!

When you share, please mention my name and web site - Maria Gracia - GetOrganizedNow.com as the source.

Thank you for helping to spread the gift of organizing far and wide!

-- Maria

Maria Gracia,

Get Organized Now!

* Copyright, contact and reprint information:

CONTACT MARIA

* 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.

* If you happen to purchase anything I recommend in this newsletter, or any of my communications, I may receive compensation. Still, I only recommend what I truly believe in and share with my friends and family. If you ever have an issue with anything I recommend, please let me know. I want to make sure I am always serving you at the highest level.

* Received this e-mail from a friend?

SUBSCRIBE HERE

Thinking of unsubscribing?

Please reconsider. If you unsubscribe, you'll lose all the complimentary organizing resources I share with my loyal GON in Five Minutes! members each week.

You'll lose the tips, reader ideas, reader clinics, complimentary videos, ebooks, resource recommendations, and the many valuable bonuses I offer you each month.

Plus, our ezine is designed to use Repetitive Reminders in every issue to help you make "small" organizing actions a permanent part of your mind -- and your life. You may not even realize how much more organized you are becoming -- automatically.

And you will accomplish all of that in less than 5 minutes a day!

Please don't go. I love sending you all of this free training. If there is something more you would like from my newsletters, then please reply to this email and let me know. I'd love to hear from you.

-- Maria Gracia

Get Organized Now!
611 Arlington Way
Watertown Wisconsin 53094
USA

Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options