I have a friend who moved into a new house a few years ago. She and her husband had been living in their starter home and had finally decided they were ready to take the equity they had built and invest in a larger home for themselves and their children. Suddenly their modest 1200 square foot home turned into an additional 900 square feet of usable living space. Seems like a great scenario. Who doesn't want more room in their home?

I visited her home a short time after they had moved in. The new home had an additional bedroom, and a lower level family room that their first home did not. I remember thinking how spacious everything seemed, as they had not yet purchased any additional furniture to put into the extra rooms. The living room on the main level was also significantly larger than it had been in their old home and the furniture they had was still reflective of the smaller space that they had previously. I liked how roomy everything seemed and how easy it was to move around the various rooms. The kitchen looked like a model home to me with its huge amount of available counter space and empty walls. The whole house felt completely inviting.

Fast forward to present day. I was invited to my friend's home the other morning for coffee. Because of both of our busy schedules it had been a while since we had gotten together to chat. I was looking forward to seeing what she had done to the interior of her house as it had been a long while since I had visited her at home. As I walked in the front door my initial reaction was total surprise. Was this really the same place?

We started in the kitchen. The first thing I noticed was the countertops. What was once a vast empty work area now looked more like a storage area. Small kitchen appliances and home decor items now covered a vast majority of the counter space. Houseplants covered every square inch of the windowsills. As we moved into the living room I noticed that it seemed more snug than I remembered. Extra tables and chairs had been added to the living space making the room seem considerably smaller. What happened?

In her defense, this is a common occurrence. We start to feel cramped and so we long for more living space. We get more living space so then we tend to get more stuff. The stuff begins to accumulate so then we start to feel cramped.

Do you see where I am going with this? This cycle could take us into the world's largest mansion packed full of everything under the sun if our checkbooks would allow us to. You buy a couch. Now you need a coffee table and end tables to accompany the couch. The tables now need centerpieces and/or lamps. You need accent pieces to pull the room together. How about some storage baskets for all your books...and shelves for your trinkets? Where does it all end?

In fact, during our coffee conversation, she said, 'We're thinking of moving. I think we've run out of space again!'

Sometimes, it's important to take a step back. Just because we have the room doesn't necessarily mean we need to fill it. Enjoy the empty space that you may have.

If you were getting by before with only one recliner in your old living room that doesn't mean you now need four huge recliners because the room you have is bigger.

Just because you have more space, that doesn't warrant accumulating new stuff until you've run out of space, yet again. Your house is a house...not a warehouse or storage facility.

And, when you're feeling so cramped, you're thinking of renting outside storage space or moving, chances are, you just need to begin getting rid of your clutter. Trust me...this is almost always the answer to a cluttered, cramped space.

Having a bigger room with less stuff packed into it will make your home seem more spacious, which is the feel most folks are after. Allow yourself some extra walking room. Don't feel the need to fill every single corner, nook, and cranny. Leave some wall space bare. Embrace the empty areas, rather than hiding them.

Less can definitely be more.

P.S. Speaking of being organized, my Goodbye Clutter resource includes information on banishing the 4 different categories of clutter: physical clutter, paper clutter, digital clutter AND emotional clutter. Our customers are raving about it. Visit:

http://www.getorganizednow.com/rd-goodbyeclutter.html

All the details are further down in this issue, including how you can get your hands on a bundle of complimentary bonuses, but only until Monday, October 2nd. Scroll down to the bottom of this issue for full details.

A GON Reader Asks

--I have an odor in my house I cannot find. It is sweet, musty smell. I have searched every nook and cranny. I have scrubbed the top of door sills and floors. I have washed every curtain and every sheet and blanket, I have had the carpet cleaned. Any suggestions? I need help!

--Pamela Fowler, Redding, CA (Wife, Mother, Grandmother of three, educator of 20 years.)

Maria Gracia Responds

Hi Pamela,

Thank you for asking. I know how annoying strange odors can be, because you often have to be Sherlock Holmes to find them. Here are some possibilities:

1) Is the odor stronger in some rooms than others? If you can try to pinpoint the location better, it's going to be easier for you to zone in on the cause.

2) Perhaps you have something organic in your house that is decomposing. Check your fridge and pantry.

3) Some molds give off a slightly sweet smell at first. If you don't see any mold and you can't tell where it's originating, look up 'mold specialist' in your area and have one of their reps come check it out.'

4) Pitch any cardboard boxes. They may be infested with something. In fact, just to be safe, never store anything for long periods of time in cardboard.

5) Do you have any houseplants? If so, check the dirt they're growing in to determine if the smell is strong.

6) Have you checked around for wasp and honey bee nests, as a possible cause? I also read that bat infestations in attics and such could produce a syrupy-sweet odor, especically on humid days.

7) How old is your house? I know a family who was dealing with something similar, and once they had their cedar roof removed and replaced their roofing shingles, the odor went away. Cedar can give off a very sweet smell sometimes.

8) You probably haven't been running your heater, but rust, when exposed to heat, sometimes emits a sweet, metallic smell.

9) Is the smell strong around your garbage disposal? If so, it may need to be cleaned out.

10) I remember, when my daughter was toddler age, she used to leave her sippy cups, filled with formula, here, there, and everywhere. Once day, there was a sickly sweet smell in my bedroom. After searching everywhere, I finally found the culprit...a sippy cup filled with formula, way under the bed, that was probably there for a month or more! So, if you have young kids in your house, or pets, check under furniture!

I'm not sure if any of these are the cause of the odor in your house, but hopefully it gives you some ideas of what it might be. Maybe our GON readers have some more ideas (if so, please reply to this email.)

Good luck...I hope you find it!

--Maria

Statistics: Overloaded with catalog clutter? Here's help!
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Article: 5 simple ways to organize each day
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Dirty Little Secret 1: Hate paying bills? Me too! But it's not as bad when you do this...

getorganizednow.com/dirty-little-secret-hate-paying-bills.html



Dirty Little Secret 2: Find out how I get school lunch packed and prepped quickly and easily...
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Dirty Little Secret 3: Are you struggling to clean your indoor grill? Here's a way to do so fast and without tons work...

getorganizednow.com/dirty-little-secret-clean-indoor-grill.html



Storage: Give used up candle jars a second life
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Mini Challenges: If you've been living in disorganization and chaos for awhile, it's a great time to take some steps to lead you into a more organized world. Here are 5 mini challenges this week to help you do that.
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In ADDITION, on our home page, you'll also find lots of NEW and featured STUFF including...

Social Media Spotlight: Easy glitter clean-up...here's a little-known secret!
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Coffee: Guess what percentage of people in the world drink coffee, and how much do they drink?! Then, visit our home page to learn the facts
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September Checklist: Autumn is the perfect time of year to turn over a new leaf and get organized.
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Theme of the Week: Consistency. Enjoy our home page quotes, that reflect our theme, for added inspiration and motivation this week
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We can fill our lives with stuff, but as we do we're concurrently filling our lives with the obligation to maintain that stuff.
---Craig D. Lounsbrough




I'd love to hear from you.
Comments, suggestions, or just to say hello. Just REPLY to this email with a short note.

And remember...Being organized creates a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life!

Warmly,

Maria Gracia
Get Organized Now!

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Say GOODBYE to Your CLUTTER

My Most Complete, Easy-to-Use, and Effective
Clutter-Busting Resource Available

For super quick details on how you can say goodbye to clutter, visit:

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All people have clutter to some degree.

You may have a little bit of clutter sitting around--things that aren't really serving any purpose, taking up unnecessary space, gathering dust, and causing a bit of frustration.

Or perhaps you have LOADS of clutter and it's causing your life to be turned upside down--you can't find things easily, you feel like your home is bursting at the seams with STUFF, you have to climb over piles and boxes to get to anything, and you feel overwhelmed and frustrated.

MOST people are somewhere right in the middle of these two situations.

For anyone who just has a little bit of clutter, have no doubt in your mind that CLUTTER GROWS, and small challenges soon turn into large issues.

BUT, here's something NEW I discovered...

Clutter is sneaky...it doesn't only show up in the pile of shoes you may have in your closet, the overload of toys in the toy room, the boxes of stuff in the basement, or the stuffed-to-the-max drawers and closets in your home.

Clutter actually invades your life in FOUR forms...

1. Physical Clutter
2. Paper Clutter
3. Digital Clutter
4. Emotional Clutter

And once it's there, it begins to wreak all sorts of havoc...

In fact, to discover the 12 Ways that Clutter Robs you of a Happier Life visit:

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Before you know it, your current clutter is breeding more clutter. And, most importantly...

Clutter never disappears all by itself

You see...there is only one way to get rid of clutter...and that is by using a proven-effective clutter-removing system. Only then will you be able to face clutter head-on and have the clutter-free life you deserve.

That's where I come in. I've devoted my life to busting clutter. In fact, I'm on a personal quest to help as many people as I can get rid of it so they can live more organized, stress-free, joyful lives. I've gathered EVERYTHING I have learned...from years of hands-on experience, helping thousands of folks get organized...and have invested the past year getting all of my clutter- busting knowledge out of my brain and into a form that will allow me to share it with you...and it's now here and available to you...

...in my organizing resource...

GOODBYE CLUTTER

...and that's exactly what you'll be able to say to your clutter, when you get your hands on my Goodbye Clutter resource.

To whatever degree you've been challenged with clutter, you are about to discover the joys of a clutter-free life ...and, trust me, you're going to love every minute of it. Getting rid of the clutter in your life will be quick and pain free...even liberating!

In Goodbye Clutter, you'll learn all about my groundbreaking STAR system...STAR is your key to you unlocking all the clutter busting secrets you need. Once you attack your clutter with my STAR system, you can, once and for all, bid a fond farewell (or, if you prefer, a good riddance!) to every bit of clutter that is invading your life...in all FOUR forms...Physical Clutter, Paper Clutter, Digital Clutter, and Emotional Clutter!

For more details, visit:

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PLUS...when you claim your very own copy of GOODBYE CLUTTER... before MONDAY, OCTOBER 2ND...you'll also get $144 in COMPLIMENTARY BONUSES (All BRAND NEW...ALL written by me...) as follows:

* Clear the Clutter: 150 Things You Should Throw Out Right Now

* 10 Jump-Start Decluttering Projects

* One-Day Declutter Mission

* 31 'Goodbye Clutter' Inspiration Cards

* 'Goodbye Clutter" Daily Motivational Quotations

* Lifetime Updates on EVERYTHING

* Lifetime Access to My 'Goodbye Clutter' Facebook Support and Inspiration Group

P.S. Don't delay. Get all FOUR MODULES of GOODBYE CLUTTER (Physical, Paper, Digital, and Emotional), Plus ALL the bonuses I just mentioned...a $255 total value...all for the cost of a few movie tickets...when you get your hands on a copy BEFORE midnight on MONDAY, OCTOBER 2ND...

I'm so excited for you to meet your clutter head on and say goodbye to it forever. For more details, visit:

http://www.getorganizednow.com/rd-goodbyeclutter.html

(c) Copyright 2017 by Maria Gracia, Get Organized Now!

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