Though it is often a subject that many like to ignore, organization for the end of one's life is such a gift to the family who will be carrying out the details. My mom actually did a prepay plan with the funeral home 23 years before she actually died. She also did all her will, trust, poa documents and health care directives at that time.

It is not a last-minute process. It does take about 3 to 6 months to walk though all the documents. Each family and circumstances are unique. Mom asked if I would be her executor and the one to carry out all her business and health care. I had no idea the magnitude of this responsibility.

Nine years later, which I would have never dreamed, her health declined and she was in my care for almost the next 14. I was totally unready for the responsibilities when it happened. However, her great planning, gave me the tools I needed to operate and take care of all her needs: health, home, and business. It was a godsend that she had the prepaid plan at the time of death.

Even though her plans were for one state, during the care time we moved out of state and she moved with us. Having the prepaid plan, allowed the funeral home in the new state to seamlessly plan her a memorial service for the new area, while she was transported to the originally planned funeral home. Afterwards, we traveled to the originally planned state for funeral and burial. It did cost extra for transport and room charge for the memorial service, but it was very reasonable. The prepaid plan did pay the second funeral home for all her prep. I had to arrange two services and notify everyone. But with the Internet and having mom's updated phone list over the years, it made the process fairly seamless. I also asked others along the way to notify certain relatives and friends.

My husband and I have since updated all our legal documents and given our children the code to where all this information is kept. It took us 6 months working with a wills and estate attorney.

Blessings to you and thank you for encouraging readers to get organized in this area. It is an invaluable gift to the surviving family when the time comes. It will happen and putting off planning does not ensure someone's longevity. Not doing what you need to do makes things that much more difficult when that person is no longer with you.

This fabulous reader tip was submitted by...

Jan Carlton

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

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

A short time ago, I mentioned one of my resources for helping you get rid of clutter...for good. We've had such high-demand that I'm extending the original deadline to January 22nd!

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...

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

Scroll down in this issue for more details on Goodbye Clutter, and how you can get $144 in complimentary bonuses....before January 22nd.

I liked your article awhile ago about the basics to store in your pantry. I'm going to print that and keep it in my pantry for reference.

If I might add one addition (or category) to your list, I also like to keep on hand some food items that you might need if you (or a family member) gets an upset stomach at night, or some other inopportune time to go to the store:

--Small cans or bottles of ginger ale, Sprite, Gatorade, etc. (I like the small containers, because sometimes a large (2 liter) size will go flat before you use all of it.)
--Saltine crackers, melba toast, etc.
--Pretzels
--Small sealed cups of applesauce
--Popsicles (for the freezer, of course)

Love your newsletter!

Submitted by...

Dianne Lowe
Marietta, GA

A GON Reader Asks

Do you have any tips for someone who suffers with ADD? Thanks!

--Clive Marshall

Maria Gracia Responds

Hi Clive,

Thanks so much for your question. To start, let me just fill our readers in on what you're asking...

ADHD, previously known as ADD, is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a chronic condition including difficulties staying focused and on-task, hyperactivity (lacks ability to be still and calm), and impulsiveness (acting or doing, without thinking things though.)

If you're reading this, you may be saying to yourself, 'Well, everyone deals with bouts of all of those.' And that's true. But having a temporary or occasional issue with lack of focus does not necessarily mean you have ADHD. ADHD is a medical condition that's diagnosed by a trained physician. ADHD should never be a self-diagnosis.

That all being said, everyone, those who do have ADHD, and those who do not, can both benefit from the following 5 tips:

1. Give yourself some breathing room. How often have you had something to do, thought it was going to take 30 minutes, and it ended up taking you an hour or two? It happens to the best of us. This is because most people grossly underestimate the time it's going to take to do something. When you're scheduling TO DOs, be sure you pad the time between activities generously. For instance, if you feel something is going to take 30 minutes, schedule an hour for it. If you get it done early, super...you'll be able to get an early start on your next TO DO. The only thing to be careful of here is that you should still try to complete the TO DO in 30 minutes. The padding is not meant to give you a cushy day, but rather to give you an appropriate amount of time if you, in fact, underestimated the appropriate length of the task.

2. Don't sabotage your productivity. If you have difficulties focusing, it's very important to do what you can to eliminate or greatly reduce distractions. Working on something in your office? Have your voicemail pick up your phone so you're not distracted by incoming calls. Working on your finances at home? Ask your sister or a friend to entertain the kids at their home, or another room in your home, for awhile. Before you sit down to work on something, be sure you have everything you need to do it...if you have to get up to retrieve something from another area of the house, you've just broken your focus. The more distractions you have, the less you're going to be able to focus.

3. Work in shorter spurts and add in transitions. Most folks don't work well in marathon sessions...working on big projects endlessly for hours (or days) until it's done. Break larger projects down into small pieces, like taking care of part A, then part B, or segments of time, like working for 15-minute or 30- minute sessions. Once a small part is handled, do a 15-30 minute transitional activity before moving on. Some ideas include taking a short walk, meditating, or watching a cute video or two on YouTube. Set a timer so you don't go overboard on your transitional time. When the timer sounds, get back to your TO DO list for the next piece or segment of time.

4. Write down (or type up a list of) everything you have to do. Don't try to remember everything in your head...there's a lot swimming around up there. Let the paper (or your digital tool) remember for you.

5. Zone in on your list. Many people with focus issues who make lists are overwhelmed by them and don't get much done. This is generally because there are a) lots of lists here, there, and everywhere, and b) tons of TO DOs on the list, and c) too many TO DOs on the list that haven't been broken down (like listing Research Colleges as a TO DO. That's not a TO DO. That's a project with many steps.) This subject can be a book in itself, but for the purpose of simplifying:

* If you use paper and pen for your TO DO list, use ONE spiral-bound notebook...not scraps of paper...and keep it in one place. If you use a digital means for your listmaking, again, ONE file...not dozens.

* Pick ONE at a time. Look at your TO DO list. Pick one TO DO and work on it until that 'small task' is done, or until your timer sounds.

* If you're having a hard time getting started, it's likely because you have to break that task down smaller. For instance, a TO DO such as 'Begin Wedding Ceremony Planning' should be broken down into tiny pieces: a) Determine possible dates b) Determine church and/or venue, c) Call church and/or venue and see if date is available, etc. Three words: Tiny Do-able Pieces!

Hope this helps!

Maria

GON Article: Save time with these 5 quick timesaving tips...
getorganizednow.com/organizing-article-5-timesaving-tips.html



GON Ask Maria: I can't seem to keep my house clean at all

getorganizednow.com/ask-maria-keep-house-clean.html





Dirty Little Secret: Beware! This is the prime starting point where clutter starts and grows...
getorganizednow.com/dirty-little-secret-starting-point-clutter.html




Mini Challenges: Winter is constantly leaving behind an icy, slushy mess that affects the outside and the inside of our homes. This week's challenges are designed to meet winter's mess head on. Here goes...
getorganizednow.com/organizing-challenge-winter-mess.html



In ADDITION, on our home page, you'll also find lots of NEW and featured STUFF including...


New Web Poll Which of the following situations makes you the most anxious?
Being stopped for a traffic violation
Turbulence ahead on an airplane
Going to the doctor
Going to the dentist
Your cell phone at 1%
No restrooms in sight when you have to go
Speaking in public
Driving in inclement weather
Take our web poll on our home page, and let us know. It only takes a second and you'll get to see up-to-the-second results
getorganizednow.com




January Monthly Checklist: How organized has your January been so far? Check out our January 2018 Organizing Checklist and get tons done! Your TO DOs have already been thought- out for you. Access it from my home page.
getorganizednow.com



Social Media Spotlight: My focus word for January 2018 is 'productivity.' Follow what I've done in 7 days. The link is on my home page.
getorganizednow.com



Practice: Our theme of the week is 'practice' and my home page quotes reflect that.
getorganizednow.com

'Be on guard. The road widens, and many of the detours are seductive.'

--David Foster Wallace


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!

getorganizednow.com

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:

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

A few weeks ago, I mentioned the fact that I have a solution for getting rid of all the clutter in your life. This solution was so well received by thousands of our readers, which I'm thrilled about. I've received so many wonderful letters about all the clutter that's suddenly disappearing! This being said, I know a lot of people missed the deadline that included not only the solution, but a bunch of great bonuses. Life tends to get really busy around the holidays and the first of the year. In light of this...I'm extending my very special offer until January 22nd. Here's what it's all about...

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:

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

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:

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

PLUS...when you claim your very own copy of GOODBYE CLUTTER... before MONDAY, JANUARY 22nd...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, JANUARY 22...

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 2018 by Maria Gracia, Get Organized Now!

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YIKES! - If you unsubscribe, you'll lose all the complimentary organizing resources I share with my loyal readers each week. You'll lose the Weekly Tips, Reader Tips, Reader Clinics, complimentary videos, ebooks, resource recommendations, and the many valuable bonuses I offer each month (some totaling hundreds of dollars). Please don't go. I love sending you all of this free training. I'd be lost and lonely without you. If there is something more you would like from my newsletters, then please reply to this email and let me know.
-- Maria Gracia