Get Organized Now!
Mid-Week Mini Edition
By Maria Gracia
March 7, 2018
getorganizednow.com
Make a Concerted Effort to Get Rid of Your Clutter
Throughout the years, I've been saving every greeting card I've ever
received...birthday, anniversary, Christmas, etc. I also have every school text
book I ever purchased (I'm 43 years old now), every item of clothing my kids
have ever worn (they're in high school now, just in case you're trying to gauge
how much clothing that actually is), and every piece of furniture my parents
passed on to me when they downsized.
Looking at my very crowded and cluttered house this weekend, and after reading
through your
Goodbye Clutter
resource (which is a godsend, by the way), I
finally came to the grim conclusion that I'm more than a bit of a hoarder.
This weekend, I started a concerted effort to get rid of my clutter, starting
with the textbooks. First, I researched online, and most donation programs
only want newer textbooks. Some would take them as far back as 2002, but mine
did not qualify. In the end, I just boxed them up and took them to my town's
local recycling center. In doing so, I freed up two full shelves in my
closet!
Then, I took photos of the furniture my parents gave me, which I really didn't
need to begin with, and posted those on Facebook. I already sold a sofa and a
rocking chair to my neighbors and took in $475. I still have about seven other
pieces of furniture to sell. Already, it's looking like I'll have some vacation
funds this year. I'm excited.
I haven't begun going through all the kid clothing, but plan to start on that
this weekend. I've already made an appointment, two weeks from now, for a
donation pick-up service to stop by my house and pick up five bags of clothing.
Now that I have a deadline, I have to get those five bags filled. I have way
more than five bag's worth, but I thought this was a good starting point.
Doing all this has really turned my life around for the better. My house is
a lot less cluttered. I even have the sudden urge to paint the walls a new
color!
This fabulous reader tip was submitted by...
Taylor B., Grand Forks, ND
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Recommendation of the Week
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Having a TO DO List is Good
Getting Those TO DOs Done is Better!
TO DO Lists are important. They help us remember everything that needs to be
done. But they're useless if we never take action on those TO DOs.
I've recently discovered an incredible tool that will help you get more done
than you've ever imagined. It's called The Action Machine, my husband and I BOTH
use it, AND we highly recommend it to anyone who wants to make the most of his
or her day. Visit:
getorganizednow.com/rd-actionmachine.html
Scroll further down in this issue to find out how you can get 5 complimentary
bonuses worth over $100 to help you cross of tons of TO DOs off your list.
Take action, however, before Monday, March 12th!
GON Reader Letter: New Beginning to My Life
Dear Maria,
What a beautiful article you have sent us! (Where Are You In Your List of
Priorities: February 3rd Issue) I feel that you have clearly elaborated my
life style. Yes, I hope to accomplish so many beautiful tasks like enjoying
nature, having quiet time on our terrace, reading a favorite book, being with
school friends, singing, and dancing someday.
But there is no ME time due to my busy life, instead meeting demands of work,
family, kids, and health issues.
Your article gave me a new beginning to my life. Thank you so much for your
great article about where we are in our list of priorities!
Wishing you a lovely day!
Submitted by...
Nilmini from Sri Lanka
A Reader Asks, 'Somehow I Got The Job of Church Historian...Help Needed'
A GON Reader Asks
Hi Maria! May I pick your brain for a minute? I have an unusual task to
accomplish. It may be ongoing, but I have to get it rolling. I somehow, years
ago, got the job of Parish Historian! I haven't done much for these years and
now I have gotten the motivation to begin. There are literally 5 to 10 large
file drawers full of randomly placed stuff that needs sorting, organizing, etc.
I've read your newsletter for enough years to know I need to break it all down,
group like-material, make categories etc. Just wondering if you know of a source
for this particular kind of organizing, maybe a simple short book or a web site
to consult. What's important to keep, scan, digitize, etc.
It is a Roman Catholic church, so I know there are diocesan offices of archives
and such, but I think that will be somewhere to turn AFTER I get the basics in
order. I spent four hours there today looking in one drawer.
I will also need archival quality files, ways to store photos, posters, large
documents, etc. If you can suggest anything, I'd be most appreciative. Thanks!
Marie Cox, New Jersey
Maria Gracia Responds
Hi Marie,
It's funny that you ask this question, because it was just a short time ago that
I helped a Catholic church organize a whole bunch of old photographs. Trust me,
I know how daunting this task can seem, especially at the beginning of the
project. The nice thing is, most church records and documents have been sitting
in their storage spots for years, so there's no great rush to get this done,
which means you can take your time with this project. Here are some thoughts
I have for you as you embark on this journey.
1) Schedule a weekly time limit. I would suggest a set amount of time
each week, like 60 minutes. Set a timer, work for 60 minutes, and then be done
until the following week. Yes, this could take some time, but that's OK.
Whatever you get done will be more than was done the previous week. Avoid
working on this project for hours at a time, as this causes most people with
this type of job to lose interest.
2) Think in terms of storage. Unlike the typical household, most church
records need to be kept permanently, for historical and parishioner-reference
purposes. Some categories to help you begin sorting may include:
* Administrative board or church council reports
* Architectural drawings, blueprints, maps
* Legal documents, like deeds
* Annual budget
* Bulletins
* Directories
* Newsletters
* Church committee records
* Membership Registers
* Baptisms, Marriages, and Transfers
* Scrapbooks
* Photographs
* Materials commemorating special occasions
This all being said, many records can be kept digitally, versus print copies, if
space is at a premium. Focus on keeping printed records for anything 'legal' as
well as old photographs, and scan/keep digital-only copies for the rest. This
will help keep the amount of paper at bay.
By the way, my church did not want any important documents or photos to be moved
off the premises, so forwarding old documents on to another location was not an
option for me...even those that were more than 20 years old. You'll definitely
need to speak with your lead priest to determine what your options are.
3) Preserve the documents well. Archival-quality file folders, to store
letter- size papers, are readily available on Amazon. I used Pendaflex
brand...and I would recommend replacing ALL of the file folders currently being
used, so you know that whatever you help organize is in a folder that is going
to keep important documents protected.
For large documents, look for 'archival storage boxes' on Amazon. Some features
you should look for, before purchasing, include: acid-free, lignin-free, passed
P.A.T. (Photographic Activity Test), and buffered to resist acid migration.
For photos, you'll want archival photo boxes. One brand that's especially good
is Gaylord. They have some photo boxes that hold over 1,500 prints.
4) For reference: Here are some sources you may find useful:
Preserving Your Church's History
Managing Church Records
Gaylord Archival
Hope this gives you some direction. Best of luck on this undertaking and please
keep me posted on your progress!
Maria Gracia
GON Statistics: Are meetings soaking up your precious time?
getorganizednow.com/statistic-meetings-time.html
GON Storage: Fun, Organized Ways to Store Your Favorite Teas
getorganizednow.com/storage-tea.html
Dirty Little Secret:
Thinking of adding a houseplant or two? Choose one of these 3 plants...they
remove up to 87 percent of indoor pollutants!
getorganizednow.com/dirty-little-secret-add-houseplants.html
Mini Challenges: This week's mini organizing challenges are all focused
on safety in your home. Here goes...
getorganizednow.com/organizing-challenge-safety-home.html
In ADDITION, on our home page, you'll also find lots of NEW and featured
STUFF including...
GON Monthly Organizing Checklist: March into a super-organized
month. Start today with our NEW March 2018 Organizing Checklist!
getorganizednow.com
New Web Poll: Which of the following do you do:
* Drift off into never-never land when others are talking
* Focus on my cell phone way more than humans
* Bite my nails
* Procrastinate...the word 'later' is one of my favorite words
* Snack when I'm not hungry
* Buy things that I can't afford
* None of the above. I'm pretty perfect!
Visit our home page and vote in our new web poll. Choose all that apply. You'll
get to see up-to-date results immediately.
getorganizednow.com
Theme of the Week: Our theme of the week is 'speed' and my home page
quotes reflect that.
getorganizednow.com
'Delay is the enemy of progress.'
-- Eliot Spitzer
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
This is the end of our
Regular Newsletter Content |
If you'd like to learn more about
Today's Special, Gotta Have Resource
you will find that information below.
|
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Special 'Gotta Have' Resource
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Getting Things Done: The Action Machine
Plus Get $100 in Complimentary Bonuses!
To start getting your TO DOS done, right now, visit:
getorganizednow.com/rd-actionmachine.html
Everyone gets 24 hours in each day. Because our time is so precious, and because
it vanishes so quickly, it's vitally important to use that time well.
What do you get accomplished each day?
If the answer is, 'next to nothing', or 'not nearly as much as I would like,'
then it's definitely worth it to take a look at what's on your TO DO list, and
if those items are helping you get to where you want to be.
Don't confuse activity with real accomplishments. Twiddling your thumbs is
activity, but it's not going to get you anywhere fast.
In light of this, I've recently discovered an incredible tool that will help you
get more done than you've ever imagined.
It's called The Action Machine, my husband and I BOTH use it, AND we highly
recommend it to anyone who wants to make the most of his or her day. Visit:
getorganizednow.com/rd-actionmachine.html
Wishing you a million productive days ahead!
P.S. To encourage you to take action now, when you obtain your very own copy of
the Action Machine, and you do so BEFORE MONDAY, MARCH 12 AT 11:59 P.M., I
will send you 5 COMPLIMENTARY EBOOKS valued at over $100 as follows:
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* How to Practice the Art of Life Balance
* The Magic Story: Achieve Greater Personal Fulfillment
* Think and Grow Rich
* Top 100 Inspirational Quotes for Living Anxiety-Free
Visit:
http://www.getorganizednow.com/rd-actionmachine.html
** IMPORTANT ** To get your bonuses, email me your order number and I will
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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
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(c) Copyright 2018 by Maria Gracia, Get Organized Now!
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