You'll love my new, exclusive . . .
Get Organized Now! BINGO! Organizing Printable!

It's a new, quick, easy, fun way to get organized. Each GON Bingo! card lists 24 easy organizing tasks you or your family can accomplish. Get five in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally and you get to select a reward from the rewards list. Kids love to play too!

To access and print it, visit:
getorganizednow.com/free-resources.html

Happy organizing and enjoy some GON BINGO! organizing fun!

Maria Gracia

P.S. Please forward this newsletter to friends and family so they, too, can access this resource. Thank you for spreading the love!

A friend of mine called me yesterday and said (and I quote), 'I'm feeling a bit down and need some retail therapy. Do you want to go to the outdoor mall with me today?'

My reply, 'I'll go to the mall with you because I'd love to see you and spend some time with you. BUT, are you sure feeling down and going shopping isn't going to be dangerous on your wallet?'

She laughed and wasn't deterred. Needless to say, we did some shopping and she purchased some items for her home and her wardrobe. Whether she needed those items or not is anyone's guess and it's my deep-down hope that no item she purchased, especially because she was having an emotional day, ends up un-used or un-loved.

Shopping, as many of us will agree, can be fun...and emotionally therapeutic. And I'm certainly not against shopping because a) it can fulfill our needs, b) we all need some 'new' in our lives now and then, and c) doing so helps our local and national economies. That being said, shopping can become problematic when it begins (and continues) to contribute to the clutter in our lives.

Here are a few tips to help ensure our desire to 'have fun shopping' doesn't end up in clutter-frustrations later:

1) One in, two out. For everything new you buy, try to say goodbye to at least one other thing you own. In doing so, that will maintain the volume of possessions. Better yet, for everything new, say goodbye to two. In doing so, you will actually be reducing your clutter.

2) Set a budget...before you leave home...and at least consider what you need. If you allow yourself, for instance, a budget of $100, and you stick with that budget, you won't be allowing too much to come home with you. You may also be more discerning about mindlessly spending because a) $100, these days, doesn't buy a whole lot, and b) you may be more inclined to buy something you actually need versus something on a whim.

3) Think of shopping as 'fun time out,' rather than 'a buying session.' Rather than thinking of the act of shopping itself as your 'emotional therapy, think of it simply as 'time out.' Take the time to slowly browse a bookstore...for instance. Look in aisles you wouldn't normally browse in. Read the summaries on the book jackets. Perhaps, if the book store has a coffee shop, take the time to sit, sip, and people-watch for awhile. Then, do the same thing in another store...take notice of the furniture arrangements in a furniture store, see if you can't name the different decorating styles as you look at each display, take notice of the colors being used. The more you give yourself the opportunity to 'experience the moment,' the less you may be inclined to mindlessly buy things that you don't necessarily need.

Just a very quick shout out to let you know that my latest issue of Anything and Everything is now available. It's the MAY 2021 issue, 12-pages and all in full color. I know you're going to love it. Check it out:

https://www.getorganizednow.com/rd-ae.html

If you don't already receive it, it's a great time to get your hands on a full year of Anything and Everything because, when you do, we're giving away 10 Bonuses, AND ALL of the back issues...complimentary!

Here are the topics in the MAY Issue...

Prolong the Positive Experiences in Your Life
Strategies that make a good experience linger are worth learning

Bye-Bye Bloating
It is generally easier to avoid bloating than to cure it. Here are the likely culprits causing your discomfort

Honoring Moms Everywhere
How we honor and celebrate mothers around the world on Mother's Day

Waking Up On the Right Side of the Bed
Are you a bit grumpy or exhausted when you wake up? Here are 12 strategies to add 'get up and go' to your mornings

Improve Your Cooking Skills
Taking the time to improve your cooking skills can make an everyday dinner taste amazing...and might inspire you to add some variety to your meal plan

Greens Mac `n' Cheese
A nutrition-packed, vegetarian meal that tastes delicious

Overcoming Frustrations in Our Lives
Frustration...it happens to all of us. Here are a dozen ways to recognize and cope with this emotion

If you don't already subscribe to my 'Anything and Everything' resource, you can learn about how to do so here:

https://www.getorganizednow.com/rd-ae.html

We have thousands of readers who LOVE it...and I'm certain you will too!

Maria

P.S. BONUS SPECIAL...Only Until 11:59 p.m. on MAY 7: When you sign up for your Anything and Everything Subscription, you will receive tons of bonuses, plus ALL the BACK ISSUES COMPLIMENTARY!

___ 1. Do today's task on my May Monthly Organizing Checklist. The May 1 TO DO focuses on your underwear drawer(s). Visit GetOrganizedNow.com to access my May Monthly Organizing Checklist.

___ 2. Iron something in your closet. Most of us have something in our closets that we don't feel like ironing. Take the time today to iron that item so you can actually wear it.

___ 3. Vote in our web poll. How long does it take you to put your laundry away after washing, drying, and folding it? Take our poll and let us know. Results will be shared in an upcoming newsletter. Visit GetOrganizedNow.com to access this poll.

'The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.' (Socrates)

I'd love to hear from you.

I LOVE GON reader mail! Whether it's a comments, suggestions, 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
Get Organized Now!
getorganizednow.com

(c) Copyright 2021 by Maria Gracia, Get Organized Now!

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-- Maria Gracia