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Get Organized Mission #2: Detox Your Briefcase/Tote/Bag





Step 1: Empty

Empty everything out of your bag (I’ll use this generic term for simplicity). Dust out any lingering detritus over a sink so your bag is lovely and clean.

Step 2: Wallet

If you have a separate pocketbook/wallet, start there.

  • Remove old business cards, receipts, paper scraps, tissues, post-its, random hairclips, etc.
  • Remove other items that don’t deserve the real estate – eg loyalty cards for stores you rarely visit, coffee cards you never remember to use, etc.
  • Place the regularly used credit cards, store cards and ID in convenient locations in your wallet.
  • Check any photos of loved ones are current and in good condition.

Step 3: Keys

Next, streamline your keys.

  • Use a neat, functional keyring or case.
  • Remove any keys you don’t need. If you don’t remember what they’re for, put them on a separate ‘Mystery’ keyring for later investigation.
  • If you’re always fumbling with keys, consider putting them on the ring in the order you use them – eg, car, garage, mailbox, top lock, bottom lock.

Step 4: Make-Up Purse

Next, let’s tackle your make-up purse, make-up compartment in your bag, or for guys, any toiletries you carry with you.

  • Remove items you don’t use regularly enough to justify their real estate.
  • Discard anything old, in poor condition or funky smelling.
  • Consider streamlining your daily essentials. Could you limit yourself to, say, a neutral lipstick or lipgloss, small tube of SPF hand cream, small blush with built-in mirror and brush, small mascara and small fragrance bottle?
  • If you streamline the contents, consider downsizing your make-up purse too.

Step 5: Organize

Finally, return the streamlined items to your bag. Make use of compartments to help keep the contents organized.

*This is just an excerpt from #2 Mission*

Okay so now it is your turn!
It's Free http://z.about.com/d/webclipart/1/0/b/M/1/ap7r.gif - 0.9 K 52 Missions

Bring Simplicity into your Life

By introducing simplicity you will be able to bring in some peace, remove the complications currently cluttering your life and allow you the room to breathe.

Life is getting so hectic and jam packed full of clutter, family responsibilities, work responsibilities, noise, expectations, interruptions, claims on your time, technology that promises to change your life, advertising that tells you to buy more, be thinner or look different. Wow that was one serious run-on sentence which definitely did not allow you room to breathe. But the point is to show you that a little simplicity will be just what you need this year.

It could be too much to simplify your whole life but let's look at areas where you could simplify in some way.

A few Simple Steps

To start the process of simplifying, you first need to understand the areas of your life that are most important and what is of real value to you. Once you have that understanding you will be able to decide where to simplify and get started.
To help you on your way start by simplifying your:

Clutter
For me this is an obvious place to start and a New Year is a great time to de clutter and have a good clear out. So many homes are bursting at the seams full of 'stuff' that is having a negative effect on lives. I would prefer 2010 to be positive for you, so clear out any possessions that are no longer important or have no value.

Wardrobe
This could be considered part of the clutter section but I feel it needs attention all of its own. It is so much simpler getting ready if everything in your wardrobe is something you like and fits. Sort through and clear out any items in your wardrobe that no longer goes with your new simplified life.

Paperwork
Paperwork continues to attack and fill homes. It is an area so many of my clients struggle with. Have you thought about receiving household bills online rather than in the post? Are there any magazine subscriptions you still receive but never have the time to read? One client regularly received a subscription based charity magazine and was orginally hesitant to cancel the subscription as they wanted to support the charity. Now the support continues through regular automated donations to the charity.

When it comes to the filing and any paperwork already in your home. If you are able to find the information online, there is no reason to keep it anymore.

Commitments
There can be this unhealthy drive to say yes to every activity, committee, party, request or invite you receive. This is an area where knowing what is important and of value in your life will help you to start saying no and simplify the commitments you take on. Make sure to simplify commitments for every adult and child in the family.

Mornings
Is there a regular system you can introduce to simplify your morning routine?

Weekends
Are you expecting to accomplish too much on the weekends and forgetting to spend time as a family? Again knowing what you value will help you decide how to spend you weekends.

As I mentioned earlier, you may not be able to simplify your whole life, but start the process by simplifying at least one area.

"Rachael Ross and Purely Peppermint can help you to achieve control over your clutter. Through the regular published Purely Peppermint newsletters you will learn hints, tips, tricks and better habits on how to deal with your clutter. If you want to get control now than access your own copy of our success secrets at www.purelypeppermint.com "

Get Organized Mission #1: Fill a Hu-u-uge Trash Bag

All done! I ended up with 11/2 bags. So I am pretty pleased with myself.
Week two, here I come!!

Get Organized Mission #1: Fill a Hu-u-uge Trash Bag

Step 1

Get a giant trash bag. (If you don’t have one find 20 small ones, or ask a neighbor, or go to the shops, or use boxes, or pile things up on a rug until you get to the shops tomorrow. There are no excuses!)

Step 2

Set a kitchen timer (or your clock radio or iPhone alarm, etc) for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Start filling the bag and continue doing so as you move through your house, until either the timer goes off or your bag is full.

Throw into the bag anything you don’t use, don’t like, that has negative associations, is broken or tatty, or is no longer your style. See below for room-by-room examples.

Step 4

Take it straight out to the trash or even the tip if you’re so motivated. Just be sure to remove the temptation to look in the bag or to rescue released items.

Dos & Don’ts

  • Don’t try to organize rooms, cupboards or drawers at this stage.
    This mission is about getting rid of stuff so
    do keep an out-it-goes mindset.
  • We’ll have another organizing mission for charity items, so don’t get bogged down with that now. I don’t suggest giving lame stuff to charity – decent, usable stuff: yes; crapola: no.
    So
    do feel fine about ditching all the dross.
  • I want you to move fast – so don’t overthink it.
    If your gut feel is to
    release something from your life, then do toss it into the bag.
*This is just an excerpt from #1 Mission*

Okay so now it is your turn!
It's Free http://z.about.com/d/webclipart/1/0/b/M/1/ap7r.gif - 0.9 K 52 Missions
The next mission is: Get Organized Mission #2:
De-tox Your Briefcase/Tote/Bag

Turn your Clutter into CASH!




I think this site is the next big thing to give Ebay a run for it's money. In the Forum of Simple Savings I have noticed that quite a few people have become disillusioned with the rising cost of selling items. I know that I am going to join up. I think it will appeal to the many of the SS members too!
For $1 per month or $10 per year, Flat Rate - you can sell anything you want, you can sell as much as you want, and you can sell for as long as you want! There are NO commissions and NO extra charges!
Whether your goal is to run an online store, turn your stuff into cash, shop for less, sell a car, find your staff, find a job, sell a house or rent a room, at $10 per year Flat Rate, sellers are the BIG winners!
At The SOC Exchange, they believe that you are not just selling an item, but that you actually own your piece of the net from which you can sell all your items.
At The SOC Exchange (pronounced sock) they believe if your hard work and good fortune yields you a profit, then yours it shall be!
At The SOC Exchange - your profit stays in your pocket!
If you join as a Buyer then the $10 per year, does not apply - Its FREE.
If you then choose to become a seller with all it's associated benefits, the $10 per year would apply.
Just Click on the logo and it will take you there.



Here is part of the email I received:

Congratulations, you are now a member of the SOC Exchange Australia.

You can now:

* Receive email alerts as to items, specials and promotions from your chosen sellers.
* Connect with your local sellers. Drill down your search of sellers to as close as 1 km from your location.
* State page search. Every day at 1pm your state homepage is refreshed with the first 15 sellers to list their website for the day. The daily race is on!
* Search for sellers by their website name, item, category or distance from your location.
* Interaction with sellers is easy via the icons on their websites.
* Write a review. Have your say about the sellers you purchase from. Express your opinion and share your experiences! Your opinion is ALWAYS IMPORTANT!
The Soc Exchange Australia is proud to support ...


MyInvites.com.au - Helping You Plan Your Party


Are you the type of person who prefers to be a guest at a party instead of the party planner. If you are, you definitely aren’t alone, planning a party is not an easy task. You must think of everything from the theme, to the guest list to the location.
MyInvites wants to help party planners by giving them a site where they can find tools to help them organize their party planning endeavors. The invitation making feature is the core part of the site. To make your invitations you can choose from a large selection of designs. After you have picked a design you can fill in the details of the party, time, location, dress code, etc…
Then you send your invitations to your guests and the rest is history. Some of the other very useful features are the toolbox and photo gallery.
The toolbox helps you outline a budget, choose a theme, and keep a to do list. Once the party is over you can save your photos in the gallery section.
MyInvites also helps you brainstorm venues, gift bags, party supplies and other parts of planning a party that can be easy to forget. Make planning your party easy and fun by going to MyInvites.
CLICK HERE: This really is a fun site to visit and it will be worth keeping an eye on.



The Butler Bag


Butler Bag Hybrid - Espresso


OK, here is another idea to help you get organised when your out and about. Have you seen the Butler Bag? Why? because a girl needs a good bag to keep everything together when she's on the run, lets be honest it doesn't hurt to have one that looks this great and keeps us organised too!

A bag that is easy on the eye and available in many different styles, so no matter what your taste is there is a Butler Bag to suit you. Lets take a look inside, I think you would agree it is pretty special.

Inside the Espresso Hybrid Butler Bag

How Gorgeous is that? See all the sections to keep your stuff in place. So ladies now when you leave home, you will know exactly where your wallet, mobile and house or car keys are. No more emptying your bag out on to the nearest flat surface to find that one elusive item, yes i have been there and done that - too many times :-)

To check out the Styles and Colours available, CLICK HERE


More on - Goal For It

I would like to add a few personal thoughts in regards to this fantastic website. You have total control of all the charts you use. For parents who are struggling to get there young children through to teens to do chores, get them to sit with you at the computer and create their own chore chart. Children are much more likely to follow through if they have been involved in the process of making their chart. There is the added bonus of them being able to print off a copy for themselves and putting it up in there room. Should it go missing for any reason, well you have another interactive copy online. So no more excuses..........the dog can't eat that one :-)
Don't forget that there are also, to do lists, goal trackers, habits and goal charts and lists and goals that community members have chosen to share.

So remember go to:


I also thought it might be fitting for you to read about the creator of Goal For It, so in his own words let me introduce you to Michael.

See full size image

"In the fall of 2007 I had a big health scare and my Doctor told me that I needed to make a lot of changes to my lifestyle: lose 30+ pounds, eat better, exercise, quit smoking and reduce the amount of stress I was putting on myself.


Needless to say, I found myself overwhelmed on how to get started on doing all of the lifestyle changes my Doctor advised me to do. After doing some research, I found lots of resources available regarding various ideas for developing good habits and effective goal setting.

But, they all fell short on providing a simple way for me to easily put my required lifestyle changes into action in my everyday life.

So, I created Goalforit to help address this need by providing easy-to-use practical solutions to help people master the art of getting the right things done, simply and effectively, and bring more focus and personal success into their everyday life.

If you have any suggestions on how I can make the experience better on Goalforit, you can contact me directly by clicking on the “Contact Us” tab above.

Wishing you great success in all that you do ... and I hope you find Goalforit helpful."

Michael



Goal For It -Success begins with positive habits & goals ...

Our Habits & Daily Goals Chart makes it simple to establish the positive habits & effective daily goals that bring greater success into everyday life:

  • We have over 60+ positive habits & goals to choose from ... and you can create custom habits & goals too
  • Easily review progress on your habits & goals. And for added motivation, you can create an optional reward system by assigning points to habits & goals
  • Charts are only accessible from your account and are never seen by other members
  • Our Habits & Goals Chart is ideal for adults & teens
  • Extremely easy to use, fun, fully customizable and our Habits & Goals Chart is 100% free
  • So all you need to do now is go to:http://www.goalforit.com/ Good Luck !

DYO Magnetic Family Meal Planner

Today I have much pleasure in reviewing a very special, practical product that every person could use in the kitchen.

The DYO Magnetic Meal Planning System!

Created by Leigh Pendergast of Mum e Assistant


DYO Magnetic Family Meal Planner-DIY, DYO, Meal Planning, Family meals, busy families, busy women, busy mums, meal ideas, meal options, saving money, saving time, healthy, nutritious, meal planning system, family friendly, magnetic, recipes, healthy eating, healthy family, christmas, christmas gifts, busy women, helping busy women, busy mums, organising mums, organiser for mums




DYO Magnetic Family Meal Planner
Meal Planning is a great way to ensure your family eats well, saves money and saves time. Having all your family dinners planned in advance will ensure your family will be eating a healthy, nutritious meal each night, whilst saving time in the kitchen.

The Design Your own Magnetic Meal Planning System includes:
  • 71meal ideas
  • 6 take away options
  • 3 blank write your own options
  • a range of "kid friendly" meal options that the kids can help prepare.

    The planner is:

    • magnetised A4 size - fits on any fridge for easy access

    • family friendly / easy to use

    • wipe clean kitchen friendly

    The meals are colour coded and divided up into:

    •meat categories (beef, lamb, veal, chicken, seafood/tuna, pork/bacon, vegetarian)

    •meal categories (stir-fry, bakes, pie, curry, pasta, casserole,salad, risotto, meat &veg, soup)

    Benefits of using the DYO Magnetic Family Meal Planner;
    • Organised family meals
    • Know what to shop for - saving time and money at the grocery store
    • Plan your family meals on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis
    • Prepare healthy nutrious meals
    • Teach your children the importance of healthy nutrition
    • Have fun planning and cooking healthy meals with your children
    • Numerous recipe options, eat a different meal each night for weeks or months even!
    • Use your own recipes or get inspiration from recipe sites

    Here are a few RECIPE ideas if you need a little extra help or inspiration when creating your meal plan.


I love this Organizing Book! YOU will too!

Another site I love, yes another one! Why you ask quite simple really, everyone is different and what works for one person might not work for the rest. So I hope to share all the interesting sites I have found with you, so you can decide for yourself which one best suits you and your families needs.

Are you tired of the clutter in every room of your home? Is your To Do list a mile long? Do you wish your family was better organized? Are you drowning in paper? Are you wondering what you can do to stop proscratinating and start getting things done? Do you want more time in your day for your family and the things you love to do? Would you like to get organized, once and for all?

If so, I highly recommend the book, 'Finally Organized, Finally Free for the Home.' I can honestly say, it's one of the best organizing books on the market. For more information,



Finally Organized, Finally Free for the Home




Getting Organised

Well I have taken the first step towards getting organised, I joined a brilliant program. Get Organized Wizard

Here’s how it works: Its Free - It is delivered via email.

You commit to completing just one 30-minute organizing mission a week. Easy peasy!
Choose extended options for more challenge, or family options to involve the whole clan.
Missions include de-cluttering, personal organization and goal-setting across life areas.
52 Organising Missions uses accountability as motivation to help you get better organized.
Here's how:
Your publicly accountable to complete each weekly mission.
After joining 52 Organizing Missions you register your public commitment by leaving a comment on the blog.



As well as the rewards of an increasingly organized life, there are extra motivators including badges, certificates and prizes.






Simple Savings.....Great Site

I have searched the Internet and have found many useful tools along the way. I am sure that you will agree with me that there are some really great ways of making the task of being more organised simpler.
Top of my list for saving money is:

Simple Savings It has lots of free tips and resources for people trying to lower their bills in Australia. They are the only frugal website which really focuses on Australian needs. The entire site is not free, though. They have a paid members area called the Savings Vault. It is an amazing, ever-growing store house of savings information. Simple tips people all over Australia can use to lower their bills. An annual subscription to the Savings Vault costs $47 (Australian). Even though the website is based in Australia, there are members from many different Countries. There is a Free Newsletter that you can sign up for and it will give you an insight into the site and the people who use it. For paid members there is also a forum.......it is a fantastic place to get help/suggestions on anything you need help with.


The lazy way to save...

My Goals for 2010

  • Start using a Household Manual.
  • Start menu planning and shopping on a budget. Buying generic brands, and lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Keeping the cupboard stocked at all times, for a cheaper price than I am now. I hope to be healthier and have more money because of this change.
  • Remember to buy quality NOT quantity.
  • Get on top of my anxiety/depression and hopefully come off medication. This will eventually save me money on medication and be better for my long term health.
  • Declutter my home, one cupboard at a time.
  • Stop non essential spending
  • Remember to wear sunscreen and not get burnt at all.
  • Enjoy the journey of learning to be more organised and the savings it creates!!

Start the New Year Right: 31 Simple Tips for 31 Days


So a New Year begins and so does my endeavour to be Better Organised. You know what they say it is never too late to do anything!
If like me you are looking for even more ways to make simple changes for the new year and the new decade, Lorie Marrero, Creator of The Clutter Diet has created a printable PDF of a tip or project per day for the first 31 days of the year. Doing one small thing per day is a great way to cumulatively get more organized over time! Click here to get the PDF. Enjoy, and feel free to share it!
Even though the PDF is for January, you can use it no matter what the month may be, so no excuses :-)