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The Organizing Corner
Jody Adams, CPO�        724.850.7282       [email protected]
 

JANUARY 2009

In This Issue. . .
:: New Year, New Opportunities
:: Earth-Friendly Organizing
:: Do You Know These People In Your Neighborhood?
:: What Do I Do With. . . ?
Greetings!
 
Happy New Year from The Organizing Corner! 
 
January is Get Organized (GO) Month(SM), so grab your resolutions and to-do lists and use the helpful information and resources below to start on your way to an organized year!   
  
Enjoy!
Jody Adams, Certified Professional Organizer�
Owner of In Its Place
 
New Year, New Opportunities
Are you making the most of your time?

There's nothing like the promise of a brand new year to renew your spirit and give a fresh perspective on where your business is and the direction in which you want it to go.
 
If you made New Year's resolutions, it's important to have a way to actually keep them throughout the year.  The last thing you want to realize at the end of 2009 is that all of your good intentions have remained pipe dreams. 
 
Most New Year's resolutions are a declaration of what people will do, but few ever describe how they plan to do it.  "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten" by Anthony Robbins is one of my favorite quotes.  People maintain habits that don't contribute to their goals.  Those habits are essentially based on decisions they've made - or not made.  And those decisions, or lack thereof, affect how people spend their time and ultimately whether or not they reach their goals.  
 
How can you make the most of your time?  By knowing what you want and organizing your schedule accordingly. . .
1) Determine specifically what you want to be different from the way it is now and why those are important to you and your business.
  
2) Look at how and when you are currently doing things to see what is working and what changes need to be made.
  
3) Implement those changes and regularly review the impact they're making on accomplishing your goals and keeping your New Year's resolutions.  Adjust as needed.
  
There are 525,600 minutes in 2009.  How are you going to spend them? 
 
  
Need help keeping your New Year's resolution to get and stay organized?  Call 724.850.7282 or email In Its Place.
Earth-Friendly Organizing
"Green" post-holiday ideas
 
The holidays have come and gone, but you've yet to put away the decorations and take down the tree.  Here are some helpful resources so you can be environmentally friendly during your post-holiday clean up:
 
Find a location near you where you can recycle your live Christmas tree.
  
Strands of lights no longer working?  Instead of throwing them away, drop them off for recycling at Westmoreland Cleanways or drop them in the mail to Holiday LEDs for recycling.  (Bonus: you'll receive a 15% off coupon good toward anything on their site.)
 
If you're scouring your cabinets in search of the last Christmas cookie or holiday treat but instead you find unexpired, unopened, non-perishable food items that you and your family aren't eating, donate them to the Westmoreland County Food Bank. 
 
 
Click here for more recycling and donation resources. 
 
What Do I Do With. . . ? 
In Its Place answers your questions about organizing holiday photos.

Q:  The holidays were so much fun and I have more pictures than I know what to do with from all the festivities.  What's the best way to organize them? 
 
A: 1) Gather up all of your photos and figure out how many you have, how much available storage space you have for them, and how often you will most likely look through them in the next year.
 
2) Ask yourself if you prefer looking at photos when they are laid out individually or when they are kept in a stack.
  
3) If you like viewing photos
individually, put them in acid-free, lignin-free, archival photo albums.
If you rarely look at your photos and just want to make sure they're organized in one place, simply store them  chronologically in archival photo boxes or acid-free plastic photo envelopes.  These containers work well, look good, and allow you to find a photo if you ultimately do need to access it - especially helpful if you're a scrapbooker! 
 
Last but not least, if you decide to store your pictures electronically instead of printing all of them, you can display some using a digital photo frame, and keep them organized using your digital camera's software or on web-based photo storage so your friends and family can access them any time.
 
Extra tip: Whatever containers you decide to store your printed photos in, make sure they're in a location with stable temperature and relative humidity. 
 
 
Click here to send us your organizing challenge.
Do You Know These People In Your Neighborhood?
 
The folks at these companies offer products and services that can come in handy as you're getting organized . . .
 
If your company's New Year's resolution was to eliminate computer, software, and network chaos, Dave Ranf has your answer.
 
Keep your New Year's resolution to clear the clutter from your waistline - take the Weight Loss Challenge!
 
These Certified Fitness Professionals can help you keep the weight off and stay fit, flexible, and strong.
 
The weather outside may be frightful, but you're sure to stay toasty warm when your furnace is running efficiently.  
 
Once your furnace is working smoothly, make sure your air ducts are free of dust and allergens.
 
For more helpful tips, be sure to check out In Its Place in the media. . .
 
In the Tribune-Review:  "How to keep resolutions from fizzling" by Kellie Gormly
 
On WCNS Radio Talk Block: Talkin' Trash with Ellen Keefe from Westmoreland Cleanways

 
Thank you for spending a little time with us.  If you have any questions or are interested in our services, feel free to call 724.850.7282,  email, or visit our web site.
 
Happy New Year! Happy Organizing!
 
Jody