 The TREE-cycling Corner
According to Earth911.com, "treecycling" is the practice of recycling Christmas trees in order to extend their usability. Many towns take used trees (minus the decorations, of course) and chip them up to use as mulch in community areas, for erosion protection in fragile areas such as river deltas, underwater habitat creation and shoreline stabilization. Overall, about 93% of real Christmas trees are recycled in this way.
Earth 911 recommends real trees over artificial whenever possible because they provide jobs in the U.S., the sustainable farming practices mean their production is carbon-neutral, and they are easy to recycle. A single farmed tree absorbs more than 1 ton of CO2 throughout its lifetime, and produces oxygen for the environment. They also smell great, and the experience of picking out a tree can be a wondeful holiday tradition.
Check out earth911.com for the closest treecycling center to you. |
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More Time for You
Come join me on Wednesdays, January 12 and 26 to help plan for a wonderful new year for yourself!
We will talk about reorganizing your schedule to work for YOU, evaluating your priorities, eliminating your time-wasters, and learning strategies for making more time for what you want to do. There will be two weeks between sessions so you can try out the suggestions and come back for follow-up.
Sign up for this class titled "More Time for You" at the Sandwich Community Schools website at www.scslearn.org. |
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Looking for a motivational speaker for your group?
Please visit my websitefor more information on my speech topics and workshops. To schedule me to speak to your group, or for more information, please email me at mmdwk@peoplepc.com, or call 508 292-6706. |
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Questions? Suggestions?
As always, your feedback is important to me. Please let me know what topics you are interested in so that I can address your questions and comments in future editions. |
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Dear , 
It's just one week 'til Christmas - are you enjoying the season? If you find yourself a little behind schedule with your holiday planning, don't worry! Take a breath, and take a minute to re-evaluate your to-do list.
Eliminate as many of the stressful items as you can, and focus on keeping this a joyful time for you and your families. The decorating, wrapping and annual letter don't have to be perfect - they are just there to help you express your feelings about the season. Get some help if you need it, but don't worry about finishing every detail. Remember: Tis the Season to be Jolly!
I've included some tips below on low-clutter gift ideas, thinking about those after-holiday sales, and planning for the new year, but my biggest tip is to put some holiday music on and enjoy a glass of egg nog while you share or make some Christmas memories with your loved ones. Have a wonderful holiday season!
- Maryann Murphy
Your Personal Organizing Expert
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Gifts that Don't Clutter
Sometimes the best gifts come in very little packaging at all! Here are some gift ideas that don't take up much space but make a big impact:
- Fruit bouquet - it's fun, it's clever, and it's consumable, so there's very little clutter left over (order from a variety of sources online or go to YouTube for a video on how to make your own)
 Tickets to the movies, a sporting event or a concert- Amaryllis or narcissus bulbs in a pot - always a great gift at this time of year
- A gift of your time - to do errands, or just to spend time together. With our busy lives these days, this is one of the most precious gifts of all
- Your special cookies, nut bar, or muffins, along with the recipe
- A gift certificate for
- A cleaning service to give them some free time
- Babysitting (by you or someone else)
- A massage, manicure, or spa treatment
- A professional organizer to help them get organized in the new year (I'm just saying!)
- Dinner at their favorite restaurant
- An e-book reader (think of all the space they'll save on their bookshelves from now on)
- A song, poem or story you write just for them.
Be creative! The best gifts come from the heart so that the memories last while the gifts themselves get used up. Think of what they love to do, and give a gift that helps them do it (alone or with you). And don't forget to tell Santa what YOU'd like really like this year! |
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Holiday Decorations Tip
It's the day after Christmas, and decorations are on sale for 50 to even 90% off. Your house is already cluttered and you  don't have enough space for your hobbies, paperwork and clothes. What do you do? My Suggestion: Take a pass on most of it!
Purchase only the items you need to replace (burned out lightbulbs, for example) and then immediately recycle the old ones. Why do you think all these items are on sale? Because the stores recognize that it costs more money to store them for a year than they're worth! Why should you pay (with valuable space in your home) for that storage?
Consider how much room your holiday decorations take up in your home. If you don't have enough room to function year-round, those bargain-priced items aren't really a bargain for you! Be realistic about how much room you have for holiday storage. Your space is probably more precious than the money you "save". |
 A Quick End of Year Organizing Tip
If you're thinking about changing the way you file receipts, bills, or any other financial papers, the beginning of the year is the perfect time to start your new system. If your accountant has been suggesting a new way to manage your money, plan to start it on January 1 to make accounting easier for the entire year. |
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 Please call me at 508 292-6706 if you need additional help organizing your home, your office, or your schedule. I can come to your home or office and help you there, or do coaching by phone. I can still help you get the house ready for the holidays and manage your time to fit in with all there is to do. As always, I am offering gift certificates for on-site organizing or telephone coaching as well. See my coupon below for a special bonus just for you!
My business relies on referrals, so please forward this to anyone you think might benefit from it. Thanks, and I hope to talk with you soon! |
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Sincerely,
Maryann Murphy, MSW
Professional Organizer, Speaker, Trainer
(508) 292-6706
Chronic Disorganization Specialist, NSGCD
Member, National Speakers Association (NSA)
Director of Professional Development, NAPO-NE
Division F Governor, Toastmasters International District 31
Please join my network on LinkedIn  or follow me on Twitter @MMurphyMSW  |
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