Clearing Clutter- Home & Work Organizing Tips

Get Your Mind Out of the Clutter
News and Tips to Organize Your Life
from Get Organized DC

WELCOME

Each month in this newsletter I share organizing tips to use in your home and office. Try some projects by yourself or ask for help from my friendly professional team.

We have great ideas for improving the use of all sizes of spaces and helping you become more productive.

Happy Organizing,
Pierrette Ashcroft

In This Issue

Get Rid of Clutter

Pierrette on Let's Talk Live

Green Organizing

Organizing Solutions Column

Links to Our Website

Our Services

Project Photos

Recycling Options

More About Us

Archive of Past Newsletters

Pierrette Ashcroft, founder of getOrganizedDC, has more than 20 years of business experience organizing events and providing innovative solutions in homes and offices. She is committed to continuing her education and training to best serve her client's organizing and productivity needs.

As one of the inaugural class to receive credentials as a Certified Professional Organizer, CPOÆ, Pierrette earned a top distinction in the organizing industry.

In 2010 she completed her training to become a Certified Productivity Coach. Through her Productivity Boot Camp she is able to increase the productivity of busy professionals. Pierrette will clear your piles of paper, overloaded inbox and cluttered life so you can be more effective in your business and career.

To learn more, call or write for a free telephone consultation at: 202.537.9705 or Pierrette@getOrganizedDC.com. Or visit our Web site.

The hardest part of organizing is developing an attractive plan. We are happy to help you with any challenges, large or small. Expect efficient and reliable service from our team, who promise to keep your personal information confidential. Read what our clients are saying about us.

I love what I do and my business thrives on referrals. Please keep me in mind if you should hear of friends, family or colleagues who could benefit from my organizational expertise or who would like to take their productivity to a whole new level. I'm never too busy to help them get organized. Thanks!

Pierrette Ashcroft

Follow Us

September 2010

GETTING RID OF CLUTTER

Here Are Some Ideas to Get You Started

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Clutter is often caused by indecision. You'll determine an item's fate later, right? Things pile up over time and quickly result in a clutter-filled space.

Go through your home with an eye to remove things you don't need or use - the results will free up valuable space.

Recycle magazines that are older than 3 months. If you haven't read them in that amount of time you are not going to read them in the next 3.

Throw away the things that you meant to trash - especially anything that is broken. This is a no brainer.

Give away gifts that you received but don't like - someone will appreciate them.

Trash anything that has expired - check your pantry, refrigerator and medicine cabinet.

Donate clothing that doesn't fit or you haven't worn in a year. Make room in your closet for what you wear now.

Purge the contents of the mystery box that you have not opened in a year or more. Anything that sat in an unopened box for that long wasn't missed or needed.

Pass along things that you bought because they were on sale and you thought you would use but haven't.

In the future, stop the clutter from building up in the first place. When you are shopping ask yourself, "where am I going to put this?" If you don't have an answer don't buy it.

Share this newsletter with friends and family who will find it useful.

ON THE SMALL SCREEN

Pierrette's Appearance on Let's Talk Live

The call from a producer at News Channel 8 came from out of he blue. She saw my website and was asking me to make my live tv debut in a day and a half.

Wow, what an opportunity. There was just enough time to send them before-and-after photos, gather some organizing props and of course buy a new dress - no time to get nervous.

I arrived at the tv station with 6 large bags of containers, hangers and hooks. If you watch carefully you can see my raisins in the handled basket.

The hosts of Let's Talk Live, Natasha Barrett and Melanie Hastings immediately put me at ease and asked great questions to engage me which made the time fly by - again no time to be nervous.

I was expecting a 5 minute interview. It lasted 8 and a half but felt like two. Before I knew it I was driving home and putting the baskets, totes and hangers back in my closets and cabinets.

Watch the video here.

GREEN ORGANIZING

Has Benefits For You As Well As The Planet

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You have heard it before, reduce, recycle, reuse. Besides the environmental benefits it can help limit your clutter.

Reducing your consumption will have the strongest impact. How many times have you bought duplicate items because you couldn't find what you needed or didn't know what you already had?

Before you make a purchase ask yourself where you will keep it and do you already have something similar. Change your mindset to make purchases to satisfy a need rather than a want.

Consider borrowing a book from the library instead of buying or using Netflix or an electronic download rather than adding another DVD to the pile. Borrow a tool from a friend or neighbor as opposed to cluttering your garage.

Reuse what you already have. When you decide to tackle an organizing project it is easy to be tempted by the variety of pretty containers. First know what you need to store then reuse what you already have before heading to the store.

You may not have a use for an item but someone else may. Donate what is taking valuable space to a local charity or give it away on Freecycle.

Paper is a big cause of clutter but is easy to recycle. Get in the habit of opening your mail over the recycle bin. Remember to shred anything with personal information. On a regular basis gather newspapers, catalogs and old magazines.

Going green is more than just a growing trend, it will save you time and money as well as help the planet.

ORGANIZING SOLUTION

Managing Your Home Maintenance The Easy Way

Challenge:

With your busy life it is hard to manage maintenance and improvement projects for your home and it can be difficult to find reliable service professionals.

Solution:

Join Homeplexity a free social network that focuses on services for homeowners.

… Find professionals by reading their profiles and hearing what other members say about their service.
… Watch informative videos featuring professional service providers to get an introduction before having to commit to a meeting or to a contract.
… Connect with other members, professionals and experts on discussion boards. Get answers to your questions, opinions about service providers from those who have used them and share your experiences.
… Ask experts and coaches about financial planning, credit management, insurance, property tax, home organizing, and home improvement. They can guide you through what you need to know and do.
… Attend informative webinars hosted by professionals and experts in their field.
… Find deals and discounts on local products and services.
… Use the project board tool as a simple and easy way to management your projects and to-dos.
… No membership fees.

Result:

Signing up for Homeplexity will help you take care of your home and family by connecting you to professional service providers and by giving you tools and opportunities to meet your maintenance, improvement and lifestyle needs.

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