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Client Praises

Elizabeth, you have made order out of my chaos! I am so grateful for your help, which was professional and yet friendly. Thanks a million!

— Mary, Sioux Falls, SD


Elizabeth does not make you feel bad for some of the junk/garbage/treasures that you have accumulated, and are hanging on to for some crazy reason!

— Julie, Sioux Falls, SD

 

 

The Organized Times

 In This Issue:

March 2004  

 • Greetings from Elizabeth

 •

Quick Organizing Tip

Discover Hidden Profits in "Spare Change" Time by Jim Edwards  • Speaking Schedule
 • Finally Organized Finally Free    • Start Taming the Paper Tiger!

Greetings from Elizabeth


We've had some beautiful weather here in South Dakota this April but snow is forecasted for this Easter weekend! Such is life in the
midwest. It's exciting to see flowers start to pop up and kids playing outside in the neighborhood. Many of you may be starting to
think about spring cleaning and I would encourage you to think 'Spring Organize' instead! Organizing means to really take
everything out of the closet, cupboard, or drawer and sort through and get rid of what you don't need. And it's amazing how little we
really need. Have a garage sale or bring your items to your favorite charity so others can use what you don't need. You'll love
the feeling!

I will be attending the National Association of Professional Organizers' (NAPO) annual convention in Chicago the end of April. This is a time for me to catch up with friends and learn new ways to help you make your life easier! Some of the workshops I'll be
attending are on corporate relocation, organizing a family, wardrobe organizing and various business worskhops. I look forward to
sharing with you what I learn.

Great ideas to do in April:

  • Schedule your annual physical
  • Test smoke alarms
  • Clean your gutters
  • Wash and paint or stain wood deck
  • Check, clean barbeque equipment
  • Pick a weekend to spring clean as a family
  • If you have a friend who would like getting monthly tips, please
    forward this newsletter. If you'd like to unsubscribe, follow the
    instructions at the end of the newsletter.

    Have a great Spring!

    It's great to be organized!

     

    Discover Hidden Profits in "Spare Change" Time by Jim Edwards


    Fact: Take the spare change out of your pocket every night and put it in a child's piggy bank. At the end of a year you will have at least a hundred dollars to spend as you wish.

    Now take this same principle and discover the huge payoff in the "spare change" time you've been wasting all these years.

    How often do you sit in front of your computer and wait?

    Everyone waits for the computer to reboot, restart, unlock, "scandisk", "defrag", finish printing, download a file from the Internet or generally accomplish tasks that have you sitting twiddling your thumbs for at least 60 to 90 seconds or more.

    The shocking truth is that those one, two and three minute nuggets of time contain the seeds for accomplishing all the tasks you never seem to have enough minutes in the day to finish.

    Computers represent a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they are supposed to save us time by efficiently helping us with big tasks such as balancing our checkbooks, running our businesses, and doing our taxes.

    In reality, it seems the time computers save you gets sucked right back up in time-consuming tasks such as installing software, scanning for viruses and waiting for the computer to restart!

    Think about the spare change in the piggy bank example. Now use that same principle to your advantage by developing an awareness of how you spend your "pocket change" time in front of the computer every day.

    Small bits of wasted time add up quickly over the course of a day, week, year - all of it in 2 to 3 minute increments. Fifteen wasted minutes a day equals well over 1 ½ productive weeks wasted per year!

    Take this "one-day challenge".

    Today, try these alternatives to sitting and watching the "hourglass" on your monitor while waiting for your computer to finish a task!

    ~ Organize your desk
    ~ Sharpen your pencils
    ~ Make a quick phone call
    ~ Check your "to-do" list; if you don't have a "to-do" list make one
    ~ Write a fast note to a friend
    ~ Put in a load of laundry
    ~ Go to the bathroom
    ~ Get another cup of coffee
    ~ Pay a bill
    ~ Catch up your checkbook entries
    ~ Pick up your office
    ~ Brainstorm an idea
    ~ Stand up and stretch
    ~ Day-dream for about a happy thought for 90 seconds!

    Carefully watch how much time you spend in front of the computer waiting for it to do something and then see how many things you can accomplish with that time.

    Nothing could reward you more than developing a consciousness about how you spend those spare moments that add up to enough time to write a book, take a trip with your family or take positive actions that will change your life forever.

    Use your "spare change" time to accomplish the things you claim you never find time to finish!

    --
    Jim Edwards, co-author of "The Lazy Man's Guide to Online Business", will teach you How to Work Less, get Paid More and have tons more FUN doing business online! Proven tips, tricks, and strategies of Superstar "Lazy Achievers"!

    The Lazy Man's Guide to Online Business

     

    Finally Organized Finally Free
         


    I am always looking for great organizing books and there are a lot out there! One of my favorites for lots and lots of tips is 'Finally Organized Finally Free' by Maria Gracia. This book has 60 chapters on every possible part of your life that could use some organizing! She gives home filing system categories, lists, travel tips, how to handle interruptions, and tips on staying organized among hundreds of others. You can order it today and read it today since it comes as a downloadable PDF file.

    Order at
    Finally Organized Finally Free

     
         
    Quick Organizing Tip
         
    It's Spring which means it's baseball and soccer season among everything else and you've probably been collecting team rosters, schedules, etc. Get a 3-ring binder and label it 'Family Notebook'. Get tabbed dividers and label for each family member, school, church, etc. When you get information that you want to refer to easily - 3-hole punch the paper and put behind the appropriate label. When the season/event is over shred the old papers and keep up with inserting new information that you need at your finger tips.

    Family Notebook/Householdforms kit

         
     Speaking Schedule
         

    Attention Event Planners, Human Resource Directors and leaders of Christian Women's Groups:

    If your group can benefit from learning easy and practical organizing skills in a creative setting, please contact me today. I'll customize one of my presentations just for you so that your members will have more time, less stress, and a better quality of life! Email me at elizabeth@elizabethhagen.com or call 605.357.8767.

    SME Women in Business Trade Fair
    I'll have a booth at this event.
    Ramkota Inn - Rushmore Room, Sioux Falls, SD
    April 13 - 1:00 - 8:00 pm

    Conquer the Chaos of Clutter
    Sioux Valley Hospital Same Day Surgery, Sioux Falls, SD
    April 19

    Personality Puzzle
    Good News Reformed Church, Sioux Falls, SD
    April 20

    Conquer the Chaos of Clutter
    Homeschool Association
    Cherry Creek Grill, Sioux Falls, SD
    May 3

    Conquer the Chaos of Clutter
    Lutheran Social Services New Homeowner's Series
    Sioux Falls, SD
    May 5 - noon
    May 6 - 7:00 pm

    Conquer the Chaos of Clutter
    Good News Church, Spencer, IA
    May 8 - noon
    Workshops

    Workshops

     

     
         
    Start Taming the Paper Tiger!
         

    If you're having trouble managing your desk, you're not alone!
    Research shows the average person:

    *Wastes 150 hours/year looking for misplaced information

    *Has 37 hours of unfinished work on his/her desk at any one time

    *Uses less than 20% of what they keep

    With the Paper Tiger software you can find anything you file or
    store in 5 seconds or less. This software is a great tool to finally
    give you a filing system that works for you. Also works well for
    organizing videos, books, collections, etc. It is designed to help
    you be more effective.

    The software is easy to learn and easy to use. The product can be
    learned in less than one hour. The Paper Tiger is a complete kit
    including the software, multimedia tutorial, pre-printed labels and
    Online User's Guide - everything you need to solve your paper
    problems once and for all!

    Paper Tiger Introduction

    Paper Tiger Tutorial

      Start Taming the Paper Tiger!