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Happy
Holidays
from
Get It Together LA!
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Keep
Gifts from Becoming Clutter
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In
a recently radio interview, Mary Hunt of
CheapSkateMonthly.com
gave
some great ideas on the topic of
regifting. It can be done properly if we
just take the following
precautions.
- Be
sure the item and box is in good
condition.
- Don't
just give something away to get rid of
it, but be sure the gift will be
wanted.
- Keep
records of who gave gifts you, then be
sure not to regift within the same
circle of friends.
Gifts
are given to bring joy, not curse you for
life if they are not kept. Be appreciate
and thank the giver. Then if you can't
return unwanted gifts, plan ahead to make
sure they do not become tomorrow's
clutter.
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Set
Goals In 2006
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Organizers
love lists. Referencing a list is the only
way to be sure something has not been
overlooked. The same is true with goals.
Are you a goal setter? Do you write down
your goals and keep them at your desk for
reference?
Be
realistic with each target, yet reach for
a higher plateau without setting yourself
up for failure. Goals do not have to be
business related. You may want to spend
more time with family, travel, or learn to
cook.
Even
if you do not reach your goal, you are
sure to climb higher than you thought
possible. Here's to your successful and
fulfilling 2006!
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Donate
Unused Items for the New Year
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Many
years ago, it was a New Year's Eve custom
to open the front door at midnight to let
the old air out and allow in the fresh,
new air. This is a good practice to
continue with old, unwanted items in our
home during the holiday season.
Make
a quick walk through your home collecting
the "clutter" of the past year. This
will:
- give
space for the new gifts you have
received.
- be
tax deductible for 2005.
- allow
others to benefit from your
generosity.
A
list of charities is available to the
right. Make the year-end purge a new
holiday tradition for your
family.
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Discard
Your Unused Holiday Decorations
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As
you put away your Christmas decorations,
notice what was not used this year. For
that matter, there may be items you have
not used in decades. Take a few minutes to
purge those items so there is plenty of
room for the heirlooms that are
important.
Last
year, Chris McKenry was featured on
KABC-7
and gave the following organizing
tips on
packing away decorations:
- Take
Polaroid pictures before decorations
come down.
- Remove
hooks to protect ornaments.
- Use
acid-free tissue for wrapping
decorations.
- Wrap
tree lights around rolled up
newspaper.
- Place
decorations in new, uniform size
containers.
- Place
photos and new ornament hooks in
containers for next year's
use.
- Label
containers with contents.
- Keep
only what you love.
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Speaking
Engagements During
Get Organized Month
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Hear
Chris McKenry's Organizing
Principles for a Successful Year
at the National
Latina Business Women's Association
meeting
on January 19, 2006. The meeting will
begin at 8 am at Tamayo's Restaurant -
5300 E. Olympic Blvd. E., Los
Angeles.
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Get
It Together LA! is a member of:
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National
Association of Professional Organizers
West Hollywood Chamber of
Commerce
Chris
McKenry is President of the Los Angeles
Chapter of the National Association of
Professional Organizers
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Get
It Together LA! Custom Systems
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...will
add style to your
files!
Space
Designer and Professional
Organizer Chris McKenry provides
the ultimate in both style and
function for your
office.
Get
It Together
LA!
is your organizing and design
resource.
Call 323-525-0678
today.
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Moving?
Let Us Get It Together For YOU!
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The Next Time You Move, Come
Home To Perfection
Our
professionals will schedule all
related needs of the move, make
any necessary purchases, then
unpack, and organize your
home.
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Garage
Tips from Barry Izsak
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Here
are some great tips from Barry Izsak,
author of Organize Your Garage in No
Time that will make the task much
easier:
- Think
of your garage like a mini-hardware
store. Divide it into various storage
areas: tools/workbench items, painting
supplies, sports equipment, gardening
supplies, emergency equipment, holiday
decorations, etc.
- Get
things up off the floor as much as
possible...to avoid water damage and
make the garage less
congested.
- Look
up to find more space. Overhead rafters
can hold large bulky items.
- There
are many things which you already have
that can be utilized as storage
containers in your garage such as clear
containers, kitchen Tupperware
discards, leftover plastic shoe boxes,
trash cans, recycled copy paper boxes
with removable lids for archival
records. Be sure to label all storage
containers, especially those which you
can’t see through
- Keep
your garage safe and use locking
cabinets to store paint, chemicals,
caulk, lawn and garden supplies and
other toxic products and
chemicals.
- If
you have an extra refrigerator in the
garage that is only needed for holidays
or when you have company, turn it off
and store extra paper supplies, bags,
and other things which are easy to
remove when you are ready to use
it.
- Recycling/trash
containers should be stored near the
door from the house into the garage to
make this most convenient.
Looking
for a last-minute holiday gift or want to
start your new year off right by getting
your garage organized once and for all?
Organize Your Garage in No Time
(Que Publishing) will help you do just
that and more! You can buy this book at
Barnes & Noble, order it on Amazon or
go to www.Organize-Everything.com
and save 10% on the book and any other
organizing products that you purchase by
using the checkout code:
BARRYSBOOK.
Barry
Izsak is the President of the National
Association of Professional Organizers and
owner of Arranging
It All
in
Austin, Texas.
Donation
Resources
Out
of the
Closet
800-558-8220
benefits AIDS Healthcare Foundation
National
Council of Jewish
Women
800-400-6259
benefits women's services organization
Goodwill
Industries
323-223-1211
benefits people with disabilities or
vocational disadvantages
Salvation
Army
800-728-7825
benefits adult rehabilitation
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