FREE Shred Day!

Free Shred Day

at River Valley Paper Company, Akron, OH

Free document shredding every Saturday 8am - 12pm! 131 N. Summit Street (driveway next to The Ice House). Paper recycling, confidential shredding, no limit! Please remove & reuse: Binder clips, rubber bands, binders, paperclips, report covers & hanging files. Staples are OK!

5-Minute Stress Relievers - Spiritual Refocusing

Ok - I'm stressed. As you may know, my husband and I are Shelter Care relief house parents for our two houses of teenage girls. That means each house of girls comes to our house for eight days a month to give their regular house parents a break. And I run my businesses in the spare moments.

One set of house parents quit abruptly yesterday, so we now have their girls permanently until we hire a new set of house parents. And tomorrow the other house is joining this house during their regular time of relief. One girl is going to college, but that still leaves five teenage girls in our home.

I had had some major business goals I wanted to accomplish during our time-off-that-is-no-longer-happening, and we were looking forward to just having time to ourselves.

When I'm stressed, I like to get a spiritual perspective - remind myself that I'm not in control of the universe or even my universe. I believe that God is in control, has a reason for everything, loves me, and will provide all I need. This helps me rely on Him and not feel so overwhelmed. If this is something that resonates with you, here are some other ways to gain a spiritual perspective to combat overwhelm:

• Meditate on a verse.
• Pray.
• Write a thank-you note to God - for who He is, for your blessings, etc.
• Read a Psalm and pray it back to God.
• Enjoy nature and the God who made it.
• Journal to God.
• Picture putting your concerns in a box and putting it in the lap of God.
• Say the Serenity Prayer.
• Picture yourself sitting on God's lap and enjoying His protection and care.
• Keep a thankful journal.
• Sing, play, or listen to music that gives you hope and peace.
• Pray with a friend.

I can't imagine how stressful and hopeless life would be without this spiritual compass!

More on stress relievers:
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Being Generous
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Physical Activity
Five Health Benefits of Laughter

What do you do to relieve stress? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.

The Effects of Disorganization at the Office

I came across this article by Denise Landers of ProductivityToday.com and thought you might enjoy it. It details the impact of disorganized workers:

"Disorganization is a major cause of job dissatisfaction.

If the disorganization is your own, then you can choose to make changes. However, whether you are the disorganized one or the organized one working with a disorganized colleague, that lack of organization has an impact on you.

Who does the disorganized person interrupt when they need something? Who do they count on to have a copy of the contract or to know what time the meeting begins? For every interruption that the more organized person has to field, it can take 20 minutes or more to get back into the flow of the work again.

Who gets more stressed during the work day? What are the typical characteristics of the stressed person–irritability, anger, negativity? Have you ever had to “tiptoe” around someone, wondering what mood they are in today? It does not lead to a comfortable working environment.

Who would your customers prefer to deal with? Negativity and irritability do not usually equate with great customer service. It either affects the bottom line or piles more work on the organized individual whose help is preferred.

Who misses more days of work? Stress leads to absenteeism and illness. Who gets to cover for the stressed, disorganized person when they do not show up for work? And of course it is also harder to cover for the individual whose work is scattered everywhere and who has not set priorities before leaving the previous night.

When you are organized and in control, your attitude is more likely to be positive. 9 out of 10 people say they are more productive when they are around positive people (Gallup, 2004). Wouldn’t it be a great day if you only had to deal with positive people?"

Comments? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog post.


Similar topics:
10 Ways to Double Your Time
Get Organized Month 2009 - Rethink Your Desk
How Efficient is Multitasking?

If you need help with organization at the office, consider Three Steps to Organizing Your Office or Three Steps to Time Management at the Office.

Getting Organized for School - Learning Styles

I was really looking forward to having this week off to work on some high-priority goals for my business. However, some things came up that changed our time off, and we're having to be flexible. Isn't that so part of parenting - putting the needs of our kids first? I'll work on my goals, but in bits and pieces rather than in a concentrated time.

Speaking of meeting the needs of our children, knowing your child's learning style is so important! As you may know, I'm passionate about being a student of my children so I can create an atmosphere for them to succeed. I posted the following blog last year, but feel it's worth repeating ...

Getting Organized for School - Learning Styles

One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is understanding her learning style. This greatly increased my ability to help my children learn - knowing whether she was an auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learner. I didn't force my learning style on her.

Cynthia Tobias has written several books on learning styles and learning in general. I'll recommend two that I found very enlightening: The Way They Learn and Every Child Can Succeed: Making the Most of Your Child's Learning Style. She gives numerous ideas for implementing each type of learning style.

As you talk these concepts over with your child, knowing his learning style gives your child confidence, the ability to adapt his learning accordingly, and the freedom from comparison. You may find it helpful to discuss this information with your child's teacher, especially if he is a kinesthetic learner and must be moving in order to learn.

What have you done to help your child learn? What books do you recommend? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.


Related Posts:
Getting Organized for School - Determining the Legacy You Want to Leave
Getting Organized for School - Family Calendar
Getting Organized for School (and life!) - Getting Enough Sleep

Creating Routines and Systems

Routines and systems promote consistency, efficiency, and focus. For example, if you start each work day with a routine that includes your most important and urgent priorities, you will start the day with clarity and direction. If not, it may take a while to get down to work because you don’t know where to start.

When you document the steps in your routine or system, it allows you to evaluate your efficiency and fine-tune your process. This also allows you to delegate effectively because your system is repeatable and transferrable.

Routines promote peace and security, whether at work or at home. When everyone knows what to expect, it provides a sense of well-being. If activities and schedules are erratic and unpredictable, there is a higher sense of stress because of the unknown.

For example, when a child has a nightly bedtime routine, it becomes familiar and prepares him for bedtime. It is known and expected - he knows that after he takes a bath, brushes his teeth, has a story and cuddle time, it’s time to go to bed. Consistency is comforting.

You may need to create several routines or systems. I have one for those high-priority activities I do at the beginning of each day. I’ve determined which is most important to accomplish and in what order. I also have a routine for the week - certain things I do on Monday, others I do on Tuesday, etc. I transferred this list to my calendar in order to keep them in front of me.

You may have several areas where a routine or system might improve your efficiency.
The following steps can help you create productive systems:

1. List areas in your work life and home life that can be enhanced by creating intentional routines or systems.

2. Write down the steps for each routine.

3. Evaluate each system for efficiency.

4. If appropriate, delegate the system.

By creating systems, your routine becomes habit, resulting in consistency, efficiency and a sense of well-being.

How have systems or routines enhanced your life? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.


More on systems and routines:
Getting Organized for School - A Successful Day Starts the Night Before
Why Throw Shallow New Years' Resolutions at Yourself When You Really Need to Rethink Life?
Schedule Daily Clean Up Times

1-2-3...Get Organized series was written to help you determine your priorities and manage your time and space effectively.

Organizing Your Dorm Room

Lately I’ve been hearing about spacious and luxurious dorm rooms - how nice if you're lucky enough to have one! But this is the exception rather than the rule. Dorm rooms are notoriously small and cramped. So it is essential that you use your space extremely well in order to function at your peak in college.

If you have the chance after you have gotten your room assignment, measure your room, noting where built-ins, plugs, sinks, windows, doors (and which way they open) and other non-movable items are located. There's usually not much room for additional items, but your measurements allow you to purchase additional storage, for example, with accuracy.

One of the keys in organizing a dorm room is using the vertical space. Many schools have a loft option for the beds, which allows you to utilize the space below the bed efficiently. Adding additional storage options in this area or purchasing tall storage units will maximize your vertical space. Adhesive hooks also add storage for hats, keys, and other such items without using premium storage real estate.

Utilize hanging storage units in your closet, on the back of the door, etc. Don't forget those spaces at the bottom of your closet and under your bed (if you don't choose the loft option) for extra storage containers, drawers or cubbies. All these cute storage options multiply your storage capacity while using normally non-usable space.

Be realistic about the space you have! Only bring to school that which can fit in your dorm room. A sure-fire way to guarantee a mess is not having a home for everything. If you will be traveling back home before winter sets in, only bring summer and fall clothing with a few transitional items. Swap out seasonal items each time you go home.

There's nothing that gets out of hand quicker than paper! Have a place for files and paperwork, whether it's in a desk file drawer, hanging files in a crate, or a rolling file unit. This eliminates lost papers and wasted time looking for them. Don't forget to use your wall space for bulletin boards and message boards - another great way to coral paper, important messages and reminders.

Make use of small containers with lids for school supplies, food, and toiletries. Crates turned on their sides make great stackable shelves. Rolling drawer units are space-conscious, as well.

Figure out a few minutes each day or each week to declutter, and your room will be a cozy haven! Declutter while you're on the phone, watching a movie, or talking with your roommate, and you'll be doubling your time.

Speaking of doubling your time, to get the most out of college check out Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student.

More on college:
Packing for College, Round 1
Organizing for College - Guest Blogger Sarah Scrafford
Organizing For College - Dorm Room


Comments? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.

5-Minute Stress Relievers - Relaxation

Yesterday we took our foster daughters to a water park. It wasn't your typical water park - it was very family friendly with picnic tables and chairs, lots of grass and trees, and a variety of fun activities included in the ticket price . It was relaxing - beautiful views, pleasant music, very little cement.

As you may know, my skin cancer issues normally keep me out of the sun. So I parked myself under a tree as the "keeper of the stuff." I almost always bring things to do because I start to twitch (not literally!) when I have nothing to do. I made a few phone calls and looked over some stuff, but I deliberately chose to relax, too.

My body was giving me indications that I needed to relax - I didn't really want to be very productive, I was tired, and I didn't mind just sitting and watching people and the scenery. So I listened to my body.

We may not always have the opportunity to get away for a day when we are stressed. But we can take a few moments to be refreshed by intentional relaxing, whether at home or at work. If you are at work, turn off your light and put a sign on your door: "I'll be back in 5 minutes." Then go back inside your office and take five. If you are in a cubicle or open office, you'll have to get a little more creative. :)

Here are a few ideas:

• Close your eyes and picture your favorite nature scene - mountains, the beach, flowers, a sunset, etc.
  
• Sit in a swing or rocking chair and let your mind wander.
• Close your eyes and listen to a CD of nature sounds.
• Breathe slowly and deeply.
• Go outside and enjoy nature.
• Star-gaze.
• Go into a dark room, put your feet up, close your eyes and enjoy the quiet.
• Lie on your back in the grass and watch the clouds.
• Make yourself a cup of tea or hot chocolate and sip slowly.
• Remember pleasant times or places in your life.
• Look at an old photo album.
• Put cucumber slices on your eyes.
• Lie on the floor and put your legs up.
• Listen to, play or sing a favorite song or piece of music.
• Force yourself to do nothing.

Make it a goal to intentionally relax two or three times a day. Even though it doesn't seem like much, you are relieving stress!

What do you do to relax? Subcribers click here to comment on the original blog.


More Stress Relievers:
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Physical Activity
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Organizing and Cleaning
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Being Generous

Driving - Not a Time to Multi-Task

Laws against texting while driving are becoming popular in several states as well as laws against using cell phones at all while driving. We've all seen drivers on their cell phones sitting at green lights, weaving into other lanes, texting while driving with their knees, trying to turn with one hand, and worse.

We need to use our time efficiently, but let's draw the line at using cell phones while driving. Have you ever wondered why you can have a conversation with someone in the car but lose your edge when you pick up your cell phone? Why is talking on the phone so distracting? According to a study comparing these two types of conversations by the American Psychological Association,

"The results indicate that passenger conversations differ from cell phone conversations because the surrounding traffic not only becomes a topic of the conversation, helping driver and passenger to share situation awareness, but the driving condition also has a direct influence on the complexity of the conversation...."

Other studies show that it's not only talking or texting on your cell phone that is the problem. It's any type of distraction, including eating, putting on make-up, reaching for something - anything that takes your eyes off the road, according the the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

So why is it so hard for us to multi-task? According to National Public Radio, "Neuroscience studies using brain scans have shown that the brain struggles with paying attention to sights and sounds simultaneously. When the brain starts working on a visual task, its auditory parts show decreased activity, and vice versa. In fact, driver inattention is involved in about 80 percent of crashes, according to a 2006 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study found the most common distraction for drivers was use of cell phones — with the number of crashes attributable to dialing nearly identical to the number associated with talking or listening."

Our brains are just not equipped to multi-task according to Carnegie Mellon neuroscientist Marcel Lust, as referenced in an article in Gizmos for Geeks. "More research into this contentious area has shown that our brains simply aren’t built for multitasking, yet alone performing other tasks while driving. Research done by neuroscientist Marcel Just of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and his colleagues shows that using part of your brain for language processing reduces activity in the spatial regions used for driving. Since driving is the less-ingrained task, then that’s going to take even more of a hit. But the reduction in ability isn’t limited to when you talk on the phone or with someone else in the car, but other things like attending to the radio, eating or dealing with kids or pets."

To sum up: Our brains don't multi-task well, especially when driving. Taking our eyes off the road greatly increases our chances of crashing. And cell phones are the most common causes of distractions. Need I say more?

Comments? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.


More on efficient driving:
Using Your Drive Time Efficiently
Sleep is Non-negotiable!
10 Ways to Double Your Time

Getting Organized for School (and life!) - Getting Enough Sleep

How was your weekend? Ours was a series of surprises - events we planned to attend turned out to be far different than we expected or canceled due to rain. But our foster daughters were wonderfully flexible and we figured out how to turn it into fun.

In our attempt to get organized before school starts, I'm reposting an article on sleep - one of my all-time non-negotiables. It's impossible to function well without enough sleep ...


One of the nicest gifts you can give to your child is a good night's sleep. My goal as a mom has been to provide an atmosphere of success - creating an atmosphere where my child can succeed.

In order to do this, I must make sure that I have some routines and personal discipline in place so that my home runs smoothly and my child's needs are met. If I am living in chaos, most likely my child will not have a peaceful atmosphere in which to grow, not to mention having food to eat when hungry, clean clothes, and enough sleep to function effectively.

One of my hot buttons is getting enough sleep - for myself and for my children. Neither of us can do well if we are sleep deprived - we're grouchy, slow to respond, and easily stressed.

I came across an article that details what sleep does for us - makes us better athletes and better drivers, helps us grow, reduces stress, helps us learn and remember, and gives us a positive attitude. Several of these have direct impact on school for our children. Click the link above to read the entire article - important information every parent should know.

Summertime usually means a more relaxed schedule and later bedtimes. Begin now to gradually move bedtime to the time that insures your child gets enough sleep each night. If you sense your child is sleep deprived, make it less gradual - you want your child to start school fresh and invigorated! A good indication that your child (or you) is sleep deprived is that he falls asleep when sitting.

In the meantime, observe your child - how much sleep does she need? A good way to tell is to allow your child to wake up naturally for several days. Observe yourself while you're at it, and figure out what time you need to go to bed in order to get enough sleep. It's worth it, but hard to do.

Even if you don't have school-age children, giving your child enough sleep every night creates an atmosphere where he can succeed and function at his peak. And make sure you get enough sleep yourself - you'll be such a better parent and a much better you!

If you need help making this happen, check out one of our time management books on our website.

Comments? Subscribers, click here to comment on the original blog.

More on sleep:
9 Ways to Enhance Your Health by Being Organized
Insuring Peak Performance: Sleep 101
Sleep is Non-negotiable!
Getting a Good Night's Sleep Despite Daylight Savings

Delegation - A Key Ingredient for Efficiency

"It's just easier to do it myself!" you may think at times. In the short run, yes. But in the long run, no. It does take time to teach someone else to do the task at hand. But when you do take the time, you are multiplying yourself - whether at work, at home, or in other arenas.

For example, if you're the only one at work who knows how to do a certain task, you may be interrupted from doing something much more important and urgent when someone else needs this task done. To that person, it might be urgent and important, but to you it may not be.

Are you guilty of feeling that you must be indispensable in order to keep your job? Your thinking may be, "If no one else knows how to do this, I can't lose my job." Not true, especially in these days and times.

Have you become possessive of your areas of expertise? Or do you think that no one else can do it as well? This line of thinking, however, leads to being overworked or inefficiency because you have to do it all!

If it would beneficial for others in the organization to know how to do this task, it would be a disservice not to teach them this skill. By building in check points as you delegate, your desire for quality will be satisfied.

The same concept works at home, as well. I am often tempted to put away the jam myself or wash someone's dish and put it in the dishwasher. There are times when I do these things, but if I do them on a consistent basis, I'm training my family to leave all the work to me. And then I feel taken for granted and angry. Not a nice way to live! I've learned to give gentle reminders and occasionally reiterate what level of cleanliness I expect.

It's also important to train our children in life skills in order to become independent one day. Even though it may not as convenient or as well done as when we do it, it's necessary for their growth. It would not be fair to them if they don't know how to do their own laundry, have some basic cooking skills, etc., when they leave home. The task may not be done exactly the way we would have done it, but it also leaves the possibility for the task to be done better or in a more creative way.

Delegating has a place in other arenas, as well. For several years, I organized the annual women's retreat for our church. At some point, I realized I needed to make the various functions transferrable. I asked our retreat committee to write up job descriptions for their various functions. Even though I could have written the job descriptions myself, I chose to delegate it, lightening my load considerably.

After writing my own job description and collecting the others, I put all the information into a three ring binder. As it turned out, we moved rather suddenly and I was able to pass on this notebook to someone else, so no one had to re-invent the wheel and the retreat continued seamlessly.

Delegating is hard to do at times, but it pays off if done well. It allows us to spend time on our priority tasks, to develop leadership in others and it keeps us from over-responsibility. Take some time to ask yourself, "Can someone else do this?"

What are you struggling to delegate? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.

More on delegation:
Increasing Efficiency
Reduce Your Stress by Organizing
A Dozen Ways to Take the Stress out of Big Projects

Free Shredding every Saturday, Akron, Ohio

Free Shredding!

Free document shredding every Saturday 8am - 12pm! 131 N. Summit Street, River Valley Paper Company (driveway next to The Ice House). Paper recycling, confidential shredding, no limit! Please remove & reuse: Binder clips, rubber bands, binders, paperclips, report covers & hanging files. Staples are OK.

Bottled Water - Worth the Convenience?

I've been grappling with the whole bottled water issue, but this article convinced me to do something about it. I'll tell you my conclusions at the end of the article.

"Imagine you’ve just been given a choice: You have to drink from one of two containers. One container is a cup from your own kitchen, and it contains a product that has passed strict state, federal and local guidelines for cleanliness and quality. Oh, and it’s free.

The second container comes from a manufacturing plant somewhere, and its contents—while seemingly identical to your first choice—have not been subjected to the same strict national and local standards. It costs approximately four times more than gasoline. These products both look and taste nearly identical.

Which do you choose?

If you chose beverage A, congratulations: You just saved yourself a whole lot of money, and, perhaps, even contaminants, too. But if you picked beverage B, then you’ll be spending hundreds of unnecessary dollars on bottled water this year.

Sure, bottled water is convenient, trendy, and may well be just as pure as what comes out of your tap. But it’s hardly a smart investment for your pocketbook, your body or our planet. Eat This, Not That! decided to take a closer look at what’s behind the pristine images and elegant-sounding names printed on those bottles.

You may actually be drinking tap water.

Case in point: Dasani, a Coca-Cola product. Despite its exotic-sounding name, Dasani is simply purified tap water that’s had minerals added back in. For example, if your Dasani water was bottled at the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Philadelphia, you’re drinking Philly tap water. But it’s not the only brand of water that relies on city pipes to provide its product. About 25 percent of all bottled water is taken from municipal water sources, including Pepsi’s Aquafina.

Bottled water isn’t always pure.

Scan the labels of the leading brands and you see variations on the words “pure” and “natural” and “pristine” over and over again. And when a Cornell University marketing class studied consumer perceptions of bottled water, they found that people thought it was cleaner, with less bacteria.

But that may not actually be true. For example, in a 4-year review that included the testing of 1,000 bottles of water, the Natural Resources Defense Council—one the country’s most ardent environmental crusaders—found that “about 22 percent of the brands we tested contained, in at least one sample, chemical contaminants at levels above strict state health limits.”

It’s not clear where the plastic container ends and the drink begins.

Turns out, when certain plastics are heated at a high temperature, chemicals from the plastics may leach into container’s contents. So there’s been a flurry of speculation recently as to whether the amounts of these chemicals are actually harmful, and whether this is even a concern when it comes to water bottles—which aren’t likely to be placed in boiling water or even a microwave.

While the jury is still out on realistic health ramifications, it seems that, yes, small amounts of chemicals from PET water bottles such as antimony—a semi-metal that’s thought to be toxic in large doses—can accumulate the longer bottled water is stored in a hot environment. Which, of course, is probably a good reason to avoid storing bottled water in your garage for six months—or better yet, to just reach for tap instead.

Our country’s high demand for oil isn’t just due to long commutes.

Most water bottles are composed of a plastic called polyethylene terepthalate (PET). Now, to make PET, you need crude oil. Specifically, 17 million barrels of oil are used in the production of PET water bottles ever year, estimate University of Louisville scientists. No wonder the per ounce cost of bottled water rivals that of gasoline.

What’s more, 86 percent of 30 billion PET water bottles sold annually are tossed in the trash, instead of being recycled, according to data from the Container Recycling Institute. That’s a lot of waste—waste that will outlive you, your children, and your children’s children. You see, PET bottles take 400 to 1000 years to degrade. Which begs the question: If our current rate of consumption continues, where will we put all of this discarded plastic?"


What action have I taken? I went to Dick's Sporting Goods and bought enough water bottles for us and the girls. I bought wide-mouthed bottled by Nalgene in different colors for $10 each. A wide mouth allows us to put ice in the bottles. The bottles we found were available in various colors, so everyone knows which bottle is theirs.
When we go on outings, we'll each take a water bottle instead of bottled water. And since the bottles are different colors, they won't get mixed up. I've decided, however, that I won't let the girls take them to school or elsewhere other than when we go out together. At $10 apiece I don't want to be replacing these bottles every week!

What's your opinion? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.

Similar topics:
Decluttering Plastics - Which Ones are Safe?
A Refresher on Recycling Plastics
More Eco-Friendly Recycling

Getting Organized for School - Determining the Legacy You Want to Leave

I'm repeating this post from last year. It is so essential as a parent to have clarity of focus and priorities. Otherwise my life and my children's lives can become chaotic and frantic. I want to be intentional about what and whom I invest in - the legacy I pass on to future generations.

Life is busy! If I know what is important to me, I know how to use my time. I can also evaluate requests by others for my involvement or time.

A couple of times a year I try to sit down to think through what priorities and passions will guide my time. I also look at my giftedness to make sure I'm spending time using my gifts. In light of these areas, I look at the legacy I want to leave my children and foster children.

After evaluating all of these areas, I determine my goals. Then I create a template for a typical week. I use it to plan my week every week and evaluate my progress. When I have these tools in place, my home and life run more smoothly, and I'm less likely to forget things or double-schedule events. My desire is for home to be a refuge instead of a crisis center.

When my children were home, I usually did this in September, January, and May - logical times to re-evaluate my schedule. It was also when my children's schedules would change, which would necessarily affect me.

This process allows me to determine how to best use my time or evaluate the importance of new requests on my time. And it helps me to plan my time so I can accomplish those things that are important to me, rather than be tossed around by other people's goals.

Do you want to be intentional about the legacy you leave your children and future generations, but are a bit overwhelmed at knowing where to start? Check out my time management books, which guide you step-by-step to help you determine your passions, priorities, giftedness, goals, and schedule.

What legacies do you want to leave your children and future generations? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.


More on getting organized for school:
Getting Organized for School - Learning Style
Getting Organized for School - Creating a Hub
Getting Organized for School - Family Calendar

Coupon Sources

We celebrated one of our girls' birthday yesterday. She wanted to make her own cake - a raspberry swirl cheesecake - yum! I spent most of the day yesterday shopping with her for gifts and cooking - lasagna, salad, fruit salad, focaccia bread with olive oil dipping sauce, and fruit juice sparkling punch. I hope that our efforts show our girls how special they are!

On to our blog for today and don't forget to enter my Back-to-School Giveaway!

I'm not much of a coupon collector any more. But there are some who are amazing at finding bargains! One such person is CouponMommie. Stop by her site to see how she snags incredible deals.

She also recommends certain sites that provide valuable and legitimate coupons:

www.coupons.com

www.smartsource.com

www.redplum.com

www.bettycrocker.com

www.pillsbury.com

Have you found coupon secrets? Please share! Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.

Back-to-School Giveaway, August 4-18

To help you get organized for school, I'm sponsoring a Back-to-School Giveaway of 1-2-3 ... Get Organized books (over $45 in value):

Three Steps to Clever Cleaning
Three Steps to Decluttering
Three Steps to Organizing Your Child's Room
Three Steps to Organizing Your Kitchen
Three Steps to Planning Dinner (ebook)
Hassle Free Dinners (ebook)
Your choice:

• Three Steps to Time Management for the Stay-at-Home Mom
• Three Steps to Time Management for the Single Mom (ebook)
• Three Steps to Time Management for the Working Mom (ebook)

So that's seven books, each one on a different topic. I wrote the 1-2-3 ... Get Organized series for the organizationally overwhelmed. Tackle one area at a time, and move on to the next!

The books are small, colorful, and glossy. Since they are spirals, you can open your book, lay it flat while you're following one tip, and come back to it for the next item.
Even though they're small, they're packed with helpful information to get the job done.

How to enter (11 possible entries in all):

1. Email your list about the giveaway (include me - Bev@1-2-3GetOrganized.com). Come back and leave three comments to that effect. (3 entries)
2. Blog about the 1-2-3 ... Get Organized Back-to-School giveaway, leaving a comment below including the link to your post. (1 entry)
3. Put our 1-2-3 ... Get Organized Blog button on your blog or site, come back and leave a comment to that effect, with the link to that page. (1 entry)
4. Tell your friends on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., and leave a comment saying so. (1 entry)
5. Subscribe to 1-2-3 ... Get Organized blog. Comment that you've subscribed or that you already subscribe. (1 entry)
   
6. Subscribe to receive notices of special offers or sales of 1-2-3 ... Get Organized books. Come back and leave your comment. (1 entry)
7. Subscribe to Mom Audience - my marketplace for moms. Comment here saying you've done so. (1 entry)
8. Put a Mom Audience button on your site. Leave your comment here. (1 entry)
   
9. Leave a comment below about why you might like to have these books. (1 entry)

The deadline is midnight (eastern) Tuesday, August 18, 2009. The winner will be randomly chosen by one of my foster daughters and announced here on Thursday, August 20, 2009.

Subscribers, click here to enter the giveaway.