Get Hitched Give Hope is a local non-profit group started by businesses in the Seattle area who specialize in the wedding and bridal industry. They host an annual event to raise funds to grant wishes for breast cancer patients. This year, they are partnering with BuyMyTronics to help reduce and recycle electronic clutter and raise money!

I’ve talked about this specific organizing challenge many times – and here is a great way to get rid of that old cell phone or laptop that is gathering dust in the closet at work or home. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to donate any gadget you’re not using anymore and feel good about it, too.

To make it even easier, Innovatively Organized will act as a collection agent, so just get ready to hand over that old cell phone, computer or video game when we see you!  Or contact us to have us pick it up or schedule time to drop it off with us.  They won’t be collecting forever so contact us SOON!

Here are more tips for Evernote - my favorite online system for filing and sharing!

• Take photos of the wiring setup for your computer and television/dvd/stereo center so that if you move anything, you can put things back where they go.
• Scan and save warranty information for major appliances and electronics.
• Scan and save documents as PDFs and shred the un-needed paper version.
• Take photos of priceless items such as jewelry or family heirlooms with notes about their appraisal value.
• Make a PDF version of your business license - this comes in handy when you fill out business paperwork.
• Take pictures and make a list of important serial numbers on big purchases in case they are stolen; use the information to file a police report.
• Take pictures of the contents of your wallet in case of theft, especially the fronts and backs of cards for the phone numbers to call and cancel cards.

• Store recipes and pictures of dishes – use the transparent sleeves to keep it clean from spills in the kitchen
• Re-label the alphabetical tabs with months of the year and store birthday and anniversary dates
• Use it to organize small stickers or embellishments for your scrapbooking project
• Sports collectors can organize their baseball cards
• If you recently painted walls or furniture, store the paint chip for future reference.

• Lighter reading – Whenever you get a magazine in the mail, take a couple minutes to skim through the issue, tear out the articles that you want to read, and toss the rest of it in the recycling bin. When you’re stuck in line at the store or on the bus, pull out the article from your purse or totebag and catch up on your reading. Don’t let those magazines pile up!
• Bag it – Have you noticed bags in your pantry with half-eaten or forgotten snacks? When you get home from the grocery store, portion snacks into ziptop bags and keep them in a basket on the counter or cupboard. It makes packing lunches easier and gives you neat portion control.
• Packaged sheets – When putting away your linens, instead of putting pillow cases and sheets in different stacks and searching for matches later, place all the coordinating pieces into one pillow case so you have one package to grab from the linen closet instead of looking on separate shelves or bins.
• Faster returns – As soon as you realize that your purchase was the wrong size, wrong fit or just wrong in general, place the item and its receipt immediately by the front door or mudroom, or put it in your car. The longer it sits in your closet or in your house, the quicker you’ll forget and the sooner it turns into pricey clutter.
• Don’t take the giveaway – There are lots of promotions and freebies out there from companies wanting your business. It feels nice to receive, but in these cases, it only takes a few seconds to say “no thank you” to avoid clutter from things you probably won’t use and don’t need.  If you do accept something like a t-shirt or hat, add them to your donation bin where it will be most effectively put to use.

This product definitely deserves credit for an innovative little feature that turns a standard office item into a unique organizer. If you notice, there are pivoting hangers on the corners that allow you to use this as a hanging file, or when you’re on-the-go, fold them down and carry it like a regular file!

• Blue exterior with gray dividers and 6 fasteners to keep papers securely in place
• 2″ capacity
• Environmentally friendly with a minimum of 25% post-consumer recycled materials

Click here to learn more.

Also at this event, you’ll have the opportunity to bring all your old cosmetics and skin care products and exchange them for a discount on fresh, new MARY KAY® products!  There will be an official MARY KAY® beauty consultant at the event to help you figure out your colors and product needs. There will also be fun prizes and a raffle!

(1st Floor Community Room)

Hosted by Innovatively Organized & MARY KAY®
RSVP to 206-494-9822 or email info@innovativelyorganized.com.

For more information about events, click here.

According to the National Retail Federation, the average person will spend over $100 on Valentine’s Day gifts this year. Instead of exchanging items that come in a box, here are some ideas for presents that don’t take up a lot of space or create clutter (some are even eco-friendly!):

• Instead of the cute teddy bear, get a box of gourmet chocolates – don’t forget to recycle the packaging
• Pamper your special someone with a spa gift certificate rather than buying candles and soaps
• Donate to a worthy cause such as the American Heart Association in the name of a loved one
• Tie on your apron - serve breakfast in bed or bake cookies or muffins as yummy gifts
• Be traditional – flowers are always a beautiful treat, and there are many florists now who sell bouquets that come from organic farms using sustainable practices

Have you ever needed a “virtual or digital” notebook or filing system?  Well, I know I’m constantly looking for ways to keep paper to a minimum without losing valuable information or time.  Sometimes you need more than a sticky note to remember ideas or information too.  Evernote is an online electronic storage solution that doesn’t just keep track of all the notes you create, it keeps them organized, electronic and easily searchable in one “digital file cabinet.” Whether it’s a web page, picture, document, email or an audio dictation, Evernote stores it all for free. You can even save messages from Twitter!  Evernote works on Windows or Mac platforms, via the internet, as well as a range of smart phones.  Learn more about Evernote and stayed tuned for future posts with more tips on how you could use Evernote to be more productive (my favorite topic!).

I just came across another useful tool to reduce your paper clutter and help you PRINT LESS!  You’ll also lower spending on ink toner and help save a lot of trees.  GreenPrint is a simple-to-use software that eliminates unwanted pages and reduces printing by 17 percent or more.  The application lets you preview documents and has options for deleting text, copy or entire pages before you hit print.  Use it at home or at work.  Check out the enterprise version for your business.