Lighten Up by Peter Walsh

January is Get Organized Month. According to Standolyn Robertson, NAPO Past-President, “Getting organized is one of the top 5 New Year’s resolutions people make…” What better way to wrap up this month than with a giveaway that’s designed to help you with your organizing goals?

For my Get Organized Month Giveaway, one lucky winner will receive a copy of the newly released book Lighten Up by the charming organizational expert, Peter Walsh. He’s a New York Times bestselling author and host of the new Oprah Winfrey Network Television series “Enough Already! with Peter Walsh.” The subtitle of Peter’s book says it all:  Love What You Have, Have What You Need, Be Happier with Less.

Sometimes the pressure of getting organized or working on your goals is so great that it prevents us from taking any steps forward.  For me, it’s valuable to use the change of seasons to create reflection and evaluation pauses. The goals I’m working on now will bring me through the winter. Once spring arrives, I will look back and then ahead to adjust what I’m doing. In my book, The Other Side of Organized, the seasons help my readers focus on particular ideas at specific times. Winter is about fresh starts, embracing change and taking next steps.

Please make your next step entering the Get Organized Month Giveaway.  The giveaway starts on January 24th. The winner will be picked on January 31st.  Follow the contest rules to win a copy of Peter Walsh’s book, Lighten Up:

1.    Comment on this blog post below with something you love or would be happier without.

2.    Comment about the giveaway on the Oh, So Organized! Facebook page

3.    Re-tweet the giveaway on Twitter and include @LindaSamuels when you do!

4.    Subscribe to the Other Side of Organized monthly e-newsletter for inspiration and motivation!

Do one or all of the above to enter. The more you do, the more times your name will be entered to win (up to 4 total entries!)

I look forward to hearing from you and sharing Peter’s book with the winner. Good luck!

This fall I offered the Ultimate Organizing Giveaway. The contest was successful on multiple levels. What I loved most were the comments participants wrote on my blog during the giveaway. The wealth of challenges, hopes and dreams posted inspired me to “collect” them. Aside from letting me know their favorite items in the giveaway such as the $50 Container Store gift card or Peter Walsh’s book, It’s All Too Much, they also shared from their hearts. I was deeply moved by what they wrote about.

Four main themes came through in their organizing challenges. They shared their self-talk, whys, desires and actions. Perhaps some of these thoughts will resonate with you.

Self-Talk can be our best friend or most vicious enemy. So much of what we tell ourselves effects our actions. Our internal dialogue can propel us forward or paralyze us to inaction. What do you tell yourself? Is negative self-talk holding you back? Here are some thoughts others shared:

• I “should” be more organized.
• I’m an “organizational disaster.”
• My life is disorganized and is “driving me insane.”
• I am totally disorganized.
• Disorganization is a “flaw” in my character.
• My life is in chaos and I have no chance of digging out.
• I feel paralyzed.

Organizing challenges come in many forms. The source of our disorganization is as varied as each of us. Why do you feel disorganized? Here are some of the reasons people shared:

• I have small kids, so it’s difficult to stay organized.
• My paperwork is a “mess.”
• I’m running my own business and raising a family.
• I have too much stuff.
• I’m in “organizational turmoil” due to health challenges.
• I procrastinate too much.
• It’s not about the stuff but an entire mindset that upsets everything in my life if things aren’t organized.
• There is so much disorganization that I can’t find important documents.
• My spouse is a collector and hoarder.
• I am overwhelmed by the move we made six months ago.

We all have hopes, dreams and desires. We envision how we’d like our lives to be. We imagine what organization and life balance might look and feel like. Those dreams can sustain and propel us forward. These are some of the desires others shared:

• I “crave” organization.
• I want a Professional Organizer in my home full time.
• My “dream goal” is to be organized.
• By reading organizational books and catalogs, I hope that I will become organized through osmosis.
• I want to pare things down.
• I need methods about how to organize.
• I want organizing advice that’s realistic and helpful.
• I need help organizing my stuff and life.
• I am looking for inspiration and motivation.

As we know, dreams and explanations are an important part of the organizing equation, but without being tied to concrete actions, they just remain as thoughts.  I’ve observed that sometimes just talking about getting organized can inspire others to take action. Here are some of the action ideas that people shared:

• I can’t do this alone, so I am hiring a Professional Organizer to help.
• I am focusing on one thing each day to minimize confusion.
• Instead of waiting for the New Year, I’m going to start now.
• I am going to do more purging.
• I have no control over my spouse's disorganization, so I will work on my own areas instead.
• I will take one small step at a time.

Perhaps you identify with some of the statements others have shared about self-talk, whys, desires and actions? Wherever you are on the organizing challenge spectrum, you are not alone. I encourage you to continue the conversation. I’d love to hear more from you! Is your self-talk negative or positive? Why do you feel disorganized? Why do you want to get organized? What action step are you ready to take?

Let’s celebrate and get excited! The Ultimate Organizing Giveaway is here! I’ve put together some of my favorite organizing products and books that are fun and fabulous. We’re talking Peter Walsh’sIt’s All Too Much, The Container Store $50 gift certificate, Tate’s mouth watering Chocolate Chip Cookies and much, much more!

An enormous “thank you” to all the fantastic current and soon to be Oh, So Organized! Facebook fans, Twitter followers @LindaSamuels and The Other Side of Organized e-newsletter subscribers. My deepest gratitude for your wonderful feedback, tweets, posts, reviews and support. If you haven’t already done so, I personally invite you to join in the conversation and of course, enter the contest!

The Ultimate Organizing Giveaway of goodies was selected to organize, relax, delight and inspire you! It’s worth over $250 and includes:

• It’s All Too Much by Peter Walsh

• The Container Store $50 gift card

• “NothingElse.pad” from Buttoned Up

• One Small Step Can Change Your Life by Robert Mauer PhD

• “I will do one thing today.” sticky notes from Pretty Bitter

• “Temperature Task” clips & “Do, Ponder, File” folders from Knock Knock

• Being Perfect by Anna Quindlen

• “Forget Me Not” doorknob pad & “Work/Life Reminder” magnets from See Jane Work

• Limited editionThe Other Side of Organizedcoffee mug and pencils

• “Relaxed Mind” Yogi Tea

• “To-Do Tattoo” from Fred & Friends

• World’s best Chocolate Chip Cookies from Tate’s

• The Other Side of Organized by Linda Samuels (autographed copy)

• The Container Store’s large black Tribeca bin organizes all of the above

• BONUS prizes just added 11/10/10:3 additional winners will receive the brand new, highly anticipated book, Lighten Up by Peter Walsh(release date Dec 2010)

I know you can’t wait to win this handpicked selection of my favorites! You have multiple ways to enter – and the more you do, the more chances you have to win. The giveaway starts on November 1st. The winner will be picked on November 11th (my birthday.) There’s no time like the present to enter. Keep reading and act now!

Rules of the contest:

1. Become an Oh, So Organized! Facebook fan (if you’re already a fan, you’re already entered to win)

2. Follow me on Twitter (again, if you’re a current follower, you’re entered!)

3. Subscribe to the Oh, So Organized! e-newsletter to get inspired and motivated! (and yes, if you’re a current subscriber, you’re entered!)

4. Comment on this blog post below with your favorite thing from the basket you’re most excited about

5. Share the contest! Post it on Facebook and tag the Oh, So Organized! Facebook page and/or Re-tweet it on Twitter and include @LindaSamuels when you do!

6. For 5 Bonus Entries, order The Other Side of Organized from Amazon and email me your receipt to linda@ohsoorganized.com

If you do all of the above – voila! Your name is entered 10 times to win! (5 times if you do everything but order the book)

Tons of chances to win - Good luck!