Monday, April 27, 2009

It's Spring!


It's' Spring! Sort of... Outside it looks dreary and gray, and inside it looks like a tornado hit. As the season makes us think of new things and cleaning, I thought that a new book on cleaning would be appropriate, and helpful. Laura is hosting a Springtime Giveaway Carnival at her site. Please visit there and read some of the wonderful blogs that people have posted through her site. As for my Giveaway, it is meant to help and inspire those of us who need to dig ourselves out after a long winter. The snow is gone, but the drifts in my house still remain. I can hardly walk through my office, and the tables in my craft room are groaning under the weight. It is time to get out the proverbial "shovel" and dig myself out of the mess I have created while stuck in the house for the winter. All too soon I will spend most of my time outside in my garden and the last thing I want to do is be stuck inside finishing projects and attempting to clean around the mess.

Normally I would link you to Flylady and tell you this was the best system for me. I would tell you about how I have been a Flybaby for three years now and that my housekeeping skills have drastically improved. This is all true, but as you can see, I have fallen back into some old habits and I need to retrain myself to the system. As you know, sometimes you need a bit of inspiration to get yourself going.... so while I was in our local bookstore browsing for summer activities for my kids, I came across this book.

Ya, I know, this would have been no where near the homeschool isle, but I was enjoying being out with only one of my four and took advantage of being able to even visit a bookstore...
Back to the book. Organize Now! is a wonderful guide to have that somewhat follows the Flylady system of breaking your house down into areas and tackling things at a manageable pace. Jennifer Ford Berry takes an entire year of cleaning and organizing on by breaking it down into a week by week system. She also includes checklists at the end of each week that you can incorporate into your calender (because as parents, we tend to live by the calender, I know I do, color coded and everything). She helps you eliminate the clutter you are aware of and some that may have snuck up on you, like the medicine cabinet. I am planning to go out and purchase a copy for myself after the giveaway, I have enjoyed flipping through this one so much.

So, how to win? Easy. Just post a comment on my site about anything at all, making sure I can link back to you. If you are posting as anonymous, be sure to include your email address. That's it. Simple... Oh, and be sure to visit Laura and her site to see other fabtabulous things from other extraordinary women as well!

*Update*
The winner of my Spring Giveaway (thanks to random.org) is Diva! at Divagirls Chatter!

31 comments:

  1. I love to organize but I do have some "hot zones". You know, those places that just catch everything that comes in the door. These areas are always visble when you come in my front door as a guest...my dining table, my kitchen island, even the area around the front door is a pile of shoes! IF I take stuff upstairs to be "out of sight" then the guestroom becomes the dumping ground. I like to call it my "staging area". I could use a little help in keeping myself on track! Thanks for offering such a great item!

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  2. I have been a flybaby for two years. I love the system but have begun making changes to make it work better for me. I would love another resource to get some new ideas.

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  3. I am SO glad I found your site! I am a granola girl, too:) I am gonna follow your blog!

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  4. I would LOVE this! I am pregnant with baby #4 and this sounds like something that I really need to get organized before the baby comes!! Great Giveaway :)

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  5. I would like to look at this book, too. I have noticed that us "Organizers" seem to be addicted to anything and everything for and about organizing LOL!

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  6. Oh, I need organizing help desperately. Awesome book.

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  7. i really need to look into flylady - i've heard a lot about her. of course notice i'm busy entering giveaways rather than cleaning...

    ebienic(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  8. I really need to be more organized! Maybe this would help me to not be so forgetful...

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  9. I always need more orgainization in my life...the book is cool

    divagirl@myself.com

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  10. I need this book! I've tried to follow flylady several times, but I never get passed shining my sink. *Sigh*

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  11. Another "organizer" here ;) Thanks for a nice giveaway!

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  12. I could use some help in this area! Thanks for the chance!

    nettacow at gmail dot com

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  13. well, who couldn't use that?
    KawaiiNeko2008 at aol dot com

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  14. OH, I love the fly lady, and I love to organize! BUT I have never seen that book before! LOVE IT! thanks for the chance to win!

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  15. Ohhhh, I would love the opportunity to enter! I love books and am still trying to find a system that works for me. I think I will head over to flylady. Beleive it or not, I've heard of her but haven't visited there. The idea of rnning around the house with my shoes on seemed counter productive lol.

    Come by my site for a chance to win soapnuts (they're pretty neat!) or an apron (may as well feel pretty while oganizing right?)

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  16. I am so unorganized and have yet to find a system I love. Maybe this one would be it.

    kirkandalice@gmail.com

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  17. Currently I have an on-again off-again relationship with Fly Lady. I LOVE the principles and would love to be more disciplined, it's just tough for me. I have recently begun making lists for everything I need to get done and that has helped tremendously! I could really use this to help me figure out my house.

    gitrecca at gmail dot com

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  18. I would enjoy the book. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  19. I love reading organizational books! I'm currently waiting on a book that's on hold at my library called The House That Cleans Itself. Now, doesn't THAT sound good? LOL.

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  20. I'm a mess...and moving into a new house and DON'T want it to end up the same as always. Maybe this would help. Thanks for the chance.

    ecaria at hotmail dot com

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  21. This would be a fun book for me to read. I have a passion for organizing.

    pammsmith at comcast dot net

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  22. I really need help :) and my inorganizations :) are rubbing off on my daughter.
    hellllllpppp
    Pat
    plshake@verizon.net

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  23. This would really help a lot!

    Audrey
    ferretsrockforever@gmail.com

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  24. This is exactly what I need! Wow - what great timing for my unorganized mess!

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  25. i am new to being a full time housewife (as in, less than a week), so i am working to figure out a routine that will maximize my time, not just keep me busy.

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  26. Oh ... I can certainly use this help. The first thing I need to organize is our dining room which is also our homeschool room. But the rest of the house also needs an organization makeover!

    April E.
    http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/elcloud

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  27. I'm always in need of desperate organization!

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  28. If you haven't already drawn for this - please count me in - I could really use some help in the organization category. My dh is sitting here nodding his head vigorously. Thank you :)

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