Vistaprint + GROUPON tricks & tips

OK... I just got $186.57 of print material for $27.46 (shipping included!).

This is how I did it.

• First, open a tab at the normal VistaPrint website. Sign into your account or create one (do NOT skip this! Imperative).  Fill your cart with lots of goodies!  At first I saved $110... not bad.

www.VistaPrint.com

• Secondly, use your Groupon instructions and open a second VistaPrint tab.

www.VistaPrint.com/Groupon17for70

Click on "Cart".  All of your items will still be there, but now you have a place to enter your Groupon voucher code at the bottom of the page.

And an offer for free shipping if you spend over $25... So at this point I saved $120.74.

Now the trick...

• Thirdly, open another new tab with a DIFFERENT VistaPrint coupon link.

www.VistaPrint.com/freebc 

(25% off & 100 postcards, 25 brochures, 1 car magnet, & 1 t-shirt FREE)

www.VistaPrint.com/mmoffer 

(25% off)

www.VistaPrint.com/pcsale 

(25% off)

www.VistaPrint.com/vpdeal 

(25% off)

www.VistaPrint.com/promote 

(25% off)

Now, open "Cart" again in this new tab & all your super duper deals will have been applied!  In the end I saved $159.11!  Plus, by adjusting my quantity just a bit (so I actually have more in my cart at this point) I qualified for free shipping.  By spending an extra $2.50 on some extra business magnets I saved a $16+ shipping charge.

Groovy, huh?  I still have ANOTHER $70 Groupon.  What will I spend it on?!?

Blog Update

Updated my blog today!

Now you can -

• See my crazy calendar & know when to celebrate "Talk Like a Pirate Day" and "National Get Organized Month".
• Find me on YouTube, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

Let's see what else I can do!

Biggest Problem for Organizers

I got this email from a concerned cititzen recently:

       Hello to the folks at The Intrepid Declutterer,

      My name is A.K. and I am currently doing research on making home inventory/organization more fun, productive and profitable.

      As a home professional what are the biggest problems you face on a day-to-day basis?

     This is not spam and I am not going to try and sell you anything, I would just like to learn about the pain points you experience in your profession.

      I would love to hear back from you, even if it is only one sentence!

      Kind Regards,

      A. (names have been abbreviated to protect the innocent)

At first I didn't know what my biggest challenge was.  Every day is so different!  Then I realized what I fear the most, what haunts organizers everywhere.  Poor house hygiene!

Here is my response:

      A.,

      Thank you for your interest in the organizing industry.

      I think the biggest challenge of being a professional organizer is personal & health safety.

     The people who request organizing help come in all shapes & sizes - as do their homes.  What one person considers normal living conditions may actually be quite dangerous because of trip hazards, animal feces, and even human hygiene issues.

     I have no idea what sort of situation I will be walking into on a daily basis.  Leading questions help to identify potential problems, and I try to carry a mask and gloves with me at all times. 

    Fortunately, most of the people I work with are aware of their environment (that's why they call me!).  But you never know!

    Hope that helps. : )

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing organizers?   

5 Favorite Apps to Organize Your Business Life

Since I have been recommending these great apps for organizing your business life to everyone, I though it would be nice to get them all in one place...
1. Flipboard (FREE)
Flipboard let's me consolidate my reading - from professional journals, LinkedIn & Twitter updates, to the blogs I subscribe to - everything is captured in a custom e-zine that keeps me focused on what's relevant to my business & relationships...
2. CardMunch (FREE)
I just downloaded this last night after reading Phil Yanov's blog (www.ThinkHammer.com). Take snapshots of business cards & not only capture the info, but also capture a new LinkedIn contact! Now you can check off "enter contact info" on your things to do list...
3. Notability ($.99)
Draw on forms! Need I say more?
4. Buffer (FREE)
Spend a few minutes once a week & schedule your Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn posts. Another chore done!
5.DropBox (FREE)
Consider this your wireless external hard drive. Drop a file in at the office, retrieve it from your iPad on the job site.

OK, those are my favorites. What are yours?

WLOS Celebrates Get Organized Month on location with Garner Woodworks

January is National Get Organized Month.  So, this morning I was interviewed by Victoria Dunkle on WLOS News 13.  We were on location in Swannanoa with Garner Woodworks.

Victoria and I hit 4 main areas of the house:

1. Kitchen
2. Closet
3. Children's Room
4. Garage

While we were filming a number of people wrote in with questions on Facebook...

Here is the blog post I promised with the tips from the show as well as some answers to your (continuing) questions...

1) Kitchen

• Reduce piles, stacks, &  on the counter by using bowls and baskets to corral everyday items like coffee, bread & fruit.
• According to master woodworker Josh Cairns of Garner Woodworks, 80% of the lower cabinets in a kitchen should be drawers.

 

www.GarnerWoodworks.com

2)  Closet

• Use a full-length mirror to help in making wardrobe decisions.  Even more than the old "haven't worn it in a year" adage, a head to toe reflection of yourself is an undeniable deal breaker.  You will either love it or hate it. (Looks like this is the exception to the rule...I was torn - 50/50. I had to send a txt photo to my sisters for the tie-breaking decision)

The full length mirror really is helping!

• Hang like with like (short sleeved, long sleeved, jackets, pants, skirts...).  Within a category (shirts) hang by spectrum order (black, white, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).

  
  

  

  
  

  Color Coding a Closet

   

   

   

   

   

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

3) Children's Room -

My "dessert" for helping a young client.  Vegetarian ice-cream (thus the lettuce). 

 

• A Facebook-er asked about simplifying the process of organizing, which is important for both adults & children.  The easiest way to make life easier is to get rid of the unnecessary.  Knowing that your unused things will become someone's treasured belonging makes the decision to let go easier.  Think of Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill, & the myriads of shelters that need your stuff.

 

Bye bye stuff!

• With everyone in the family (or for each room in the house) assign a floating basket that can be the half-step - a container to catch all those things that don't quite get put away but need to get put somewhere.

4) Garage -

• There are OVER 52,000 storage facilities in the US.

• 

  Bye Bye Pod!
  

• Label storage containers on all 4 sides & the lid so nothing is left to chance (inner family sabotage!)

The last Facebook  posts we addressed had to do with a lack of time & motivation to organize.  Try finding a friend you could time-share with.  A dedicated hour at her house working on an anti-clutter strategy, then a dedicated hour on your project.  You will find a new pair of eyes & an extra set of hands make all the difference!

Thank you again to Garner Woodworks for hosting us today.