Have you always wanted to plan your own healthy homemade meals but just don’t know where to start?  Are you tired of feeling tired? Ready to take charge of your health? Don’t wait for another year to roll around – now is the time to get organized and start meeting your goals!  Our very own Tabitha Colie, Professional Organizer and Holistic Health Counselor will be teaching sessions on Healthy Meal Planning Made Easy. 

No matter your age, you can have your best, most energized year yet. Learn valuable tips on how to purge your pantry, makeover your meals, and savor the flavor of healthy and sweet success. Walk away with time-saving techniques for meal planning and preparation, ideas for streamlining your kitchen, and savory recipes that will make every mealtime both delicious and nutritious! 

Tabitha’s first session will be Thursday, February 16, 6:30-8:30 PM in White Salmon, WA (Columbia River Gorge area) at D’Lish Delivered kitchen: 521 E. Jewett Blvd. Cost: $40
To register, email Tabitha Colie: tabitha@itssimplyplaced.com but hurry, space is limited!

Look for more Healthy Meal Planning Made Easy classes coming to a venue near you this Spring and Summer – please let us know if you would like to attend a class in your area.

How do you plan your meals at home?  We want to know!

Wouldn’t it be great if you could find everything you needed to learn in ONE place?

Get the benefit of advice, brainstorms and business shortcuts from global business consultants and coaches, who are bringing their ‘best game’ to the table.  There are 20 experts lined up to help you fire up your business – and reclaim your life – in 2012.  Seekers of organization and productivity wisdom can go to Fire Up Your Biz and Enrich Your Life  and sign up free to hear over 20 global experts share specific strategies and tactics that helped them gain control and purpuse in their business.

Thanks to to organizer of Fire Up Your Biz – Enrich Your Life, Stephanie Calahan, starting on January 18th, you can listen in on interviews with 3 experts a week for 6 weeks.  You can listen to our own Debbie Rosemont discuss productive meeting techniques on January 25th in We’ve Got to Stop Meeting Like This: How To Run Meetings That Actually Get Things Done!  Each interview will deliver practical, actionable strategy and tips.  You can join in on one call or all of them!  The more you listen in, the more you will learn…and, if you attend live, you just may win a great business boosting prize.

Join us for this amazing interview series and you will:

Fire up your personal performance

Unleash your profit potential

Discover new strategies to manage the demands of running your own business

Have a profitable business and more time to focus on what’s important to you

Simply Placed is honored to have been asked to serve as a Featured Expert for this series. We look forward to sharing valuable information to help you have more productive meetings. In addition, we look foward to listening in on the other expert calls, where we don’t doubt we’ll learn and benefit as well.

Join us, won’t you?

If you don’t feel like this woman when you think about the emails in your inbox, let’s chat.

Have you or someone you know ever experienced a day like this? … You come into the office and open your email to see what’s come in since you left the previous day. You essentially stay in email and on the computer all day, trying furiously to keep up with the volume as it comes in, clicking links, reading interesting things, firing off intelligent responses, researching answers, perhaps even taking a detour to something fun, like Facebook. Suddenly you look up at the clock and realize it’s 5:00. End of the work day (or so you wish), and you can’t figure out where the time went. You look over your task list and wonder what you got done all day. If you know of someone like this (or if this is you), they (you) may benefit from an Email Intervention.

Suggest they seek help (or seek it yourself), beginning this Thursday afternoon. Simply Placed, in conjunction with Kreate Business Events, hosted by Julian Michael, will be conducting a FREE webinar for those who would like to learn how to handle their email more efficiently and effectively, saving them time, money and stress day after day. Sound like a good idea? Register here. Please help us spread the word by sharing this with friends, colleagues, family and others in your network. Put it on your Facebook page, tweet about it, include it in an email you send    …. you never know who you’ll help.

Feel free to comment here on the blog and let us know your biggest challenge around email as it relates to organization and productivity. We’ll be doing a couple of blog posts in the coming month offering some tips and ideas. If you share your challenge we may just solve it here.

“See” you on the Webinar tomorrow.

Would you like to meet some local companies (25+) that specialize in organizing products and services? Perhaps you have some burning clutter questions you’re dying to ask a local Professional Organizer?

You’re in luck! The Seattle NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) is hosting their second annual Spring Into Organization Fair and Ask the Organizer Panel this Saturday,  March 19, 2011 at the Bellevue Sheraton Hotel (100 112th Ave NE) from 9:00AM-1:00PM. This is a great opportunity to learn to simplify your home, business and life from local vendors and Professional Organizers (like Simply Placed!) working in your community.

Simply Placed will be there as a vendor and Debbie will even be one of the Professional Organizers on two of the three panels including “Paper Management” and “Ask the Organizer.” So if you would like tips/ideas on how to conquer your paper files or just find yourself saying, “If I could just get organized…” we’d love for you to attend! For a detailed descriptions of the panels click here.

Open to the public, event costs are $10 at the door or $8 if you prepay through www.seattlenapo.com. Did we mention a continental breakfast is included? Come hungry and full of questions! We hope to see you there. Make sure to find us and say “hello”.

Warm regards,

The Simply Placed Team

Yesterday we posted about our End the Paper Pain class which takes place in Sammamish, WA on Wednesday, March 23rd from 6:30 – 9:00 pm. Offered twice a year, its coming up soon! We’d love to have you join us for this workshop in which we’ll teach you about paper managment, the FreedomFiler, and help you set up your own very effective filing system right in class. There are still a few spots available, but don’t wait too long, class size is limited.

We realize you all have busy lives and busy schedules which might make it difficult for some of you to attend this class on the dates and times we have scheduled. Additionally, some of you want the convenience of doing this work right in your home, or prefer highly customized, individual attention. Take advantage of an alternate version of this class where we bring it straight to you! That means YOU can pick the date and time that works for YOUR schedule.

 Individual Offerings:

The Skinny: A 2 hour consultation with a Simply Placed Professional Organizer that covers the Skinny on Paper Management (including suggested customizations for your own systems for mail, bill paying, action filing, reference filing), Document Retention, how the FreedomFiler works and how you can implement the system into your life.  Please note this package does not include any hands-on help. Package Price*: $150.00

The Whole Enchilada: This package is the entire “End the Paper Pain” class brought to your doorstep. In 3 hours, you will receive the FreedomFiler kit, information about Paper Management and systems included in “The Skinny”, detailed instruction on the FreedomFiler and how it works, as well as hands on help from a Simply Placed Professional Organizer. We will physically help you set up this system and even start filing away some piles of paper. Package Price**: $268.79

Group offerings:

Have a family member of friend whom you think would also be interested in one of these packages? We’ve also decided to put together a few more deals for anyone who would like to host their very own “End the Paper Pain” class. Think of it like a Bunco Party but for “paper pain.” Whether during the day or in the evening, we’ll make sure this is both productive and fun!

As a “Thank You” for a being a host with 6 or more people in attendance, you won’t have to pay a penny! All you have to do is provide us with the number of people who will be at your home, which package option you would like, and a date and time for us to bring our services to you.

The Skinny for 2-5: Just divide the price of the $150 package – price will range from $30 – $75 per person* depending on the number attending. 

The Skinny for 6-9: $30 per person* (host attends for free!)

The Skinny for 10 or more: $25 per person* (host attends and receives a FreedomFiler kit for free!)

The Whole Enchilada for 2-5: $125 per person (includes kit)**

The Whole Enchilada for 6-9: $99 per person (includes kit)** (host attends for free!)

The Whole Enchilada for 10 or more: $75 per person (includes kit)** (host attends for free!)

Take Note:

*For “The Skinny” packages – the FreedomFiler is an optional purchase and can be added on for $43.79 per person

**For “The Whole Enchilada” packages each attendee should bring the following:

• 100 Hanging file folders (legal or letter size depending on the size of your filing cabinet)
• Clear plastic 1/5 cut tabs (should come with the hanging file folders)
• Bankers box or plastic file container to carry your system home
• A pile of unfiled papers you currently have on your desk, kitchen counter or other “hot spot”

ADDED BONUS: The first person to book a group class of 3 or more in their home will also receive our Info Products Bundle which includes the book Six-Word Lessons to Be More Productive, our Meal Planning Made Easy System, the Simply Placed Time Log, our Simply Organized Holidays eBook and the companion Workbook. (A $70 value). Gather some friends and call today!

We hope these convenient, flexible, valuable options will help to ease your “paper pain” and make your lives a little less stressful.

All the best,

The Simply Placed Team

Do you find yourself surrounded by piles and piles of paper? Are there stacks so high you cringe when you look at them, hoping that if you ignore them maybe they will just disappear? Maybe you have the best of intentions to file, but find your piles of paper get out of hand because you aren’t sure where you should file something, you don’t have a great filing system, or aren’t sure how long you should retain a particular document?

Don’t fret, you are aren’t alone, and best of all, there is a cure to end your paper pain! As some of you may be aware, we offer our “End the Paper Pain” class twice a year to help those such as yourself put an end to your paper suffering.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the class or the filing system, we highly recommend the FreedomFiler to many of our clients. The FreedomFiler provides state-of-the-art, maintenance-free paper organizing solution for the home and home office. Created by an award winning development team, this product is a self-purging home filing system that forever eliminates the need to clean out and reorganize files, while dramatically reducing the time and energy required to file and retrieve papers.

The “End the Paper Pain” class is structured as an interactive group workshop. Should you sign-up for this class, which is taking place on March 23rd, 2011 from 6:30PM-9:00PM at the Beaver Lake Lodge in Sammamish, you will receive the Freedom Filer kit, make great headway in setting up your filing system, and even start filing some of those pesky piles of paper! If the FreedomFiler system sounds like a solution you might be interested, you can sign-up here.

We’ll see you in class!

On Saturday, January 15th, Debbie presented “Organize Your Financial Records” to the MoneyWise Women’s Conference in Seattle. She offered attendees ideas for systems and habits to keep financial records organized, thereby saving participants time, money and stress.

In the theme of saving money, she also offered them a discount on her upcoming GO System Seminar for same day registration.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the GO System, this seminar teaches simple to implement techniques to help people in business increase focus, organization and productivity. Get more done in less time, get and stay organized at work, and stay focused on high priority activities that will help you increase your revenue, better serve your clients and feel less stressed.

Date: February 2, 2011

Time: 9:00AM-12:00PM

Where: The Lodge at Beaver Lake

25101 S.E. 24th Street

Sammamish, WA 98075

Debbie would like to extend the discount to all her fabulous blog readers (yes, you) who call and register today only. This means a total of $40 off the original price! Chomping at the bit to attend? Then take advantage of this offer by calling (206) 579-5743 and be sure to mention the blog discount. Seating is limited.

Cheers to getting organized and saving a little cash along the way!

I’m teaching a couple sessions of Organizing Your Finacial Records at the upcoming MoneyWi$e Women’s Conference  in Seattle on 1/15/11. This conference will have over 150 attendees looking for education, empowerment and inspiration regarding managing money. Wouldn’t it be great if we learned all we needed to know about being responsible and organized with money as kids? Now you can give yours the chance.

Christina Marie Kimball, parent coach, in conjunction with Dan Gelhaye, of Sterling Savings Bank in Issaquah are teaming up to offer a great workshop for kids and their parents to do just that. Please enjoy this guest post from Christina Marie, with more information about the workshop:

——————————————-

Teaching Kids About Finances  

Have you ever heard the expression “we parent the way we were parented”? To some extent this is true. However, as a parent and a parent coach, I have come to believe we are more likely to use the way we were parented as a measuring stick, barometer, or baseline than as a rigid template. All of us love our kids and want them to leave the “nest” as equipped, capable and compassionate human beings – in touch with their unique gifts and abilities and ready to make their mark on the world.    

Part of being a capable contributor (we know) is about learning how to manage our money well; it’s a skill that is forever useful! Part of my parent coaching includes designing and presenting workshops on topics that can really help kids learn how to prioritize, establish goals and grow – and financial training is a topic relevant for toddlers to teens! Learning these skills in their formative years can help them be productive and organized in their adult lives.

 Here are the points we’ll cover in our upcoming workshop, titled Your Kid’s Financial Training, January 20th , from 7:00 – 8:15 p.m., at Sterling Savings Bank in Issaquah. Mark your calendars!

• The Big Picture of Effective Money Management: Why it matters for our kids to learn it now
•  Chores & Allowance: The tenets of responsibility and freedom + when and how much to pay them  
  Money Management Systems: Easy systems any age can benefit from practicing 
• Earning a Wage: Motivations, interviewing for “family jobs”, and fostering a smart, entrepreneurial spirit in our kids 
• Spending: Budgeting, planning and goal setting 
• Saving & Giving: The basics of successful saving + the philanthropic joy of giving 

Space is limited. To register and reserve your spot, click here.

Presented by Christina Marie Kimball with Artful Thinking, a Seattle- and New York-based consultancy firm specializing in parenting and entrepreneurial coaching – in conjunction with Daniel Gelhaye, Financial Services Specialist with Sterling Savings Bank in Issaquah. 

Christina Marie Kimball works with parents and families looking for satisfaction, balance and growth. She a is an expert in the areas of family dynamics, parenting and child development. Her unique blend of experiences and coaching combine to make her a powerful catalyst for change. Christina has hosted parenting and business seminars, retreats and round tables for 25 years. She founded and operated five successful businesses including a business consulting firm, a design firm, a restaurant and art studios. She also has extensive experience leading organizations in institutional settings-in the corporate, hospitality and entertainment worlds. Christina has three grown daughters.

 For more information about Artful Thinking please visit www.artfulthinking.net or feel free to email me at think@artfulthinking.net or call me at 206.718.5103.

We have so many clients who use the FreedomFiler, virtually maintainence-free filing system, we thought we’d pass on this reminder we received from the FreedomFiler company …

Its time to swap your EVEN & ODD year files… no annual purge! (This takes seconds – no need for a big “clean out the files, create new files, set aside the whole day” effort)

You may now swap the position of all your EVEN and ODD year files (simply grab the folders with black-top labels and switch places with the folders having white-top labels in your filing drawers—you can leave the papers inside the folders alone). If you use a binder clip to mark your current month file, move the clip to the “JANUARY ODD YEAR” file and discard automatically the documents left over from two years ago.* You may empty out just the January file and leave the rest of the month files with the papers inside. Then as you progress through the year, continue purging the rest of the month files one month at a time. That’s all you need to do with your FreedomFiler each year! No more file clean out day and no more setting up new folders each year. We want you to enjoy your life and spend less time fussing with papers!

Q: Is it safe to throw away old bills and account statements in Monthly folders after two years?*
A: Because these items were not needed for your taxes and since you will have already filed your tax return for that year, it is generally safe to discard these papers automatically.* Two years allows more than adequate time to resolve any vendor disputes; however, if you would like to keep items longer than two years, use additional labels to create a new set of folders for each added year. The actual legal time limit for lawsuits will vary somewhat from state to state but usually ranges between 2-3 years for nearly all types of claims. Keep in mind that most banks and service providers preserve your statements on file for seven years or more (also according to state laws). If you are concerned about keeping documentation beyond two years for the purpose of applying for future loans, you may use a Permanent folder titled Loan Payment History for keeping a record of regular payments to a creditor (see label sheet 4A in your Deluxe Kit). Refer to your Label Index for a full discussion of issues and available options.

Happy New Year from Simply Placed and the FreedomFiler!

 P.S. If you’re having to do more than this to update your filing system for the New Year, and are interested in the ease and effectiveness of the FreedomFiler system, contact us and we’ll fill you in on how to get your own system, how we can help you set it up if you chose, or get you more information about our next End the Paper Pain class, where you set up the system in class and learn about paper management to set you free.

Don’t you just love the Peeling Mom Off the Ceiling logo (shown here)? Those of you that can relate to the woman in that picture, please make sure to check out our guest blog post on the Peeling Mom Off the Ceiling website/blog. I write about multitasking not being all its cracked up to be.

If you are a mom stuck up there on the ceiling, run, don’t walk (actually, just click) to register for Leslie Irish Evan’s free webinar, “Get Me Down From Here”, taking place on December 1st. Remeber, its free, though I’m sure what Leslie has to share will be priceless.

Join the conversation (filled with humor and great tips for managing stress and simplifying your life) on the Peeling Mom off the Ceiling facebook page.

Lastly, you may also want to avail yourself of Leslie’s free report, Chill Out Now, where she shares information to help busy moms reduce stress, improve your mood and have more energy. Win, win, win.

Enjoy and we’ll see you back down here on the ground, with your shoulders detached from your ears. What a great concept!