Technology

This giveaway is now closed.

Congrats to Martha G: “I have been on a conquest to scan my files into an external drive already this year. My problem is that I can only access them at my house and what about if something happens to the external drive? This sounds like something that would make my traveling lighter with less paperwork!”

And congrats to Mary D: “My kids papers . . . I never knew how much paperwork would be generated with children – and they’re only 4 & 2!! Recording medical history would be great as well!”

You should receive an email from About One with your discount code in the next few days!!

I just think it’s so important to have our bills, tax document, health records, financial information, and other important paperwork, organized in a way that we can quickly and easily find it whenever we need to.

And while I don’t think everyone needs to have their files organized the exact same way I organize ours, I do think that everyone needs to have SOME sort of system for organizing their important papers and documents.

I’ve seen SO much stress associated with disorganized paperwork and believe me, it’s not worth it.

Thankfully, there are resources like AboutOne.com that offer simple, practical, and convenient online storage for all your most important paper documents and household information.

What is AboutOne?

AboutOne is a program designed by moms, for moms, to help organize all your important paperwork and information. AboutOne offers convenient online storage for all your photos, memorabilia, medical records, daily events, and more.

See why these busy moms and dads love AboutOne!

How will AboutOne benefit you?

Not only will AboutOne help you to clear the paper clutter from your home, it will also proved you with a safe, secure place to store your important information AND access it wherever you have internet — even from your phone!

Watch this quick video that explains more AboutOne benefits.

Click here if you can’t see the video player.

My favorite AboutOne features:

I love printables! I have all kinds of free printable documents on my blog, so I immediately fell in love with the great list of printables I can create with my AboutOne membership.

The image above is a screen-shop of my AboutOne dashboard and you can see I am able to create Family Newsletters, Babysitter Information Charts, Home Maintenance Logs, Health History Reports, Caregiver Reports, Education History, Volunteer Hours, Capital Gains, and more!

The best part is that once you input all your information into your AboutOne profile, it will automatically create the printables you need with just the click of your mouse!

AboutOne also offers the ability to send cards, invites, announcements, etc. right from your computer for the same price as a normal card — and you don’t even have to go to the store!

Are you excited to organize your paperwork yet? If not, maybe a free AboutOne membership will do the trick!

AboutOne has generously offered a full-year memberships to TWO lucky Simple Organized Living readers!

Want to win?

Simply leave a comment below explaining your biggest paper problem and/or why you’d love to try AboutOne.

Also, make sure to visit AboutOne on Facebook and Twitter.

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This is a weekend giveaway, so the contest is only open until Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at 10:00 pm EST. Two winners will be selected at random and announced on Wednesday, February 23. Please read my full disclosure policy and contact me with any questions you might have. I received a free one-year subscription to AboutOne, however all opinions are my own.

Want to try AboutOne free for 17 days?

Head on over to AboutOne.com to start your free 17-day trial membership today!

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We’re talking about email clutter — again!

Two weeks ago I mentioned how I’m clearing some of my email clutter in an effort to check my email less. Since then, I’ve received even more questions about email clutter — specifically SPAM and e-newsletter subscriptions.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a magic wand that I can wave to make it all magically disappear…but I do have a VERY simple solution that should drastically reduce the amount of SPAM and junk e-newsletters in your Inbox!

Unsubscribe:

I received the following idea from mom2fur — ingenious!

I took her advice, searched for “unsubscribe”, and got almost 100 emails!! It took me about a half hour, but I unsubscribed to all the newsletters and email blasts I didn’t want, and I’ve already seen a HUGE decrease in the number of spamy e-newsletters I get.

Thanks mom2fur!

Since I unsubscribed a week ago, I’ve already saved several minutes each time I check my email…which will really add up.

What are your tricks for reducing SPAM?

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Do you have email clutter?

If you have more than 50 un-filed emails in your Inbox, you just might have email clutter.

If your Spam or Trash folders are chucked full of emails, you just might have email clutter.

If you dread checking your email or feel overwhelmed when you do, you just might have email clutter.

Do you have email clutter?

Just like stacks of paper and junk mail around your home can be stressful, a big stack of emails in your Inbox can also be stressful.

I have personally felt overwhelmed with my email many times…it seems to multiply within minutes!! However, a few months ago, I decided to start checking my email less which meant I REALLY had to get organized!

Here are a few simple things I’m doing to keep my Inbox clean and organized:

1. Purge — Respond, delete, and/or file the emails that are currently in your Inbox. If this sounds overwhelming, just remember to “start small” working 10-15 minutes at a time.

2. Unsubscribe — I’ve been unsubscribing from junk mail and other mailing lists I don’t have the time to read. It takes me a few extra minutes up front, but I have already seen a decrease in the number of emails I receive each day.

3. Schedule – Set specific times throughout the day to regularly check your email {I try not to check mine more than 5 or 6 times per day}. Then when you do check it, go through the purging process again {see #1 above}.

4. Prioritize — When you sit down to check your email, decide which ones need your attention and which ones can wait. Respond to the important emails first and then work your way through the rest.  If you have Gmail you can install Priority Inbox and it will automatically sort your emails for you, putting the most important ones first. I just started using it and it’s wonderful!

Email clutter can be overwhelming — but the nice thing about this project is you don’t have to turn your entire house upside-down and make 5 trips to Goodwill! Start with just 10 minutes today and see what you can accomplish.

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Is it time for you to eliminate some of the clutter from your home and your life?

You know it’s time to get more organized if…

• You can’t close your closet doors
• You open your cabinets and wonder what will fall out
• You don’t need to dust anymore – because all your surfaces are covered with junk
• Your junk drawer has morphed into a junk room
• Your storage area has reached capacity
• You can’t park your car(s) in the garage

However, knowing it and actually doing it are two totally different things!

It can be difficult to eliminate unnecessary and useless items from your home, even though you know it will give you more order and organization. However, taking a logical “love it or lose it” approach should make it easier to clear your clutter and regain your cherished storage spaces.

Let me show you what I mean:

Kitchen:

Love it –> Plates, bowls, cups, and glasses that easily nest into other pieces; and Double-duty kitchen gadgets

Lose it –> Storage containers that are missing their tops or bottoms, dishes that are chipped, broken glassware, and unused water bottles and coffee cups.

Click here for 3 more reasons to organize your kitchen

Media:

Love it –> Any movie that you watch repeatedly and classic books you enjoy revisiting.

Lose it –> 8 tracks, records, books you never intend to read, your entire collection of CD’s (after you transfer them to your computer or MP3 player).

Clothing:

Love it –> Your favorite sweatshirt and jeans, an appropriate mixture of business and casual clothing, and at least one of each basic clothing item.

Lose it –> Clothes you hope to fit into some day, stained, damaged, unflattering, and outdated clothing.

See how I organize my closet.

Mental Clutter

Love it –> Great ideas, happy thoughts, and things you can control

Lose it –> Negative feelings, other people’s problems, and anything that’s out of your control

Kid’s Stuff:

Love it –> Their latest treasures, craft project, and artwork; clothes that fit;  toys and games they play with.

Lose it –> Old artwork and treasures, books and toys that are too “young” for them, and worn out clothing

Remember, you are the adult, and your children will want to keep EVERYTHING!

Memorabilia:

Love it –> A FEW keepsakes and family heirlooms, your favorite vacation souvenir, and small collections (as long as they can be beautifully displayed)

Lose it –> Everything else!

Taking a “Love It or Lose It” approach to getting organized should help to simplify the decision-making process for your next organizing project. These deciding factors can serve as your guidelines for which items will stay and which will soon find another home.

What was the last item you purged?

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