I hope that our first issue of The PHOENIX Organizing Times finds you all happy, healthy and personally charged with motivation in becoming and staying more organized -for YOU!

This Newsletter has been my dream for the past year, so I gave myself the target date of the holiday season for its premiere issue. Now some may think that is a bit bizarre to attempt such a feat amidst a very active client schedule, speaking engagements and the holiday season...but what can I say? I was always one for a challenge!

This Newsletter is for you: my clients, Seminar and workshop attenders, the general public that I have been graced to meet during the past year at Trade Shows, non profit speaking engagements, all the referrals that I have yet to meet, and most importantly all that have blessed me with an undying support over the last few years!

I encourage each and every one of you to use this vehicle to address more of your organizing needs or dilemmas so drop a line to: "...Ask Julie". We would love to address any of your questions, suggestions or wins with an Organizing Challenge that you are overcoming!

If we publish one of your communications your will receive a free copy of Organizing Options. (more on Organizing Options later in this newsletter.) Sorry, no phone calls please. We will also print &at names only upon request, in any of our publications.

Ok, now... this newsletter will be published on a quarterly basis and we have a wealth of exciting information to cover in a limited amount of space and time.

So let the presses roll!

Happy Holidays and much Aloha to all!

Julie

Many of you who have attended my Seminars and workshops are well aware of the fact that I am a very strong advocate of the (4) WIRE-BASKET SYSTEM. Great news! The Office Mart in Lahaina is now carrying them on a regular basis. The complete set including stackers sells for approximately $35. The Office Mart is the only place on the island where these may be purchased. If you have a problem locating the store or traversing to Lahaina - give me a call. There are always solutions to any given problem. FYI: Office Mart is now open Mon. - Sat.

With Christmas rolling around the comer I know many people have expressed an interest in the RED DOT system to Santa. This product cannot be purchased on island. The distributor is on the Mainland. Fax orders to: 503.639.5044 or call 800.520-0010 You will need to use my contact number (which is #4) in placing your orders. The entire system sells for $119.SO with an additional $10-is for s/h. If you wish to purchase just the interior of this system, it sells for $69. I can assure you that the RED DOT will be a tremendous aid (as well as FUN), in organizing all those papers you have to carry daily.

ORGANIZING OPTIONS has finally arrived! I now have ample copies of this new

exciting book that has been published by the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter

of NAPO (of which I am an affiliate member). The book sells for $14.95 and

is a real aid for those who are making the attempts to get Organized on

their own or anyone looking for alternatives to the current way of doing

things. The book is literally loaded with hundreds of diverse organizing

techniques and tips to lead you on your way to success! *Include $1.50 for s/h.

I am pleased to announce that my very own "TIPS BOOKLET" has now hit the press! "179 Successful Hints" On Organizing Your Home - For The Busy Person" The booklet sells for $10. On request, these booklets may be mailed anywhere in the United States.

For those wishing to obtain Organizing Options or the Tips Booklet, mail your payments directly to The PHOENIX. You will receive your order within 7 days.

Getting organized just got more feasible! Recently a client made a comment about setting up a Home Organizing Workshop for me in order to make sure she attended. One thing led to another and then it clicked! You see people are always telling me that they need/want to attend this workshop, or that they have several friends, acquaintances or colleagues from work interested in attending. So I am now offering everyone an invitation to

How this works: When you gather 8 -12 friends and acquaintances to

participate in a fun, informative and motivational Home Organizing Workshop,

you will have the opportunity to attend as my guest in appreciation for your

coordinating efforts.

Part I of each workshop is held in my Home. If you would like us to hold

Part II in your Home, you will attend as my guest, as well as gain a 2 hour

credit on a 4 hour session in Organizing your Home! There is no limit to the

number of Workshops you may coordinate!

Please Note: because there is an 8 person minimum and we do not want to

jeopardize this event for others planning to attend, there is a $25

non-refundable deposit. If a potential attender cannot make the committed

date, I will honor the deposit at a future workshop.

The workshop fee is $49. It entails class time, a tour of my home. Yes - all

cabinets, drawers and closets will even be opened! (in my home only). You

will also get to view a

Our 3rd Annual contest is right around the comer! Many clients take a break

around the holidays to celebrate the joy, love and warmth of Ohana and

friends. I second that! Great timing too because many of you have worked

very hard during the course of the year and a little break never hurt

anyone!

Each year in honor of the hundreds of thousands of New Years Resolutions to

Get Organized (mind you, it is second only to losing weight), I kick off the New Year with my annual contest in honor of National Clean off Your Desk Day (see and you thought you were alone? It’s a National celebration!)

I choose this time of year to insure that those goals to Get Organized receive all the help and support they can get This year the contest starts on January 8th and ends February 19th. The winner will be announced after I return from my annual conference on the Mainland for the National Association of Professional Organizers - by March 15th. There will once again, be ample press releases to serve as reminders as the date draws near.

Rules and regs: Submit a photo(s) of your Home Office along with a 300 word essay on Why you may be Disorganized and why you want to Get Organized. (God love 'em but I actually received 10 photos depicting a panoramic view from one entrant - so anything goes!)

The contest will run a total of 6 weeks. All deadlines must be postmarked no later than February 19,1996. Why so long you say?

Well, I want everyone to have a fair shot, plus this is the Voice of Experience - trust me!

In the past years I have run this contest I meet people all year long who swear "I could have won your contest...BUT... " and their true reasons are wide and varied!

Well for starters many people who want to enter may not have film left after the holiday. Then people decide that they can’t possibly take a picture of their space without being embarrassed ...so they want to tidy up first! That in itself may take a few weeks before they find the time. Please-please-please, I highly encourage you to.... just take the picture - as is!

For those that know me or have heard of me through close friends, people will attest that they are utterly amazed when I don’t even bat an eye at their organizing challenges. The irony of the whole situation is everyone thinks: I’m gonna be your worse case yet.

I ask you: does it matter? Someone will inevitably be more organizationally challenged but I also guarantee beyond a shadow of a doubt...you will never even know...because as they say: "we are always our own worst enemies."

Not to mention the fact that this is my profession of choice. This is what I love doing most in life! This is my passion and commitment to others - to be of service sharing one of my most inherent and loving skills - doing what I do best...encouraging others to achieve their greatness in a stress-less manner...so that they too can do what they do best in calmness rather than chaos!

The next stage in prepping for the contest is not only to take the picture of your Home Office but remember to shoot the rest of the film. Getting it developed may be another obstacle as many people send their film off to a print lab. Of course there is always good 'ol Murphy around who may decide that this particular roll gets lost in the shuffle. (Think it hasn’t happened? That is why photo labs have a disclaimer stating they are only liable for replacing the film...no liability involved with the effort you went through to shoot the shot.) Remember to pick up your developed film and don't misplace your voucher slip in the interim.

Now composing the essay entry can be quite a tricky time consuming feat for many. Decisions-decisions. Do I write an essay? Write a poem? Make it sad and desperate? Decide to be humorous about the situation? What is she looking for in a winner anyway?

So we need to create a "TO DO list" for the contest to insure your entry:

• purchase film

• take Home Office shots

• drop off film for developing

• locate photo voucher

• pick up film from developing

• decide what shots to enter

• compose essay, proof, re-write, re-proof, rethink...ponder entry

• find Julie’s mailing address

• find Julie’s phone number to call her due to misplaced mailing address

• get stamps

• drop entry in mailbox...by the deadline

OK. We have approximately 110,000 permanent residents on the island of Maui. Nothing could tickle my fancy more than having several thousand entries to ponder this year. Serious! So please utilize this advance notice. Tell a friend. Employer. Family member. Tell them all - that you are going to enter this contest and are determined to win! Have a friend remind you of the deadline, and question your progress on the necessary steps. Take any and all drastic measures to get that entry in the mail! It is a priority! This one contest can truly change your life - forever! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Soooooo... like they say: just do it"!

This years prizes are valued at almost $2000 ! The winner will receive:

The PHOENIX Organizational Consulting Service -with Julie Signore

by Julie Signore

by DocuMajix -- this product can potentially eliminate as much as 85% of the paper in

your office.

•A Red Dot system

and more!

GOOD LUCK and remember... have FUN doing it!

As a token of gratitude for your support throughout the year in many of our endeavors....The PHOENIX wishes to extend a one hour credit on a 4 hour session for Small Business, Home Office, Residential or Kid Organizing.

This credit will be valid through January 31,1995. To activate your gift from The PHOENIX, simply book your appointment prior to the January 31st deadline for any future date of your convenience. This credit may be used in conjunction with any gift certificates you receive as well as referral credits accumulated. Please note: Due to our extensive amount of client

scheduling a 72 hour advance cancellation notice is required on a confirmed appointment.

Those who have attended my Workshops or Seminars may remember me referring to my involvement with CompuServe. Due to more recent inquiries regarding this medium I decided that I may need to put this in print.

One year ago on January 2, Paul Edwards (as in Paul and Sarah Edwards), the Small Business/Home Office gurus of the Working From Home Forum on CompuServe, authors, radio personalities and contributing editors of Home Office Computing, gave me the go-ahead. Professional Organizers were granted their very own section within Paul's Working From Home Forum.

This was a major accomplishment. I had been promoting Professional Organizers via other Forum activities with Paul as well as promoting the connectability for Professional Organizers of The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). Our presence and access to the information highways was desperately needed in assisting the public on their

organizational dilemmas. We finally had an opportunity to extend the awareness of NAPO to a worldwide audience.

As of October 31, 1995 Professional Organizers have addressed more than 7,000 messages in regards to the organization dilemmas that our participants from around the globe have approached us with. We have a growing Library that contains over 50 varying files pertaining to the many aspects of getting and staying organized.

Anyone interested in dropping in on the Professional Organizers section on CompuServe, do a GO WORK, scroll down to Section #22: HO Organizing and feel free to drop us a line.

"The only limits of achievement are the bonds of belle f" J. Signore

While creating a Home Organizing video tour of my home for a Workshop to be

performed on Oah'u, my video-woman asked if there were Organizing gifts suggestions that people would enjoy receiving for Christmas. My answer to this question is Yes! Yes! and Yes!

First of all, you may be interested in knowing that The PHOENIX Organizational Consulting Service does provide gift certificates for all occasions. We’ve been the bearer of gifts for Birthdays, Christmas, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and Valentines Day. And believe me, the recipients were thrilled with the thoughtfulness of this gift. Imagine... receiving a gift that provides:

REMEMBER: Precede ALL mail order catalog purchases with: "do not sell or

trade my name." THIS is precisely how to avoid 80% of your future "junk

mail."

Would you believe studies show that 80% of what people purchase is done on impulse! 20% of the items purchased on impulse are actually utilized! This can be costly in the long run as you have spent hard earned money on an item that just may not ever be used.

This is one of my personal all time most versatile favorites. Prices are reasonable, products are of excellent quality, the customer service is superior and the items are super kool, functional and organizationally fun!

Such as:

•leather weighted book mark, color coded pack of elasticized bookmarks (that keep your paperback closed securely when not in use), leather CD travel pouch (holds 6 - great for the car!), leather pencil case, canvas covers to protect hard or softback books • brightly colored canvas encasement for the steno pad, halogen reading/desk lamps, journal books, footrests for the computer user, editors inclined desktop, telescoping book rack, desktop cubby systems, and just about every desk organizing accessory imaginable.

Other options:

• Red Dot System

• Computer Corral

• Acrylic subscription holders

• Desk organizers

• CD/tape/video organizers

• Mobile Organizers for the person in your life who operates out of their "vehicle office."

• Gifts in a decorative basket are a sure winner! The basket may be used as a magazine organizer, kitchen organizer and depending on size ...an organizer for the vanity/bathroom type items.

If you need help in locating any specific items for that someone special...give me a call and I will help you locate it.

Hold Everything: 800.421.2264

closets, cabinets, drawers, bathroom, kitchen, laundry, office, storage, garage, attic

Brookstone: 800.926.7000

office, mobile, storage, garden, laundry, workshops, holiday

Levenger: 800.544-0880

office, study, school, desk accessories, all media storage, the bookworm in your life

Exposures: 800122.4947

memorabilia organizers of every category

Rubbermaid: 800.789.1331

computer, office, mobile

Mobile Office Outfitter: 800.426.3453

office, mobile

Diskette Gazette: 800.122.6032

office, computer, media storage

A client was completely surprised recently when I congratulated them on a referral credit. So this appears to be an opportune time to re-emphasize a major company policy that we uphold.

Because you, my valued clients are my greatest allies and assets to a myriad of my continued success, I wish to continually acknowledge your support and confidence with our referral kokua. For every referral you provide to The PHOENIX Organizational Consulting Service, that results in a contract of our services, you will bank one free hour towards your own organizational needs.

All referral hours are performed on a four hour minimum. These may be saved for a large upcoming project...or cashed in at your convenience as needed. The choice is yours!

Anyone who makes a referral for a complete Workshop or Seminar to a company who contracts our services will receive 4 hours of their choice in home, office or business.

All clients will be notified of any referrals as they occur. Accurate records are kept for your convenience on our database.