1st Monthly Newsletter

Welcome to our first newsletter!  I'm excited to write about organization, especially since January is associated with "getting organized" to help start the New Year off the right way!
The word organizing can often be seen and felt as a "negative" because it makes us feel guilty when we're not organized, or we get tired /scared thinking about all that has to be done because we don't even know where to begin!

I know when I started with my new "creative" room - all of the above feelings made me put off starting something I really wanted to do.  It was completely overwhelming thinking about how, where and what to do with my "collection of treasures".  These two quotes made me laugh and helped keep me on track.

Panic is not an effective long-term organizing strategy.  - Starhawk 

The best way out of a problem is through it.  - Anonymous

So I emptied the room out, replaced the 21 yr old carpet with flooring, painted, put trim around the windows,  plumbed in a sink, and found items I could use for storage that were unique, used, and above all...functional!

BEFORE

AFTER

2 Things You Need to Know BEFORE You Start

Know Your Personality -  Even at a young age, I showed signs of my personality.  I know I'm a visual person who likes things to be efficient.  If I have things I can visually see - I use them!
I like options, which equates to a bigger mess and an even bigger collection.  I prefer to use my time creating vs. hunting for stuff and then having to clean it up.  If it's not easy to clean up - it doesn't happen!  That's why I came up with products that work for me. I can tell you I'm more motivated to clean up, when I know where everything goes, and it's easy to put away - and I have a great room that I want to keep clean!  I'm more creative when I'm not in a mess.

What Inspires You - I'm a junker!  Have any of you seen American Picker?  Well - that would be me full-time if I could.  So for me - the fun is in the hunt!  When I look around my room, it is filled with pieces that make me happy!  I remember who I was with, where I found it, and especially when I got a killer deal!  I like funky, metal, unique vintage pieces, and since I'm quickly becoming  vintage myself  - I find value in "old things".  You need to surround yourself with things that make you feel happy and make you want to create!

 

This is a picture of my "new-old" desk.  This use to be my husband's desk and it was a great functional piece - but very outdated.  I had someone cut a very thin metal to match the shape, then I rusted it, used gel stains and we glued it on top to cover the old veneer.  Now my desk and shelves are my magnet boards and it has a really cool old, yet modern feel to it.

3 Steps to Help You Start

Prioritize- take those top 5-10 things you use all the time with almost every project.  Put them in an easy access area.  Display them in a way that you know where they are, can easily access them and most important is easy clean-up.  If it takes a lot of effort to clean-up, you won't do it.  Prioritize what needs to be done!

Buy what you like and what works for you- if you buy items you love, you'll find room for them.  When I started the quest to find pieces that not only appealed to me - they had to be able to have storage possibilities.  I laughed when I bought some of the things I did because I had NO idea what I was going to do with them.  It was amazing to me when I put my room together; those "weird" buys seemed to fit like I had planned them!
Here is an example - I found this great metal tool box.  When I was putting things away - all my spray paints, gels, etc. fit in there and it was great. I could keep it shut and away from grandkids, but it looked cool and served a purpose.

You need to tap into your creativity by using items you already have to help you organize!  After that, buy organizational products that work with your personality!  I used one of my Clip it Up's upside down to hang product on that I wanted to access easily - but have it off of my desk.

Renee's Final Tips

  How many of you have bought the same embellishments, patterns, threads, or papers all because you can't find the one you have and it's easier to go buy another?

Those of you who haven't had that happen should be writing this because you know more about organizing than I do - or you're in denial... (Really -this is a COLLECTORS ANONYMOUS INTERVENTION MEETING that your friends and family have asked me to intervene and get you some help!)

Remember...YOU USE WHAT YOU SEE!!!!  So keep that in mind when you are organizing your "treasures".  I did a card system to help me because I have so much and everything couldn't be in sight.  When I organized and put something away, I made a card for it with information of  where I stored the items, then filed it in my cute "old" file box and that way anyone could come in my room and find what they need.

I don't know about you - but there are things I see that are calling my name!  There is a pull towards certain pieces.  It just speaks to you!  Trust that feeling!  Now I don't want to go into this more (especially about pieces calling your name - because I'm not a therapist, but I would rather spend my money on things I like, than "repeats" because I can't find something!  Trust your instincts and realize there is a reason you're drawn to something!  If you will do that - you will never regret it! 

This is a picture of two great metal finds I have right under my desk that hold some of my "key" go-to products.

Organizing is a daily effort...but when it's done - it's done.  Remember that organizing should NEVER take the place of creating!  If you're spending all your time and creativity on organizing - you're missing the point!

Happy Organizing!
Renee

More pictures of Renee’s room will come soon!

Thanks for being part of our first monthly Newsletter and being dedicated supporters of the Clip it Up products.  We'd love to include you in our newsletters.  Send us your pictures and ideas about how you use or would like to use one of the Clip it Up products and if we feature you in a newsletter you'll receive a $15 gift certificate for www.clipitup.com.

Also starting next month we will begin an 'Ask Renee' section. Ask Renee a question by emailing clipitup@gmail.com subject Ask Renee

Design Team Reminder

Scrapbookers/Crafters/Quilters Design Team Call

We are looking for 3-5 talented designers to participate as members of our design team. Anybody who loves to scrapbook, craft and/or quilt we’d love to have you apply.

To apply please email:

• Contact Information
• Headshot or Photo
• Short Bio
• Resume including publication (if any)
• Link to your blog and usernames on pertinent online forums
• .jpegs of 3 projects (any combination of altered art, layout and/or cards)

Expectations:

• · One picture of Simply Renee’s product setup and in use (does not have to hold scrapbooking products) and short review.
• YouTube video would be great if possible
• 5-6 blog entries about recent projects
• Including pictures and instructions

Compensation:

• Free Clip it Up product/s (to be determined)
• Discount on Clip it Up products
• Link to your blog on Simply Renee Inc’s blog

Deadlines:

• An average of 1 blog post a month and a list will be sent out to all members telling them when their posts are due.

Simply Renee Inc retains the right to approve or disapprove of any blog content and to change it accordingly (writer will be notified of changes) and to use the design team member’s likeness, designs, comments, blogs for publication or as we see fit, giving the design team member full and proper credit.

Submissions will be accepted now through January 10^th, 2011 at 11:59 MST. Email clipitup@gmail.com

Quote of the Week

"Don't agonize. Organize."

-Florynce R. Kennedy

Upcoming Newsletter

With a New Year comes new ideas and new changes here at Simply Renee.

We are starting a monthly newsletter where we will share ideas on organization with you, and welcome your ideas, pictures and thoughts to be shared with our Simply Renee followers and readers. There are a lot of creative people out there who have great ideas. One thing about organizing is that it needs to be customized for your taste, personality and methods. Since there are many different ways to organize, we want to share your ideas so we all can find something that works for us.  Email us your pictures and ideas to clipitup@gmail.com.  If we feature your idea in our newsletter then we’ll send you a $15 gift certificate to www.clipitup.com.

The first newsletter will be written by me. We are also starting a section called: Ask Renee … where you can email me any questions you have and I’ll do my best to try and answer them for you. Send emails to clipitup@gmail.com put as the subject ‘Ask Renee’.

We are excited about this upcoming year and our “NEW” Clip it Up products. They are all about building and customizing for your individual organizational needs! We’ll be showing sneak peaks soon so keep following our blog.

2011 will be an exciting year and we look forward to your ideas and working together to make your organizational needs easier!

Happy New Year!

Renee

2011

2011. For real? Like in 3 days? Wow. I know it sounds cliche' - but where does the time go? If you find it, will you let me know?

Christmas has come and gone - did you get everything you wanted? Did you get things you didn't know you wanted but love anyway? Did you spend good times with your family? Do you have a mess to clean up? Do you have a list of thank-you cards a mile long? Do you have a list of thank-you cards for cards and gifts that were sent to you but maybe you didn't send to them? *gasp* I know! Every single year we get at least 1 card, maybe a couple three from people we didn't send to. I'm not a big Happy New Year card-sender, but I do make cards for the occasion to send to the people that for whatever reason were not on the Christmas card list. For all they know - they were on the Happy New Year card list ;)

All the best to you and yours in the new year.

Design Team

Don’t forget to apply!!! It’s a great way to get Clip it Up products!

Due date for applications is January 10, but don’t procrastinate you won’t want to miss this opportunity. Here’s the official call:

Scrapbookers/Crafters/Quilters Design Team Call

We are looking for 3-5 talented designers to participate as members of our design team. Anybody who loves to scrapbook, craft and/or quilt we’d love to have you apply.

To apply please email:

· Contact Information

· Headshot or Photo

· Short Bio

· Resume including publication (if any)

· Link to your blog and usernames on pertinent online forums

· .jpegs of 3 projects (any combination of altered art, layout and/or cards)

Expectations:

· One picture of Simply Renee’s product setup and in use (does not have to hold scrapbooking products) and short review.

o YouTube video would be great if possible

· 5-6 blog entries about recent projects

o Including pictures and instructions

Compensation:

· Free Clip it Up product/s (to be determined)

· Discount on Clip it Up products

· Link to your blog on Simply Renee Inc’s blog

Deadlines:

· An average of 1 blog post a month and a list will be sent out to all members telling them when their posts are due.

Simply Renee Inc retains the right to approve or disapprove of any blog content and to change it accordingly (writer will be notified of changes) and to use the design team member’s likeness, designs, comments, blogs for publication or as we see fit, giving the design team member full and proper credit.

Submissions will be accepted now through January 10^th, 2011 at 11:59 MST. Email clipitup@gmail.com

Quote of the Week

"Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." _ Roald Dahl