5 Reasons You Should Organize
April 30, 2006
Some people think being organized requires a lot of work or maybe a complete system where you have to do a complicated set of tasks. In short, many people view being organized as impossible to achieve. While that is not really true, it takes a much disciplined person not to resort back to his old habits. It’s really easy to do and you get many benefits when you’re organized. Here are some of them.
1. You will have more room.
When you get organized whether at your room or at your desk at work, you’ll find you have more free space and that you’re space is uncluttered. You won’t even have to throw something out. You just need to place things in some sort of order and maintain that order at all times.
2. You will be able to save time.
Looking for files at work? It’s organized alphabetically in the cabinet. Being organized lets you look for files that you might need in a hurry in the future. Looking for your book? It’s safely stashed behind your bed. This is a really good time-saving technique which would help you when you’re in a hurry.
3. You will also save money.
You don’t believe that? Try thinking why you bought another ballpoint pen today? Isn’t it because you lost your old one? Or think of the countless items you bought because you thought you didn’t have one of them at your house. Just think of how much you could save in a year just by being organized.
4. You will feel more in control.
Did you know that clutter around your house and at work causes the stress you’re feeling from time to time? It’s no wonder you’re feeling more irritated at work. As your clutter goes, you’ll feel that it is easier to breathe and take charge of your own life.
5. You will make a great impression to others.
This should be a good enough reason why you should make a considerable effort to be organized. Just think of your mother or wife not pestering you to clean your room again. Or just think how you’ll never forget that you have a meeting with somebody at some place.
Being organized requires a lot of discipline to maintain. Nobody ever said it was easy. You need to make sure you don’t lapse back to your old habits or all of what you have done will be for nothing.
Home Safety
April 24, 2006
An important part of setting up your house is considering safety matters. Complete home safety plans will differ in various parts of the country due to the types of disasters that can occur in each. Listed below, are just a few of the areas you need to watch.
Lighting
Adequate lighting is one of the major points of concern for your home safety. You should be able to turn on a light without having to walk into a dark room. There should be a lamp or light switch near your bedside. Even a small “night light†can keep you from running into things in the middle of the night. If you have stairways in your house, there should be light switches both at the top and the bottom. Also, think about outside lights. Are they placed where needed to prevent falls AND to decrease the chance of burglaries?
Fall Prevention
Lamps, extension (and telephone) cords should not be strung out where people will be walking. Remove any clutter from halls and passageways. Make sure carpets and throw rugs are secured with double-sided tape or non-skid backing and that carpets lie flat. DO NOT stand on a chair to reach something in a high cabinet – use a “sturdy†step stool. Handrails on stairways are a MUST! Is there a non-skid mat or decals in your bathtub and a sturdy grab bar?
Fire/Burn Prevention
Place smoke detectors near your bedroom doors. Put fire extinguishers in your kitchen and garage – learn how to use them! Only use a fire extinguisher for a small fire. For larger fires, call 911 or your fire department. Don’t forget – never leave whatever you’re cooking unattended. Be sure your curtains, towels and furniture are AT LEAST 12 inches from portable and/or baseboard heaters. If you have a fireplace, use a fireplace screen to prevent sparks and have your chimney cleaned every fall. When you light a gas fireplace, strike your match first, before turning on the gas. Have gas appliances, water heaters and furnaces should be checked by a qualified technician annually. Don’t leave your house while your clothes dryer is running. Fires have been known to start from lint igniting or inadequate venting. Burns from hot water can be prevented by keeping your hot water temperature 120 degrees or lower.
Other Safety Matters
Have an emergency exit plan in case of fire. Also keep a disaster preparedness kit where it can be reached easily if there’s an earthquake, tornado, or other disaster. KNOW HOW to turn off gas and electricity, if needed. Keep a list of emergency phone numbers near your telephone. This list should include family members or friends that should be contacted.
 You have to be alert to keep your home, and yourself, safe. Be aware of your surroundings and how you can implement safety measures. It’s your life!
Moving or Relocating
April 24, 2006
The word, Moving, can cause the strongest young man to shudder with dread. Moving or relocating is hard work! There are many things to consider, from your finances to looking for the new home to the actual move.
First, let’s talk about the financial aspect. How much rent (or how high of mortgage payments) can you afford? As a general rule, your total housing expense, including taxes and insurance, should not exceed one-third of your total monthly income.
You might need to think about getting a roommate, if you intend to pay more than that, to help with the expenses.
Do you want to live in a house or an apartment? Apartments are less expensive to rent than a house in most areas of the country. And…you don’t have to mow the lawn. There are several disadvantages to an apartment, however. You may have less than ideal neighbors, there’s usually no yard for entertaining, and you will probably have to go to a Laundromat to do your laundry.
Where do you want to live? Since I hate driving on the freeways, my choice is always to live within ten minutes of work. If you like to drive to unwind after work, then you can live further away.
Look at the neighborhood that you intend to live in. You want to it to be well-maintained. And think about how much traffic (and associated noise) there is, and the crime rate in the potential neighborhood.
You Should Know
 There’s a lot to remember when you’re looking at houses or apartments. Keep a notebook to write down the positives and negatives of each one. I actually take a camera along to snap pictures so I can remember what the places look like!
Keeping Home Records
April 24, 2006
 Part of setting up a new home is providing a way to store your home records. You’ll need a small filing cabinet or bankers box. Portable files can be found at most department stores at very reasonable prices.
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 Keep like things together, such as your bill paying items where you pay them and your warranties and user manuals together in your filing cabinet.
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 Some records need to be kept in a more secure location. These items should be kept in a lockbox hidden at the home or ideally in a bank safety deposit box:
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 - birth certificate
 - passport
 - insurance policies
 - loan contracts
 - mortgage or lease contracts
 - bond and stock certificates
 - school records
 - expensive jewelry
 - inventory list for insurance purposes
 - your will - keep one copy at home and the original with your attorney.
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 Your computer-related items, such as backups, software, and user manuals, should be kept near your computer.
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 Photos can be put into containers or albums and kept in a cool, dry place. Keep your negatives in their original packaging. Don’t store photos ore negatives in attics or basements because the heat and/or moisture will damage them.
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 Creating a video and music CD library will make it easier to find a particular movie (or CD) that you want. Keep a database of titles and other information will make it easy to print out a list.
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 Books can also be listed in a computer database so you can find that special one easier. By the way, important books you should have in your library are a Road Atlas, Medical Guide or First Aid Book and a Dictionary.
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 Establish your method of storage when you first move into your new home. It will pay off later.
Organizing Your Home Office
April 24, 2006
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Plan for Paper Management
Are you ready for next year’s taxes? Do you know where all your tax receipts are? Losing receipts because of paper clutter can cost you money and time.
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Make a Decision
The first time you pick up a piece of paper, decide what to do with it. Ask yourself, “Will this need to be paid, answered or filed?, then put the paper into the appropriate folder of an action file. Sorting paperwork immediately stops clutter at the source.
Set Up a Filing System
Set up a filing system according to the A,B,C rule:
- A: Action Files
- B: Basic Files
- C: C Control Files
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Action Files
These are the files you use for daily and short term filing. Use them to organize bills for payment, letters that require response, and information that must be filed. Label the files “To Do, To Pay and To File.”
Basic Files
This is your home’s working file system. Keep these in a rolling cart, filing cabinet or drawer. The items to file here are medical insurance records, credit card statements, mortgage or rent receipts and bank statements. Use basic files for routine activities like bill paying, tax files, medical information and home maintenance
Control Files
Storage for long-term files. These include copies of tax returns, insurance policies, homeowner’s records, and copies of legal documents. Use file cabinets or bankers boxes to protect these items for long term storage.
Getting Your House Organized
April 24, 2006
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Getting Your House Organized
Getting your house organized brings a measure of serenity to your life.
Of course, you’ll still have stresses from other areas of your life, but being able to find what you want - when you want it - will make life at home easier.
Getting your house organized does not mean you have to organize your closets into color coordinated masterpieces or that all your DVDs and CDs have to be in alphabetical order. Organization does mean that you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for when you’re looking for it.
Getting your home organized doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few things to think about:
KISS - Keep It Simple, Silly.
The whole point is to make your life easier. You don’t need a complicated system that takes more of your precious time.
Neatnick? Neat doesn’t mean you’re organized. Even if an item is neatly put away, can you find it when you need it?
A Place for Every Thing.
If you don’t have a designated place for an item, where does it go? In piles, stuffed in drawers or cupboards, or somewhere in limbo.
Keep your family involved. You won’t be able to organize anything without their cooperation.
Keep the Things You Love
Lose the clothes and knick-knacks you don’t use. They just take up valuable space. Of course, keep those things that you love and have special meaning to you.
If you make room for at least some of the things you love most, you’re much more likely to succeed at your plan.
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Use Storage Containers
Use plastic bins, boxes, dividers that help to keep things separate and easy to find.
Use discreet labels to remind you which drawer or shelf is used for what.
Store like items together - close to where they’re most likely to be used. If you use an item in more than one area of your home, invest in another - scissors, for example.
Invest in a filing cabinet…And USE it! Once a year go through it and toss paper you don’t need.
Make changes if what you’re doing isn’t working. If you’re spending too much time searching for something, it’s time to reevaluate where it needs to go.
Keep a Master List of where you “hide” those special items…like Christmas presents purchased in February! You’ll be able to find them in time for Christmas!
It’s also a good idea to keep a household inventory for Renters/Homeowners insurance purposes.
If You Don’t Use It…Toss It
At least once a year weed out your junk and have a yard sale or give it away to a charity. Better yet: Have the yard sale first (to help your budget) then, give away what didn’t sell.
Cleaning Your House
April 24, 2006
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Everybody Loves Doing It!
Yeah! Right!!
The truth is that keeping your house clean is hard work. Unfortunately, the majority of us can’t afford to hire someone to keep it clean for us, so we need to find the easiest way we can to do it for ourselves.
Since house cleaning is a necessary evil, let’s explore the easiest ways to go about it. But let’s not go overboard! Are we really going to eat off the floor? 
I don’t know about you, but I want my home to be comfortable, not someplace people will be afraid to come into because they might get it dirty.
You’re going to need to invest in some kind of carrying caddy. No one should lung their cleaning supplies around one bottle at a time. A caddy will save you time. You’ll also need cloths (Cut up old towels into cleaning rags. Super-absorbent!), sponges, a feather duster, toothbrush, scraper, broom and mop. Get a good bucket too. You don’t want a flimsy one that won’t hold water (so to speak!) A squeegee is a must for cleaning windows.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Keep Your Child Safe! Did you know that each year, over 1 million children are accidentally poisoned in their homes? The most common substance in the home to poison children is a household cleaner.
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Vacuum Cleaners:
You will need a vacuum cleaner to deep clean your rugs and carpets.
If you have anyone in the house who has allergies, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter incorporated into it.
For those who do not suffer from dust related allergies, well sealed vacuum cleaners with minimal filtration will do quite well.