Cut the clutter so you can enjoy your kitchen.
Consumer Reports came calling in June of 2012 to get functionality and organizing tips for their annual Consumer Reports Kitchen Planning & Buying Guide. If you missed that year’s issue, have no fear! They Continue reading
Home office organizing – Create space by utilizing a free shred day event
Did you know that October is National Clean Out Your Files Month? Yahoo! A great way to celebrate would be to do a little home office organizing and purge all of the papers you don’t need or want…the papers that are getting in the way whenever you’re looking for something you do need or want. While the option to scan papers has been around for a while, I find that paper pile ups are still pretty common.
Studies show that Continue reading
What are your computer recycling options?
If you took advantage of the back to school sales for computers, you might be wondering how to get rid of the old machines without killing the environment. The first step is to erase your personal information – even if a store promises to erase it for you. To do this, the pros say to run magnets across the hard drive, use free software from KillDisk.com or Heidi.ie or others to wipe the drive clean, or literally destroy it with a hammer or drill. No matter which of the above you choose, you need to do more than just delete a document and empty the computer’s Recycling Bin.
The next step is to find a place that offers computer recycling. Altex will take computers and related equipment in any working condition. Office Depot and Best Buy also have programs, but check the fine print for fees. Goodwill in San Antonio, Austin, and nationwide has the simplest program. All Goodwill Donation Stations accept anything electronic! An added bonus is that your donation is tax deductible and will fund job programs in your area.
Gather up your dying or dead electronic gadgets and computers, wipe the drives, and recycle them this weekend!
National Preparedness Month – How ready are you?
Have you been hearing the radio commercials about preparing for emergencies? September is National Preparedness Month, which was started by the Department of Homeland Security. Their motto is Prepare, Plan, Stay Informed. For important details and checklists, go to www.ready.gov. Part of preparing is organizing your home and office — knowing where supplies are and making sure they’re consolidated and easy to grab in an emergency. The recent earthquake in Napa is a reminder of this.
Are your first aid supplies in a tub or pouch that can be scooped up on the run? Are your important documents in one central location so that you don’t have to waste time hunting them down? If Clive Owen gives you a plane ticket and an invitation to a gala this weekend in London, do you know where your passport is? (There are good emergencies, too!) The important thing is to know where things are and be able to find them in no time.
I also highly recommend that you have a home inventory so that in the event of a disaster, you’ll know exactly what you own (or no longer own) and what the value of the items are. This can be done in electronic format and saved onto your computer hard drive or saved securely via a service like DOK-IT ONLINE™. For even more protection, consider having a company like Alamo Area Virtual Tours photograph and/or video your inventory for insurance purposes.
National Preparedness Month is a great reminder that we hopefully will never have to use our emergency plan, but we should always have one…just in case.
Get organized for back to school
Going back to school is a big transition in the year, so it’s important to get organized for back to school. Kids go from playing (or sleeping) all day to needing to think, be active, and pay attention for an entire school day. Adults go from making sure the kids stay safe yet out of their hair to a frenzy of keeping tracking of activities, practices, school events, tests, performances, chauffer schedules…and the list goes on.
For some quick time-saving tips to help you get organized for back to school, watch this segment from Continue reading