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You carefully plan how to spend your money. But you may have never organized a plan on how to best save your hard-earned money. Shopping the sales, cut corners, conserve energy, and clip coupons are all positive steps in the right direction, but with some careful planning and organized thought, you can make your dollar stretch even further.

First of all, pay yourself first. Bill yourself if you have to as a way to keep track. You can even have a portion of your check directly deposited into your savings account so you’ll never even miss it. Put part of it into savings for shorter term goals and some into a retirement plan. Compare interest rates at different financial institutions to get the most bang for your saved buck.

Pay close attention to where your money is going. Develop a spreadsheet or other method so you can visibly track where your money is going each month. You probably easily remember the bigger bills like the mortgage or the car payment, but it’s easy to lose track of the incidental spending you do. You’d probably be surprised how much you spend each month on movies, eating out, video rentals and a little spending money for the kids. This will help you find ways of saving a few dollars here and there, which can quickly add up to a significant savings each month.

Set a realistic budget and stick to it. Once you’ve paid close attention to where your money is going, it will be easy to find where to cut corners and adjust your budget accordingly. With some commitment and a few lifestyle adjustments, it’s really quite simple to live within the parameters of a well-planned budget.

Look for fun, inexpensive ways to entertain your family. You can usually borrow videos from your local library at little or no cost, and outdoor activities not only promote family togetherness but the fresh air and exercise are good for all involved.

August 14th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

As you begin the process of organizing your household, you may ask yourself what the best way is to motivate your family members to become and stay actively involved in the process. Each family member is unique and so is their method for organizing and prioritizing. But if you approach it from a coaching standpoint, it is possible to motivate your family to get on the organizational bandwagon.

First of all, remember that your family will get involved in the process for their own reasons, not necessarily just to please you. Help each family member pinpoint their own motivations for wanting to get organized. Maybe they are feeling less productive in school or at work, or they never seem to have enough social time because their time

Each of us has a strong suit when it comes to being organized. Find that about each family member and emphasize it. Take the opportunity to share your organizational strengths and tips, and ask them to do the same. Offer praise, not criticism.

Organizing isn’t about getting rid of things at all. It is about identifying what’s important to you and giving those things a reliable, consistent home. Don’t try to force your family member to get rid of their things, but to prioritize which things holds the most importance and to focus their organizational goals around that.

Finally, being organized is about being responsible. If your child or family member has worked hard to get organized and stay organized, recognize this feat and reward it. Perhaps you can come up with a family reward such as a new croquet set for the backyard that everyone can play, or purchasing three or four new board games the family can play together. And remember, the best teacher for your family is you, so lead by example. Maintain your personal organization systems and consistently strive to improve and find new ways to keep on top of the clutter so chaos doesn’t overrun your life. They’ll learn by your example.

August 10th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

Amerock manages and knobs are some of the best hardware and most sensibly cost in the kitchen commerce, particularly if you select the methods that are defended by Amerock’s Guardian Lifetime Finish.

I have Kitchen hardware all through my home. As a testimonial, those manages and knobs have been in my dwelling for over 8 years and not one is tarnished. Again, confirm to get manages or knobs with Amerock’s Guardian Lifetime Finish guarantee. It’s very easy to hold the manages and knobs clean too. I just clean with moderately hot water and a gentle lather (like Dawn Dishwashing Liquid). The Dawn assists slash through the grease that’s going to build up on your kitchen hardware too.

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Amerock Kitchen Hardware:

* Durability
* Affordability
* Their manages and knobs just seem good to grab and have plentiful room for fingers.
* They have literally thousands of manages and methods, in addition to dozens of finishes to select from.
* They have some kitchen appliance drags to select from if you need them.
* Again, the Guardian Lifetime Finish - is assured not ever to tarnish. Look for these manages if you design on residing in your dwelling a while and don’t desire to be restoring manages do to tarnishing.
* All Amerock kitchen hardware is assured to be free of defects.
* They arrive with 8/32? x 1? attachments for installation.
* A couple of of their most well liked methods of kitchen knobs have been evolved into route and privacy doorway knobs and levers for your dwelling (Amerock Ensembles Collection).
* Finally, the business has been round since 1929 and are part of the Newell Rubbermaid Company. They’ve been round a long time, and if you need to agree manages and knobs that you get today with certain thing you’ll buy or construct in the future, they’ll most expected have the identical handle or knob, or a good match.

Amerock kitchen hardware has “lines”. Allison is their cheapest hardware, but it’s furthermore not their best. You can find manages for a twosome of bucks on up. They do have some pricey “lines” that can cost you $20 in addition to dollars per handle, but most of their hardware is reasonable.

August 10th, 2008 | Category: General | Leave a comment

Some of us love it, some of us hate it. Regardless, clothes shopping can be an expensive venture, and without proper planning and the careful consideration of certain factors, it can well turn into an exercise in futility, resulting in wasted time and money. To make your clothing budget stretch as far as possible, consider a few of these points before making your shopping list.
Probably the most important thing to consider when purchasing your wardrobe is to find pieces that work for you. A warehouse job does not dictate a three-piece suit, just as an office job does not dictate work boots or gloves. Since you spend 1/3 of your day at work and sometimes more, it’s important to have practical items in your closet that work for your job.
Make sure you try things on and buy the size that is right for you. You might be required to go down a size for some clothing lines, and up for others. Pay attention to the way it looks and the way it fits, not what the sizing tag says. Proper fitting clothes help you look better, and feel better as a result. They’ll also last longer if there are no stressed seams or are the correct length.
Build your wardrobe around basic elements. Suits and separates can form the foundation of a great working wardrobe. Single and double-breasted long-sleeved blazers with matching skirts for women or pants for men or women are essential basics. Avoid using trendy clothes as building blocks for your wardrobe foundation, because one they become dated, it will cause the rest of your wardrobe to crumble as a result. Purchase basic building pieces in two or three colors that best complement your color and personal style to build your wardrobe. You’ll then be able to mix and match pieces to create various looks quite simply and affordably.
After you’ve obtained the basics in the colors and fit that’s best for you, work on sorting your closet to make your morning routine simple and quick. Organize and categorize your clothing for easy selection and wearing. Hang jackets by sleeve length, color and garment length, or place near coordinating items to make finding a workable outfit easy.

August 7th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

You don’t have to spend a fortune on fancy closet organizing systems to organize your own closet, but it does require taking an honest look at your belongings and your habits. With some creativity and some planning, you can create a closet that’s organized and easy to maintain.

First of all, it’s imperative that you take a look at what’s currently in your closet before you can begin to organize it. If there is clothes that haven’t been worn in six months or more, worn out shoes, outdated handbags and accessories that you no longer use, get rid of them. They are only taking up your valuable space. You’ll be pleasantly surprised just how much space you can free up by purging beforehand, and it also means less to contend with during the organization process.

Next, take a look at what you’re left with. Try to organize your clothes based on what groups together well as outfits. Try to group like colors together, and organize shoes and accessories into casual, sport, professional and formal/dressy categories.

Now that you know what you’re left with, it’s time to place it back into your closet in a neat and organized fashion. Look around your home for unused baskets and bins. Consider installing a couple of extra shelves if the need warrants. Affordable shelving units and brackets can be found in more home organization sections of your favorite hardware or discount store.

You can also make great use of your space simply by using lengths of chain to hang items on in your closet. You can purchase plastic or metal chain in different lengths depending on your needs. Links should be large enough to accommodate your style of hanger - whether metal or plastic. Hardware or do-it yourself stores will cut the chain the length that you request. Attach the chain to your closet rod with a hook; these can also be found at the hardware or do-it-yourself store. Or you can simply loop the chain over the hook of a sturdy coat hanger. Hang clothing items, one hanger per link. This simple, inexpensive method can help you store several items in the space of just one.

With a little discipline, some creativity, and a free afternoon, your closet will soon be organized, easy to use, and simple to maintain.

August 3rd, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

Bills can create headaches and cause stress for all of us. They all seem to come due at the same time, and there never seems to be enough money to make ends meet. Factor in the time involves writing checks, addressing envelopes and hunting down postage stamps, and it’s a chore many of us would gladly relinquish. But with some simple planning and organization it’s a task that can become easier and less stressful.

The first step is to establish a central location in your home. Make sure all the tools you need are in the same location: an inbox or folder to store incoming bills, pens, postage stamps, envelopes, your checkbook, a calculator and your computer if you use financial software or online banking services. Then when the time comes to sit down and pay the bills, you’re not left hunting and searching for that lost light bill.

Develop a list of your bills that includes the type, the average amount, how you’re billed (online, through the mail, or by automatic deduction from your bank account) and the due date. If your utility bill tends to stay the same from month to month, notate that on your list so you can easily determine how much to budget. File this list with your other tools.

During this process you might have discovered that your due dates are scattered all over the calendar, which can make paying bills in a timely fashion difficult at best. Contact the companies and see if they’d be willing to change your due date to more closely adhere to your payment schedule and to more closely coincide with the due dates of other bills.

Online bill paying is a great way to not only save money on postage. If you choose to be billed electronically, it can reduce the amount of mail you receive and have to file. Since most payments post to your account quicker than a bill paid traditionally, it also allow you to correct a bill paying mistake quicker and avoid problems as a result. Most banks offer online bill paying services, and many companies have bill paying options online.

It’s probably a good idea to consider paying bills twice a month, or each time you receive your paycheck. Scheduling bill paying as a regular task will make it easier to deal with and will decrease the chances of missed or late bills.

July 30th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

Although in theory construction safety has improved massively in the last couple of decades, in practice this is not always the case. No matter how many construction accidents there are, some of the smaller construction companies just don’t seem to learn. I have worked for many different contractors, and it is always the same story. They do not want to pay for safety training. They believe that, because they have not seen an accident, it couldn’t happen on their site. They buy the most basic construction safety equipment, but they never take proactive steps to prevent a disaster from happening.

Construction Safety
This makes sense if you think about it. All the big companies have financial experts calculating safety liabilities, but the small companies are run on gumption and a shoestring budget. Who wants to pay extra money for workplace safety training? Without a lawyer reminding them of the possible financial costs of an unforeseen accident, is easy to see why your typical boss would be willing to trust his employees to make the right decisions rather than to train them.

Nonetheless, even if his employees are being reasonable, construction safety is still a complicated issue. Often, people succumb to the temptation to operate machinery in a way that is not safe in order to save a little bit of time. Construction safety training is the only way to really find out what is a safe shortcut and what is potentially dangerous.

July 28th, 2008 | Category: Business | Leave a comment

Our kitchens are easily the busiest room in our homes. From cooking and entertaining to a place for your kids to do their homework, play board games or work on their arts and crafts projects, it can be easily overrun with art supplies, outdated spices and unused or damaged utensils.

Go through your kitchen and discard anything you don’t use, along with any food, spices or medicines kept in the kitchen that are beyond their expiration dates. Then take everything out of your cupboards and drawers, and wash the insides with warm soapy water. Rinse, let dry and replace cupboard and drawer liners with fresh, new ones.

Store pots, pans and cooking utensils near the stove, nesting the pots and pans together to conserve space. Make sure each one you choose to keep has a matching lid. This is also a good time to make sure handles are securely fastened, so keep a screwdriver handy to tighten down skillet handles or pot lids if necessary. Keep your dishes and silverware near your eating area or your dishwasher to shorten meal preparation or cleanup time. Plastic storage containers should be inventoried to ensure each has a matching lid and that they are free from cracks or other damage. Store them near your refrigerator to ease meal cleanup time.

Alphabetize your spices and keep them near the stove on a spice rack or in a nearby cupboard on a revolving rack. Store food items that you use on a daily in a place you can easily grab them when needed. Organize your pantry so that similar canned goods are in the same place and can be found easily when it’s time to cook meals. Make sure your children an easily reach items they use on a regular basis, and make sure items such as knives, scissors, and household chemicals are out of reach and secured in a locked cabinet. Utilize airtight food storage containers to lengthen the shelf life of your foods.

If you have small appliances on your kitchen countertop that you don’t use on a regular basis, remove them and store there in a nearby cupboard or pantry. A countertop storage cabinet for those appliances that are used on a regular basis keeps them out of site and helps reduce the countertop clutter.

July 27th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

Some parents find it easiest to pick one night a week when they have extra time. They use this night to make meals for several other days. Things like spaghetti with meat sauce, chicken stew or lasagna all warm up perfectly inside a small microwave oven. Each person can heat up their own portion when they have a few minutes to eat. This way you’re not heating up a huge plate of food that will get cold before everyone has a chance to eat.

College kids seem to have a penchant for eating unhealthy foods. A bottle of soda and a bag of potato chips is considered a well-rounded dinner to kids in their late teens and early twenties. With a small microwave oven, they can eat all kinds of healthy frozen dinners including cheesy pastas and vegetable casseroles. The only consideration with college age students is that not all dorms allow for small appliances.

If you’ve always owned a full size model you may have to take some time to get accustomed to a smaller version. The reason is that the wattage on a small microwave oven may be less than a traditional size, which means that food takes longer to cook or heat. If this is the case, just experiment with the cooking times and adjust the time noted on any heating directions found on home appliances packages.

Keep the inside clean by wiping it down with a cloth that has been immersed in an antibacterial solution. Bacteria can actually grow inside a small microwave oven, especially if you forget to cover a dish and the food splatters. A quick wipe will help with this and if the food is caked on, a good trick is to place a mug of water in the microwave, and turn it on high for about a minute. This will loosen any food particles that are stuck making them that much easier to wipe away.

July 26th, 2008 | Category: Home | Leave a comment

Chaos and a hectic pace seem to be par for the course in most anyone’s workday, and it can turn your workday upside down if you let it. However, with some careful planning, efficient scheduling and well-developed work habits, your workday can smoothly sail along.

Planning your workday actually starts the previous evening. Take a few moments before you leave work to jot down important meetings, phone calls that need to be made or returned, ideas or concerns that need to be discussed with your supervisors or co-workers, or other notes to yourself about projects you’re working on or clients you’re currently working with. That way, it’ll be right there for you to see the next morning, and it’ll make getting into the swing of things much easier.

You should stay on top of your both your desktop and electronic inboxes. Check e-mail when you arrive, and immediately sort each message into an appropriate folder. Even if you don’t have time to deal with the contents of a message or even read it fully, sort it for later action. Sort through and organize regular mail and correspondence as well, and organize into piles for later action if necessary. Make sure you come back to these at the end of the day and take any appropriate action or you can at that time. Try to make it a habit of responding promptly to all mail requesting a timely response. Check through these inboxes during the course of the workday as well.

Return or make your most urgent and important phone calls early in the day. Like you, most people are more likely to be at their desks during this time.

Get in tuned with your personal energy level and schedule. If you have more energy at the beginning of the day, tackle your toughest projects then. If your energy level dips after lunch, take care of filing, e-mailing or other general tasks at this time.

At the end of the day, return to your checklist and prepare for tomorrow. Review your checklist and cross off completed items. Move any pending items to tomorrow’s to-do list.

Utilize both an electronic and wall or desk calendar to keep track of deadlines, meetings, and appointments. If your day allows, try to work on those long-term projects a bit so that as their deadlines approach you won’t feel so pressured or rushed.

Most importantly, take a break. Don’t get into the habit of having your lunch at your desk or cutting your breaks short. A walk during your break and time away from your desk to recharge are probably the most important things you can do for yourself to recharge your battery, clear your mind and prepare to tackle the tasks at hand more productively and efficiently.

July 24th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

Planer jointer is wood working machinery used for flattening and smoothening of the work piece. It has blades that rotate in the horizontal direction. It also has guiding fence, which will facilitate to give the work piece, a 90-degree cut.

Thicknesser is used for cutting the wood to provide it a uniform thickness. This can be done by smoothening of the wood piece with its help. It is not useful for making the work piece flat.

Stationary drill press as the name suggests is a drilling machine. It facilitates making holes quickly and without any effort. The stationary drilling machines facilitate to make holes that are more accurate. However, the non-stationary machines are more popular due to lightweight and their portability.

Spindle molder is the machinery used for larger workload. It works in the same way as the router. However, it is heavy-duty machinery. The tools that it has are of high speed and high capacity. If it is combined with the feeding machine, it will be one of the most useful wood working machinery.

Band saw is another type of wood working machinery. It is excellent for rip cuts. It is also ideal for having fast cuts. The round cuts, which are to be so precise, can be done with ease using this machine. A band saw generally has a fence which guides the wood so that it can be cut as desired. Moreover, it has a ‘cross can cut bar’ as well, which allows cross cuts as well.

These are some of the wood working machinery available these days. Constant improvements are taking place and hence the capacities, as well as the features of these machines, are improving.

July 21st, 2008 | Category: Business | Leave a comment

Okay, you’ve finally reached your breaking point. The stack of handbags and purses on the top of the closet shelf toppled over on top of you again, not to mention the mountain of shoes you trip over every time you have to get something out of the closet. You’re at your wits end about what to do, and haven’t a clue where to start. You’ve got to figure out a workable, affordable solution and make your closet more user-friendly. Try some of these simple tools to help you get your closet space under control.

A double hanging rod is a simple addition and gives you double the hanging space. It simply hangs from your existing rod. You can also hang sweater or shoe bags from your existing rod to store sweaters, purses and handbags, hats, and other accessories and place them within easy reach. There are also several clever options for storage that hangs from the top of your closet door.

Take a stroll down your favorite discount store’s home organization aisles. You’ll find many clever ideas for affordable storage. Sturdy bins and colorful baskets can be an easy and affordable addition to your closet, and make the job of maintaining it a snap.

And since you’ve most likely got a sizable investment in your wardrobe, it makes sense to do your part to care for your garments properly. Place coats, suits, furs, formals, and other expensive items in protective storage bags. Invest in some good, strong wooden hangers. Protect these items by having them properly cleaned before storing, and enclose in zip-up hanging bags.

Wooden clothing hangers are much better for your clothes. They’re durable and long-lasting, too. Depending on the size of your wardrobe, it might be expensive to replace them all at once, so you might want to consider replacing them gradually.

July 21st, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

Okay, so you’ve worked hard to get your home organized and you’ve developed some strong skills to use at the office as well. You might be thinking you have it all covered at home since your pantry is organized immaculately and everything in your kitchen has its place. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re still busy working all day and driving kids to practice, running errands or taking care of your household in the evenings. Another thing you can learn to do to simplify your life is to plan your meals and cook in advance.

Meal planning and bulk cooking are both wonderful techniques you can utilize and modify to fit your families needs. The idea behind this is simple. The principle is that you cook and or prepare your meals ahead of time and then preserve them by either freezing refrigerating them. It can also help stretch your food budget dollar further, since you can cook one large meal and get two or three other meals from it with the proper planning.

Start by writing down a list of your favorite meals and plan on preparing a grocery list that will coincide with your menu. Since you’re learning to cook in bulk, your shopping list will have to change accordingly so you’re sure to have enough ingredients on hand when the time comes to do the cooking.

The most important tool in meal planning and bulk cooking is your freezer. Freezer bags are a great space saver if you have a small freezer. You can fit many in the same space of a few storage containers. Be sure to incorporate lots of quick and easy meals that your family can warm up and serve themselves in the event you’re not able to be at home for dinner or you just need to grab something that’s quick.

You’ll also learn to love your slow cooker. Experiment with different recipes and variations on your favorites. They also make easy work of cooking whole chickens or roasts which can be frozen or refrigerated for later use very easily.

You’re only limited by your own imagination when cooking in bulk for the week ahead. Factor in the time you save by not having to do a lot of after dinner cleanup or dishes, and you’ll be glad you took the time to master this important organizational skill.

July 17th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

I went out on excursions with them to try all types of adventure sports. We would hike for miles a day, climb up steep walls, dive into waterfalls, and in general enjoy ourselves in the great outdoors. At first, I was terrible at it. I had always been in very bad shape owing to the fact that I was not interested in any of the types of sports that I had been exposed to in school.

Once I was able to enjoy sporting activity where I was only competing against myself, however, I soon got good at what I was doing. I worked out like a demon, and was sporting a six pac stomach and incredibly muscled arms by the end of the year. At the age of 23, I felt better than I ever had before, and I was only getting stronger. Nowadays, I enjoy mountain biking as my main type of sport. Any kind of outdoor recreation, however, holds my interest. I hope that this article can serve as a lesson for kids who think that they don’t like sports at all. Maybe you just haven’t been exposed to the right sport for you yet! Try doing something that seems adventurous, and you might be surprised by what you find.

July 16th, 2008 | Category: General | Leave a comment

All laundry rooms at one time or another have been guilty of massive piles of unsorted dirty clothes, laundry products strewn about, and a feeling of disorganization and chaos. When this feeling sets in, it can make tackling an overrun laundry room an even more difficult chore. But with some work, creativity and commitment from other family members, this room can become an organized oasis.
The first step is to develop a routine in your family for making sure their dirty laundry is delivered to the laundry room on a routine basis. If you’ve established Wednesday and Sunday as laundry day in your home, then laundry needs to be delivered to the laundry room no later than Tuesday and Saturday nights. Each person should be taught to sort laundry into designated hampers in the laundry room. Younger children should be accompanied by a parent or older sibling when the time for this chore comes, but encouraged and assisted in the sorting process.
Maintain a laundry basket or bin for each family member. Once clothes are washed, dried and folded, place them into each basket and deliver them to their bedrooms. Older children should be capable of putting laundry into drawers and on hangers themselves. Younger children again will probably need assistance, but their independence should be encouraged.
Make it a habit of keeping on top of the laundry supplies. Make sure there are always plenty of soap, stain fighter and fabric softener available. Nothing can be more aggravating than finding no laundry soap available when you have six loads to be done.
Make sure your laundry room has a separate and clearly labeled bin for items that need to be dry cleaned. Make sure that this bin is emptied as often as needed and that items are delivered and picked up from the dry cleaners promptly. Have another bin set aside for items that need to be repaired or that need buttons replaced. Tackle this bin at least twice a month so that it does not become overwhelming.

July 14th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

Most people who define themselves as a packrat usually hate to get rid of their belongings because they might need it down the road.
The main problem for a pack rat is what to do with all the stuff he or she accumulates. Being a good organizer does not necessarily mean you have to get rid of everything you have, but it does mean keeping things in an organized and orderly fashion so that when the time does come to use it, you’ll be able to find it. Organized pack rats usually find space to store their stuff in one place. A disorganized packrat can become overwhelmed by ’stuff’ and their family life and mental health can suffer as a result. It’s very easy to get depressed and feel blue when it feels as though the clutter is closing in on you.
Ideally, a pack rat should strive to keep those things that are truly important, throw away the detritus, and maybe have a yard sale once in a while. Some community education programs offer one-day classes on organizing closets and homes, and these may be helpful if the clutter level is getting unmanageable.
Sometimes it’s very difficult for a packrat to break the habit of hoarding and keeping things. If you have a family member who is a packrat, offer to help them weed through their belongings and get a handle on the situation. If the packrat is you, it’s time you asked yourself some honest questions. Make the process of weeding through things as pleasant as possible. Most likely you’ll be able to have a huge yard sale, or some community organization will benefit greatly from the donation of your unneeded items.
After you’ve purged your excess items, work on developing a long term organizational goal that will send up a red flag to warn you if you are beginning to collect too much stuff. Remind yourself how hard you worked to get rid off the excess and how good you felt afterwards. Take a picture of your house in after mode, and look at it every time you thing you’re starting to slip back into your old habits. Keep on top of the clutter so the clutter doesn’t overwhelm you in the end again.

July 10th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

Kitchen or dining room tables can easily become a catch-all for everyone’s belongings. Mail, school books, car keys, pens, pencils, and other miscellaneous items can quickly appear, and at dinnertime, end up in a large pile of clutter somewhere else in your household.

To curtail this habit, try organizing a central area for everyone’s belongings right inside the door to your house. Install hooks on the wall so that purses, coats and backpacks can easily be hung upon entry. A bench or short shelf can be placed directly underneath the hanging area for clearly labeled catch-all bins for each member of the family. This will also help during the course of the day when picking up around the house. Items found around the house can be placed in these bins, and each family member should get into the habit of making sure items are emptied from the bins and properly put away each evening.

If your kitchen table doubles as an arts and crafts studio or location for your kids to do their homework, make sure that there are bins, shelves and containers nearby that neatly organize school, office and arts supplies, and keep them within easy reach. Help establish good habits in your children by ensuring they are held responsible for putting these things away as soon as they are done using them. Make sure snacks are kept on plates and drinks are kept on coasters to ease cleanup time.

A nicely decorated table spread is also an ingenious way to keep the table from becoming cluttered. Spread a nice tablecloth and place a large centerpiece on it, or even set four or six formal place settings on a dining room table that is not used for meals each evening. Your family will be less likely to lay things on these tables since they can see there are already things there. You’ll also be ready for company at the last moment this way.

July 6th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

In this modern age of electronics and rapidly advancing technology, you’ll find many options available when it comes time to upgrade your address book and daily planner, even if you should decide to stick with your tried-and-true paper version.
Paper-based planners, contact management software, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and smart mobile phones can all help you get your schedule and contact information organized quickly and effectively.

Don’t keep separate contact books for work, home and other activities. Instead, merge them into one with clearly labeled divisions or categories. You might also decide to color code with small labels to designate personal, professional, or other types of contacts, such as your child’s school or troop leader. Collect all your addresses before entering them. Don’t forget to include community resources, professional associations and co-workers, medical and dental providers, insurance contacts, and other professional and personal business contacts in addition to your personal address book. Check that addresses are current and correct, and update those that aren’t. Be sure to include alternate phone numbers and e-mail addresses where applicable. Devise a system, such as a calendar tickler to remind you of birthday, anniversary, graduation and other and holiday cards. Notate whom you sent them to and when.

Should you choose to update to a PDA or mobile phone for contact organization, those equipped with Blue Tooth technology have the capability of synchronizing with computers if they’re within a few feet of each other. This is a quick and convenient feature that alleviates the worry of cables or ports.

If you decide to continue to use your paper planner, be sure to photocopy important information so you’ll have it at your fingertips should your planner be misplaced or destroyed and you have to recreate it. Try to choose one that allows you to easily add more pages or different types of tools such as a receipt folder, business card organizer or detailed calendar. This way your planner grows with you when events in your life dictate, such as a career change or addition of an activity.

June 29th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment

American driver spend on average about 15 hours in their car each and every week. With busy hectic schedules, our cars are quickly becoming our home on wheels, so it should be as no surprise that our cars can easily become infested with clutter. And just as we have a system in place at home, so should we in our car. An organized car keeps distractions at bay and essential items within easy reach.

Visor CD holders and passenger seat organizers are great items to have to keep your life in the front seat calm, cool and collected at all times. Each of these organizing tools keeps important items within easy reach, such as your water bottle, toll money, or map.

If a good portion of your time in the car involves hauling your children back and forth to daycare, on shopping excursions or to weekly activities, it’s likely that your backseat is a toy box on wheels. There are simple and affordable mesh nets that can be placed over the back of the front seats so that books, toys, and allowable snacks can be kept within easy reach. Encourage your children to place their items in these organizers when they are getting out of the car, and you’ll encourage them to learn how to pick up after themselves in your home as well.

Trunk organizers are a great storage tool for keeping those needed items from floating back and forth in the trunk during car rides, and provide a safe haven for your groceries to travel home in. Cargo nets can also be installed in the trunk to accomplish the same secure environment.

Lastly, keep your pooch safe and secure in the back by placing a dog divider in the back of your minivan or SUV. This keeps them safely contained in one area during the commute, thereby decreasing the likelihood of him bounding onto your lap and getting in your way during the drive. It also contains him in an enclosed area if he’s dirty from playing in the mud or water.

June 25th, 2008 | Category: Feng Shui | Leave a comment