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Get Prepared for Winter – Car emergency kit essentials

December 14th, 2009

Do you have a “winter car-emergency kit“? Many of these items are good to have in your car year round but now is the time to check your supplies. This is a must before you hit the roads for the holidays.

Your kit could include

jumper cables - no one wants to get stuck with a dead battery in the fridged temps.

kitty litter or sand - stop spinning your wheels, sprinkle some kitty litter/sand for tire traction on snow and ice

a shovel or at minimum an ice scraper- there are some great fold-up shovels and gloves with scrapers built-in

Warm clothes – they call it a glove box for a reason. No room in there? Grab a sturdy plastic container and toss in a spare set of gloves, a hat, sturdy boots, and a warm jacket.

Blankets to keep warm inside the vehicle (I keep one in my car year round, comes in handy for a picnic or to watch the kids baseball game).

Flashlights and extra batteries – if your battery dies at night, you have no interior or head lights

First aid kit - toss in a few of your necessary medications in case you are stuck on the road

Food – I keep a few packs of nuts and some Luna bars, vacuum packed ready to eat tuna salad, snack sized apple sauce. If you get stuck, you don’t know how long you may have to wait for help.

Water- bring enough for each person in your car and any pets

AM/FM radio – rechargeable or battery-operated to listen to traffic reports and emergency messages
Charged cell phone – charge your cell phone before hitting the road. Don’t rely on your car charger to charge while you are driving. If your battery dies, you have no way to charge your cell phone.

Here’s wishing you safe and happy travels!

Get Prepared for the 2009 Holiday Season – Tip 3

December 6th, 2009

On December 8, 2005 I was fortunate enough to be featured in the Home Section of The Washington Post. The article highlighted my tips for an organized celebration. Four years later as I re-read my tips, I am happy to say that my tips are still relevant. So here are my tips on being prepared for the holidays.

Stock up on the basics the sooner the better, before lines get longer and parking lots fill up.

Batteries - Consider what batteries are necessary all of your needs. Think of which size is needed for everything from the games the children are receiving and the digital camera to the flashlights, mp3 player, remote controls and hearing aids. Consider using rechargeable batteries whenever possible. Reminder to charge them before the holidays. (BTW- do not store batteries in the fridge. According to Energizer, To maximize performance and shelf life, store batteries at normal room temperatures with moderate humidity levels.)

Food storage – Pick up inexpensive food storage containers (like Rubbermaid TakeAlongs, Ziploc or Gladware) for freezing and sharing leftovers. By having inexpensive containers on hand you won’t have to worry about someone taking home your good Rubbermaid or Tupperware. Also – grab zip top bags in multiple sizes while at the store. They come in very handy when sending home leftovers and take up little space.

Decor storage- Get wreath, ornament and artificial tree storage now! They tend to sell out quickly. This year especially, stores can’t afford to get stuck with seasonal items so they are keeping a lower than normal inventory. (Don’t want to spend money on these uni-taskers or trying to preserve the environment? Stop by the local liquor store and pick-up liquor or wine bottle boxes. The dividers help protect your ornaments and the stores are happy to share the boxes. Another option – Did you receive a gift of fruit? Hang on to the shipping box, they usually come with padding which helps protect your decor.)

Last Minute Gifts- Have you ever been in a situation when some unexpected fives you a present? Be ready to reciprocate with a unisex and consumable gift. Think scented candles, a bottle of wine, fancy maple syrup, gourmet olive oil or vinegar, or a gift card to Starbucks. I buy generic wrap in one solid color (white or silver) and have ribbons in many colors. I customize the gift wrap for specific holidays, gender or individual by using a different color ribbons. I buy clear cellophane wrap for odd shaped gifts. Attach a blank tag and keep a pen nearby for quick inscribing.

I hope this preparation helps you have a more enjoyable holiday season!

America Recycles Day – November 15

November 13th, 2009

What are you doing to celebrate America Recycles Day? The DC area has embraced the celebration with events throughout the area, throughout the weekend.

from the National Recycling Coalition
“America Recycles Day (ARD), November 15, is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. Celebrating its 11th year, it has grown to include millions of Americans pledging to increase their recycling habits at home and work and to buy products made with recycled materials. Through America Recycles Day, the National Recycling Coalition supports local communities and raises awareness by educating citizens about the benefits of recycling. Volunteer America Recycles Day coordinators are positioned throughout the country and work to organize recycling awareness events in their schools and communities, and in conjunction with their local municipalities.

On November 15 each year, millions of people become better informed about the importance of daily recycling and buying recycled products. The purpose of America Recycles Day is to continue to promote the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling and encourage more people to join the movement toward creating a better natural environment.”

Montgomery County, Maryland events

Paper Shredding, Household Goods & Clothing Recycling
Shred and recycle your personal papers and donate usable clothing and household goods at these locations for FREE (Montgomery County residents only). (Rain or shine)

Saturday, November 14, 10 am – 2 pm

Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center (map)
3300 Briggs Chaney Road
Silver Spring, Maryland 20904

Upcounty Regional Services Center (map)
12900 Middlebrook Road
Germantown, MD 20874

Sunday, November 15, 8 am to 12 pm

John F. Kennedy High School (map)
1901 Randolph Road
Silver Spring, Maryland 20902

Sunday, November 15, 1 pm to 5 pm

Walt Whitman High School (map)
7100 Whittier Boulevard
Bethesda, Maryland 20817

Please review the guidelines and specifics before heading to the events. Montgomery County Maryland America Recycles Day

District of Columbia event

Shoe and Bike Drive
Bring your unwanted shoes & bikes. Benefiting Soles4Soles and Bikes for the World. Soles4Souls takes new or used shoes of any style or size. Bikes for the World suggests a $10 per bike donation to defray the cost of shipping to those in need. This event is open to anyone. Organized by Junk In The Trunk Removal Services

Saturday, November 14, 9 am to 1 pm

Broad Branch Market(map)
5608 Broad Branch Rd. NW
Washington, DC

Fairfax County, Virginia event

Electronics, television and computer recycling event
Free safe destruction and recycling of peripheral electronic devices, computers and televisions. (Fairfax County residents only).

Sunday, November 15, 10 am to 3 pm

I-66 Transfer Station (map)
4618 West Ox Road
Fairfax, Virginia

Alexandria, Virginia event

America Recycles Day celebration
Join the City of Alexandria recycling staff, Robbie the Recycling Squirrel and Whole Foods Market to Celebrate America Recycles Day! Bring your plastic bags to be recycled, and receive a free reusable bag.

Sunday, November 15, 11 am to 3 pm

Whole Foods(map)
1700 Duke Street
Alexandria, Virginia

Prince George’s, Maryland event

Free e-cycling and Document Shredding Event
Shred your personal papers and recycle unwanted computer equipment and accessories, printers, copiers, cell phones and televisions for FREE (Prince George’s County residents only)

Saturday, November 14, 8 am to 1 pm

High Point High School (map)
3601 Powder Mill Rd
Beltsville, MD 20705

Please review the guidelines and specifics before heading to the event. Prince George’s County Maryland America Recycles Day

I’d love to hear about any other events happening in the DC area or wherever you live. Please leave them in the comments below. Thanks. I hope you find solace in purging and the recycling process. Have a great weekend.

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Certified Professional Organizer, Fairfax County Virginia, John F. Kennedy High School, Kim Oser, Montgomery County Maryland, Need Another You, Personal computer, productivity, professional organizer, professional organizing, Walt Whitman High School, Washington D.C.

Get prepared for Holiday Season 2009 – Tip 1

November 5th, 2009

Can you believe we have already flipped the calendar to November? Where did time go?

I am sure many of you will agree, it seemed a little pre-mature when the stores and malls had all their Christmas decorations up at least two weeks ago. So you are thinking, I have a month before I can pull my decorations out of the closet/attic/garage, right?.

Well – now is the perfect time to pull out your decorations and go through them. Yes, now. Prior to the seasonal rush is the time to make decisions on which items you no longer like, no longer have meaning or is the lousy gift you received in the office Sneaky Santa exchange last year. Now is the time to donate or resell these decorations or gifts.

Often we don’t take the time to go through these items and store them year after year. Or we realize that we have just been holding on to something we don’t like, just in case the giver stops over. You’ve been storing it for six years and the giver hasn’t been over for five. Before you take it out to display or store it for another year. Think about who will appreciate it more. Holiday decorations or ’seasonal’ gifts have little value to donation sites and is of no value at a consignment store once the holidays have passed.

So this weekend-

Schedule some time to pull out your boxes of decorations
Separate the items. Start thinking now about how you want to decorate this year.
Make sure the decorations you want to display are easily accessible, the ones you want to store are packed well and the others are packed to donate or sell. You might be surprised to find you have forgotten about some of your favorites or may find that family heirloom that was misplaced years ago.
Take to decorations that you no longer want or are just taking up space to a shelter/charity or consignment shop.

A little prep time now will make the holiday decorating a whole lot more enjoyable.

Please let us know what’s the most interesting thing you have found while going through your holiday decorations? We’d love to hear (we’re just curious).

Falling back is more than just changing your clocks.

October 30th, 2009

So tomorrow is the big day! Your likely thinking Halloween, I am thinking time to change your clocks back to standard time.

The time change itself means very little to me. I find it’s only real significance is the darkness may enable me to sleep a little later. It is the physical act of actually changing the clock that reminds me of the other things I should do at the same time. Below I’ve listed activities I do in conjunction of changing back my clocks.

Check and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors. Using a Sharpie, I write the month and the year I am installing the battery on the battery. If I accidentally miss changing one, I can easily pop or slide open the door and check the date I last installed. My smoke detectors are hard wired. I very rarely lose power so the battery gets little use so I only change their batteries in the Fall. If your smoke detectors run only battery only, you may want to change them in both the Spring and Fall.
Check and replace the batteries in your carbon monoxide (CO2) detectors. This is a must for the Fall. CO2 detectors are almost always connected to an outlet, the battery is used as a back-up power source. Most CO2 detectors use a 9V battery as a back up. I believe changing this battery in the Fall is a must because Winter seems to be the time of year when CO2 is more likely to build in your home. CO2 is often considered a silent killer as it is odorless. (If you don’t have a CO2 detector in your home, get one now. They run from $19 – $50).
Prepare a disaster supply kit for your house (water, food, flashlights, batteries, blankets). September was Disaster Preparedness Month. If you missed putting together your supply kit last month, now if the perfect time. If you’ve created a home disaster kit in the past, use the semi-annual time change to check its contents (including testing/replacing flashlight batteries).
Check home and outdoor storage areas for hazardous materials. Before it gets too cold out, discard (check with your local city or county for proper disposal) any which are outdated, no longer used, or in poor condition.
Check and discard expired medications – both prescription and over the counter. The expiration dates really DO have meaning. Many medications start to lose their effectiveness and may breakdown after their expiration date.
This is the perfect time to check all of the batteries and replace burned out light bulbs in your home. Have you ever come home to your alarm clock flashing following a power outage? This weekend, grab a battery, write 11/09 on it and install it in your alarm clock. Do the same for anything with a back-up timer such as thermostats, phones, and other electronics. Also, check for burnt out bulbs and replace those too. Compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs are made for all wattage and sizes now a days. CFLs conserve energy and last much longer. (The two in my basement will be 16 years old this December).

Remember batteries, medications, paints, compact fluorescent light (CFLs), and chemicals are considered hazardous waste. Please check the website for your city or county for proper disposal.

I hope these tips help keep you safe and prepared. Do you have any tips to add? Please comment below.

Happy Halloween!

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Certified Professional Organizer, fall back, Inspiration, Kim Oser, organized home, organizer, Preparedness, professional organizer, professional organizing, Put It Away, real simple home organizer consultant, simplify, Simplify Your Life, standard time, time change

Need a contractor? Where to start?

September 11th, 2009

How many of you have relied on AAA (formerly known as the American Automobile Association)? AAA has become synonymous with the name of the company who bails you out if your car conks out or you get a flat.

: Image by jimmywayne via Flickr

As a child I remember my mom’s old Pontiac overheating while we waited at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge toll plaza. Somehow (pre cellphone days), we managed to contact AAA. I was terrified, the 3 BIG A’s were going to come.

Nooooooo! Not the 3 BIG A’s. While this was a service who was going to help, as a child I pictured 3 BIG A’s. We were going to get attacked by the alphabet!!! Needless to say, AAA sent a service individual to come help us and we were sent on our way. As an adult AAA customer, I learned that AAA does not always have it’s own service trucks. Honestly, I don’t know if they have any of their own trucks anymore. Their service and reputation is handled by contractors who they screen to represent them. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had one stop shopping for all things that cause hiccups in our lives? Boy, wouldn’t that simplify your life?

I recently learned friends had launched a AAA-like home repair service called HOCOA - Home Owners Club of America. Like AAA offers pre-screened automobile repair contractors to their members, HOCOA offers pre-screened home repair/maintenance contractors to their members. You make one phone call to HOCOA. They document your problem and set you up with the contractor who can repair your problem. Members pay a minimal fee to have access to their pre-screened contractors saving members time and aggravation. While there are other home repair companies who sell memberships, there are some definite differences.

I have invited my friends Michelle and Andy Katon, owners of HOCOA Metro DC to guest post about how a home repair network can simplify your life.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could simplify your life when it comes to home repair. We discovered a home repair network that can do that, HOCOA. We were so impressed, that we choose to purchase a franchise in the Washington, DC Metro area so we could share this benefit with Washingtonians. Here is how it started….

We noticed an odor in the kitchen. We did not realize that our dishwasher had broke mid-cycle. The following day, Sunday we discovered the odor was from the dishwasher. Once we noticed it was a broken dishwasher causing the odor, we did not know who to call. We did what most people would do: opened the Yellow Pages, and started making calls, more calls and even more calls. After 11 calls and a lot of frustration, we knew there must be a better way. We did finally get our dishwasher fixed but decided that it was time to find a universal solution to the household headache of home repair. After a lot of research, we found a home repair network called HOCOA. HOCOA had a proven track record of making the process of finding a contractor/service provider easier. Further investigation showed that all HOCOA contractors are licensed, bonded/insured and pre-screened. Best of all, they do all of the leg work for you.

Upon moving to the DC area, we discovered there was no HOCOA location in the area. In an area like DC where people are always on the go, we knew that there was a need for HOCOA. Most Washingtonians don’t have the time to make all the calls and screen contractors before hiring them. Yes, you may have your favorite plumber or electrician but who do you call when the roof leaks, the attic fan dies, or you discover mold in the basement.

So we brought the HOCOA Home Repair Network to DC! Below are success stories from your DC neighbors.

: Image via Wikipedia

A family in Rockville was in the middle of a renovation project. They ran into problems with their contractor, who could not finish the job. What should they do? A friend suggested they call HOCOA. Within an hour, we figured out what type of contractors they needed. By the next morning, they were back in business and work reconvened using HOCOA contractors. HOCOA was not only able to save them the time and energy of re-interviewing contractors after previously being burned, but the project became stress free because of HOCOA.

Another family had a light that was going in and out. They called an electrician on their own. He came, fixed the light and did what appeared to be a good job. A week later, the light was giving them the same problem. They called the electrician again, and again, and again. They never received a return call. So much time was spent trying to resolve this issue. The problem was that their electrician had already done the job and had been paid. They were no longer on his “priority” list.

Through HOCOA, the contractors are held “accountable” because of the way jobs are dispatched. Since the contractors want referrals, they respond almost immediately when called by a HOCOA representative. If the family had called HOCOA for this project, ONE call would have taken care of this problem with NO frustration.

Joining HOCOA is the way to save time and energy and be able to simplify your life when it comes to home repair. The value of piece of mind is so much greater than the small yearly HOCOA membership fee. In addition to the home repair contractors participating with HOCOA, your membership also gives you access to additional resources at wholesale prices.

If you know of anyone moving to the DC area, a HOCOA membership is an incredible gift. Know a good reliable contractor you feel would benefit from being part of the HOCOA Metro DC network, please pass our information along. Feel free to give us a call or send us an email with any questions. We look forward to helping you simplify your life.

Michelle and Andy Katon
Owners, HOCOA Metro DC
240-683-HOME(4663)
info@hocoametrodc.com

Michelle and Andy are extending all Need Another You readers a 15% discount on any HOCOA Metro DC membership. Use code ORGANIZE when purchasing your membership. Need to simplify your life? Be prepared, contact Michelle and Andy today.

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AAA, Andy Katon, Certified Professional Organizer, Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Container Store, CPO, HOCOA, Inspiration, Kim Oser, Michelle Katon, NAPO, NAPO-WDC, National Association of Professional Organizers, Need Another You, organized home, organizer, productivity, professional organizer, professional organizing, Put It Away, Real Simple, real simple home organizer consultant, Real Simple magazine, simplify, Simplify Your Life, The Container Store, Washington D.C., Washington Metro

Give Back to School

July 27th, 2009

Can you believe it is almost back to school time?

While you are creating your list of back to school items, look through your home first. Do you already own any of the supplies on the back to school list? Did you find items that you bought in the past but realized that you don’t need?

: Image via Wikipedia

There are many charities that collect school supplies for those less fortunate. I donate often to The National Center for Children and Families (NCCF). NCCF runs shelters and programs in Washington, DC and Maryland. They help homeless families, at risk youth and provide assistance for battered women and children. The children who live in these shelters go to the local public schools. Many of their school friends do not know that they live in a shelter. I am certain these types of programs and accommodations are in your community as well.

You can help these children have the supplies they need by donating those unused notebooks, glue, colored pencils, etc that you overbought in the past. Additionally, Office Depot. Staples, Walmart and other big box discounters are currently offering amazing savings on back to school items. Many items are being offered for $.25 or $1.00. Then there are the buy one, get one free offers. If your child only needs one, put the free one in a bag for the children in the shelter.

Here is the back to school wish list from NCCF. I am sure charities in your area are looking for many of the same items. You can help make a difference in a child’s life by cleaning out your own home and picking up some new supplies at little or no cost. Start looking how you can help a family out today.

Simplify your life in under 4 minutes

July 15th, 2009

: Image via Wikipedia

We are always trying to find time to get organized or simplify our lives. If you want to stop waiting for free hours that never seem to appear, try taking advantage of small chunks of free time you didn’t realize you had.

The average commercial break takes between 3 – 4 minutes. Rather than sitting through the commerical break, take advantage of that free time. We’ve created a list of 10 things you can do in 4 minutes or less. It is amazing how much you can accomplish when you know the clock is ticking.

Throw a load of laundry in the washing machine.
Fold a load of clothes from the dryer.
Wash a sink full of dishes.
Load or unload the dishwasher.
Change the sheets.
Sync your PDA.
Cut flowers from the garden.
Vacuum one room.
Delete SPAM from your email account.
Write a grocery list.

While these micro-tasks may seem insignificant. Typically there are four commercial breaks in an hour long program. The average American female watches between 18 – 20 hours of TV per week. If you could knock off four of these tasks per hour of TV watched, you could accomplish all of the items on this list in just a few days.

What other tasks can you accomplish in under 4 minutes? Please comment below. Let’s help each other be more productive while simplifying our lives.

Kim Oser, Certified Professional Organizer®

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What’s New in the Organizing World – Part I

June 1st, 2009

Tonight I attended the National Association of Professional Organizers, Washington, DC (NAPO-WDC) meeting. The June meeting has always been very popular. In the past, the June meeting was titled “My Favorite Things”. NAPO-WDC Chapter members brought their favorite things and shared them in a “show & tell” format. This year things were changed up a bit and the meeting was renamed “What’s New?”.

The “What’s New?” meeting shared the “show & tell” format. What made this meeting different is manufacturer’s could share their latest & greatest product or service. The manufacturers donated a sample(s) to be given away to chapter members as door prizes.

Here is a run-down of the products and services shared tonight, Part I.

Who doesn’t like roll out shelving? Shelf Improvement states only four screws are needed to install a Shelf Improvement roll out shelf. Their roll out shelving comes in various sizes. The cost is $79 +$10 shipping regardless of the size ordered. One roll out shelf was given away = $89 value.

Clearly Noted – A new line of greeting cards designed by Pittsburgh Certified Professional Organizer®, Jill Revitsky. I met Jill in 2005 and was very impressed with her. That is why I was not surprised by the premier product Jill recently launched, Clearly Noted. Clearly Noted Cards are meant to encourage, motivate and congratulate anyone who is on a journey to a simpler and more organized lifestyle. Great product for every professional organizer to keep on hand. Jill donated a six pack of Clearly Noted cards as a door prize = $15.30 value.

OK, admit it. We all have a shoe box of photos, at least one. Oh, so yours is in a pretty ‘photo box’. Most of the boxes sold as ‘photo boxes’ do nothing to preserve the quality of your photos. Philadelphia based, SaveMyPix.com offers economical, professional digital transfers of your precious memories for easy viewing. They offer scanning of photos, transfer of slides, negatives and video to DVDs. Owners Maxx & Monica Messinger donated (2) ScanMyPix.com prepaid boxes = $149 value each.

brother-pt-1230 Label makers are an organizers best friend. Brother is a leader in label makers. Their newest product is the PT1230. This label maker uses the familiar TZ tape. It hooks into your PC’s USB port and operates off of Plug & Label technology. Uses your PC’s keyboard and monitor. Unlike other label makers in the PT line, the PT1230 enables you to print True Type font and logos. There is no software to download to your computer. When you are done, turn the PT1230 off and there is no software left on your computer. One lucky NAPO-WDC member won a PT1230 as a door prize = up to $49.99 value.

Check out these products and stay tuned for What’s New in the Organizing World – Part II.

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Brother Label Printer, Certified Professional Organizer, Clearly Noted, DVD, Jill Revitsky, Kim Oser, NAPO, NAPO-WDC, National Association of Professional Organizers, Personal computer, professional organizer, professional organizing, Save My Pix, Simplify Your Life, Uncategorized, Universal Serial Bus, Washington D.C

Who wants to win a $4000 organizing makeover?

May 25th, 2009

You are likely thinking, “who doesn’t want to win a $4000 organizing makeover?”. Even I, a Certified Professional Organizer®, want to win a $4000 organizing makeover.

The Real Simple Organized Home Sweepstakes is sponsored by Real Simple magazine and The Container Store. The prize is one (1) Set of Merchandise valued at $3000 from The Container Store and one (1) Real Simple Home Organizer Consultant, to organize the winner’s home valued at $1000. The contest runs until June 15th and you can enter once each day. They will be choosing a winner, at random on or about June 26, 2009.

Do you dream of an organized home? Then this contest is for you! Apparently, they have thought of everything. The entry form gives you the option of a daily email reminder to enter each day. The only thing they seemed to forget was to include me as a Real Simple Home Organizer Consultant. Well, at least for now.

We hope one of our readers is the winner. If you win, please come back and post a comment. We would love to hear that merchandise you received and your feedback. Wishing you the best of luck!

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Certified Professional Organizer, CPO, Kim Oser, organized home, professional organizer, professional organizing, Put It Away, Real Simple, real simple home organizer consultant, Real Simple magazine, The Container Store, the organized home sweepstakes

Organizing Your Linen Closet

May 13th, 2009

What does your linen closet look like? Are there towels, sheets and blankets just tossed in? Do you keep reusing the same sheets, they go from the bed to the laundry, back to the bed? If this is you, you are not alone. Below are pictures of a small linen closet we organized. There were w-a-y too many sheets and towels for the number of beds and bathrooms.

Our guideline is up to three sets of sheets per bed and up to three sets of towels per person. This allows for the one in use, the ones in the laundry and a spare set for emergency. We used Shelf Dividers but hung them upside down to prevent the stacks from tumbling over. We also used the FlipFold® to keep everything the same size.

If you have towels that are used to mop up leaks or spills, store those with the extra blankets and comforters on the top shelf or that spot that hides behind a wall.

Wondering what to do with the sheets, towels and blankets you no longer need? If the sheets and towels are in pristine shape, you know the ones you bought that are just a shade off? You can donate them to a shelter. If they have a little wear but are still usable, the local animal shelter is happy to take them. If they are completely worn out or have stains, check with your local county/city recycling program. Many recycle textiles. Any of these manners of disposal will prevent adding them to our landfills.