Destressing Christmas, Part 3 - Smart Gift-Giving

My brother loves the crowds and the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. I don’t know many others who do, though! I am stressed if I have to elbow my way through a store or not be able to find what I want because I waited too late. If you are smart, you can make holiday gift-giving less stressful. Here are a few ideas:

- Make a master list of gifts you need to buy or make along with a budget for the amount you want to spend. Stick to your budget and don't buy impulsively. Don't compete with family and friends - spend what you can afford.

- Set a deadline for finishing your shopping in order to avoid crowds, the last-minute rush, and poor selection. Remember those gifts for teachers, religious teachers, extra-curricular instructors, and stocking stuffers. Buy the same gift for several people on your list, if appropriate. Take advantage of the sales after Christmas to shop for next year's list.

- Plan your shopping trips. What stores might have most of your gifts? What is the most efficient route to the stores on your list? A little planning avoids backtracking, saving time and gas.

- Consider gift certificates that can be sent to the recipients via email or U.S. mail. Or shop online and have your purchases sent directly to the recipients. You don’t have to wrap either of these gifts!

- If you're into making your own Christmas gifts, mass produce a gift and give it to as many people on your list as possible. To reduce stress, choose a gift that doesn't have to be made at the last minute. Create deadlines for each stage of production, if applicable, so you’re finished in plenty of time.

- As you buy or make gifts, wrap them so you don't have a massive pile to do at one time. Use TV time or other mindless time to wrap. How efficient - you're doubling your time!

- Your children will be bombarded with commercial after commercial during the holiday season, and they may want it all! Have a conversation with them about realistic expectations, so they won't be disappointed. Make gift suggestions to relatives who are shopping for your children.


If you want to get away from expensive or excessive gifts, consider alternative ideas:

- Instead of exchanging gifts, experience an event together: a day trip, a service project, a holiday event, etc.

- Take the money you would have spent on gifts for each other and donate it to a cause or your favorite charity or a needy family. My parents live in Oklahoma and the year of the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, they asked us to donate to The Salvation Army in their names, as that organization was so instrumental in helping during the aftermath.

- Consider drawing names or doing a "nice" white elephant game with a dollar limit on the gift.

- Give gift certificates of your time or service: babysitting, cleaning, meal preparation, handyman work, running errands, etc.

- Consider a “buy nothing” Christmas. This site gives scores of ideas from people who want to leave no footprint on the earth. Last year we gave home-grown herbs from our garden to some of our family and friends.

- With some friends or family, you may want to call a moratorium on gifts, especially when you get to the point of not needing anything. If it’s the thought that counts, try writing your thoughts down and giving them a note or letter expressing your gratitude for their friendship or love.

The holidays can be a stressful time. With a little planning, you can reduce the stress of holiday shopping and enjoy blessing your friends - without straining your budget or your temper!

What are your creative ideas for gift-giving?


Related Posts: Destressing Christmas, Part 1 - Think Through Your Expectations, Destressing Christmas, Part 2 - Thinking Through the Needs of Your Family and Friends Posts from 2007: Destressing Christmas, Part 1 - Think through your expectations, Destressing Christmas, Part 2 - Think through your family/friendship needs and commitments, Destressing Christmas, Part 3 - Think through gifts, Destressing Christmas, Part 4 - Think through cleaning/decorating/entertaining, Destressing Christmas, Part 5 - Think through your health, Destressing Christmas, Part 6 - Think through your calendar, Organizing Your Holiday Meals

My National Preparedness Kit Saved the Day!

Remember that land line phone we talked about in our National Preparedness Kit? Well, mine came in handy today. Yesterday my regular phone in my office started acting strange so my husband went out to get replacement batteries ($24 ugh!). And the phone had to charge for 24 hours.

Today when I got a call, the phone was still malfunctioning. So I grabbed my land line phone out of my emergency drawer, and voila! - all set up. Except for the fact that I can't tell who is calling. But we'll deal with that another day. At least I have a phone!

When Should You Take Your Vitamins?

Real Simple Magazine had an article on the best time of days to do certain activities. I’ll be featuring some of these suggestions over the next few weeks.

When is the best time of day to take a multivitamin? The answer: breakfast. I think I have vaguely heard something like this, but here are some convincing reasons why:

“Taking your supplements with a meal is important because ‘vitamins are components of food, and whether water soluble or fat soluble, they are absorbed better with food,’ says Shari Lieberman, Ph.D., a New York City and Hillsboro Beach, Florida, nutrition scientist and a coauthor of The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book (Avery Publishing, $13, www.amazon.com). ‘Also, as with many other pills, you’re more likely to get queasy if you take multivitamins on an empty stomach.’

Breakfast is the meal of choice. Because most people have it at home (whereas lunch and dinner are often eaten elsewhere), making the morning meal your time for vitamin-popping will help you stick with the habit. Another reason dinnertime may not be a good option, Lieberman adds, is that certain nutrients, including vitamin B, may keep you awake. “

Isn't that good to know?

Interview by Get Green Baby

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Jamie Ussher over at Baby Get Green recently. You can find the interview on her new blog where her logo is "striving to live a simple and peaceful life...here you'll find tips, ideas, and stories of our efforts". Stop by and check out her great ideas!

Destressing Christmas, Part 2 - Thinking Through the Needs of Your Family and Friends

If I calculate correctly, we are 89 days away from Christmas. So let's look at another way to destress Christmas: thinking about the needs of your family and friends. By using this as a filter, you can reduce some holiday stress. As I said last week, I'm updating my blogs on this subject from last year. Here are some thoughts I had:

Choose whom you want to spend time with over the holidays - friends or family who refresh, encourage, and cheer you. Take the initiative to make that happen.

Do you have friends who might be alone whom you could include in your holiday plans? Have you included a healthy amount of giving to others who might otherwise be neglected? Your heart will overflow with joy as you reach out to others!

If getting together with your relatives is too painful or unhealthy, give yourself permission not to attend. If you, your spouse, or your children might be subjected to verbal, emotional or physical abuse, don't put yourselves in this unsafe place. Even if it hurts others' feelings, you cannot condone unhealthy or painful treatment by attending.

Consider family problems when planning gatherings. Be proactive in order to minimize Uncle John's drinking problem by having a brunch rather than a dinner. If Cousin Sally's conversation is predominantly negative or a never-ending flow, plan some conversation starters or games to reduce her dominance.

If it's just too difficult for you to travel during the holidays, don't let others guilt-trip you into travelling anyway. Be honest and stick to your guns for your own benefit and that of your family. Invite your relatives to visit you (if that is better for you) or suggest another time of year for a visit when life is less hectic.

Consider the needs of your family. If you have small children who need naps and a consistent bedtime (who doesn’t qualify for that one?!!), don’t overschedule. Make sure the events you plan to attend are age appropriate for your children. Don’t have an unrealistic idea of what they can grasp and endure.

Study your family. Know what delights each one and what stresses each one, including yourself. Plan accordingly. When our girls were small, one of our daughters would respond to an overplanned schedule by vomitting - a pretty clear message! (Sorry to be graphic.) So I had to be careful not to pack our schedule too tightly.

By anticipating your needs and those of your family and friends, you can be intentional about your holidays. You’ll be able to weed out those items that don’t fit, plan around potential hazards, and create memorable experiences for those you love.

What are your family's delights and stresses?


Related Posts: Destressing Christmas, Part 1 - Think Through Your Expectations, Posts from 2007: Destressing Christmas, Part 1 - Think through your expectations, Destressing Christmas, Part 2 - Think through your family/friendship needs and commitments, Destressing Christmas, Part 3 - Think through gifts, Destressing Christmas, Part 4 - Think through cleaning/decorating/entertaining, Destressing Christmas, Part 5 - Think through your health, Destressing Christmas, Part 6 - Think through your calendar, Organizing Your Holiday Meals

Review by Photo Bug Baby

Photo Bug Baby has reviewed two of my books, Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student and Three Steps to Planning Your Child's Parties. If you're a photo bug, you must enter one of their numerous photo contests! What a fun place!

National Preparedness Month - Wrapping It Up: Surge Protectors, Utilities, and More

National Preparedness Month – Wrapping it Up: Surge Protectors, Utilities, and More

Today we’ll wrap up National Preparedness Month with a few more important pieces that need to be in place.

Surge Protectors

There is a lot of advice out there on what to look for in surge protectors: about clamping voltages, response nanoseconds, and joule levels. WorldStart.com offers this advice:

“The easiest way to tell if you're getting a quality surge protector is to look at the "connected equipment" warranty. I like the ones that cover connected equipment for up to $15,000 or more. I figure it they are willing to risk 15K +, they're probably selling a good piece of equipment. If it doesn't have a connected equipment warranty, set it back on the shelf and keep a-walkin' .”

They also encourage you to find a surge protector with a phone line pass through. “Telephone wires can deliver a potent surge into your computer. I've repaired (and seen) more than a few computers that were damaged due to telephone line power surges.”

Utilities

Homeland Security suggests that you learn how and when to turn off your utilities. If your home sustains damage, they instruct you to turn off your utilities:
- “Locate the electric, gas and water shut-off valves.
- Keep necessary tools near gas and water shut-off valves.
- Teach family members how to turn off utilities.
- If you turn the gas off, a professional must turn it back on. Do not attempt to do this yourself.”

More Information

Homeland Security also provides information for specific emergencies and disasters: biological threat, blackouts, chemical threat, earthquakes, explosions, extreme heat, fires, floods, hurricanes, influenza pandemic, landslide and debris flow (mudslide), nuclear threat, radiation threat, thunderstorms, tornadoes, tsunamis, volcanoes, wildfires, winter storms and extreme cold. Go to the above link to find the information you need for your location, print it out, digest it, and put it with your emergency kit.

A Couple More Things

I thought of a couple more things I think are necessary to protect your important documents: a fireproof safe, a safe deposit box at the bank, and a shredder.

There are some papers and other items you want to have on hand but want to be protected from theft or fire, hence the safe. For those items that need long-term safe keeping, a safe deposit box is valuable. And a shredder protects your identity – shredding those documents that contain sensitive information prevents others from obtaining that information.

Whew! This has been quite a journey, hasn’t it? It eases my mind to know that all these emergency preparations are in place should an emergency occur. I still have a few documents I need to copy, but for the most part, I think I’m ready. What about you?

Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #3 - Water, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #5 - Additional Supplies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #6 - Food, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #7 - Medications and Medical Supplies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #8 - Emergency Documents, National Preparedness Month - Evacuation Plan, National Preparedness Month – Evacuation from Work, School, Daycare, and Neighborhood Communities

Source: National Preparedness Month

Local Crime Prevention Classes - Today and Tomorrow

Another opportunity to prepare for your own safety!


"Refuse to be a Victim" taught by Jim Orndorf, is being offered by the Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation Department.

Participants will learn:
- strategies that will help avoid situations where self defense is required
- how to be proactive rather than reactive
- how to create a personalized safety plan
- safety strategies
- how to use your internet service provider's parental control options.

Today's class (September 24) is from 6 to 10 pm and tomorrow's class (September 25) is from 12:30 to 4:30 pm. Registration is $2 for residents and $4 for nonresidents. Classes are held at the Quirk Center.

National Preparedness Month – Evacuation from Work, School, Daycare, and Neighborhood Communities

Yesterday we talked about creating evacuation plans from home. Today we’re going to look at evacuating from places you and family members frequent: work, school, daycare, adult daycare, and living communities (apartments, neighborhoods, etc.).

Consider volunteering to set up evacuation plans if none exist. As at home, having an evacuation plan for other locations will help you and family members reunite with the least amount of chaos. These plans should be communicated clearly and practiced.

Homeland Security suggests “if you are a parent, or guardian of an elderly or disabled adult, make sure schools and daycare providers have emergency response plans.

- Ask how they will communicate with families during a crisis.
- Ask if they store adequate food, water and other basic supplies.
- Find out if they are prepared to "shelter-in-place" if need be, and where they plan to go if they must get away.”

Visit http://www.ed.gov/emergencyplan for school emergency plans.

Visit Ready Kids for kid-friendly emergency information.

If you are an employer, visit Ready Business to make sure you are prepared for an evacuation, sheltering your employees, and related topics.

Visit Homeland Security’s Neighborhoods and Apartments section and Citizen Corps for community plans.

Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #3 - Water, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #5 - Additional Supplies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #6 - Food, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #7 - Medications and Medical Supplies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #8 - Emergency Documents, National Preparedness Month - Evacuation Plan

Source: National Preparedness Month

National Preparedness Month - Evacuation Plan

Earlier in this series we talked about creating a plan. Today we are going to talk specifically about a plan for evacuation. Hurricane Ike is certainly a vivid example of how practical all these preparations are to millions of people!

Homeland Security suggests the following steps to take: -

"Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood.
- If you have a car, keep a half tank of gas in it at all times in case you need to evacuate.
- Become familiar with alternate routes and other means of transportation out of your area.
- If you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if you have to.
- Take your emergency supply kit unless you have reason to believe it has been contaminated.
- Lock the door behind you.
- Take your pets with you, but understand that only service animals may be permitted in public shelters. Plan how you will care for your pets in an emergency.

If time allows:
- Call or email the "out-of-state" contact in your family communications plan.
- Tell them where you are going.
- If there is damage to your home and you are instructed to do so, shut off water, gas and electricity before leaving.
- Leave a note telling others when you left and where you are going.
- Check with neighbors who may need a ride."

You may want to print out this list and keep it with your emergency kit. By having a list, you won't need to think in a time of emergency. I wrote down all my credit card, bank an other important information in a spiral notebook that I put in my emergency drawer. I also added my "what to grab list" to it - those things I use every day that I would want with me: contacts/glasses, meds, etc. I'll print the above list and stick it in my notebook so I'll be ready.

We keep a car phone charger for our cell phones in each car at all times, so we always have phone capabilities. And we have a car adapter for our laptop. I have added that to our list of things to take in an emergency.

Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #3 - Water, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #5 - Additional Supplies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #6 - Food, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #7 - Medications and Medical Supplies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #8 - Emergency Documents

Source: National Preparedness Month

Another Local Opportunity to Get Prepared - CPR Anytime Class

CPR techniques will be offered by The American Heart Association on September 30 from 6 - 7:30 pm at the Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium. The City of Cuyahoga Falls, MC Hair Consultants, and Valley Savings Bank are co-sponsoring this free event.

Participants will receive a CPR Anytime Kit including a practice DVD, a personal inflatible CPR mannequin, and a CPR booklet. They will also hear from people who have been saved by CPR and AED.

Free Local Paper Shredding

Have some sensitive documents you need to shred? The Summit/Akron Solid Waste Management Authority and Neoshred Inc. are partnering to offer free confidential paper shredding for Summit County communities through September 26.

Shredding will be available by appointment only from 9 am to 3 pm at Neoshred, located at 621 Tallmadge Avenue, Akron. Call 330-253-8260 to schedule your appointment.

You are asked to remove binder clips, rubber bands, hanging file folders, binders, paperclips, and report covers. Shredded material will be recycled into tissue paper and paperboard.

What a wonderful way to get rid of your excess paper!

National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #8 - Emergency Documents

Are you ready to get back to National Preparedness Month? When I actually looked back over my blogs, I wasn't that far behind, but it was nice to take a break.

Today's topic is rather time consuming, so prepare yourself! It helps if you have a printer that is a copier, as a lot of our work will be copying documents.

I keep thinking about the Ike victims and how life must be upside down for them! Today's topic is very applicable to such disasters - having copies of important documents at your fingertips. Doing this and the things we've been talking about would make having to go through such a time a tiny bit easier, I think.

When we plan for an emergency, we need to plan for the worst. That would include loss of property and God forbid, loss of life of a loved one. To prepare for recovery following an emergency, it is important to have documents that will facilitate that recovery.

Homeland Security suggests copying the following documents, placing them in a waterproof container, and storing them in your emergency kit:
- family records
- medical records
- wills
- deeds
- social security number and contact information
- charge account numbers, expiration dates, and contact information
- bank account numbers and contact information
- tax records for the last five years
- medical insurance information
- Medicare cards and contact information
- the style and serial number of medical devices or other life-sustaining devices (include operating information and instructions)
- contact information of your medical providers
- the names and contact information of your support network (we’ll talk about your support network soon)
- if you have a communication disability, make sure your emergency information notes the best way to communicate with you.
- my addition: the name and phone number of your insurance carriers, lawyer

I would suggest keeping another copy in your safe deposit box, one in your safe, and giving a copy to a family member.

Any documentation we're missing?


Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #3 - Water, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #5 - Additional Supplies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #6 - Food, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #7 - Medications and Medical Supplies

Source: National Preparedness Month

Interview by Mommy's Idea

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Mommy's Idea, a brand new blog created for moms. To help them kick off the new site, I donated a couple of my books for giveaways: Three Steps to Clever Cleaning and Three Steps to Planning Your Child's Parties. Stop by to give Mommy's Idea a vote of encouragement and sign up for the giveaways!

Review by Just a Mom's Take on Things

Deb over at Just a Mom's Take on Things has reviewed a couple of my books: Three Steps to Decluttering and Three Steps to Time Management for the Working Mom.

Deb was very thorough (and kind). Why don't you stop by and check it out. While you're there, spend some time browsing through her fabulous site! She even has some giveaways!

Getting Organized for Winter - Your Chimney

Fall is an excellent time to prepare your fireplace or woodstove for use in the winter. It's another way to prepare your home for sale in the spring, if that's the case. Actually, the best time to clean your chimney is in the spring after your last use. But if that is not the case, it may be good to have it cleaned before you use it again.

How long has it been since you've had your chimney cleaned? The research I've read says you should have your chimney cleaned every year - more often if you use it frequently. Monthly if you use it as the main heating source for your home. Other sources say to clean your chimney after you have burned a cord of wood or when there is a 1/8-inch accumulation of creosote on your chimney wall.

Creosote is the problem - a gummy substance that collects on your chimney walls. If it builds up significantly, it can cause a fire in your chimney which usually must burn out by tiself. This can cause your chimney lining to crack. Authorities suggest burning lengthy fires that reach over 400 degrees, which cuts down on the creosote build-up. Burning short, low-temperature fires "to take the chill off" produces creosote.

How to find a reputable chimney sweep? The Chimney Safety Institute of American recommends: "A complete chimney sweeping includes the chimney flue and smoke chamber....Ask for a Level 1 chimney inspection and a chimney sweeping. If the sweep doesn’t know what a Level 1 inspection is, find one that does. A Level 1 inspection is detailed in the National Fire Protection Association 211: Standard on Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances." (This publication for chimney sweeps lays out the requirements that should be followed.)

You can clean your chimney yourself, but it involves going up on your roof. My personal feeling is that this is a job that would warrant hiring a professional! They take the risk and they don't make a mess!

I'm a Brilliant Weblog Award Recipient!

What a lovely and encouraging surprise to receive the Brilliant Weblog Award from Mommy Meryl today!



I am deeply honored, and as part of the award, I get to bestow it on seven deserving bloggers:

Campus Calm

a website and blog dedicated to helping college students combat stress

Concept Design Studios

my graphic design expert, webmaster and daughter

I'm an Organizing Junkie

need I say more?

Laurel Wreath's Reflections

Laurel's logo: come, grow, go. Laurel writes book reviews for Christian Women Online

Adventures in Kazakhstan

my other adventurous daughter

Shake the Salt

reviews, giveaways, free stuff, frugal shopping, and mommy stuff

BooMama

guaranteed for a laugh

Why not stop by and see why I like them so!

Destressing Christmas, Part 1 - Think Through Your Expectations

Christmas already? Did you know that it is 97 days until Christmas? If we really want to destress Christmas, it might be wise to start thinking about it now. Last year I did a series on Destressing Christmas. I think I'll repeat one part of the series each week just to help us get started. Here's the first one: Thinking Through Your Expectations

As you anticipate the holidays, think through your expectations. Talk with your family members or those with whom you will be spending the holiday season. Ask what is important to them to celebrate at Christmas - activities, traditions, food, spiritual emphasis, giving, service opportunities, etc. This is the time to determine what is important to emphasize.

Make a list of all your traditions, from decorating to Christmas caroling. Keep the ones you love (forget about impressing other people), and cross off the ones you don't. Without realizing it, I tend to feel a need to incorporate all we had ever done, which becomes unwieldy, and it's rediculous if no one wants to do it!

Be flexible when things don't fit your expectations. Christmas Day doesn't have to happen on December 25th, for example. When we lived in Kenya, we worked with an expatriot medical team who gave their staff Christmas Day off. So we celebrated Christmas as a team on other days.

My husband and I are going to my parents' home for Thanksgiving, but have to fly on Thanksgiving. So we are celebrating on Friday instead of Thanksgiving. Our children won't be with us for Christmas, but we'll adjust.

Enjoy the moment rather than compare it to memories or expectations. Be present and relish what is happening. And if it's not the greatest, do what you can to make it pleasant. Be other-centered rather than self-centered.

Keep a sense of humor. I like things to match and I appreciate beauty. However, my son-in-law secretly placed a very ugly decoration on the tree one year. I did manage to resist my urge to snatch it off the tree, and we left it on the tree for giggles. It has now become a tradition.

Be realistic!!! Know what you can handle and what you cannot. Be kind to yourself and live within your limits. Each year is different. One year we were moving right after Christmas and our holiday preparations for that year were very few. Other years I decided to have a theme - stars, hearts, trees, etc. But after a few years, the number of decorations were getting out of hand so I stopped that tradition. Don't hesitate to limit activities so you can enjoy the season!!

Planning Interesting Lunches

Making lunches was never my favorite thing in the world to do. But when I did some planning, it made it a lot more interesting for me and for my girls!

I made a list of different options (so I would only have to think once!) and would try to provide variety and nutrition, so lunch would not be boring and would be eaten. Here are some of the things I came up with:

- peanut butter and banana sandwiches (the bananas would usually stay nice until lunch)

- peanut butter (in a container) with an apple or banana

- fluffy nutter sandwich (yes - I even did this occasionally - peanut butter with marshmallow creme)

- a bagel with cream cheese or peanut butter

- yogurt

- string cheese and crackers

- sliced cheddar, monterrey jack, or colby and crackers

- deli meat sandwiches on bagels, english muffins or bread

- cream cheese and olive sandwiches

- boiled eggs

- pistacchio nuts

- trail mix

- fresh fruit

- fresh veggies

I tried to be creative and put unusual things in their lunches that they liked - mangoes, kiwis, etc. Making interesting lunches was a little work, but it told my girls I loved them. And I wrote notes on their napkins, even through high school! (They said they liked it and all their friends wished they had similar lunches. If they had been embarrassed, I would have stopped!)

These days, green experts are saying to use foil and reusable containers for food and drinks - another thing to consider.

What do you put in your lunch or your kids' lunches?

Prioritizing Fall Projects

Fall is a wonderful time to do some of those home improvement projects, especially if you are wanting to put your house on the market in the spring. For many who wanted to sell this year, take advantage of the fall to prepare your home for sale next year! Hopefully the market will be more receptive.

It's amazing how just a few little touches can improve your curb appeal! Our house was built in the 1920's (I think) and had a black wrought iron hand railing along the steps going up to the front door. I decided to give it a little punch and painted it red. It seemed like a small project, but scraping and sanding and painting five coats of red was hardly a small project! But I loved the result - well worth it. Neighbors would walk by on all those evenings I was painting, and comment on how they liked it. :-)

We also got a new front door and storm door (all glass), so I painted the door light yellow, and it really looked nice with the red railing. And I painted wooden address numbers the same light yellow and put them above the door. They are very easy to see, and look friendly (if you can say that about numbers!) Just those few things made our home so much more inviting! And along with the flowers I mentioned yesterday, we added a lot of color to our brick home.

Indoor painting is another great fall project. You can open the windows and reduce the fumes. My father-in-law had a system in which he painted one room a year. So, at any time, his painting was pretty current. I have never known anyone so organized with painting! When my in-laws decided to move into a retirement community, they were able to put their home on the market in two weeks!! Amazing!

Whether you're putting your home on the market or not, doing a few projects is invigorating. Make a list of projects you want to do and prioritize them. Then decide how much time you want to spend each week/month. Start with #1, and see what you can accomplish! You're a step ahead for Christmas and spring cleaning, not to mention having created a more pleasant environment for yourself and those you love!
What fall projects are on your list?


Related Posts: Chopping Big Chores down into Bite-Sized Chunks, How to Clean the House

Fall Organizing for your Spring Garden

Plan ahead now to get that wonderful garden and lawn in the spring! Especially, if you're planning to put your house on the market next spring, this will give you a head start on your curb appeal.

My husband just put Scott's Turf Builder Winterguard on our lawn to beef up the grass over the winter. It comes in varieties that get rid of weeds and other pesky problems. For some reason crab grass has become very obnoxious this year in our lawn.

Another suggestion from Scott's: don't bother raking your leaves. Go over them two or three times with the mower until they are dime-sized. Next, feed your lawn. And the nitrogen and microbes will take care of the recycling. Sounds good to me!

Scott's website has helpful information, including a schedule for lawn care according to your zip code.

This is also the time of year to plant those tulips, narcissus, and other bulbs that look so inviting in the spring. A couple of years ago, we dug up our entire front garden, mapped it out, and planted perennials so we would have blooms the entire spring and summer.

One of those perennials, however, took over a lot of the garden and I'm not happy with the color, either. And not enough tulips and narcissus came up. So we're going to redo it again. I'm not so sure I would be motivated to do it again so soon, but we are having to have the drainage system redug because it is leaking into our basement. So if we are going to have to dig up the garden anyway, we may as well be intentional about it.

By now, I know what I like in the garden and what I don't want to see again. I've also learned what grows well here and what doesn't. A lot of it is trial and error, isn't it? I had the idea that once we mapped it all out, it would all grow just as we planned and I would love it. But some didn't come up and some grew too much and some I'm tired of. It's a lot of work, but it sure pays off when flowers pop up each year and it makes our house look so cute!

What do you do in the fall to prepare your lawn and garden for spring?


Related Posts: Using Your Snow Shovel Year Round - Another Gardening Tip, Winterizing your garden

National Preparedness Month - I'm Overwhelmed!

I don't know about you, but I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the National Preparedness Month lists! I was tempted to take a break from it, but felt I should probably plow through the whole thing. However, when my daughter said that she was overwhelmed, too, she convinced me that maybe we should take a breather. We'll start again next week. If you're feeling the need to have closure, go to National Preparedness Month. I'm going to use the break to get caught up on all those lists.

National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #7 - Medications and Medical Supplies

It's easy to put off getting perscriptions filled until the last minute. As I've been researching National Preparedness Month, however, I've seen the importance of having at least a week's supply of medications (both over the counter and perscriptions) on hand at all times. We never know when we might encounter an emergency, and we want to be preapred!

Think about all who are evacuating for Hurricane Ike in Texas. The last thing they need is to have to stop by the pharmacy to get their perscriptions filled! Imagine the lines!

Homeland Security also suggests:

- Making a list of prescription medicines including dosage, treatment and allergy information, and putting that list in your emergency kit.

- Talking to your pharmacist or doctor about what else you need to prepare. I would recommend writing it down and keeping it in your emergency kit.

- Talking to your care providers if you undergo routine treatments administered by a clinic or hospital or if you receive regular services such as home health care, treatment or transportation. Find out what their emergency plans entail. And obtain a list of back-up service providers and incorporate them into your personal support network. (We'll talk more about your personal support network in a few days.)

- Making sure you have extra batteries for hearing aids and wheelchairs in your emergency kit.

I would add eyeglasses, hearing aids, walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen and any other medical devices you (or family memebers) use to your emergency list of things to grab (those things you use each day and can't keep in your emergency kit).

Isn't it amazing to think about all the details we need to get together for an emergency? It shows that we don't want to do it at the last-minute!

Do you have medical items in your emergency kit that I haven't mentioned?


Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #3 - Water, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #5 - Additional Supplies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #6 - Food

Source: National Preparedness Month

National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #6 - Food

Here’s what Homeland Security suggests for your food supply for your emergency kit:
"Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.

- Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water.
- Pack a manual can opener and eating utensils.
- Avoid salty foods, as they will make you thirsty.
- Choose foods your family will eat.
- Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
- Protein or fruit bars
- Dry cereal or granola
- Peanut butter
- Dried fruit
- Nuts
- Crackers
- Canned juices
- Non-perishable pasteurized milk
- High energy foods
- Vitamins
- Food for infants
- Comfort/stress foods."

As I’ve said before, our designated shelter is in a closet in our basement. I’m storing my food in dishpans on shelves: easy to pull out and easy to transport, if necessary.

The food I included in my emergency kit: granola bars, cans of ready-to-eat soup, tuna, peanut butter, crackers, beef jerky (even though it’s salty), canned fruit, canned veggies, canned drinks, juice boxes, cookies, and water.

What foods do you have in your emergency kit?

Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #3 - Water, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #5 - Additional Supplies

Source: National Preparedness Month

My Guest Blog at Working Moms Against Guilt

I'm a guest blogger at Working Moms Against Guilt on the topic of Cheating Time. They're also offering my book, Three Steps to Time Management for the Working Mom as a giveaway. Drop by for a visit!

Celebration Giveaway Winners!

Thanks so much for those who entered my Celebration Giveaways! Here are the winners, chosen randomly by number by my foster daughters. :-)

Celebration Giveaway #1 - Three Steps to Organizing Your Child's Room - Sandy
Celebration Giveaway #2 - Three Steps to Organizing Your Kitchen - Janne
Celebration Giveaway #3 - Hassle Free Dinners - Parker Family
Celebration Giveaway #4 - Three Steps to Organizing Your Office - Dolls123
Celebration Giveaway #5 - Three Steps to Time Management for the Stay-at-Home Mom - Shannon
Celebration Giveaway #6 - Three Steps to Clever Cleaning - A Happy Heart at Home
Celebration Giveaway #7 - Three Steps to Time Management at the Office - Chi
Celebration Giveaway #8 - Three Steps to Decluttering - Nicol

Hope you had fun - I sure did!

Please let me know if you'd like to review one of my books or if you'd like me to offer one as a giveaway for your contests/giveaways!

National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #5 - Additional Supplies

So we have our NOAA Radio and SAME list, our landline phone, water, and a first aid kit in our emergency kit. Here are some other items Homeland Security recommends for our emergency supply kit:

· Flashlight and extra batteries (I put mine in my emergency drawer)
· Whistle to signal for help
· Dust mask to help filter contaminated air
· Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
· Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
· Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
· Local maps
· Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
· Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
· Matches in a waterproof container
· Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
· Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
· Paper and pencil
· Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children.

I found a flashlight, dust masks, plastic sheeting, duct tape, and towelettes at my local dollar store.

These are the things I suggest you add to your list of things to grab if an emergency is eminent:

· Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
· Prescription medications and glasses
· Infant formula and diapers
· Pet food and extra water for your pet
· Cash or traveler's checks and change
· Fire Extinguisher
· Cell phone.

These items are ones you will be using daily or are located in other places in your home. By having a list, you will be able to grab important items without having to think.

We'll talk about food tomorrow.


Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #3 - Water, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit

National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #4 - First Aid Kit

Being foster parents, we are required to have a first aid kit in each car and one in our house. However, Homeland Security suggests we have one in our emergency kit, which makes sense. Should we have an emergency and we shelter in our basement closet, we may not be able to get to the first floor where our first aid kit is located.

If you’re like me, you have extras in your medicine cabinets. I decided to clean out the cabinet that houses my meds, vitamins, and first aid supplies. I was able to put several duplicates into my emergency kit.

These are the items Homeland Security advises us to have in our first aid kits.

- two pairs of Latex (I put in more), or other sterile gloves (if you are allergic to Latex)
- sterile dressings to stop bleeding
- cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect
- antibiotic ointment to prevent infection
- burn ointment to prevent infection
- adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
- eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as a general decontaminant
- a thermometer
- scissors
- tweezers
- petroleum jelly or other lubricant
- aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
- anti-diarrhea medication
- antacid
- laxative
- prescription drugs you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. They suggest periodically rotating medicines to keep expiration dates current. (I, however, have started a list of things to grab in case of an emergency, with medicine included. I’m going to keep my list in my drawer with my landline phone and radio info.)
- prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies.

With these basic supplies you can prevent loss of blood or infection and care for burns or cuts. I was able to find a lot of the above at the dollar store.

As foster parents, we are also required to take first aid and CPR classes. If you haven’t taken either of these, you might consider contacting your local Red Cross to do so. They are usually around four hours long, and if you pass the test, you get your very own card saying you’ve received that training.

In either case, I would suggest having a First Aid book on hand. I’m adding that to my list of things to grab out of my first floor medicine cabinet.

I gathered a couple of those tins that you get cookies or candies in at Christmas and am using them for my first aid kit. They are waterproof and somewhat sturdy.

There are more items we’ll want to add to our emergency kit, but we’ll cover those in the next couple of days so as to not overwhelm you.

Anything else you have in your first aid kit?


Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #3 - Water

Celebration Giveaway #8 - Last One!

In celebration of #17 of my 1-2-3...Get Organized series, I'm hosting a week of giveaways from September 2-9. #17 is a manual called Three Step to Becoming a Downsizing Professional - a blueprint for people who want to help people downsize to a smaller residence. It tells you all you need to know to start your own business, market it, and how to do the nuts and bolts of downsizing. There are several bonus items in the package, as well.

Today is the last giveaway - all entries need to be made by midnight tonight, eastern time: Three Steps to Decluttering. Just leave a comment below to enter. Make sure you leave your email address so I can notify you if you win.

Don't forget that if you blog, tweet, etc. about my giveaway, you get another entry by coming back and commenting that you did so. See Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008 for more ways to win.

Related posts: Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008!, Celebration Giveaway #1 and More Giveaways!, Celebration Giveaway #2 and Another Giveaway!, Celebration Giveaway #3, Celebration Giveaway #4, Celebration Giveaway #5, Celebration Giveaway #6, Celebration Giveaway #7

Celebration Giveaway #7

In celebration of #17 of my 1-2-3...Get Organized series, I'm hosting a week of giveaways from September 2-9. #17 is a manual called Three Step to Becoming a Downsizing Professional - a blueprint for people who want to help people downsize to a smaller residence. It tells you all you need to know to start your own business, market it, and how to do the nuts and bolts of downsizing. There are several bonus items in the package, as well.

Today's giveaway: Three Steps to Time Management at the Office. Just leave a comment below to enter. Make sure you leave your email address so I can notify you if you win.

Don't forget that if you blog, tweet, etc. about my giveaway, you get another entry by coming back and commenting that you did so. See Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008 for more ways to win.

Related posts: Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008!, Celebration Giveaway #1 and More Giveaways!, Celebration Giveaway #2 and Another Giveaway!, Celebration Giveaway #3, Celebration Giveaway #4, Celebration Giveaway #5, Celebration Giveaway #6

National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #3 - Water

How are you doing on your emergengy kit? I'm really feeling good doing this - feeling like a responsible mom! I've got my NOAA radio on and my SAME list stored in a drawer with my landline phone. Most of the other things we'll talk about are stored on shelves in the closet where we'll take shelter.

One key element you’ll want to have in your emergency kit is water. Homeland Security is recommending one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation purposes. They urge a minimum of a three-day supply per person.

Extra water is suggested for children, nursing mothers, and those who are ill. And if you live in a warm area, more water is advised as well.

Homeland Security’s counsel is to store water in clean plastic containers – soft drink bottles, for example. I have been filling 2-litre soft drink bottles as well as individual water and soft drink bottles for sanitation purposes. I also have new individual water bottles stored for drinking.

If you are wanting to make your emergency kit portable, you will not be able to store all your water in it, obviously. If you think you might need to transport your emergency kit, fill your crate, box, or whatever you're using for your emergency kit with the other items we’ll talk about, and bring the water separately.

Household chlorine bleach and a medicine dropper are also recommended for your emergency kit. Chlorine bleach (unscented – not color safe or with added cleaners) treats water when 16 drops of bleach is added to a gallon of water.

If you mix one part of bleach to nine parts of water, the mixture can be used as a disinfectant.

We'll talk about more items to include in our emergency kits for the next couple of days.

What container are you using for your emergency kit?


Resource: National Preparedness Month

Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone

Celebration Giveaway #6

In celebration of #17 of my 1-2-3...Get Organized series, I'm hosting a week of giveaways from September 2-9. #17 is a manual called Three Step to Becoming a Downsizing Professional - a blueprint for people who want to help people downsize to a smaller residence. It tells you all you need to know to start your own business, market it, and how to do the nuts and bolts of downsizing. There are several bonus items in the package, as well.

Today's giveaway: Clever Clearning. Just leave a comment below to enter. Make sure you leave your email address so I can notify you if you win.

Don't forget that if you blog, tweet, etc. about my giveaway, you get another entry by coming back and commenting that you did so. See Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008 for more ways to win.

Related posts: Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008!, Celebration Giveaway #1 and More Giveaways!, Celebration Giveaway #2 and Another Giveaway!, Celebration Giveaway #3, Celebration Giveaway #4, Celebration Giveaway #5

Celebration Giveaway #5

In celebration of #17 of my 1-2-3...Get Organized series, I'm hosting a week of giveaways from September 2-9. #17 is a manual called Three Step to Becoming a Downsizing Professional - a blueprint for people who want to help people downsize to a smaller residence. It tells you all you need to know to start your own business, market it, and how to do the nuts and bolts of downsizing. There are several bonus items in the package, as well.

Today's giveaway: Three Steps to Time Management for the Stay-at-Home Mom. Just leave a comment below to enter. See Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008! to find out how you can submit more entries.

By the way, several of you have commented at Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008!, which is not offering a giveaway. In order to make sure you enter a valid giveaway, go to the blogs designated Giveaway #1, #2, etc.

Related posts: Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008!, Celebration Giveaway #1 and More Giveaways!, Celebration Giveaway #2 and Another Giveaway!, Celebration Giveaway #3, Celebration Giveaway #4

National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #2: Landline Phone

An emergency may mean that you have no phone capabilities, especially if you have only walk-about models that must be recharged in their consoles. Just because the electricity goes out, doesn’t necessarily mean that you will lose phone service. But, if your phone must be plugged into an electrical outlet, it will lose power if the electricity is off.

Several years ago when we lived in Maryland, we had an ice storm that left much of the area without power for over a week. Our power lines were underground, so thankfully, we didn't lose power. One of our neighbors, though, thought the phones were out because she only had phones that had to be plugged into an electrical outlet.

It is important to have at least one landline phone in the location where you will take shelter in an emergency. A landline phone is one that doesn’t have to be plugged into an electrical outlet in any way – only a phone jack.

We have a landline phone on the third floor of our house, but we would not likely shelter on the third floor, but in the basement. I bought an inexpensive (around $11) landline phone that I keep in our basement to be plugged into the phone jack should we need it. In the meantime, I prefer to use my walk-around phone.

I thought I had a brilliant idea, but I was wrong. I got a y-adapter that plugs into my phone jack. The y-adapter allows two phones to be plugged into one phone jack. I thought I could just leave both phones plugged in all the time. However, when I did that, my DSL on my computer stopped working.

I’m sure my nephew Jeff (our family tech guru) could tell me why, but it doesn’t make sense to me. As I said yesterday, I may be organized, but I don’t think I’ll be applying to become one of the Geek Squad any time soon!.

Having a landline phone is just one less thing to think about in an emergency! Keep it in your emergency kit or stored near your phone jack. I have designated a drawer in my basement to keep my phone and my SAME list for my NOAA radio. I keep my radio plugged in and on so we will be alerted in a time of emergency.

Resource: National Preparedness Month

Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies, National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio

Celebration Giveaway #4

In celebration of #17 of my 1-2-3...Get Organized series, I'm hosting a week of giveaways from September 2-9. #17 is a manual called Three Step to Becoming a Downsizing Professional - a blueprint for people who want to help people downsize to a smaller residence. It tells you all you need to know to start your own business, market it, and how to do the nuts and bolts of downsizing. There are several bonus items in the package, as well.

Today's giveaway: Three Steps to Organizing Your Office. Just leave a comment below to enter. See Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008! to find out how you can submit more entries.

By the way, several of you have commented at Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008!, which is not offering a giveaway. In order to make sure you enter a valid giveaway, go to the blogs designated Giveaway #1, #2, etc.

Related posts: Celebration Giveaways September 2-9, 2008!, Celebration Giveaway #1 and More Giveaways!, Celebration Giveaway #2 and Another Giveaway!, Celebration Giveaway #3

National Preparedness Month - Emergency Kit #1: NOAA Radio

If I’m going to prepare for an emergency, I want to prepare for one of the worst case scenarios – no power. This means no TV, no computer, eventually no laptop, possibly no phone, and eventually no cell phone. In an emergency, it will be very important to have communication with the outside world to stay informed of valuable information.

Homeland Security recommends an NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) weather radio. This type radio needs to be a combination of plug-in/battery operated type with a hand crank feature. Radios that have specific area message encoding (SAME) technology alert you when weather threats are specific to your area. This means that if there is an eminent or present disaster in your area, a tone will sound to alert you of danger.

The National Weather Service will continuously update emergency and disaster information. This information is available 24/7, repeating pertinent information every four to six minutes.

You will want to print a list of your local SAME codes where you can find broadcast information for your locality. Keep this list with your radio in your emergency kit. The National Weather Service states:

“NWR service to a county depends on reliable signal reception, which typically extends in about a 40 mile radius from the transmitter, assuming level terrain. Counties without NWR coverage or partial NWR coverage will be so indicated. Some counties or parts thereof, especially in mountainous areas, that are listed as having NWR coverage, may not have reliable reception in some locations due to signal blockages and/or excessive distance from the transmitter.”

Where to find such radios?

I got my radio at Best Buy. I went to Best Buy’s website, and typed in NOAA radio onto the search window. I found five radios ranging from $39.99 to $69.99, one which is available online only. I could have ordered online to pick up the radio. But I wanted to go into the store to see the radios.

When I selected a radio on the website, Best Buy’s website showed me which stores in my area carried that radio. However, when I went to the store, I didn’t find the radio I wanted. I found one that I thought had the same qualities as the one I wanted – plug-in and battery operated, as well as a crank feature. I also wanted a cell phone charging feature.

When I got my radio home, however, I found that it didn’t have a plug-in feature – only battery and crank features and the capability of charging my cell phone. I took it back to try to find an AC adapter. They couldn’t find one that fit. In the process, I met Rick, who confessed he was obsessed with these types of radios - just the kind of person I wanted to talk to! He pointed out to me that my Red Cross radio wasn’t even an NOAA radio – the whole reason why I wanted the radio – to be able to hear the emergency alerts!! I am organized, but obviously not a technical whiz at times.

I did end up buying an Eton Red Cross radio for $59.99, but it was clearly marked with NOAA on the cover, has an AC adapter included, battery options and a crank. In my package was a post card that instructed me to send it in or email the company to receive my phone adapter tip and charging cord for my particular cell phone.

In researching this blog, I’ve found that Radio Shack has pages of weather radios, also. I found one that is reasonably priced with both plug-in and battery options as well as a crank option. It also has a USB cord that allows you to charge electronic devices, such as cell phones. The Midland ER-102 Emergency Crank Radio with Weather Channels is only available from the web, though, and costs $49.99.

By searching for NOAA radios on your computer, I’m sure you can find other providers as well. Make sure to get extra batteries that fit your radio and store them with your radio.

Of course, you could always get a generator. Prices start at several hundred dollars and go up into the thousands. I think if I lived in a hurricane-prone area, I would consider it!

Resource: National Preparedness Month, NOAA’s National Weather Service.

How do you prepare for emergencies?


Related Posts: National Preparedness Month - Making a Plan, National Preparedness Month - Determining Potential Emergencies