Real Life Solutions

It is no surprise that moms feel overwhelmed when they try to fit everything into their busy days. After all, few single people can manage to juggle work, home life, and fun successfully. On top of these responsibilities, moms add car pool duty, cupcake emergencies, and last minute science projects to their to do lists. So, how do moms manage to fit all of those tasks into their lives and still keep their sanity without resorting to cloning?

First, you may want to consider making a list of tasks that need to be completed. Then, take a hard look at that list for anything that could be simplified or eliminated. For example, do your children really need home baked cupcakes for the school party? The bakery up the street will be happy to box up 24 cupcakes and have them ready for you to pick up the next morning, saving you at least a half hour.

Next, look for tasks that really take a lot of your time, but could be done by someone else. If your children are too young to help walk the dog, you may want to consider hiring a dog walker to give your pooch his daily exercise. Errand services are also a great time saver. You can have your errand service shop for back to school supplies, pick up groceries, or get the dry cleaning. A maid service can come in once a week to do some heavy duty cleaning.

Another task that takes a lot of time is cooking. However, you can stop cooking a meal from scratch every evening and still feed your family without hitting speed dial for your favorite pizza with bulk cooking. Pick a weekend and cook enough food for an entire month of meals. Freeze the food in dinner size portions and simply reheat a dinner each evening.

Of course moms who work from home have a flexibility that other moms don’t have. If you become overwhelmed with all that you have to do, give yourself permission to take some time off to catch up. If you simply can’t take time off, you may want to find a mother’s helper to watch the children and do some basic household chores while you work.

Finally, if it seems you are always spending your evenings helping your children complete big assignments that are due the next day, give each of your children a homework notebook. If they neglect to write assignments down, ask their teachers to initial the assignment book, so you will know that all assignments are listed. This will eliminate all of those last minute posters, science fair projects, and reports that moms seem to end up helping with until midnight the night before they are due.

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How does your computer look? Can you find documents and email easily? Or do you have so many documents and email you don’t know where to start? Organizing your computer is an important part of making your life easier and more efficient. Here are some ideas to get your computer organized and keep it that way.

1. The best thing about filing documents on your computer may also be the biggest challenge. Set up broad-category folders within My Documents (in Windows) or on your hard drive (in a Mac). You can also set up subfolders within each category. Use the computer’s sorting function. An easy way to organize is by file types. Put ‘AAA’ (or a space) in front of the names of the most-used folders and ‘ZZZ’ (or a bullet) in front of the least used ones.

2. Name your files and folders with meaningful and recognizable names. Also, be specific and include dates if possible. The goal when naming files is to be able to tell what the file is about without having to open it and look.

3. Reserve your desktop for items that need immediate attention. When you are done with them, file them in the proper folder. Try not to store documents long-term on your desktop. You can also use the Desktop Cleanup Wizard. In the Windows program, you can use this automatic desktop cleanup tool. Go to ‘Start,’ ‘Control Panel’. In the ‘Desktop’ tab, click ‘Customize Desktop’. Then choose ‘Clean Desktop Now’. You can also choose to run this tool periodically. The wizard moves unused items from the desktop to an archive folder.

4. Back up your files often so they can be cleared from your computer. There are a number of affordable back- up options that will keep all your important files, media and photos saved if anything should happen to your computer. This is very important. It is better to be safe than sorry.

5. The most common type of computer files that creates clutter are music files. Music files have shrunk in size over the years, however, they add up fast and you can lose track of how many you have stored on your computer. You should regularly remove excess MP3s onto discs, flash drives or backup drives to keep your computer clear of clutter.

 6. An effective email system is easy to establish and maintain. Reserve your Inbox for action items. Set up email file folders. Set up individual folders for people with whom you communicate often. Create additional folders related to specific projects, events and companies, and a holding file for pending email that you plan to keep for a very brief time. Last, but not least, create a folder name ‘Important’ for high priority items.

7. Put complete information into the subject line of email so they will be easier to find later. You should also allot an amount of time each day to review and file email. Try to download and respond to email no more than twice a day. An important tool to use in Outlook is the Message Rules tool. You can set up your rules for the system to do certain things with different email messages automatically.

8. Other ways to tackle your email include avoiding subscriptions to online newsletters that don’t contain helpful information. Limit your receipt of jokes and chain letter type email. Not only are they time consuming, they can also contain computer-threatening viruses.

9. Is your Internet Explorer Favorites folder busting at the seams? It needs weeding out and organizing from time to time. To organize your Favorites in Internet Explorer, on the Favorites menu, click Organize Favorites. Also, there is additional clean up that is easy to do. Start Internet Explorer and on the Tools menu click Internet Options. In the General tab of the Internet Options dialog box, you have two choices: (1) In the Temporary Internet files section, click Delete Files to remove all temporary files, and (2) In the History section, click Clear History to remove the list of sites you’ve previously viewed.

10. Last, but not least, regularly clean your keyboard, monitor and peripherals. Use lint free cleaning cloths and a cleaner for electronics. Compressed air is also helpful for cleaning dirt and dust out of crevices and between keys.

It’s that time of year once again.   The leaves are beginning to change colors, Halloween is approaching quickly, the kids are in school and have adjusted, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  Creating a traditional Thanksgiving day menu is easier than you think, even for a novice cook. 

When you sit down to plan your traditional Thanksgiving Day menu be sure to start with a shopping list.  For a family of four, a smaller turkey will fit the bill, take less time to cook and still provide plenty of left overs for those delicious cold turkey sandwiches the next day.   A basic list will include the turkey, of course, cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and for some families – green beans and French fried onions for a casserole.  Biscuits or crescent rolls with butter are a great addition as well.  Don’t forget the pumpkin pie and the whipped cream!

To be sure that you have all of your traditional Thanksgiving Day menu items on hand.  Plan your trip to the grocery store in advance.  This will give your turkey plenty of time to defrost if it is frozen and it will also give you time to visit other stores for price checking and bargain huntint.  Always allow the turkey to defrost over the course of a few days in the freezer, rather than sitting it out on the counter for hours.  This will prevent bacteria from developing, which can cause food poisoning.  No one wants food poisoning.  If the turkey is still slightly frozen on Thanksgiving, place the plastic wrapped turkey in the sink and run cold water over it for a while.  This will help speed defrosting. 

After the turkey is defrosted it is time to prep it for cooking.  Preheat the oven to the manufacturers recommended temperature.  Remove the plastic wrapper from the bird and discard it.  Remove the wrapped package that is in the turkey and place it to the side.  This is the innards and the neck and can be used later to make other things.  Rinse the turkey in cold water and remove any remaining feathers by pulling them out.  If they are hard to get out, grab a pair of pliers to remove them.  Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and throw them out.  Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a deep roasting pan.  For a crispy and delicious skin, melt a half stick of butter and brush it on the turkey, making sure to get all of the parts including the wings and legs.  After coating the turkey with the butter, sprinkle garlic powder and black pepper all over the bird, again getting the wings and legs.
 
After seasoning the turkey, place it in the preheated oven.  Checking it frequently, allow the turkey to bake for the correct amount of time as indicated by the label.  Once the skin begins to brown, pull the turkey out for a minute and baste it with 2 cups of turkey broth.  Cover the turkey with foil at this time and return it to the oven.  Baste it every 30 to 40 minutes with the juices from the pan, recover and return it to the oven.  You may be wondering about the stuffing.  Well, for safeties sake, and because crispy stuffing just tastes better, this guide calls for the stuffing to be prepared separately in a baking dish.  Stuffed turkeys can be havens for bacteria and can cause both the stuffing and the turkey to not cook thoroughly. 

Approximately 1 hour before the turkey is scheduled to be done, begin preparing the other dishes.  The stuffing can be made using chicken or turkey broth to add additional flavor.  After preparing the stuffing on the stove top, spread it out evenly in a baking dish and place it in the oven below the turkey.  This will give the stuffing a crispy top layer, with a softer layer underneath. 

If you traditional Thanksgiving Day menu doesn’t include the plain cranberry sause, a delicious alternative is to mix whole berry cranberry sauce with a can of drained pineapple tidbits.  The pineapple adds a unique flavor to the sauce and goes well with the turkey and stuffing.  Another great side dish is a string bean casserole, made with fresh string beans, cream of mushroom soup and topped with crunchy fried onion strings.
 
For the sweet potatoes, a casserole is another great way to go.  After cleaning and taking off any bad parts, take your sweet potatoes, cut them up into 1-2 inch chunks and place in a microwave safe bowl.  Add 3 tablespoons of butter, also in chunks, to the bowl.  Microwave on high for 4 minutes, then stir or mash the potatoes and butter together in the bowl.  Return it to the microwave for an additional 4 minutes, then remove and stir again.  To the sweet potato and butter mash, add cinnamon and sugar to taste, stirring to mix it thoroughly.  Once it is mixed, place the mixture into an oven safe baking dish.  Top with granola and miniature marshmallows and bake for 15 minutes, or until the marshmallows are melted and browned. 

By now, the turkey should be done.  Most turkeys come with a pop-up timer.  If it has not popped yet, keep checking every 5 minutes until it does.  Once the timer is popped, remove the turkey from the oven and put in the green bean casserole and biscuits.  Place the turkey on a safe surface and keep it covered for at least 20 minutes with aluminum foil.  This allows the turkey to rest, reach its maximum cooking temperature and gives the juices a chance to settle back into the meat.  Cutting into a turkey as soon as it is removed from the oven is a sure way to lose all of the juices and get a dry turkey.

After the turkey has rested, and the rest of the dishes have come out of the oven, it is time to carve the bird.  Start by removing the legs and wings.  After slicing with a sharp knife in the joint of each piece, using a bit of force, bend it backward until you hear a crack.  You can then slice through the rest of the way, creating clean cut pieces.  Once the parts are removed, you can begin slicing the breast meat.  Using a sharp knife, slice the meat into thin layers and stack onto a serving dish.  Surround the white meat with the legs and wings and serve. 

Everyone has different variations on their traditional Thanksgiving Day menu.  Any of the above recipes and ideas can be modified for your family’s preferences and dietary needs.  The most important part of preparing for any Holiday meal is not that you enjoy the prep work, the cooking and the eating but that you enjoy spending this important time with your family and friends. 

Visit the following link for a Stress Free Thanksgiving.

Do you want to get in on the coupon craze  and start saving on grocery bills?   The practice of clipping coupons nowadays seems to be sweeping the nation in these money-conscious times? Couponing may seem overwhelming to consider at first – who has time to clip, organize, and calculate coupons? You do! It doesn’t have to take a tremendous amount of time, and the money saved (if it’s done efficiently) is said to be worth it.

Here are tips on saving on grocery bills using coupons:

How Do I Do This?

“Organization” is the key to effective couponing. Experienced couponers suggest the following organizational tips:

* Get a coupon book or notebook. Organize it alphabetically, by item type, according to your store’s layout, etc. You might want a special section for items that are on special on shopping day. Do whatever works for you and helps minimize time spent standing in the store trying to fish through coupons.

* Know your store’s specials, discounts, and coupon policies. Some stores routinely double coupons; others do so periodically or for certain items.

* Count on anywhere from 25 minutes to an hour to prepare for your shopping trip – this includes clipping, downloading, printing and organizing your coupons and studying up on your store’s deals.

Where Do I Find Coupons?

You can find coupons at a surprising variety of places. There are electronic ones, paper ones, coupons stuck to the outside of products or printed on the inside of boxes, and so forth. Here are some ideas.

1. Websites

Coupon websites can offer printable coupons, sometimes in conjunction with your store’s current deals. Here is a partial list of some well-known coupon sites:

- CouponMom.com
- RefundCents.com
- Boodle.com
- CoolSavings.com
- Valpak.com
- MyCoupons.com
- SmartSource.com

When it comes to saving on grocery bills, dont forget to see if your store has a website.  If your grocer store does have a website, visit it and see if there are places where you can sign up or join. Some stores offer electronic coupons that you can upload onto a card that is scanned at check-out. Also, when you begin participating in a store’s coupon program and upload various deals, they may send you coupons in the mail or electronically. You can even sign up for electronic notice of store specials.

2. Flyers

Viewing your local newspaper and other local publications is also a great way to begin saving on grocery bills.  Flyers are also a great way to see what’s on special at your store.

3. Product Sites

If you visit your favorite products’ websites, look for coupons offered there. If, for example, you like sauce made by The Hot Sauce Company, you can do an internet search for “The Hot Sauce Company coupons.” 

Know When It’s Not Worth It

The point of couponing is to begin saving on grocery bills. If you find yourself spending a lot of time and gas money driving long distances between stores just for that great deal, or if you are uncomfortable having to go to stores whose business practices you don’t agree with, then you might want to back off a bit. If you’re not clearly saving, then it’s probably not worth it.

At time, figuring out  some age appropriate responsibilities for children can be hard.  Issuing out chores to your children is one way to help to instill responsibility into children and they can start chores at an early age. Many parents today are looking for ways to teach their kids to be responsible, and chores are a great place to start. Here are some suggestions for chores – and how to introduce them – that can be done by elementary school-age kids.

Rewards

You don’t have to pay your kid to make her bed, but psychologists agree that a reward system, or positive reinforcement, can go a long way toward motivating your child to do his or her chores. Rewards can take the form of privileges, such as television time, video games, time on the phone or internet, etc. Earning rewards for doing chores tends to work better than receiving punishment for not doing them, say psychologists.

Age Appropriate Responsibilities For Children

Elementary school spans Kindergarten to fifth grade. So, here are some ideas for those grades and ages. Of course, chores for younger kids will already be a part of the chore regimen by the time you get to older grades – the following lists of chores are intended to build on, not replace, each other.

Kindergarten (age 5-6)

This age tends to respond well to simple chores. You can also use this simple approach with older kids for whom this is a new concept. Some ideas include:
* Feeding pets
* Watering plants

First Grade (age 6-7)
* Sweeping the floor
* Emptying trash cans throughout the house into a garbage bag
* Washing bathroom or kitchen sink

Second and Third Grade (age 7-9)
* Vacuuming a small room
* Setting the table
* Clearing the table
* Loading dishwasher or washing/drying dishes

Fourth Grade (age 9-10)
* Taking out the garbage
* Walking the dog
* Making part of dinner (such as a salad or side dish)
* Washing the car

Fifth Grade (age 10-11)
* Making dinner
* Helping with laundry
* Vacuuming several rooms

Helping Them Out

While the list above gives many examples of age appropriate responsibilities for children, it is important to help your child get acclimated to the idea of chores, lists can help. If your child likes organization and takes satisfaction in completing tasks, lists with squares he can check off might help.

A competitive child might respond to timed chores. For example, time how long a certain chore takes him and then see if he can beat his time next time (while still doing a good job).

You can also elicit your child’s help in making a chart or list of chores and privileges, or just the chores. He or she can illustrate the list or decorate it with cut-outs from magazines. If your child participates in thinking up chores and creating the list, he might be more likely to be motivated to do the things on the list.

By using the tips and ideas above you will be well on your way to issue out age appropriate responsibilities for children in your home.

Take two! That is, take two organizing tips for every room in your home. These will help you begin getting each room in organized, tip-top shape.

1. Garage

A. Set up activity zones in the garage. For example, group garden tools in one spot, sporting goods in another, and tools in their own area.

B. Using the walls (vertical space) and the ceiling (over head storage) will help you make better use of the space you do have within your garage. Use various storage solutions such as peg boards, containers (see-through and labels make it easy), and open crates which allow for easy access and are easy to clean. Do not use cardboard boxes because of water damage, mold and bugs.

2. Kitchen

A. Clear up your countertops. Put away any used (but not used often items or appliances such as a bread machine) into drawers or cabinets. Take a look at some of your appliances and if you haven’t used it in 12 months then it might be time to donate it to charity or a friend who could use it. This also works with all the little gadgets such as lemon zesters and melon ballers that might not be used and cause clutter in drawers. Empty the contents of a drawer into a box and put it into your garage or a closet. If you need an item, go get it, use it, and put it back in the drawer. Determine a time to clean out the box (such as a month, 3 months, 6 months, or even a year) and donate what is left in the box to charity.

B. Arrange zones or stations in the kitchen to make your life simpler and easier. For example, coffee, filters, mugs, and the coffee maker should be near each other to make it easy and convenient to make coffee in the morning. Another zone may be your baking zone. Include baking supplies like flour and sugar, cookie sheets, measuring cups, etc.

3. Dining Room

A. Is there always stuff piled up on your dining room table? Determine what the stuff is and what solutions can be made to conquer the clutter so you and your family can sit down and share a meal. For example, do you use the table for hobbies such as scrapbooking? Make sure you have a solution for your scrapbooking supplies such as a plastic drawer system on wheels. Does your table get piled with mail and other papers? Designate a basket or wall folder system to hold all the papers, magazines, and newspapers that come into the house. Make sure you dump the junk mail as soon as it arrives. Empty the basket on a daily basis.

B. A china cabinet for storage or another storage cabinet for fine china? Depending on your lifestyle you might want to have storage for your everyday dishes (maybe even plastic dishes that are within your child’s reach, so he could set the table for dinner all by himself).

4. Living or Family Room

A. Can you use multi-purpose furniture such as coffee tables, storage cubes, or ottomans with storage inside for children’s toys, extra blankets and pillows, or board games?

B. List all the purposes and activities that will take place in the room. Divide your living room into zones. Find storage solutions for your TV and DVDs. Store DVDs or CDs in a cabinet or shelving system that will help keep out dust. Keep all remotes in a basket in a central location.

5. Office

A. Keep most-often used items within arm’s reach. For example, items used daily such as pens and pencils, a stapler, and your calendar should be kept on your desk; while items such as scotch tape and paper clips that may only be used occasionally can be kept in a nearby drawer. Find an area to store extra supplies such as printer and fax machine paper, such as a closet organization system, a shelving system, or plastic drawer.

B. Sort and file paperwork. For sorting large amounts of paperwork the RAFT method can be useful. The R stands for papers that need to be Read. The A stands for papers that need to be Acted upon, such as a party invitation that needs to be responded to. The F stands for Filed, such as already paid bills. The T stands for papers that can be trashed such as junk mail.

6. Kid’s Bedroom

A. Sort your children’s toys. Take and pile those with broken or missing parts and make a decision of whether the toy is still safe, useable, or repairable. If not throw it in the garbage. If there are toys that your child has outgrown, decide what you are going to do with them. They may be passed on to a younger brother or sister, cousin, family friend, or donated to a local charity or woman’s shelter. They could also be given away on a website such as Freecycle or Craigslist. Next you must find a storage solution for the children’s toys that you are going to keep. Plastic drawers and shelves are good options.

B. Make sure organization tools are easy to use and at a child’s level. For example, hooks can be lowered to accommodate book bags, hats, bags, scarves, and more on the back of their door or in their rooms. Another important tool is to label storage solutions with both pictures and words– especially for those who are too young to read.

7. Master Bedroom

A. Re-organize your closet space. Remove the excess items. Donate items that others can use and trash stained or damaged clothing. Double your space in your closet by adding a second rod for part of your closet. Keep an area for long hanging items such as gowns or suits. Use the full height in your closet. Maybe there is room for a shelf or two for out of season storage for clothing or linens. Have a basket, bin, or container to put items that need to be dry-cleaned and another one for items that need to be mended. Invest in a shoe storage solution.

B. Use all free space, such as under the bed or mattress, for extra linens or out-of season clothing or shoe storage. There are many shallow bins or bags that can be used for this purpose.

8. Bathroom

A. Organize and declutter all the stuff on your counters and surrounding your sink in the bathroom. Do you need three different types of hair gel or can you consolidate down to one bottle instead? Go through all the different bottles and throw out anything with only a drip left in the bottom and those items you do not use on a daily basis. Any items that were bought or even the hotel sample sizes that are unopened can be donated to a homeless or women’s shelter. Get a small shelf, small plastic drawer system, or a decorative basket for each person to contain their daily products.

B. Declutter your medicine cabinet. Remember many medications are affected by the steam and moisture in the bathroom. Use a shower holder or cabby to hold your bath supplies in the shower or bath tub.

9. Attic

A. Do not use cardboard boxes to help avoid bugs and moisture attacking the contents of the boxes. Use plastic bins or containers that are either clear or clearly labeled.

B. Keep like items together in zones. Have zones for holiday decorations, one for sentimental items, another area for keepsakes, another for sports equipment, among others.

10. Laundry Room

A. There are many different laundry hampers or laundry sorters depending on your space. Some even fold flat when they are not being used. If you provide an easy place for your family to put their laundry, they will be more likely to put it into the laundry room. Who knows? Maybe they will even help do the laundry.

B. Use the space above the washer and dryer. Install and use shelving or cabinets to hold laundry cleaning supplies such as laundry soap, fabric softener, and stain removers. On the wall or inside the cabinet, tape up a copy of stain removal and fabric care symbols.

Stop by Get Organized Now – and check out the amazing collection of 2,175 ideas, tips and techniques for organizing your home, getting rid of clutter, organizing your time, your schedule, your money, your paper, your family and much more!

Most families spend a lot of time in their kitchens. In many households the kitchen is really the heart of the home. You definitely want to make this room a relaxing family space and in order to do that you have to put some kitchen organization solutions into place.  This way you can make  family meal times and cooking as stress free as possible.

Here are a few kitchen organizing solutions:

Organize Your Work Stations – To make cooking easier you want to make sure you have everything you need close at hand. Have an area for preparing the meals. It’s good to keep your spices and seasonings close to this area. You’ll also want to have chopping boards, knives and mixing spoons close at hand. Have another area for serving and keep all your dishes, serving spoons, placemats and utensils there.

By incorporating work stations into your kitchen and keeping everything you need near each work station, you’ll save a lot of time.

Organize Your Fridge – Clean out your fridge and organize things in categories to make finding them easier when you’re in a rush. It’s a good idea to keep all your dairy products together. Place cold cuts in tightly sealed plastic containers and label them. This will keep them fresh and also make it easier to find. You can do the same thing with cheese and left over foods.

Separate your fruit and salad items from your other vegetables so that you can find them easier. Often times you’ll forget you have those tomatoes in the back drawer and buy more. By keeping things organized you’ll waste and spend less.

Organize Your Pantry - When practicing kitchen organization solutions, dont forget about your pantry.  Arrange your pantry or cupboards according to foods. For example keep all your canned goods in one place and cereal in another. Keep the items you use most within easy reach and put away those appliances you never seem to use. They’re just taking up counter top space.

Plan Your Meals – This is by far the easiest way to organize your meal times. Take a few minutes and write out a meal plan and shopping list for the upcoming week. Buy everything in advance and stock up on items you use regularly and have a long shelf life. Then stick your menu on your fridge, glance at it each morning and plan ahead. Thaw any meat that needs thawing or chop and add your items to your crock pot.

For more Kitchen Organization Solutions visit the links below:

Visit Dine Without Whine – A Weekly Menu Plan & Grocery List Delivered To Your E-mail Box

Stop by Get Organized Now – and check out the amazing collection of 2,175 ideas, tips and techniques for organizing your home, getting rid of clutter, organizing your time, your schedule, your money, your paper, your family and much more!

(ARA) – Pens, pencils, erasers, paper – these are the school supplies students need year after year and are on almost every parent’s back-to-school shopping list. However, that doesn’t mean they’re the only supplies students need to survive the school year with ease. Instead of waiting until your student realizes what he’s missing once it’s too late, shop now for these easily overlooked back-to-school essentials.

“Most students have that ‘oh no’ moment once they’re under a deadline and realize they don’t have the right materials to complete it or when they’re already stuck in a difficult situation,” says Rebecca Smith of Master Lock. “Using past experience to think ahead and shop early will help students – and parents – avoid those dreaded moments and navigate the school year a bit easier.”

1. Pencil sharpener. You’ve got the pencils, but sharpening them can be a real hassle as not all classrooms have a functioning built-in sharpener. To help students avoid trips to and from their desk during important tests, purchase a small pencil sharpener with a built-in shaving collection system that can be stored in a backpack pocket.

2. Portable stapler. Students are often in need of a quick staple, yet a stapler is nowhere to be found. A small, portable stapler can be a major timesaver for students who are frequently required to turn in multiple-page assignments.

3. Umbrella. Whether walking to class on a college campus or home from middle school, umbrellas are an easily overlooked school essential that pay dividends in student comfort. A collapsible model that fits in your student’s backpack or book bag will be easiest to carry whenever the weather looks questionable.

4. Correction fluid or tape. For last-minute, on-the-go fixes to important school assignments, a bottle of white correction tape or a correction pen is a must when re-printing or re-doing isn’t an option.

5. USB flash drive. Since so many school projects are now completed on computers, a USB drive makes it easy to save files and work on them anywhere. Whether your student is working on a paper at home, or on a group presentation at a friend’s house, files will be easily accessible.

6. Stain remover pen. From lunch spills, to grass stains to stray pen marks, students appreciate being able to touch up messy spots that wind up on their clothing throughout the day. Where water doesn’t always work, portable stain remover pens work well on hard-to-remove spots.

7. Security products. School supplies become useless if they’re stolen from your student. To help avoid theft, invest in at least four types of security products: a padlock for students’ school or gym lockers such as Master Lock’s Speed Dial combination lock, a backpack lock to deter pickpockets, a portable mini-safe that can help keep valuables safe in a dorm room or in transit and a lock to attach to your laptop or desktop computer.

8. Three-hole punch. From organizing class notes and handouts in a three-ring binder for easy review, to binding presentations before turning them in, students find endless uses for a three-hole punch after investing in one.

9. Mints or brush strips. Since many schools do not allow gum in classrooms, mints or brush strips are great options for students to carry with them for use after a potent lunch.

10. Water bottle. If your school allows it, help your student stay hydrated by providing them with a portable water bottle that can hang from a backpack via a simple carabineer. A hydrated student equals a happier and more productive student. Water bottles are particularly handy if the school is older and not equipped with air conditioning.

For more advice on back-to-school essentials, visit www.masterlock.com. Also check out our Time Saving Back to school Tips.

Whether you’re taking photographs of your family, scrapbooking a trip you just took with your friends, using your camcorder to capture your nephew’s first baseball game, writing in a journal, or simply putting special notes or cards in a memory box, many of us work hard to capture and preserve our memories each day.

Here are some quick ideas to keep your memories organized, so they’re available for you to enjoy at a moment’s notice.

1) Digital Photos

My husband and I are really good about handling any photos on our camera quickly. Generally right after we return from an event or a trip, we upload the photos to our computer, make any adjustments to the photos (cropping, touching up, etc.) using Picasa, and then upload the finished photos to Phanfare–our online photo backup and sharing service. We don’t allow them to build up on the camera until there are so many photos that they’re out of hand. We’re always caught up, and our photos are available to view, print, etc. whenever we’d like.

2) Printed Photos

Printed photos should, at minimum, be organized into Photo Boxes–organized by genre, or year (or decade), or family– with labeled dividers so you have an idea what photos are in which sections.

Alternately, you can organize into photo albums, which may take a bit longer, but are easier to view when you wish to see them.

3) Be choosey

When it comes to either digital or printed photos, be choosy about the ones you keep. Keep the ones that bring emotion to your heart when you look at them. Give duplicates to family members, or to the kids to scrapbook or to use for crafts. Don’t feel bad about tossing photos that are not meaningful to you…if you’re never going to enjoy them, they’re just taking up space.

The same goes for photos you’ve taken with your cell phone. Upload the keepers to your computer and then back them up for safekeeping. If they’re not great and/or not meaningful, delete them.

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4) Videos

The same rule applies for video clips as for photos. After you take your videos, upload them to your computer, edit them, and back them up.

If you have videos that are captured on small cartridges, label them and keep them stored Photo Boxes where they can all be found, organized by year, genre, etc. for safekeeping. If possible and the videos are important, back them up and keep the backups in a separate area or a safe deposit box.

Whenever my daughter has a dance recital, we get a video on DVD of her performance. We have these labeled, organized by year and stored in a photo box for future viewing.

5) Scrapbooking

I love to scrapbook. For every major event or milestone I want to capture, I do a 2-page layout. Each layout generally has 5-7 of my best photos (occasionally more or less but 5 or 7 as a rule of thumb).

I have scrapbooking page keepers where I store the photos I want to scrapbook–one page keeper for each separate event or milestone. The page keeper is like a large envelope, but I can see through it. Along with the photos, I store the papers I want to use to scrapbook those pages with, along with ribbons and other embellishments. When the mood strikes to scrapbook, I grab the page keeper I want to work on, and my quick bag of tools.

6) Recording in a Journal

One of the best ways to remember things–whether it’s memories of a past holiday, things your child said that captured your heart, a quote a friend mentioned that had an impact on your life, and so on–a journal is a great way to capture those thoughts.

One of the pretty journals available in stores may be just the ticket for you. Having something pretty sitting on your nightstand may encourage you to write something each day, and it’s always right near your bed when you want to refer to it.

Another possibility is getting a 3-ring binder with 3 hole punched paper. In doing so, you can easily ‘move and resort’ your memories as you’d like.

Another option is to use your computer to capture your memories. A simple Word file can easily be set up with sections for each memory category–just remember to always back up in case something goes wrong with your computer.

7) Greeting Cards

Although I certainly don’t keep every single greeting card I’ve ever received, I do keep certain ones that are extra meaningful for me. I have a greeting card box, divided by event (Mother’s Day, Christmas, etc.) and cards that I receive that I wish to keep are stored in this box.

Special Notes

In my filing cabinet, I have a section of file folders for notes I’ve received that have special meaning to me. One of the folders is labeled, ‘Immediate Family’, another is labeled ‘Extended Family’ and yet a third is labeled, ‘Friends.’ Whenever I get a note I wish to keep, it’s immediately filed for safekeeping, and for future reference.

It’s so much fun to look at these scrapbooks from year to year and see how much she has progressed and succeeded each year!

9) Trinkets and Such

For vacation souveniers, trinkets and kids creations (like pottery, for instance) that can’t be stored flat, a rubbermaid box with a lid keeps these treasures contained, but accessible.

Again, be choosey. Otherwise, you’re going to end up with tons of stuff. We allow ourselves ONE trinket box and we weed out/add new stuff from time to time.

Occasionally, if I don’t want to keep an actual item in the box, we take a photo of it and store it ‘virtually’ on the computer. This way, we’re keeping the memory, but not the physical item.

Stop by Get Organized Now – and check out the amazing collection of 2,175 ideas, tips and techniques for organizing your home, getting rid of clutter, organizing your time, your schedule, your money, your paper, your family and much more!

More and more people are going paperless at home and really seeing the benefits of less clutter. Are you feeling like you’re buried under an avalanche of paper sometimes? Most of us are right there with you. We’ve all gotten overwhelmed with of the paper that is around us. It seems like the more we talk about going paperless, the more paper it generates!

Here are a few tips to help you with going paperless at home:

1. Declutter…Declutter…Declutter – One of the first things to do to accomplish our mission of going paperless at home is to declutter the unnecessary paper around us. Much of the paper we have, we can eliminate. The first step is to invest in a shredder, preferably a diamond cut shredder that makes confetti out of your paper.

The second thing to do is invest in a safe deposit box, or a fireproof box for your home. These are the first 2 steps to achieving our mission.

The third step is to set aside a time each day to work at reducing the level of paper. In most cases it isn’t going to happen in a day or two, but rather it’s going to be a little bit of time. Start with 15 minutes each day until it is under control.

2. How Long To Keep What? – Some papers need to be kept for a short time, some for a bit longer, and some need to be kept for your entire life. The next few tips will deal with the length of time to keep which papers.

The ‘Forever Papers’ should be kept in the safe deposit box or fireproof box, along with the papers you should keep for 7 years.

In addition, purchase a file cabinet, or dedicate a file drawer or two, to hold the papers that you should keep for up to 3 years.

3. Keep Forever – When going paperless at home mindfull of types of papers that should be kept forever:

Wills, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, prenuptial agreements, alimony and child-custody agreements, divorce decrees, adoption papers, military records, citizenship papers, passports, health care power of attorney, copies of your IRA or 401K accounts along with copies of the form that names your plan beneficiaries, current insurance policies, employment contracts, deeds, property titles, mortgages, and stock and bond certificates.

4. Keep for at Least 7 Years –

These are the types of papers that should be kept for at least 7 years.

Income tax returns (state and federal) with all supporting documentation. Supporting documentation is all that you use to figure your taxes. Also keep wage/salary records and annual payroll check stubs, canceled checks or bank statements, savings account records, monthly statements including information from banks, brokers, retirement plans, auto titles, guarantees and warranties along with dates and costs of improvements to your home.

5. Keep for Us to 3 Years-

These are the types of papers that should be kept for at least 3 years.

Papers that confirm buying or selling of stocks and bonds, pay stubs, credit card statements if they list tax deductible expenses or charitable gifts, utility and phone bills, ATM receipts/deposit slips, and medical bills.

Stop by Get Organized Now – and check out the amazing collection of 2,175 ideas, tips and techniques for organizing your home, getting rid of clutter, organizing your time, your schedule, your money, your paper, your family and much more!

Use Your Computer

6. Use the Computer for Filing – When going paperless at home be mindfull of what you are printing

 off of your home computer. Many of us print off documents that we could be storing on our computers. Instead of printing off a copy of what you have on the computer, and dealing with paper, backup your files on a 2nd hard drive, a removable drive, or even on the Internet.

Many external hard drives are very affordable and offer a vast amount of storage, and are very reliable. No matter how good computers are, they do fail and so an external hard drive, or even an Internet backup are good insurance against losing your data.

7. Electric Bill Pay - Another way to reduce the amount of paper coming into your home is to sign up for electronic billing. Electronic billing has made going paperless at home a bit easier. Many companies will be very happy to send you an electronic bill only. You will receive your monthly statement via email which will give you a link to view your bill.

In addition to sending you your statement electronically, many companies will also encourage you to pay electronically. This can be by means of an automatic deduction every month or a one-time payment. You not only reduce the amount of paper coming into your home, you reduce the amount of paper going out of your home too.

Many banks now offer free bill pay. You can sign up with your bank to pay your bills automatically each month or use them for a one-time payment, just like with each individual company. This gives you a one stop place to take care of all of your bills.

Shredder and Trash

8. Eliminate the Junk Mail – Contacting the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and registering with their Mail Preference Service provides an effective way for you to fight the junk mail glut. The DMA does not provide marketers with consumer mailing lists or do consumer mailings. They provide their Mail Preference Service to marketers for the sole purpose of removing consumer’s names and addresses from their prospect mailing lists.

In the offort of going paperless at home avoid getting on even more mailing lists by taking precautions whenever you submit your name and address to anyone. If you’re filling out a form such as a warranty, subscription, raffle, customer info card, credit card application, membership for an organization, etc., add the phrase ‘please do not rent, sell, or trade my name or address’ next to the other information you provide.

Be advised that it is not necessary to fill out a warranty card to benefit from the warranty on your purchase. The warranty card is usually just a way to get consumer info from you.

Repeat these same magic words every time you’re giving a company or organization your name and address over the phone or Internet, such as when ordering a catalog, magazine, or making a purchase. The sales rep will then flag your name in their computer. These are just a couple of the things you can do to reduce the amount of junk mail coming in.

9. Sort Your Mail at the Shredder – When you are opening your mail EACH DAY, do so over the shredder. If it’s not a bill or personal correspondence, or a charitable donation request that you support, shred anything that has your name and address on it. It is important that you shred to protect your identity.

There is so much identity theft going on that could be prevented by shredding anything that has your name and address on it. This includes catalog order forms along with the back cover where your mailing address is.

10. Handle It Once – When paper does come into your home, handle it only once. That means you either shred it, attend to it (pay a bill, answer a letter, etc.) or file it. This way you don’t have a pile of papers to deal with all at once, it’s already taken care of.

If you only pay bills on certain days, have an `immediate’ file set up that you put `bills to be paid’, `correspondence to be answered’, and other categories that mean something to you personally, after all, if it doesn’t work for you, you won’t use it.

11. Cancel the Subscription- Another key to going paperless at home is to manage the paper that comes in. How many magazines come into your home on a weekly basis that you don’t have time to read? Are they stacking up too? If that is the case, it’s time to re-evaluate whether or not you really need to continue to subscribe to those magazines. That includes newspaper subscriptions too. If you have time to read a newspaper then don’t cancel it, but if it piles up alongside the magazines you don’t have time to read, why have it come into the house in the first place. Most newspapers have websites where you can read the newspaper online, saving paper.

By using any or all of the systems above, your mission of going paperless at home can be accomplished. All of the systems in the world won’t do a bit of good if you don’t keep on top of them. By reducing the amount of paper you have to deal with on a daily basis, it is easier to keep up with it. Don’t let your `to be filed’ basket be filled to overflowing. Instead, file each piece as it comes into the house. Then it is no longer a mountain threatening an avalanche when you walk by.

To find out how to get organized and put these strategies to use right away, visit: The Definitive Guide to Home Organization for Busy People today and get your life and home organized and clutter free forever!