The 411 On Being Prepared for A 911.

A few months ago, my husband and I woke up to the smell of something burning. Fortunately it was not a fire: the control board on the furnace had malfunctioned. I couldn't help but wonder what if it had been an actual fire. Of course my initial thoughts were that I would make sure everyone got out safely. But then I thought about whether I would be able to grab my purse or other important items. What would I do if I lost my license, credit cards, or even my medications? This set me on a mission to be as prepared as I could should an emergency arise. So I started gathering all my important papers and items I would need and put them in a fireproof safe. What you put in your emergency kit will depend on your situation. Here is what I put in mine:

All original identification papers. I made a photocopy of my license as this is one case where the original needs to be handy at any given moment. I put originals of our passports, marriage license and birth certificates in the safe and made photocopies to keep in my filing cabinet.

Photocopies of all credit card accounts. I made sure to copy both the back and front of the cards as most now have a security code that is needed for transactions. The back also contains important customer service phone numbers.

A list of bank account numbers. In addition, I put a few blank checks in the safe just in case I needed to access money. I figured that in the event that I had no ID or ATM card, I could write a check to a family member so I could get cash in an emergency.

Photocopies of important insurance papers. I included both life insurance and home insurance.

A few days worth of medications for all family members. I figured doing this would help reduce stress in the event of an emergency as it would likely take a few days to obtain replacements. Emergencies are stressful enough without the added burden of medical complications. Other papers I included were original health care proxy forms, extra medical insurance ID cards I had on hand and medication lists for both my husband, myself and my dog (don't forget your pets!).

A few important lists. One list was of family contacts. I usually program frequently used phone numbers directly into my cell phone and know I would have a hard time remembering them off the top of my head. I also included a list of all my computer accounts and passwords.

Unleash Your Organized Me!

Take Note!....A Time Saving Study Tip.

It's official! I am a college student again! Being an older adult learner, I was a little unsure of how I would adjust to my new schedule and develop good study habits. Always the organizer, I put myself on a mission to find ways in which I could use my time most efficiently. Here is one study tip I have found to be particularly useful.

As I read through my assigned material, I keep a blank stack of index cards handy. When I come across a term or an important point in the reading, I write it down. That way, when it comes time for me to review the chapter or study for an upcoming test, the cards are all ready! They are also quite portable. I can stick them in my purse and pull them out to look through when I am waiting in line at the bank or during other situations when I find myself with "down time". When the stack of cards gets thick, I store them in a shoebox (separate ones for each course) with dividers for the different books and chapters.

Unleash Your Organized Me!

May Day! May Day! Organized Party Planning!

Next to December, May and June seem to be the busiest months ever! With Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays and graduations among the numerous events, party planning skills are essential! I myself am in the process of helping plan my brother's wedding (which of course will be a topic for a future post). In the meantime, here are some party planning survival tips.

Get out your appointment book! If you don't have one already, consider purchasing a nice planner. I highly recommend one that gives you a week at a glance but still has a lot of room to write down daily appointments and tasks. Anything less is not sufficient in my opinion. While we are on the subject, make a habit to write down all personal and business reminders and appointments in this book. Keeping separate books is too confusing and may lead to forgetting something important!

Make a timeline! Once you have a date or even a targeted month for your party, write down all the necessary to do items. I recommend starting backward from the date of your planned party. For example, start with what you need to do that day (ex. pick up cake, decorate, meal preparation). Next, write down those tasks that need to be done in the days, weeks and months before the party. Create a deadline for each task and write it in your planner like you would an appointment. People tend to think they have more time than they do in reality! The last thing you want to be doing is to be scrambling around last minute! Check out http://www.partyspot.com/ for planning tips and checklists for a variety of events!

Pick a theme! I find that picking a theme for your party is quite helpful in the planning process. It helps narrow down decisions when selecting decorations, favors, food, etc. Speaking of which, great places to purchase party supplies online are http://www.orientaltrading.com/ and http://www.factorycard.com/.

Delegate! Don't be afraid to ask for help! If you have a large event to plan and have trouble finding willing friends and family members, hire a professional organizer or party planner. For large events, the fee is often worth it as the knowledge they possess can often save you money!

Unleash Your Organized Me!

Suffering from Writer's Block....New Posts Coming Soon!

Would You Like A Receipt?

It's amazing how such small pieces of paper have a tremendous hold on people. Often times when I am helping clients get organized, we sort through piles of receipts. Here are some suggestions to help manage receipts before they manage you.

Put all new receipts in one place! Put receipts in a centralized location. One good place to keep them is close to where you sort your mail (for tips on organizing mail, see earlier post dated 2/22/09). Keep a manila folder or envelope handy for storing the receipts. This will prevent receipts from migrating into other places where they will quickly be forgotten. Make it a habit to empty receipts from your car, pockets and/or purse daily!

All receipts are not created equal! Purge your receipt file weekly. Toss receipts for groceries, dry cleaning etc. In this file, keep only the receipts for items recently purchased that may need to be returned (clothing, inexpensive household items). Store these in a separate smaller envelope or paper clip them together. After three months, it is usually safe to toss these.

Other receipts will need to be kept longer. These include: 1) Receipts for major purchases (appliances, household repairs) 2) Medical receipts 3) Receipts for bills (credit card, utilities, etc.) 4) Receipts for items you plan to deduct on your income taxes 5) Miscellaneous important receipts like those for jewelry or expensive children's toys. (keep these to a minimum or else you will find you are saving more receipts than necessary).

The receipts that you plan on keeping can be stored in your filing cabinet under the appropriate category (see post dated 2/25/09 for tips on organizing your files). Keep in mind that filing these receipts away does not mean you don't have to deal with them at a later date! Go through your files every couple of months and weed out the old receipts. In general, keep only one year's worth of receipts (with the exception of those pertaining to home and auto repair and other major purchases). Always check with an accountant about which receipts you need to keep for income tax purposes (as well as how long).

Go online! These days a lot of information is stored electronically, making it unnecessary to keep paper copies. I have learned to let go of keeping my paper bank and credit card statements. In fact, many companies are now offering paperless billing options! Not only does this reduce paper clutter, but it is better for the environment!

Unleash Your Organized Me!

A Spoonful of Preparation Makes the Doctor Visit Go Smoother!

Everybody's time is precious, but let's face it, doctors are some of the busiest people we know. The average length of a doctor visit is about 15 minutes. Communicating all your needs and questions in this time frame is a daunting task. That is why it is imperative to spend some time preparing ahead of time. A little preparation goes a long way and can prevent unnecessary repeat visits and phone calls. Here are some things you can do to be prepared for your doctor appointment.

Write down your medications! Make a list of all prescription and over the counter medications you take regularly as well as any vitamin and herbal supplements. What I like to do is to separate the prescription medications and over the counter medications, vitamins, etc, into two separate lists. For all prescription medications, I include the name of the medication, dosage, date it was started and the medical condition for which it was prescribed (as some medications are prescribed for purposes other than their main usage). Include your name and date of birth on the list. Also, write the current date on the list so you will know when it was last updated. Type up lists for yourself and family members and save them on your computer so you can print out copies as needed. Keep copies in your wallet and in the main communication center of your home (I put mine in the kitchen drawer) so that they can be accessed quickly in the event of an emergency. Always give your doctor a copy of your current list so they can keep it with your records. Being prepared with a list saves the doctor the frustration of having to record each medication and ensures that the appointment time will be spent efficiently.

Write down questions! I can't tell you how important this is! Try to limit it to three questions. Also, think of possible solutions. The doctor-patient relationship is a collaborative effort! Doctors like to see that you are taking personal responsibility for your health. For example, if you want to lose weight, research diet and exercise plans ahead of time so that you can discuss these with your doctor. If you have a chronic medical condition, research options on the internet. Although the internet is no substitute for a doctor's medical advice, it can help you become more informed. There are a variety of online support groups for various medical conditions. By joining one of these, you can see what works for other individuals in addition to getting emotional support (one website to try is yahoo.com).

Bring someone with you! Two sets of ears are better than one! Bring along a family member or friend and have them take notes. If you are going to the doctor for a reason other than a well visit, negative emotions can arise. These can affect our ability to be objective. Having another person along can make sure our interpretation of the visit is accurate. It also can't hurt to have much needed emotional support.

Unleash Your Organized Me!

Quick Post...Tax Time is Over, Be Prepared for Next Year!

Today a lot of people are breathing a sigh of relief now that another tax season is coming to a close. It never fails, but each year I hear so many stories of people racing around last minute to gather essential documents and receipts for their tax returns. Here is a tip that might prevent this from happening next year. Each January, designate a folder for tax information for the year (ex. "Taxes 2009"). I put this folder in the section of my filing cabinet set aside for tax information. If needed, this folder can be subdivided into categories such as property taxes, medical receipts, donations, etc. As I come across items that I know I will need for taxes, I file them in this folder. Then, when I am ready to do my return, everything I need is at my fingertips!