Electronics Everywhere!

How many cords, battery chargers, and remote controls are in the average household? I have no idea, but I do know that keeping track of what electronics parts go with which can be quite a task.

Labeling is the key. Those little hand held labelers are wonderful, but not necessary. Writing on a little piece of paper and attaching the paper with transparent tape can serve the same purpose.

When a new gadget comes into the home, label all the electronic pieces. This will keep the accessories from becoming electronics that no one knows what they are for, yet everyone is reluctant to throw out, because they might be important. Sort through the existing electronics and label those that you know the use of.

As for the rest of the tangled cords, are you brave enough to toss them? Gather them together and store them in a remote area of your home. When six months have gone by and you haven’t used them, it’s time to get rid of them. If you are still hesitant, give it a year. You’ve gone through every season and event. If you haven’t used the electronics by now, changes are slim to none that you will ever use it. It’s time to toss it.

Craft Storage Room

I’m always excited to see the progress in a room. This storage area had become a collect all. The owner wanted it to be a storage area for craft supplies as well as a temporary storage for work supplies. We started by sorting, getting rid of items that were not of use and moving some items to long-term storage in the attic. Craft items were stored on shelves that were easiest to access. Work supplies were put on the far left shelf for longer-term storage. Everything was containerized and labeled, not only were the containers labeled, but the shelves were labeled as well. Now when a container is removed, it’s “home” is clearly marked so it can be returned to the same spot.

The week after this project was completed, her children completed a couple of craft projects. Because they could easily access the craft items they wanted, they were motivated to create! To me this is the best compliment. The family is now using this area as they had hoped to!

Keeping Track of Passwords

I was ordering a few things online this morning. For each site I ordered from, I needed a password. I’m on password overload! How many passwords to you have? And how to you keep track of them? Do you have yellow sticky notes with passwords cluttered around your computer? Or do you use scraps of paper with passwords jotted on them stuck in a desk drawer?

There are a ton of password managers available on-line. For those of us who are technically challenged, don’t have that many passwords to justify a password manager or feel paper is safer than a computer for password storage, here is another option.

Make your own Password Records Chart. List your passwords by category. Possible categories may include: bills, online shopping, work, personal. Within each category, list your accounts (website addresses) in alphabetical order, along with the user name and any other pertinent information. Create the chart using a word processor, filling in all the necessary information, except the passwords and date the password was changed. Write passwords & dates in pencil, so you can change them as needed. (I recommend using lines on the chart, but being one of those technically challenged individuals, I don't know how to make them in this format.)

Password Records Sample
-- Bills ----- User ID --- Password --- Date Password Changed --- Other Info
Cable Website
Electric Website
Internet Website
Mortgage Website
Telephone Website

Keep your Password Records Chart close to your computer for easy access, in a locked drawer or a file with a label only you would recognize as passwords. Make sure one other person knows where this important information is, just in case of an emergency.

Halloween is Coming!

Even if you don’t celebrate Halloween in a big way, now’s the time to start planning.

If you decorate your home for Halloween, look at the decorations you haven’t put up this year. Is there a reason you are saving them? If you no longer love them, they are looking tattered, or you don’t have the space for them, consider getting rid of them. This frees up storage space and makes decorating next year that much easier.

Also think about costumes. Halloween snuck up on my sister-in-law one year. She rushed out to shop at the last minute, spending an incredible amount of money on a costume her daughter wore for three hours. She vowed to never let that happen again! Decide on costumes now. (I know with children this is tricky, because they change their mind every two minutes!) Start collecting items needed for the costumes. See what you have on hand then shop to complete the look. Consider trading costumes worn in previous years with friends for a no cost new costume. The key is to start planning now.