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Hang it Up

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Closet, Clothes, Storage

Hang it Up

In addition to his athletic prowess, Boston Celtic legend John Havlicek was known for being meticulous. His wife said he hung all his clothes a half inch apart in his closet at home and folded his socks over a hanger.

You do not have to go to those extreme measures for a neat closet. You can quickly make your closet look a lot nicer just by buying a set of matching hangers. Features to look for, depending on your needs, include:

  • Thickness of each hanger: obviously thicker hangers take up more space
  • Weight/material: Main options are wood and plastic. Heavy clothing (such as winter coats) needs stronger (wooden) hangers. Nobody should use wire hangers, ever. (Who could ever forget the scene in the movie, “Mommie Dearest”, with Faye Dunaway?)
  • Notches for clothing with straps
  • Clips for pants or skirts
  • Swivel hooks
  • Fabric-lined (velvet, felt) to prevent clothes from slipping
  • Appearance: a matter of personal taste
  • Space-saving hangers that accommodate several pairs of pants, shirts, scarves, neckties.

You cannot ask for a simpler, less expensive solution to upgrading your closet than investing in a set of hangers (roughly $25-$50 for 50, depending on, well… features).

Photo: Pixabay

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How to Fold Everything, and I Mean Everything (Even the Cheese)

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Clothes, How To, Linens

How to Fold Everything, and I Mean Everything (Even the Cheese)

A key to reducing clutter and maximizing storage space is to fold your clothes and linens. Other items you might fold are dinner napkins (for presentation and utility), flags, and ingredients. I have curated a collection of instructions for folding everything, so you do not have to weed through the Internet to watch some longer-than-necessary videos.

Fitted sheets – Watch these two videos to choose which method is best for you. At first attempt, the method may seem very awkward. Do it a few times and it becomes second nature.

Martha Stewart

YouTube

Towels – Who knew there are so many ways to fold a towel? Here are instructions to fold towels like in hotels or luxury spas, for a towel rack, and to reduce wear and tear. I always like the way a linen closet looks when you open the door, and you feel like you are in a store with all the sheets and towels folded nicely.

Better Home & Gardens

Napkins – Now you can fold your napkins to suit the theme or mood of your gathering, impressing guests and family!

Wikihow

Socks – Did you know that folding socks takes up less space than rolling them into a ball? Here are a few different methods for folding those pesky socks.

YouTube

For collared shirts and t-shirts the question is to fold or hang? A lot depends on your space and hangers. You do not want to be walking around with those hanger marks on your shirts, so maybe, depending on your space, folding is better for knits and lightweight shirts.

Shirts, pants, dresses, especially for packing away for the off season, may be best folded.

Flags – Ever wonder how flags get to be that perfect triangle? At my Dad’s funeral a few months ago, I watched two Navy officers fold his flag, and they made it seem so easy. I think it would take me a few times to get it just right. How about you?

Ingredients – One of the funniest episodes on TV was the “fold the cheese” scene in the series Schitt’s Creek. Here is the answer to what David Rose (the character in Schitt’s Creek episode) wanted to know.

And just for fun – Want to learn Origami? This is how you make a spider and a dragon.

I hope I have added some whimsy to your day and saved you time by researching the various methods of folding everyday items. May it give you a giggle and save you space in your home.

Photo: Pixabay

 

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Do Not Leave a “Shred” of your ID in Your Trash

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Identity Theft, Shredding

Do Not Leave a “Shred” of your ID in Your Trash

You have been diligent about sorting through papers (good for you!), and now you have a stack of documents to discard. Wait! Do any of these contain private information, such as your name, address, phone, email, date of birth, account number, medical history, financial information, or prescription drug labels, among others? You cannot just toss these into the trash. Once something is in the trash, it is free game for anyone to take, including scammers and others who can sell your information on the dark web, exposing you to identity theft and other scams.

If you think ripping the papers in half, or in smaller pieces is good enough, have another think. Someone who wants your personal information badly enough will tape those fragments together. (Remember the movie Argo?)

You need to shred these papers. Buy a shredder, preferably a cross-cut model, and do it yourself. These are not expensive and are easy to use. Tip: if you have pets, unplug when not in use. Curious pets have been known to stick tongues in shredders. (Shudder.)

If you prefer not to own a shredder, you can take your papers to commercial businesses that will shred them for you, for a fee. Staples and UPS stores are among those offering this service.

Alternatively, you might be able to find a shredding event in your community, whereby a commercial shredding business brings equipment onsite. My bank sponsors one every spring. Some years I have too many documents to run through my shredder without it overheating, so the bank’s event is a welcome (and free) service. Other possible organizations that may offer free shredding events are The Council on Aging/Senior Center in your town or the Lions Club (for a donation to their charitable causes).

If you are closing a business where you have sensitive information (such as a medical practice), it would be worthwhile to pay a commercial shredder to come to your office, shred onsite, and provide a certificate of destruction for FACTA or HIPAA compliance.

Believe me, please: the time you spend to shredding will save you hours of time, stress, and aggravation trying to deal with any potential identity theft. How true the old adage: “An ounce of preventions is worth a pound of cure.”

Photo: Pixabay

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Prevent Travel Hassles with These Under-the-Radar Tips

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Travel

Prevent Travel Hassles with These Under-the-Radar Tips

In previous blog posts, I have suggested useful items to pack when traveling. Here are some additional under-the-radar travel tips for avoiding some major inconveniences, such as having your data stolen, running out of juice on your phone, and paying fees for overweight luggage.

So many items now have RFID chips for quick scanning. These chips can save you time during transactions, but they also give crooks a way of picking your pocket without making physical contact with you. RFID blocking sleeves protect your credit/debit card and passport information from being scanned by a “digital pickpocket” who is near you on the street, in a restaurant, store, or other public building. You can even get wallets and purses with RFID protection built in.

Having your phone run out of juice while you are out sightseeing is a major inconvenience. Think of all the things you need your phone for: keeping in touch with fellow travelers, taking photos, calling for an Uber, making online dinner reservations, yadda, yadda, yadda. One solution is a power bank or portable charger. Charge it up at home or in your hotel and use it to power up your phone on the go. Most hold a charge for months until used; you then simply recharge it for next time.

Another solution is taking your power cord with you and plugging it into a public USB outlet. You must be careful with these, though, as hackers can tinker with those outlets to infect your phone (or tablet) with malware, even possibly install malicious code to access and steal your data. A small, inexpensive device known as a USB data blocker can protect you. A USB data blocker is a device that lets your smartphone or tablet into USB charging ports including charging kiosks, and USB ports on gadgets owned by other people, including those on airplanes and at airports.

Taking lots of photos? Make sure they are being backed up to the cloud in case your phone is lost, stolen, or damaged.

To avoid the hassle of having your credit card or ATM declined, be sure to notify your credit card company and bank of your travel plans. Otherwise, transactions from unusual locations, especially outside the United States, might be flagged as fraud. While you are at it, find out about what ATMs you can use at your destination and what the fees are. Likewise, find out about foreign exchange fees when you use your credit card or withdraw foreign currency from an ATM.

Finally, scan and store copies of your travel documents (itinerary, passport, airplane tickets, hotel confirmations) in the cloud (iCloud, Dropbox, or other online storage app) or in the “secure notes” section of your password manager. You should also have copies of your drivers’ license, health insurance card(s), eyeglass prescription, and a list of medications in the cloud, just in case.

Shifting gears now away from electronics, are you someone who overpacks and worries about paying fees for overweight luggage? Invest in an inexpensive, portable luggage scale so you know before you arrive at the airport what your suitcase weighs and can take mitigating action. (Leave behind some clothes or shoes? Pack more into your carryon? Ship souvenirs home?) Travel experts say that we should take out at least a third of what we originally pack.

Hopefully with these tips to prepare ahead, you can enjoy a wonderful summer vacation!

Photo: Pixabay

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Do You Suffer From Lethologica?

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Memory

Do You Suffer From Lethologica?

I recently added a new word to my vocabulary: Lethologica, the inability to remember a particular word or name

Now, I just need to remember “lethologica”!

If you are like me, here are some effective strategies to enhance your memory:

  1. Stay mentally active: Engage in activities that challenge your brain, such as puzzles, reading, learning a new language, or playing a musical instrument. Regular mental stimulation helps keep your brain sharp.
  2. Get enough sleep: Sleep is crucial for memory consolidation. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to enhance your memory and cognitive function.
  3. Eat a brain-healthy diet: Include foods rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins to support brain health. Foods like blueberries, fatty fish, turmeric, broccoli, nuts, and seeds can be beneficial.
  4. Regular exercise: Physical exercise not only benefits your body but also improves brain function and memory. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week.
  5. Manage stress: Chronic stress can negatively impact memory. Practice stress management techniques like meditation and deep breathing exercises or engage in relaxing activities to reduce stress levels.
  6. Break information into chunks: Instead of trying to remember large amounts of information all at once, break it into smaller, more manageable chunks. This technique, known as chunking, helps your brain process and retain information more effectively. This is precisely why telephone numbers and our social security numbers are broken into chunks of three each.
  7. Use mnemonic devices: Mnemonic techniques can aid memory by associating information with vivid images, acronyms, or rhymes. For example, create a phrase to remember a series of items. You might have learned the names of the planets and colors of the rainbow with mnemonic phrases.
  8. Repeat and review: Repetition and regular review can reinforce memories. Practice retrieving information multiple times to strengthen your memory of it. Never forget a person’s name by working it into your conversation three times when you first meet him or her.
  9. Stay organized: Keep your physical and digital spaces organized, use calendars or planners to manage tasks and appointments, and make to-do lists. Being organized reduces mental clutter and frees up cognitive resources for better memory.
  10. Stay socially engaged: Social interaction and maintaining strong relationships can support brain health. Engaging in conversations, participating in group activities, and connecting with others can stimulate your brain and memory.

Remember that everyone’s memory abilities differ, and it is normal to forget things occasionally. However, by implementing these strategies consistently, you can enhance your memory and cognitive functioning.

Want to read more about memory?

Photo: Pixabay

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Organize a Drink Station for Your 4th of July BBQ

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in 4th of July, Holidays, Recipe

Organize a Drink Station for Your 4th of July BBQ

Celebrating the 4th of July with a BBQ? To save yourself some time that day to enjoy everyone’s company, perhaps you would consider setting up a self-serve drink station. Here is how:

  • Decide if you will be providing alcoholic beverages. If so, will you serve beer, wine, and/or cocktails?
  • Always provide non-alcoholic drink options.
  • Chill items that need to be served cold. A simple way to do so is to have a large tub filled with ice.
  • Make sure, though, to have a separate container to hold ice for the drinks as no one wants to use that same ice in their beverages.
  • Provide a few recipe cards in case guests are unsure how to make a mixed drink. Make sure the print is large! The recipes can be put in a cute frame in the drink area. You can even concoct a cute name for your … well … concoctions! If you are hosting a themed party, choose the cocktail options for your guests in advance, and make sure all the ingredients are laid out assembly line style in the order the appear on the recipe, like a serving line in a buffet.

Finally, offer nonalcoholic beverages as one way to ensure your guests do not leave drunk. Here are some suggestions:

Milkshakes, lemonade, mocktails and slushies. Whipped lemonade anyone?

Punches, spritzers, and mocktails

Creative combinations of fruits, vegetables, and spices

Color-changing lemonade slushies!

 

Happy 4th of July! May you have a safe and fabulous day of celebrations

Photo: Pixabay

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Practice Smart Time Management By Prioritizing

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Time Management

Practice Smart Time Management By Prioritizing

Prioritizing tasks is an essential part of effective time management. Here are some tips for doing so:

  • Make a to-do list: Write down all the tasks you need to do, and then prioritize them in order of importance. Use a tool like Todoist or Trello to help you keep track of your list.
  • Identify urgent vs. important tasks: Urgent tasks are those that require immediate attention, while important tasks are those that have a significant impact on your goals or values. Tasks can be urgent and important, urgent and unimportant, non-urgent and important, and non-urgent and non-important.
  • Tackle tasks systematically: Focus first on urgent and important tasks, then, depending on deadlines, consequences, and your energy level, move on to the urgent and unimportant or non-urgent and important. As for the non-urgent and non-important items? Well, what are they doing on your list anyway? Do those on a day when you have absolutely nothing else to do, when inclement weather traps you indoors, or when you are caught up on all the shows you are streaming.
  • Consider deadlines: If a task has a deadline, make sure to prioritize it accordingly. Try to complete that task well before the deadline to avoid feeling stressed and rushed.
  • Break down larger tasks: Break down large tasks into smaller, manageable tasks to help you make progress and feel less overwhelmed.
  • Evaluate the consequences: What are the potential consequences of not completing a task? Can you live with those consequences?
  • Consider your energy levels: Handle tasks that require the most energy and focus during your peak times. For example, if you are a morning person, tackle your most important tasks in the morning.
  • Be flexible: Your priorities may change throughout the day or week. Be willing to adjust your to-do list as needed to accommodate new tasks or changes in circumstances.

When you complete a task, be sure to cross it off your to-do list so you can enjoy the rush of feel-good hormones!

Photo: Pixabay

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Organize Your Backyard Shed and Find the Garden Tools You Thought You Lost

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Garden, Home

Organize Your Backyard Shed and Find the Garden Tools You Thought You Lost

If you are fortunate enough to have a backyard shed, you might find that over the years you have accumulated lots of “stuff” that you stored rather haphazardly.

To make the most of your outdoor space and to keep your tools and equipment easily accessible, set aside time to organize your shed by doing the following:

  • Empty the shed: Take everything out of the shed and sort it into categories, such as gardening tools, power tools, and sports equipment.
  • Declutter: Decide what you really need and what can be donated, sold, or thrown away. Be honest with yourself and keep only what you will use in the future.
  • Clean: Sweep or vacuum the floor, wipe down surfaces, and repair any damage.
  • Evaluate your space: Decide how you want to use the space. Make sure to leave enough room to move around and access everything easily.
  • Install shelving and storage systems: Invest in shelves, cabinets, or storage systems to make the most of your vertical space. This will help you keep your items off the ground and create more floor space.
  • Use hooks and pegboards: Hooks and pegboards are great for storing tools and equipment that cannot be stored on shelves.
  • Label everything: Use clear, easy-to-read labels on your storage containers so you can easily find everything. Consider color-coding for extra organization.
  • Keep it organized: Once you have organized your shed, make sure to keep it that way. Put everything back where it belongs after each use and make time for regular maintenance to prevent clutter from building up again.

Now when you need your gardening tools, you will be able to see and locate them quickly. Just remember to put them back where you found them when you are done using the tools.

Photo: Pixabay

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Preparing for Surgery? What the Doctor May Not Tell You

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Medical, Surgery

Preparing for Surgery? What the Doctor May Not Tell You

Facing an upcoming surgery? Your surgeon will indeed prepare you for surgery, but there are other considerations for you to anticipate on your own.

Your surgeon will tell you what tests you need to take before surgery, what medications to stop taking, and to stop smoking if you are a smoker. You may also be given instructions for preparing your home (such as rearranging furniture for a wheelchair, or crutches, or installing handrails in the bathroom) and for arranging a ride home from the hospital.

Surgeons are concerned with the details that will enable a safe and successful surgery. Other preparations, however, are simply not on their radar, such as:

  1. Transportation: In addition to a ride home from the hospital, you might need rides to and from follow-up appointments.
  2. Day-to-day assistance: In the days following your surgery, you might need some assistance with everyday tasks, such as bathing and dressing, meal preparation, laundry, and cleaning.
  3. Help with children: You might need someone to prepare your child’s lunch, meet the school bus, or drive him/her to and from school.
  4. Help with pets: You might not be able to bend to fill water dishes or take your dog for a walk; ergo, the need to enlist assistance.

On the day of your surgery, leave valuables (wallet, phone, smart watches, and jewelry) at home. Double check in advance whether you will need to remove your wedding ring.  My sister was shocked with this recent change at her hospital as she had never removed her wedding ring since her husband put it on her finger 28 years prior!  When she balked at removing it, she was told that her surgery would be cancelled…… Forewarned is forearmed. Furthermore, bring a photo ID and your insurance card if so instructed. If you wear eyeglasses, take an empty case in which to put them while you are in surgery—and put your name and phone number on or inside the case.

Photo: Pixabay

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How to Create a Budget

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Budget, Finances

How to Create a Budget

Creating a budget can be an effective way to manage your finances as a step towards achieving your financial goals. Here are some steps to get started:

  1. Determine your income: Start by determining your total monthly take-home income, including any wages, salaries, bonuses, and other sources.
  2. List your expenses: Make a list of all your monthly expenses, including fixed expenses (such as rent or mortgage payments, insurance premiums, and loan payments) and variable expenses (such as groceries, entertainment, and transportation). Remember to include monthly club dues, and amounts you choose to save or to invest. As my late Father used to say, “Pay yourself first.”
  3. Categorize your expenses: Categorize your expenses into essential and non-essential categories. Essential expenses are those that are necessary for basic living, while non-essential expenses are those that are not necessary but are nice to have.
  4. Assign amounts to each category: Assign a dollar amount to each category based on your past spending and your financial goals. Be realistic and make sure you can stick to your budget.
  5. Track your spending: Keep track of your actual spending and compare it to your budgeted amounts. This will help you identify areas where you may be overspending or underspending.
  6. Adjust: Adjust your budget as needed to reflect changes in your income or expenses. For example, if you receive a raise or bonus, you may want to increase your savings or allocate more money to non-essential expenses.
  7. Review and revise your budget regularly: Review and revise your budget regularly, such as every month or every quarter, to ensure that you are staying on track and making progress toward your financial goals.

Photo: Pixabay

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