Clean Your Refrigerator in Three Days – Day Three

March 28, 2013 by

A Pinch of Joy: Clean Your Refrigerator in Three Days -Day 3

We’ve broken a big job into three smaller components that you can do at different times.  Small task components help utilize your time and energy more efficiently, to work around physical limitations or demanding babies, to reduce stress and find time for you.  This little secret of breaking a big job into smaller ones is invaluable!

You can find Day One  and Day Two by clicking the links.  Today we pay attention to the freezer compartment.   Cleaning the freezer is  easy because generally it does not get the traffic or the spills that the refrigerator compartment does.   I leave the refrigerator running as I do this because it is a fairly quick process.   I also usually plan cleaning the refrigerator/ freezer just before a stock up time so the shelves are somewhat empty.

First, remove the ice bin and dump the ice cubes.  If you have a garbage disposal, run the ice through to clean it.   I’ve also heard that keeps the disposal blades sharp, but I’ve just taken that as a fact.  Not sticking my fingers down there to find out!  Running ice through will help clean the disposal, as it tosses sharp ice chunks around and down the drain.  Let the cold water trickle during the process and be prepared to give a shot of hot water if a clog develops.

A Pinch of Joy: Refrigerator Freezer

In the meantime, wipe down the walls of the freezer compartment where the ice maker and bin belong.  Use warm water and a sponge.  My manufacturer’s manual says to add soda to the water if there are any odors in the freezer.  Wipe down the door gasket and the area where the gasket rests when the door is closed.   By now the ice should be through the disposal (bonus chore done!).  Wash the ice bin with warm water.  Use soda, sponge and elbow grease to remove any buildup.  Vinegar will also help remove buildup and is safe to use around food.   If there are any crevices in the ice bin and mechanism, pay special attention to them using a small brush or a toothpick point if needed.   Dry and replace the bin.

Clean the door shelves.  In my refrigerator these are not removable so I wipe them with a wet and squeezed sponge.  Mostly I use these for storing gel ice packs, nuts for cooking and, sometimes, Bytes’ burritos and other small things that might be needed quickly without a lot of hunting.  If the shelves in your refrigerator are removable, wash them with soap and water in the sink or throw them into the dishwasher with another load.   BTW,  I am compelled to tell you — those lines across the door pictured above are perforated vent holes, NOT dirt! :-)

Begin with the top shelf.  Remove and sort through all the food, setting it on the counter or in empty laundry basket.  Wipe the walls, clean the shelf and replace the foods that belong there.   Move onto the next shelf.

A Pinch of Joy: Discard!

Discard anything that looks like this!  The USDA says that frozen foods will not spoil, but anything with freezer burn has lost its good qualities of taste and texture.  Out!   Click the link for a printable USDA  Freezer Storage Chart showing the optimum storage time of various foods at 0 degrees.

The refrigerator freezer is where I keep packages of vegetables, frozen dinners for quick meals and opened packages of frozen food.  These things get “lost” in the bigger freezer  and eventually just thrown away.  In the refrigerator freezer, I know what I have and where it is.  That package of peas that was opened to add half to a salad gets the other half added to a pot of soup because I will see it and remember to use it.  I also store meat here that I’ve purchased for a special recipe (usually for you, my lovelies!)  and sometimes it gets sidelined, like that package above.  For the most part however, using this method has greatly reduced the amount of food that has to be thrown out.

Drain

By now, we are at the bottom of the freezer where there is often a drawer.  Remove.  Don’t ask me how, but this area seems to collect dust, especially around that opening at the back.   The opening on yours may look differently or be located in a different spot.  It is where the water from the self defrosting process drains to a pan below where it evaporates into the air.  Clean by pouring or squirting  a  solution of 1 teaspoon soda mixed into two cups of hot water into the opening.  This water will also evaporate into the air.  You can do this regularly as a preventive or when necessary if you notice odors.

drawer

Clean the drawer area, wash the drawer in the sink with warm water, dry and replace in freezer.  Add food.  This is where I keep the larger opened packages of things like chicken breast.  And the inside of the refrigerator/freezer is all done.

We still have about ten minutes left in our thirty minutes allocated.  Clean the outside of the unit.  We did the top on Day ONE so no need to repeat.  Use your favorite cleaner– squirty stuff or mix in water stuff or special stainless cleaner.  Clean the doors and any sides that can be reached. Pay special attention to door handles and any crevices.  Thoroughly clean the water dispenser if you have one on the door.  Vinegar will help remove any water stains.

Basket

One last tip to help keep things in order for the next cleaning – and to make your life easier everyday.  That wire bin that holds the bags of vegetables is wonderful.  If you know me, you know I seldom pay regular price for anything.  I did for that basket and it was worth every penny!   You can pull it out, rifle through to find what you want and push it back in.  No balancing act or scooping packages off the floor necessary.

Shhh!  I know you should also clean underneath and behind but let’s do that when we deep clean the kitchen.

2

Just keepin’ it real – many refrigerators have something magnetic stuck on them.  This is the time to throw away the magnet phone number from the dentist that retired, the broken seashell from your beach visit 10 years ago or whatever else.  We live far from family so Christmas card photos often end up on the freezer door for most of the year.  It gives me joy to see them each day.  Display only the newest and arrange neatly.  Those drawings by a three year old framed with blue paper also give me joy  – I’m the one wearing earrings on your left!

And now you have a sparkling clean refrigerator inside and out, a system to manage the contents  and haven’t let anything else in your busy life slide to do it!   Enjoy!

Links to   Day 1   Day 2

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Clean Your Refrigerator in Three Days – Day Two

March 21, 2013 by

A Pinch of Joy: Clean Your Refrigerator in Three Days - Day Two

Last week I shared with you a secret for which you would  have to pay hundreds of dollars normally.  But you got it here for Zero dollars!!!  The secret:  Have a job you dread, that is overwhelming, that needs to be done but you have too little time and/or energy to tackle?  Break that job into smaller chunks and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish without taxing your resources!  Don’t save this secret but start to apply that little secret to everyday jobs. No more letting things go until “you have time to get to it” while whatever chore it is continues to build, getting worse and more time consuming.    Things that used to drive you crazy because you know they need to be done, but you “just don’t have time”, will get accomplished easily.  And you will have  peace of mind that will let you enjoy life!

Last time we cleaned the door and the top of the refrigerator.  You can read about Day One here.   This week we are cleaning the refrigerator compartment itself.  Some folks will want to turn off the refrigerator to save energy.   And then you have the debate: does that save enough energy to compensate for the extra time needed to cool back down.  We are only going to allot about 30 minutes to this chore.  For me, I vote to leave it run — especially since I can barely reach the hard to move off switch at the very top and furthermost corner of the refrigerator.  You do what you think best for you.

A Pinch of Joy: Clean Your Refrigeragor in Three Days - Day 2

Start with the top shelf.  Remove all food from the shelf, discarding any that is unusuable.  I use this time to also get rid of things that are on the edge of their storage life.  I usually time refrigerator cleaning just before I know I am going to restock the basics.   Sometimes I will put refrigerator soup on the menu for that evening — a beef based soup that will handle all sorts of leftover veggies, bits of meat. In that case, I empty them all together in one container.  Other times,  stuff will go right into the empty plastic grocery bag I put on the counter for the purpose of transporting discards to the trash can.  Empty containers go directly in the dishwasher.

When the shelf is empty, wash it with warm water.  This is the only way I have discovered that is effective.  Rest the shelf on the sink divider and wash in running water with a plastic scrubber.  If you need to scour, use baking soda and the sponge.  Soda’s grittiness will take off sticky substances, but is safe for using around food.  Rinse and dry.  Wipe the sides of the refrigerator with the sponge, again using soda as needed.  Replace each shelf as it is cleaned.  I usually let the food set out so I can see and “sort” before putting it back when everything is clean.

A Pinch of Joy: Clean Your Regrigerator in Three Days - Day Two

I clean the bottom drawers in the sink, as well, with running water.  A squirt of dishwashing detergent can be helpful, especially if something yucky had been residing on the bottom.

A Pinch of Joy: Clean Your Refrigerator in Three Days - Day Two

The hard part:   In most refrigerators the area under and behind the drawers can collect small items that have been dropped  and drips from spills can linger unnoticed until the drawers are removed.  It’s easiest to take the water to the refrigerator.  I have a beat up pan that works just great for cleaning — just the right size for rinsing and squeezing out a sponge.  A brush can be invaluable.   The long handle on this one lets me leverage the pressure so I can clean thoroughly.   Those pipes are the holding station for the chilled water.  A smaller brush makes quick work of cleaning them and the slots that hold the drawers.    Again use soda (and elbow grease) for your food safe scrubbing agent.  Rinse if needed.  Replace drawers and any remaining shelves.   Then sort and put all the food back!  All done!

A Pinch of Joy: Clean Your Refrgerator in Three Days - Day Two

Hints # 1, 2 and 3

A Pinch of Joy: Clean Your Refrgerator in Three Days - Day Two

Hint #1.  This refrigerator doesn’t have an egg keeper.  To protect the eggs, I put a wire shelf over them.  Otherwise, the eggs made a flat surface for OTHER people :-) to stack food.  I couldn’t get to the eggs quickly and when I did get them out to use them, there were always broken ones.    The wire shelf makes a good spot to set those little dabs of food that can be added to a hot lunch pack or are “free game” for snacks and off schedule meals.   (Is that hint #2?)

Next Hint:  Those flat plastic baskets — white and yellow — came from the dollar store.  Love them!  We eat lots of yogurt here so they are called the yogurt basket — and there are two because two people eat two different kinds.  When I bring 10 or 15 containers of each kind home from the grocery, I just pull out the correct basket and fill it on the counter from the bag and slide it back into place.   I can see at a glance which one needs replenishing when I am planning my grocery trips.  And if something gets spilled, cleaning the basket is better than cleaning the whole shelf.  Win, win!

Food fresh hints:  That white utility bin holds packaged deli meat.  No one can open another package of meat unless that bin is empty.    A rule from when Bytes and his brother would eat two slices out of a package and open a new package next time.   The first opened packages would get lost and then tossed every time!    And those fresh berries and little tomatoes are stacked there so the cook can see them and not forget to use them.

Find Day One here  and check back for Day Three coming soon!

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Common Sense Things to Keep in Your Car

December 27, 2012 by

If you are like most Americans, you spend a lot of time in your car.  Doing errands, commuting to work, ferrying offspring to activities and/ or school are just a few of the things that keep us in our home on wheels. Weather, the other driver, a malfunctioning part can leave anyone stranded. Planning ahead for a few basic supplies and equipment can make the difference between an inconvenience and a major mess.  Here are three dozen things to keep in your car that will keep it humming along, keep you comfortable, save time and money in an emergency and possibly even save your life someday.   

Pictured above is the small duffel bag that has been in the trunk of our last two cars.  It’s 8 or 9 inches in diameter and  15 inches long so it takes up very little space.  To be honest, we’ve seldom used items from it on the road.  The plastic tableware is the most frequently used as we often eat at rest stops when traveling so we can run and stretch – not to mention avoid fast food.  Trash bags are also used and not always for trash – wet clothes from a fall in a creek, pine cone collections and the like.    We don’t call it an emergency kit because it is most often used for living life – but many things found in it would be helpful in an emergency.  The trash bags would make a poncho or a tarp to protect clothing if working on the ground to change a tire.   Wheels likes to have tools available so the zipper pouch contains a fairly complete set of tools he might need.  I don’t have the knowledge to use the tools but a Good Samaritan could. We’re just using common sense in an urban/suburban setting with a couple of long road trips each year along interstates and county roads.

Common sense items to keep in your car

In the glove box. . . . .

  • Cellular phone and car charger.   Written copy of emergency numbers, including your insurance company.  Cellphones can be damaged in the event of accident or inconveniently lose charge when needed and you may need to borrow someone’s phone.
  • Disposable flash camera for when a cell phone camera is not available
  • Small flashlight – waterproof is a bonus.
  • Pair of latex gloves and hand cleaner
  • Pen and pad of paper
  • Small basic First-aid kit – band aids and ointment.  Keep larger one in trunk.
  • Spare fuses and knowledge of how to install them
  • Tire gauge.  Look on your driver’s door edge for information.  Go figure!
  • LED warning lights — small,  inexpensive and can be placed on dash or in back window.
  • $20 in small bills and coins
  • Protein or energy bars – change them out frequently, if not eaten regularly.  Don’t “save” them as they are convenient and save impulse stops for food when running errands.  Do, however, replenish the supply as needed so that there are always 3 or 4 available.
  • Have some bottled water available.   Keep two or three bottles stashed under the seat or in cupholders and replenish as they are used.  Replenish supplies when you return home and you will be more likely to remember than you will if you wait until the next trip.

 

For long distance driving –small duffel bag in trunk

  • Basic tools – include Phillips and flat head screwdriver, pliers, multipurpose tool, adjustable wrench, pocket knife.  Small tool sets are also available at reasonable cost.
  • Coolant hose repair kit and tape
  • Lightweight safety yellow vest to increase your visibility if you need to be outside your vehicle.  Available at car parts stores.
  • Nonperishable emergency food.
  • Small tarp or two large garbage bags to lay on the ground before working on your car
  • Disposable work suit (available where painting supplies are sold)
  • Plastic ponchos for rain protection or wind break
  • Tire inflator. Also know where the jack and tire changing tools are kept.
  • CB radio if you are driving in an area where cellphone or GPS reception is poor
  • Children’s supplies, if you travel frequently with youngsters
  • Blanket and pillow – more than one if you frequently have passengers.  I keep ours folded on the floor of the back seat and use them often to protect the seat when hauling garage sale finds, Costco purchases, and other things that don’t fit in the trunk.
  • We’ve also added picnic supplies for convenience as we frequently picnic when traveling – plastic tableware, matches, hand wipes, paper towels.  Also consider such things as compass, mirror, whistle, cable ties, bungee cords and other items that could attract attention and help or be useful “off the beaten path”.

The bad weather that snarled travel through much of the country recently is what brought this topic to mind.  We traveled often at holiday time with little ones and always kept a few things available for winter travel.  They were used much more frequently!  Here is our list of must haves for winter driving.

For winter driving . . .

  • Make sure car is in good condition for winter driving before bad weather arrives.  Keep gas tank filled above a quarter of a tank.  If you regularly travel more than an hour or two from home, you may wish to fill when the tank is half full.
  • Hat, scarf, and warm gloves kept in the car.  How many times do we run out the door in winter weather with no hat, thin driving gloves, and decorative scarf because it will “only be a minute”  between car and destination?  If you always wear dress shoes or heels to travel, consider also adding a sturdy pair of shoes/ boots. If something happens and you are stuck in your car or need to be outside, you will need warmth.  Chemical hand warmers can be helpful, also.
  • Windshield scraper – a small one that can be used inside as well as outside on smaller areas – like chipping ice off a side mirror.
  • Larger windshield scraper — with a long enough handle to reach all of your windows.  A brush is also convenient in brushing off snow from windows, hood, headlights, etc.
  • Tow strap and basic knowledge of how to use it.
  • Tire chains if these are used in your area
  • Jumper cables
  • Small folding shovel – easy to store in the trunk.  If you don’t own one and it is snowing heavily – put a regular shovel in your trunk before you leave.
  • Bag of cat litter (non clumping) or sand to sprinkle in front of tires to provide traction.
  • Roll of paper towels or clean shop towels
  • Know how to access your state’s travel information by phone or online/smartphone and check information to stay on top of changing conditions.
  • A  coffee can with a lid and a roll of toilet paper could make things more comfortable if stuck for an extended period.

You can print the list of two dozen common sense items to keep in your glove box and in your trunk here.  If you live in an area where winter driving means snow and ice, click here to print a list of a dozen items to help you cope with those conditions.    Do you have anything else that you consider essentials??  Add them in the comments!     Wishing you safe travels!

 

 

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My Office and chaos

October 30, 2012 by

Forty eight hours ago the only things we owned in the picture above were the scissors and the roll of tape.  Oh!  And the flooring and the black toile curtains.   Nothing else was even on the radar!   One thing just led to another and this is the chaos in my office today.  It’s a good chaos and I’ll share the story soon . . . but in the meantime there is a caulk gun calling my name!

Thoughts and prayers are with those who are dealing with storm chaos today!

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Organizing Lazy Susan

August 21, 2012 by

This lazy susan is the primary location for my baking supplies  but it also collects all sorts of other odds and ends.    It is always messy — partly from my habit of flipping it open and shoving just one more thing in, like that bag of brown sugar laying on top of the popcorn container.   It seemed like there was never enough room and I could never find anything quickly.

That changed with a Kohl’s sale and a 30% off coupon.  I saw a set of these  see through canisters with pop top seals  and the little light bulb above my head flashed on!!

Maybe it wasn’t just my bad habits that made this cupboard difficult.  Maybe it was the way things were stored!

I let the box of canisters stay on the shelf while I completed my rounds and then circled back.  Hmmm — certainly a lot more money that a dollar store container.  But I liked that they sealed.  And that they stacked.  And that they were square. And that I had a gift card in my pocket.  I toured the table linens and then the bedding section — then I snatched up that box and headed for the checkout.

When I got home, I washed the canisters and pulled everything out of the lazy susan — it looked even more messy  in real life!  I cleaned the shelves and cut a new liner.   Liners save tons of time scrubbing and cleaning, I think.  I’ve used all sorts of things to line these shelves — gift wrap, kraft paper, newsprint, wallpaper.   This time I used two sheets of dollar store poster board and used the old yucky liner as a pattern.  All clean and ready to go.

If you look below you’ll see my problem. . . .

. . . . too many different and odd sized containers.

I began shifting supplies to the new  containers.  Those are tea bags in the spaghetti jar — see how much less shelf room it requires than the container on the left!   The salt container takes up a bit more room than the jar, but I can keep a half teaspoon measure in it AND stack other small containers on top — something I could not do with the jar.   The square container with flour takes up less space than the old rectangular one and the brown sugar is much more compact than the big round tub.  Moral of the story . . .  look for containers that are square, can be stacked, have an easy to use airtight lid and range from tall to small.  A “set” is a bonus, but knowing those few tips will help you choose even from random sources and have more functional and efficient storage.  Like this . . .

 And yes, that’s  four cans of cooking spray on the top shelf.  Who needs four cans??  Someone who has such a disorganized cupboard they don’t know what’s in it, that’s who!!!

In keeping with the square mode, the oatmeal was transferred to big square jars in which  almonds are purchased.  I found plastic lids for coasters under the messy bottles of oils and sticky stuff.  It’s amazing that there is actually room in between items and that I even had space to add a few new baking supplies from the overstuffed upper cabinet!   A half hour well spent .   I’m working on breaking  the habit of just stuffing things in so that it will stay organized!

Edited to add:  Kohls provided this handy link  http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/kitchen/foodstorage.jsp     AND . . . . Kohls is offering an exclusive 10% off code for kohls.com to readers of A Pinch of Joy for items used in home styling and organization. You can use the code UBLOGTEN now through October 24, 2012  and stack your savings with one other department specific code as well.   Thank you, Kohls!

Disclosure:  This post is entirely my opinion and was not written for compensation.

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Evacuate your home – 9 checklists to help

July 5, 2012 by

Evacuate your home - checklists to help prepare

Colorado is one of my favorite states.  I’ve lived there twice and love the mountains, the breathtaking scenery and the endless list of recreational possibilities.  We’ve hiked trails, climbed mountains and waded streams–Wheels even panned for gold in some of them.  Now some of those beautiful places we enjoyed have been ravaged by fire.  Yes, trees may grow back – but it is a loss for years to come. As sad as that may be, even sadder is the loss of so many homes in areas that had never seen a burn before. Thousands of people left their home, some with very little notice,  not knowing whether or not the home would be still standing when they returned.  And hundreds of them found only ashes when they returned.

Evacuations happen more frequently than we realize.   Wildfires, floods and hurricanes were all in the national news during early summer of 2012.  Transportation and industrial accidents often only make the local news and may involve fewer people – but to those involved the size of the group does not matter.   We think it will never happen to us.  So did most folks who have been through an evacuation and the disaster that caused it.  We don’t need to dwell on possibilities or worry needlessly.  However, a little planning and preparation in advance is an excellent investment of time and energy — just in case!  And for peace of mind!

Before an emergency happens, make several decisions on what you need to do.  Fill out the Advance Emergency Plan form —  like tonight or this weekend. Take a look at the other checklists, choose what apply to you, decide who will follow through on which advance preparations. The entire discussion should take about fifteen minutes.  Within the next two weeks gather all the items on the Go Packet List and follow through on other checklists you decide fit your situation. You may not be able to access information stored online or on your phone. Assume you will not have cellphone service or electricity, so plan for a written record of all contacts you may need. Place all paperwork in zipper plastic bags and store in easily accessible place.  Pack any other emergency items in watertight container and store conveniently.

Having to leave home unexpectedly can rattle anyone, even if with a day or two advance warning.  However, many disasters offer no time for people to gather even the most basic necessities, a good reason to prepare now.  By planning ahead, you will be able to use your time and energy wisely, making things a little easier to handle successfully.   If this information helps even one family, it will be well worth it!!

Checklists to download:

ADVANCE EMERGENCY PLAN

GO PACKET CHECK LIST

WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU

EMERGENCY CHECKLIST FOR PETS

DURING EVACUATION

WHAT TO DO AFTER EVACUATION

Click on the editable tables below  to open  in Microsoft Word

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION – numbers for health, repairs, insurance

FAMILY INFORMATION  – numbers and information you may need concerning your family

CONTACTS  – numbers of family, friends and others you may need to contact

Alternate Printable Contact List form  OR  Contact list in Excel.

Some of these forms come from previous posts. Invest a little more time and organize your entire financial life!  Check out A Pinch of Joy series on Organizing Your Financial Papers.   This method uses the financial papers gathered for income taxes as the basis for several other purposes.  Part 1 deals with filing taxes,   Part 2 prepares for emergency where someone else needs to handle your affairs, (I.C.E.),   Part 3 uses the information to set financial goals and plan ahead while  Part 4  helps you  build a budget by adding only a little more information.  This post is an expansion of Part 5 which introduced the Go Packet.

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6 Tips for a successful garage sale

May 7, 2012 by

6 tips for a successful garage sale

Last weekend was our neighborhood’s annual garage sale.  Great motivation to clean closets, cupboards, basement and garage!  We usually come out pretty well for the time invested – if the weather cooperates.  I have a fun time with the folks that come by.  Dude rolls up and into the garage on his huge motorcycle, asks if we have any cameras and then wheels back down the drive.  Swear it was Wheel’s doctor (who is a biker), but under a helmet who knows???  The little girl that really, really wanted the big white teddy bear for her “family” of bears.  I told her it was half price and then when she was 36 cents short said I forgot about the Saturday discount.  She was ecstatic.  The friend not seen for several months who strolls up the driveway. Neighbors coming by to check out the competition.  Scores of strangers – and a few just plain strange!

Here’s six tips I’ve learned that will  make your garage sale easier and more fun!

1.  Have your sale when others in your area do. More sales means more traffic.  It also means advertising at less cost than you’d pay yourself.  Don’t forget Craigslist and community bulletin boards. If you have large items, such as furniture, tell the organizer so they can be mentioned in the ads.   (Ask around to see what else sells in your area. Clothes, other than baby and toddler clothes, do not sell well where we live, so are generally a waste of time and space.)

2.  Post clear directional signs.  Neighborhoods sometimes limit size of signs and most allow them to be up only for the duration of the sale.  Still a simple sign that says “sale” with an arrow pointing in the correct direction on the corner is effective.  Here you can find a sign to print on  brightly colored card stock.  Fill in the letters with black or contrasting color, and add an arrow to the appropriate end of the bottom line that you’ve filled in solid. Insert in a plastic sleeve to protect from the weather.  Tape to sign posts, mailbox or stake.

3.  Price everything.  Preprinted stickers from the dollar store work great and save time. If you have a number of like items, such as books, a sign announcing the price per item will suffice.  Do not waste your time or your customer’s time by deciding prices as you go. (Serious buyers will leave!) Label items as needed – indicate pairs, that electronics work, manuals included – anything that the buyer needs to know to save  time and interruptions.  Decide ahead of time if you will negotiate.  The prevailing  policy of most sellers in our area is to price fairly and stick to the price.  Personally, I only negotiate, as a buyer or seller,  if things are slow and few others are present and then only near the end of the sale.  I have gotten, and given, great deals that way.

4.  Count on the first two customers to give you twenty dollar bills for a dollar purchase and plan your change accordingly. Have at least $20 in ones and $5 in quarters, in addition to  several five and ten dollar bills and a few dimes to begin the sale.  Keep the cash on your person at all times!   As you accumulate cash, take it into the house at a quiet moment and put it in a safe place.

5.  Display your merchandise nicely.  Not fancy– just clean, and organized so everything is visible and accessible.  I also cover open shelves and immovable objects with sheets or plastic tablecloths.  Looks nicer and stops bored guys from suddenly thinking they have enough charm to flirt some ignorant wifey into selling her hubby’s pricey new toolbox for nothing.  I also cover all sales tables to hide saw horses and makeshift supports under the top.  Letting the cover drop to the ground in front makes a place to shove storage boxes and other things out of sight.

6.  Donate.  After the sale, take your unwanted items to a charity dropbox. Or,  many charities will also make arrangements to pick up at your house following the sale.  If you itemize your federal taxes, check under “Freebies” button above for a list of the value of  items to help you record your donation.  Ask for a receipt from the charity.  Some items I’m not ready to donate yet.  I pack them into one large tub – usually about half full –  and set it inside the crawlspace. (We have a three quarter basement with crawlspace under the kitchen and dining room.)  As the year goes on, I continue to set unwanted items in that corner.  Whether or not we participate in the next annual sale depends on the size of the pile.

Good luck on your next sale.  May you have at least one customer who comes in, declares she loves to shop where people share the same interests and proceeds to fill bag after bag after bag and leaves you smiling and holding a fistful of green!   Really happened!

The best thing you gain by having a garage sale, is more space.  Bytes

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5 Easy Steps to Organizing Your Financial Life: Part 5 Be Prepared

April 17, 2012 by

Organize Your Financial Paper Series:    Use the documents gathered for filing your income tax return in Part 1 to prepare for emergency in Part 2, to set financial goals and plan ahead in Part 3.   Part 4  helps you  build a budget.

5 Easy Steps to Organize Your Financial Life Papers Part 4

What happens if you find yourself without any of the paper work that proves you are who you say you are?  That proves you own your car, house and furniture?  That gives you access to  money and financial resources?  That connects you to medical care?  Lack of documentation was one of the biggest obstacles in managing life for survivors of  Hurricane Katrina.  Wildfires, floods, hurricanes, mud slides are only some of the causes of quick evacuation with very little warning.  What would you grab if you had fifteen minutes to leave and did not know if there would be anything left of your belongings if and when you return?

I do not want to be an alarmist by any means – no worrying, obsessing over possibles, potentials and what ifs and how comes.  The goal is to have already put together a compact, easily transportable set of documents for you to grab quickly that will help you regain your life and deal with circumstances in the best way possible in case of disaster.  Just in case. . .   .  and just because it is smart to be prepared.   It is so easy because you’ve already done most of the work.

Scan and print or copy everything needed for your Go Packet.  Use electronic or phone storage as backup, but do not count on them being your first source of information.  You may not have access to computers or even electricity.  If there is no electricity to recharge phones, you will want to save them for communication only.

Go Packet papers will have only one use. Remove papers from it only to replace with a more up to date copy when there are significant changes and you will never have to wonder “is it all there” at a most inconvenient time.   Keep originals of difficult or costly to replace legal papers in a safe deposit box or other very safe place. If you haven’t taken care of that, plan to do so now.   Keep a binder and/or file for copies of all your documents, including those in your safe deposit box, so they are convenient when needed for reference.  If you’ve been following along in this series you’ve completed this task and can use copies of those to start your Go Packet.

The advantage of the Go Packet  is that everything is in one compact lightweight bundle, that can be stuffed in a backpack, purse or pocket.   You want to have it with you at all times during an evacuation.  Store the papers for your Go Packet in watertight bags or small container.  I used gallon zipper freezer bags.  Put the papers folded in half in one bag, zip it shut and put the whole thing in a second bag which is also zipped closed.   Think carefully about where you will store it. Where will it be most convenient to grab quickly?  In a “go bag” in the coat closet along with such emergency items as flashlights. . . taped under the kitchen drawer next to the garage door. . . in a brightly colored well marked file in a drawer. . . . in an emergency kit in the lowest level

A Checklist for your Go Packet is here.  Add any other critical information that applies to your family.  Some additional tips:

When you create a list of extended family and friends, include anybody you want to contact for help or to let know you are okay. Here you will find  Contacts list in Excel  to type and print.  Or here  is a Contacts list in Word to print and fill out. (See bottom of post for more options.)  Full name, phone number and address.  Don’t count on being able to remember something you know well, when you are under stress.     (Bonus tip:  put a copy in your glove box. You know how you drive to someone’s house by turning left at the big church and right at the first pizza place?  You’ll have the address when the pizza place becomes a golf speciality shop overnight and you get lost some fine day. Just sayin’ !)

Forms filled out in   previous installments of this series can just be copied and added to your Go Packet to save time.  You could instead compile a collection of any recent statements or bills that include your current address, the contact information for the institution and the number of your account.  However, using the forms condenses that information to keep it easier to transport and to manage in a disaster.  They include, with links to blank forms from this series:

Personal Information Manager (from Part 1)

Financial Information Manager (from Part 2).

Insurance Information Manager  (from Part 2)

Legal Information Manager  (from Part 2)

Plan Ahead –Debt  (from Part 3)

A Go Packet is something you hope you will never have to use.  However, even if you do nothing else, this one step toward preparing for possible disaster is a positive thing.  It can save a great deal of emotional distress and hours of frustration, should you ever have to use it.  In the meantime, the peace of mind the Go Packet provides is worth the investment of time and energy.

July 5, 2012 – Added these editable tables in Microsoft Word for your convenience.  Right click and choose “Open Link in New Tab”.

Family Information with Contacts

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION Editable

CONTACTS Editable Table

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Organize Your Financial Life: Develop a Spending Plan

April 11, 2012 by

 Welcome to A Pinch of Joy!  This post is part 4 in a series on using tax documents to organize your financial life.

5 Easy Steps to Organize Your Financial LIfe Papers Part Build a Budget


We began this series by gathering  documents  for tax preparation in Part 1 and each week  added a bit more information.  In Part 2, the papers helped prepare for emergencies.  In part 3, you developed financial goals to live the life you want and to make sure you and your family have adequate protection through savings and insurance, a debt repayment plan.  We also took a snapshot of where you stand financially.  In Part 4,  refer again to that tidy little pile of tax papers that started this financial adventure – plus a little more information.  An easy way to  develop a spending plan to help you achieve the financial goals and live the life you want to live.

A budget is a spending plan that takes in the big picture but can be adapted to specific changing circumstances. A good plan takes into account priorities and hopes and dreams as well as cold reality. Budget is a positive thing – not a restriction, but a guide to making choices.  Your spending plan is designed for success because you can keep tweaking to suit changing circumstances. Take a look and make adjustments as often as needed.  That could be monthly if you are working toward debt repayment, adding to your income or the unexpected happens.  If things are moving on an even keel, recheck every six months or again next tax season.  Whatever your circumstances, time spent developing a spending plan is empowering and gives you freedom to choose and direct your life.  No more just rolling along reacting to situations, wondering where the money went and why you can’t do the things that are really important to you.

To develop a budget you must know

1)      What your income is going to be

2)      What your expenses will be

With this information YOU can decide:

3)      How you can adjust income and expense to live within your means

4)       how you can adjust income and expenses to achieve your goals and live the life you want to live

 

You will need:

  • Printable Spending Plan  forms.  OR  Spending Plan  in Excel to plan month by month.   Instructions for both are found here.
  • From tax documents:  Use W2’s and 1099s to determine income, property taxes, medical expenses, health insurance premiums and other information as applicable.
  • Current copy of utility bills, bank and credit card statements to determine spending.  Use this information to consider what areas needs more resources, what areas can be reduced.  Be creative in allocating funds and finding different ways to accomplish your goals.  Increase income, invest time and energy instead of cash, look at alternatives to determine what is realistic and fits your lifestyle.
  • The Plan Ahead – Assets and Plan Ahead – Debts worksheets completed in Part 3 Financial Planning.  Also the completed Financial Goals worksheet from Part 3.
  • Hopes and dreams for the future.

Looking ahead —  add those current bills and statements to your resource pile of papers for now.  We will use those in the next installment.

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Organize Your Financial Life: Plan the Life You Want

March 29, 2012 by


5 Easy Steps to Organize Your Financial Papers Part 3

Part 3  Plan the Life You Want: Getting Started by Setting Financial Goals

How to lead the life you want to have.  It only takes a bit of financial planning to shape things so that our life is lived proactively and we can have more of the things we want.  We all get thrown a curve ball now and then, but if we’ve thought ahead it will be easier to respond to the unexpected.  Planning helps us get the most for our money on a day to day basis, even if we are currently living pay check to pay check.  When we look at the overall financial picture, it is easy to see how each financial decision affects other areas.  We are better prepared to make intelligent decisions, adapt to changes as we enter different stages of life and to set regularly updated priorities for our finances.  It is the road map for our life’s journey.  An interactive map that lets us build new and exciting roads when we choose!

You can complete the first step quickly.  Begin by determining what assets you own.  Print and complete the Plan Ahead Assets form (directions are included).   Secondly, determine the debts you owe by using the Plan Ahead Debt form.  This is new information that you will find on the last statements you’ve received in each area or other records.  When both forms have been competed, subtract the Debts owed from the total Assets.  This is your net worth –  the departure point on the map.

What you do with that figure depends on your life stage.  Fresh graduate with a new job or just married, your goal is likely “To grow net worth” to pay student loans, to save for a home, to start your family.  If you have children, your goal is likely “To maintain balance” in providing the life you want for your family while saving for experiences, education and retirement.  Empty nesters may have “To facilitate a lifestyle change” either through retirement, a second career, or travel as their goal.  Goals are not carved in granite.  They will change with circumstances.  And to make the best decisions, you’ll need to have adequate up to date information.

The good news – you already have most of the information you need!

 

Remember the Insurance Manager Form  and Legal Information Manager you used to create an In Case of Emergency file?   They get a new use.  Pull them out and make a copy to use in this process.  (You’ve already used the Financial Information Manager in determining your net worth.}  Don’t forget to replace the originals in your personal I.C.E. file!  Use the copies to complete the Financial Goals Worksheet.  Directions are included.

And just like that you have direction for the coming year!   Now that you have the basic information gathered it will be very easy to keep it updated so that you can tweak the goals you’ve set.  And you can live the life you want to live,  instead of drifting aimlessly!

Next week we’ll take a look at another use for the information you’ve gathered and discover ways to help achieve those goals.

This post is Part 3 in a series on 5 Easy Steps to Organize Your Financial Life.

Part 1 -  Preparing for  Tax Time

Part 2  – I.C.E.

Part 4 – Build a Budget

Part 5 – Be Prepared

If you want to explore this topic in further depth, there are tons of books, websites and other information specifically on financial planning.  At some point, depending on your situation, you may choose to work with a professional financial planner.  They will ask you to bring with you much of the information we have already gathered, including the goals you’ve just developed and the budget built in Part 4. 

 

 

 

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