Knitting Zeal

A helpful family organizing tool: AboutOne

My quest to stay on top of organizing my life continues.  I've made good use of utilizing online banking and paperless billing whenever possible, which has kept the quantity of paperwork at home under control.  I really like being able to keep data organized online, as I'm almost always connected to the internet via the computer, my iPad or my phone.  While I've used online banking and bill paying easily, I needed a tool to help with other personal data regarding my family. A couple of stressful experiences that occured in the recent past, such as when my son was unexpectedly hospitalized and I needed data, left me unprepared.  I was introduced to AboutOne, an online family organizer tool that has bank level security.  I've been using it for about a month now and am still discovering new ways it can help me stay organized.

While my phone is great for keeping numbers on hand or for texting, I still wanted a system for keep just the people and numbers I need the most organized, such as preschool friends, doctor office info and family addresses.  With a free AboutOne account, I was able to set up a contact list that is easy to read, easy to update, and simple to use.  Before we went away on vacation recently, I made sure to have my doctor's info as well as my son's pediatric practice info on my contact list in case of an unexpected illness.  I also was able to input my son's buddy's address so that he could send him a post card.  

Another way I have used this online organizer is to list the medications my family takes regularly.  With two people on inhalers in the house and a multitude of other meds and allergies, AboutOne is a simple way to keep all of that data in one secure place where I can easily access it as needed.  Back to that time I had to take my son to the ER...I was such a mess that I couldn't even think of what his birthdate was, let alone who his pediatrician was.  I even gave them the wrong insurance card because I was that upset.  With the AboutOne family organizer I know I could at least access all of our medical data and confirm names, phone numbers and medications.  I also realized that I do not know all of the medications my husband takes.  I am able to update his profile on my AboutOne account so that I can have all of that info there, just in case it's needed.

Other features on AboutOne that I am updating as needed include a possessions inventory, including our home and cars.  What I like about AboutOne is that I do not feel overwhelmed by incorporating it into my life.  When I have time I can add new details.  I can even add photos and memories to make a sort of online journal of family activities.  I was able to add the rental property details to my inventory of the beach house we stayed in recently.  This way when we want to contact the owner in the future about renting it again, I have all of the contact info, a photo of the house, the location and the owner's website.  

To learn more info, below is a funny video made to describe just how to get organized using AboutOne.   

 

Disclosure:  I was compensated by AboutOne to review their online organizer. All opinions and text are my own.

Life Well Lived, Getting Organized

This week over on BlogHer's Life Well Lived series they are discussing paperwork organization.  They asked, "How do you organize paperwork both online and off? Share your tip(s) to managing physical and digital clutter?"  

HA!  I am horrible at paperwork organization.  It absolutely overwhelms me.  I have great intentions, but I just can't keep it going to stay on top of things.  I should plan a weekly time to file away important papers.  I have done a few things recently that has helped:

• Pay bills online and register for email statements as opposed to paper.  This has really cut back on the amount of physical paperwork we receive and it is very "green."  It also makes it really easy to search for account info, since the websites organize it for me.
• Online banking: this has been a lifesaver for me.  Not only do I save money and time from writing checks and mailing payments, I can check instantly what has been paid and what hasn't.  
• Junk mail recycled immediately.  This is an ongoing battle for me.  We get much less junk mail these days as opposed to three years ago, but we still get lots of unsolicited mail.  Instead of letting it pile up, I try hard to deposit it in our paper recycling bin ASAP.

The biggest paper clutter I have to deal with besides filing bills and receipts is magazines and catalogs.  I try to read them as soon as I have time, but I'll find a recipe I like or not enough time to finish an article and the piles begin.  Every so often I go through the house and toss the magazines that haven't been read.  If it's a cooking magzine, sometimes I tear out recipes I like, but with the internet, there is a lot online.  One thing I really like is electronic periodicals on my ipad.  Eventually, I might have to switch all my subscriptions to just e-versions.  My husband did this with the daily paper and it has considerable cut down on the paper in our home. 

And in regards to electronic clutter, I'm embarrassed to say that in trying to find an email from someone who I couldn't remember their email addy, I read through all my emails on my main email account.  I deleted as I scrolled through until I found the email I was looking for originally.  When I finished deleting all the junk and old emails, I realized that I had deleted over 7000 emails!  That is insane.  I don't even want to look at my google email accounts.  I am awful at deleting!  

What helps you with paperwork organization? Feel free to share your tips here and over at BlogHer.  While you are at it, check out the latest Life Well Lived sweepstakes and enter!

 

Soap scum bustin'

I hate cleaning.  I really do.  But, since I don't have a cleaning staff, it has to get done somehow.  In an attempt to reduce the number of toxic chemicals in our house, I've switched to more natural cleaners, including using vinegar and baking soda for a number of problems.  

In the kitchen I keep a spray bottle of vinegar and water out to clean the table and counters.  I use a four to one ratio of vinegar to water to not strip the finish off my wood table.  For cleaning out the sink or the stove top, instead of cleanser I found that sprinkling baking soda around then spraying it with the vinegar solution creates a great paste that removes stains and doesn't damage my skin.  The vinegar smell dissipates fast, and doesn't really bother me.  (I've read that adding a few drops of essential oil may help with the smell if the odor of vinegar doesn't appeal to you.)

I discovered a bunch of "recipes" for home cleaners on Pinterest too.  I found this soap scum cleaner idea there and had to try it out.  I bought a 9 oz bottle of Dawn blue dish detergent for this project, as I didn't want to invest in a big bottle if it didn't work.  I already had a bottle of vinegar on hand and a spray bottle, so this cleaner cost me under $2.  And, it worked great!

The basic recipe is to mix an equal part of Dawn with an equal part of warm vinegar in a spray bottle.  I heated up a cup of vinegar in the microwave for about 2 minutes.  I poured 8 oz of Dawn into my spray bottle while the vinegar was heating up.  I then added the vinegar to the bottle and gently shook the closed bottle to combine.  I sprayed my entire tub and shower walls with the solution that came out as a thickish gel.  The smell wasn't great, but it didn't make me gasp for air the way the bleach based cleaners do.  I left it on the walls/tub while I swept and mopped my kitchen floor, then went back to rinse it.  I used a cloth to help scrub it off along with water and was amazed at how well it worked!  The tub actually sparkled!  I used not quite half the bottle for the shower/tub, so I have enough to do the sink and the other bathroom.  This will be my go-to cleaner for the tub from now on!  

Dawn dish detergent and vinegar cleans soap scum!

The ongoing battle to be organized and not be a hoarder

My four year old son is a hoarder.  He comes from a long line of hoarders.  I'm not sure how many gererations of hoarders there are, but I can say for sure that he is at least a 4th generation hoarder (with the exception of my parents, as it apparently skipped a generation.)  I used to call myself a collector.  That was before I had a child and had disposable income.  Once I had to start focusing on downsizing my collections (mainly of books, yarn, crafts and Lenox tchotchkes) because a baby was stealing my space, I limited what I bought.  I still have a huge yarn collection and try very hard now to shop first from my stash before buying new for a project.  But lets face it, I hoard good yarn!

My biggest battle with organizing our home at the moment lies in three areas: mail, toys, and a collection of stuff in the basement.  I spent a couple of hours tonight trying to clean up the toys and clean and refreshen the top of our microwave cabinet, which had become a collect-all of things I took away from a certain four year old. I decided today that I wanted to get a better basket for our fresh fruits and veggies, so on my way home tonight I stopped at Crate and Barrell and purchased a great two tiered basket.  I love how it looks and it works out great for our space.  I still want to replace the cabinet, since it was here when we moved in here and really doesn't work for us anymore.  I want to see if I can find a pie safe in Lancaster that would work there. 

 

The toys are just out of control, and it doesn't help that my little hoarder likes to keep bags full of toy parts, trash, junk mail, and pencils.  I have managed to get rid of all but one bag of stuff.  I resorted most of the toys and returned them to their rightful spots/boxes.  There were dominoes all over!  The tool bench that I spent MONTHS debating and deliberating whether I should purchase it because that is all the kid wanted for Christmas is now a desk.  He informed me that he'd rather have a desk than a tool bench.  All of the tools and building kit parts sat in their box under it, untouched.  I finally removed them and put them away until he grows bored with the desk idea and wants to build again.  It doesn't help that we do not have a play room. His play room is our family room.  I have bookshelves filled with toy storage bins and boxes, along with a large train table for his trains and roads that has storage underneath.  That doesn't seem to be big enough though, as we also have big play toys!  A grill, a kitchen, the tool bench/desk, a piano, a huge bin of blocks...and he plays with all of it!  I realize that someday all he'll want is an Ipad and computer, so for now we'll just have to make due and deal with it!  I love his imagination and listening to him play.  He does love to play!

Here he is in his latest set up...it was either the front desk at a Hershey Comfort Inn or a check out lane at Giant.  

 The basement problem is enogh fodder for another post! Let's just say, it's time to get rid of wedding and shower gifts from 1998 that we have still not used!