Have you foraged for edible plants along the roadside lately? How about recycling your dryer lint? No? Well, you will be happy to know that modern frugality doesn’t involve radical or extreme methods for saving a buck. Today’s frugal involves living within your means and enjoying a comfortable lifestyle with movies, dining out and vacations. Of course, the movie might be a $1 rental from a grocery store kiosk, the restaurant meal bought using a www.restaurant.com gift card and your hotel paid for with credit card reward points (or booked for an off-season stay).

My question to you is this: Do you consider yourself a frugal person? If not, why? What lifestyle choices have you made that keep you from being able to say you live frugally? For some, the word frugal has a negative meaning. They may associate it with a way of living that is so meager they can’t imagine it for themselves. These days, though, modern frugal is cool. It’s one of the most effective ways to live within your means and keep your family out of debt – all very cool things. Why pay more than you need to? The peace of mind that comes from living debt free is definitely worth the small steps it takes to live a modern frugal life.

A huge debt-free movement is spreading and there are many people out there who are completely out of debt – even their mortgages are paid off. We’ll have our only debt – our mortgage – paid off before our children go to high school in three years, which is really exciting! We have been living a modern frugal lifestyle for 10 years now and I can’t imagine living differently.

Can you say YES to any of the following? If so, you probably want to consider a modern frugal lifestyle:

· Are you struggling with debt (or have any debt at all, really)?
· Are you concerned that your job may be at risk?
· Are you unemployed and searching for a job?
· Are you living on a fixed income?
· Are you unable to afford health insurance?
· Are you worried about having enough money when you retire (aren’t we all?!)?
· Do you simply want to have more money at the end of each month?

Well…. Did you say YES to any of the above questions? My guess is that most people would say yes to at least a couple of them. In the coming months, I’ll be writing about how to live a modern frugal life from every angle. I encourage you to consider the suggestions and try at least a few. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to spend less, save more and live just as comfortably. Maybe you’ll even be proud to call yourselves modern frugal. Next time, we’ll start uncovering all the great ways to cut your grocery bills in half including couponing, meal planning and store promotions.

If you are proud to be frugal, feel free to speak up and post about those things you do to live within your means. I love to learn new frugal techniques and I am sure other readers would like to read your ideas as well. As I always say: It’s Your Money – Spend It Wisely!

“Does your dog bite?”

“Umm, no, she just carries that mouthful of choppers around for show.”

That has got to be one of the most inane questions anyone can ask about a dog.

EVERY dog, barring crippling injury or birth defect, has the potential to bite if provoked,
whether it’s a three and a half pound Yorkie or a 200 pound English Mastiff, the potential
is there and it is irresponsible and unrealistic to ever forget that, no matter how placid or
forgiving your dog is.

So many factors can contribute to the commission of a bite, and most dogs will give
ample warning, up to and including the “air snap,” even attempting to remove
themselves from situation before biting a human.

If your previously gregarious dog suddenly takes a snap for no seeming reason, it’s
imperative that the first thing you check for is a medical problem. It can be anything from
a painful injury you were unaware of, like a thorn stuck in a pad that gets inadvertently
squeezed when he shakes paws with you or someone else or a disease that’s causing
him to feel vulnerable and/or in pain.

It’s your responsibility to protect your dog, to learn what stresses are too much and how
to read his signals before a situation escalates to the point he feels pushed past his
limits and either remove him from that situation or intervene and defuse the tension.
Then it’s up to you to work with your dog to see if his confidence and comfort level in
those types of situations can be boosted to achieve a higher level of tolerance, if the
stressor is something that should be tolerated.

There are some stressors that should never be allowed, such as provocation with the
intent to physically harm you or your dog. Those are the times it will be all on you to get
out of the situation or make sure your dog doesn’t get the blame. Other provocations,
particularly those that might be regular occurrences, need to have the threat removed.
Your dog needs to be acclimated to them, to learn that they just aren’t that big a deal.
One of the best ways to achieve this is simple desensitization. It sometimes takes time
and dedication, but it’s not complicated and is well worth your efforts. You will need
patience, a comfy dog bed, a source for the stress, a pocket full of treats, and a calm demeanor.

Take your dog, in a dog crate, to a place where he is exposed, at a distance, to the source of the stress.
Don’t take him close enough to start displaying signs of discomfort, though. It may take
you a few tries to find out just where his comfort zone ends, but bear with it. When
you’ve got him at the edge of his comfort zone, where he’s aware of what he’s normally
reactive to, but isn’t yet reacting you can start. Get his attention; talk to him in his
favorite happy voice, give him some of the treats. Keep doing this in short sessions,
working your way closer and closer to the problem, not pushing faster than your dog is
ready to go, though. You won’t always get one hundred percent non-reactivity, but
unless there’s a deep seated phobia there, maybe something that happened in your
dog’s past, you should eventually get to the stage where the two of you can walk on by
without it turning into a brouhaha of you hanging onto the other end of a shivering or
snarling beast.

Another important facet of desensitizing your dog is to build his self-confidence. A
confident dog is a safe dog. Fear is most often the goad to a bite. Think about what
kicks your own self-confidence up a notch (other than looking smokin’ hawt). It all
revolves around being good at what you do, realizing it and being recognized for it.
Easy to convey to the canine! Training isn’t just to make your life easier or to teach your
dog to make you look good after you’ve bragged on him; it allows him to learn to be
confident, in himself and in you.

While you’re working on those desensitization exercises, run through a couple of
lessons he’s very good at and be lavish with your praise. You will not only be
underwriting and improving that confidence factor by the simple fact of reminding your
dog of how good he is at being The Dog, but you’ll be teaching him that The Scary
Thing has no power to take him off his game; he’s still The Dog and together the two of
you are still in control of the situation and everything is just fine.

As our journey around the home is quickly coming to an end, we are going to face the challenge of organizing our bathrooms.  For this week we are going to focus on quickly purging our bathrooms of unneeded, unused, or expired items.  After purging, we will finish the week with a clean space. 

I always find it very helpful to set a timer when I am doing this type of project so I don’t find myself distracted.  Give yourself 5-10 minutes per cabinet.  During the time-block, only focus on the task at hand.  Don’t answer the phone, go to the bathroom, or get distracted by something (like trying out an eyeshadow shade you forgot you had).  If you need more time, simply set the timer again.

Please refrain from the temptation to run to the store and buy organizational tools now.  Wait until you get rid of the clutter before you try organizing your items in pretty containers.  Once you have purged; look at what you need stored, measure the space you have, and then you can look for containers that will suit your needs.  Be careful not to store things that should be tossed or donated.

Following is an example of how to break these tasks into 7 days.   Each day you should plan to spend between 15-30 minutes. Please keep in mind to break up your job into tasks however it suits you best:

Day 64:
Cosmetics- Pack up any unused items to sell or give-away.  The general rule of thumb is that most make-up is good for 1 year, but some are supposed to be used within 6 months, such as foundation.  It is not safe to give used items away, so if you don’t like it…toss it!  Do you have a bathroom cabinet full of make-up bags, which were included with department store cosmetic purchases?  These items are taking up very valuable real estate in your bathroom!  Donate them to a local charity, or use them at gift-giving time to pack up a present (like a nail care kit).  Wipe the shelves off before placing the items back into the cabinet. 

Day 65:
Toiletry items- Toss out empty bottles and consolidate half empty bottles.  Toss out anything that has expired.  If you have an over abundance of unopened and unused bath and body lotions from the mall, put these back for gifts.  These are great gifts!  Clean your toothbrushes by tossing them in a pot of boiling water, or better yet, get new ones!  

Day 66:
Towels- Now’s the time to get rid of the towels which have already fulfilled their life expectancy.  Cut them into squares for great rags and place with your other rags in the house and put some out in the garage. I know some people use a fresh towel per person every day and I am also aware of the health studies which would agree with this practice, but I find my family members can get around 2-3 days usage from a towel before I put it in to be washed.  For my family of four, I need around 12 towels per week.  I invested in 16 high quality Egyptian cotton towels 8 years ago.  These towels have been used very hard and remain brand new in feel and appearance.  

Day 67:
Bath toys- Clean any bath toys that your children have.  Dip an old toothbrush into some sea salt and scrub the toys.  If they are not able to be cleaned, toss them.  

Day 68:
Wash curtains (shower and window) and clean windows 

Day 69:
Give your cabinets a good thorough cleaning.  I personally like to use Murphy’s Oil Soap for my wood cabinets.  Today is another opportunity to purge more if needed. 

Day 70:
Wipe down all surfaces, wash the floors, and clean the toilets.  Clearly, if you have more than one bathroom this could take you longer.  Work at your own pace.  To reward yourself, make the room look pretty.  Place some fresh flowers on the vanity, display some candles around the tub area, and put some framed pictures on a stand. 

Enjoy the journey,
Betsy

I recently spoke to Professional Organizer Lea Schneider author of “Growing Up Organized: A Mom-to-Mom Guide.” Following is our conversation:

Betsy: In regards to children, what are the benefits of becoming organized in the home, and what negative effects have you witnessed as a result of disorganization?

Lea: Being organized is a stress-reducer. Our stress from daily events, like not being able to get everyone out the door on time, to losing the homework handout in counter top clutter, to trying to locate the missing cell phone or get dinner on the table when no one has made it to the store, creates one cranky parent. When the house is disorganized and parents are cranky and exhausted as a result, I imagine it is harder for any child to be sweet, compliant and happy. Being organized can help home life run smoother.

Betsy: Do you think it is easier or harder to keep things organized as a mom of young children now or twenty years ago?

Lea: One excuse for disorganization is the lack of time. Today, a mom of young children finds her time more consumed by technology. Working from home, checking emails, grabbing the cell phone or even just meeting up with friends on a social networking site takes some of the time that could be used to stay organized.

Betsy: What organizing problems are unique to this generation?

Lea: I’m not sure what generation you are referring to but in general our society has seen changes from mobility. We move for jobs. We hope to retire and move where it pleases us. We get a divorce and start over. We buy “starter homes” and dream of moving to a bigger one…someday.

With each move, we often acquire more things, furniture, accessories and bigger closets to hold our increasing wardrobes. As we get more things, so do the children. They have so many more toys, clothes, books and gadgets than previous generations dreamed of having. The more things you have, the more time you spend trying to organize those things and the more time spent wondering why you can’t get it all done.

Betsy: In your book, “Growing Up Organized: A Mom-to-Mom Guide,” I loved your chapter on how to attack the kids bedrooms. My daughter is ten years old and I find I still have to nag her to keep her room clean and organized. Do you think there is ever an age when we as moms should just allow the kids to live in filth in their own space if that is what they want?

Lea: You can be clean and disorganized. You can be dirty and disorganized. You can be dirty and organized. The two words mean different things.

Let me start by saying that it is not okay by me for my kid to live in a pigpen and for me to clean it up. Period.

Being organized is a measure of responsibility while clean means clean. Clean means the room is dusted, vacuumed, the trash is taken out, the sheets are changed and you won’t find a week’s worth of snack dishes under the bed.

I think that beyond the age of ten, a child who is organized with their schoolwork, chores and other activities, is capable of making their own decision about how organized or messy they wish their room to be. (You can make a shut-the-door rule.)

But along with that right, comes responsibility. I don’t think that they have the right to decide how clean they want their room to be. Set a standard for what cleaning chores you expect done and how often she is to do them. As long as she meets those standards, the room is hers. But, it is hers to not only keep messy but it is hers to vacuum, change the sheets and the other chores that you expect done. When a kid is old enough to start stomping their foot and saying “But it is my room” then they get the chores with the privilege.

Betsy: Do you find it better to purge through toys with or without the help of your children?

Lea: You should sort toys with your child but in an age appropriate and attention-span appropriate way. For example, a four-year-old is probably not ready to tackle a room full of toys by themselves. It would be beyond their skill to know where to start and beyond their attention span to stick with the task. However, a four-year-old might help you sort one mixed tub of toys into types – doll clothes, building blocks, crayons and so forth. Having them help you with portions of the toys and in small intervals is how you teach them. As they are older, they can do more.

Cleaning up and sorting toys with your child teaches them organizing skills. It teaches them time management, respect for property and personal responsibility for space and belongings. It teaches them compassion for others when they choose toys and books to give to charity. Do it with them. Don’t do it for them.

Betsy: What is the most common question asked to you by moms, and what is your advice for that question?

Lea: It’s the one you asked. What should I do about my child’s disorganized messy bedroom?

Children, and even teens, are not capable of doing a giant room overhaul alone. They have no experience in sorting into keep, donate, and trash. It’s very difficult for them to decide if they will need something again, if the clothes still fit properly or if it is okay with you to throw something out. You need to teach them the critical thinking skills involved in organizing. They will learn by doing it with you, not you doing it for them, unless they are a very young child. You’ll always need to be seasonally involved in a hands-on work session with your child. The daily or weekly clean-up should be their job, given out in age appropriate assignments.

Betsy: What are some of your general guidelines for setting chores around the house?

Lea: Someone needs to do them or the alternative is to move out and start over! Children learn how to be organized, how to practice time management, household skills and respect for their parent’s time and property by doing chores.

Guidelines:

· Choose age appropriate tasks.

· Be consistent. Don’t ask for two chores this week and 25 next week.

· Have variety. Mix it up. If you assign your child one chore, like emptying the dishwasher daily, you’ve only taught them one skill.

· Parents need to participate too. When everyone in the house heads off to do a few chores, it is pretty hard to complain how unfair it is!

Betsy: Although I am an organizer, I have to take the time to purge and organize my own space. I especially dislike dealing with my husband’s clutter (tools, clothing, etc) because I have limited control over the situation. What spaces do you dread organizing in your life?

Lea: When the photo shop clerk says “Double prints are free,” I cringe. I certainly don’t want two of them. I don’t want to deal with one. I dislike organizing photos. I love to have photos but I am not the least interested in making scrapbooks or photo albums.

Betsy: Despite my last statement about my husband’s clutter, he really is generally very neat and tidy. What do you suggest if the Dad in the household has a major clutter/hoarding issue?

Lea: Hoarding is a serious issue and is actually a medical diagnosis. If a family member is a hoarder, their amount of clutter can impact a family’s health, both physical and mental, as well as their safety in the home. If you have a family member with a hoarding issue, begin your search for help with your family physician.

Betsy: Have you always been organized?

Lea: Yes. As a small tyke, I drove my mother nuts by always putting away her shoes. She might take them off by the door and when she returned to slip them on they would be gone. (I probably drove her nuts in other ways but that’s material for another article!)

Betsy: Why did you decide to become an organizer?

Lea: A friend, tired of the waste, asked me to help her organize her leftovers in the fridge. Seriously. Another friend wanted attic help. My mother-in-law wanted help with closets. My sister wanted me to help my grown niece with her wardrobe. My parents wanted help downsizing my aunt. When people start wanting to buy you plane tickets in order to make use of your skills, it’s a good time to think about it as a career change. Best part of this job is when I get paid, I also get hugged!

Betsy: Your book is light-spirited, jam packed full of useful information, and very easy to relate to. Who do you think will most benefit from reading your book?

Lea: Thanks! If you are a mom, and you fall into bed every night and think “Maybe I’ll catch up tomorrow,” then this book is for you.|

Professional Organizer Lea Schneider, the author of Growing-Up Organized: A Mom-to-Mom Guide. (Amazon.com $14) Her organizing advice has appeared in Woman’s Day, Natural Health, Better Homes and Gardens Kid’s Rooms magazines, and in numerous websites and newspapers around the country, from The Columbian in Washington State to the Pensacola News Journal in Florida. In 2008, she was the Grand Prize Winner of the Rolodex Office Makeover Challenge. Her company, Organize Right Now, provides organizing assistance online using a team of expert professionals. For more information, visit www.organizerightnow.com.

Of the 70 million US households owning dogs or cats as pets around 10% of the population are allergic to them. That is, approximately 7 million pet lovers who suffer from allergies at the paws of their canine companions and feline friends.

Pet allergies are an immune system reaction to animal proteins that trigger inflammation in the lining of the nasal passages. These allergies cause sneezing, runny nose and a stuffy head for some sufferers; however, others experience more serious symptoms including contraction of the airways resulting in hives, wheezing, shortness of breath and other breathing problems.

Any household animal with fur can cause allergies; however, cats and dogs are the most likely culprits with cats causing more allergic instances than dogs.

Typically speaking humans pick up these allergens through the animals’ dander. While saliva and urine can cause allergic reactions it is the dander that bothers most people the most. When cats and dogs shed they expel small skin cells known as dander. These can remain airborne for some time and can also accumulate on upholstered furniture, carpets and pet beds. Saliva also causes reactions and can be transmitted via clothing or after it has dried and become airborne. While there are several hairless or hypoallergenic breeds available it is important to remember that no dog or cat can be free of allergens to a pet allergy sufferer. There are; however, several steps you can take to alleviate the severity of your reaction:

1. Create a pet free zone. If you are allergic to your pet try making your bedroom a pet free zone. Let him sleep elsewhere and keep him out of your room with products like indoor dog fences. By keeping your pet out of this room and running a high powered HEPA air filter you can cut down dramatically on the amount of allergens in the air.

2. Keep other living areas clean. Dust and vacuum frequently and avoid using dust and dander-catching fabrics such as drapes and carpet. Also, cover couches and pillows with washable covers for easy cleaning. If wood floors are not an option, invest in a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner or use microfiber anti-allergen bags in your current vacuum cleaner. All of this combined with running additional HEPA air filters throughout the house will keep dander to a minimum.

3. Protect yourself. When cleaning, make sure to wear rubber gloves and a surgical mask. These items are available for purchase at your local drug store and will keep you from breathing or coming into physical contact with animal dander and saliva particles when cleaning. Cleaning stirs up these particles and can cause a particularly acute allergic reaction.

4. Keep your pet clean and groomed. If you perform grooming at home make sure to wear your gloves and mask when doing so. If your allergies are severe then take your pet for professional grooming frequently. Regular grooming keeps shedding to a minimum and will dramatically reduce allergic reactions.

5. Take your medication. Try visiting your doctor for weekly immunotherapy. These shots will expose the skin to animal proteins and will gradually desensitize the immune system to pet allergens. Injections are given weekly at first and then tapered down to one per month when the body begins to produce adequate antibodies. If your allergies are more easily controlled then you can try an over-the counter antihistamine or a prescription steroidal nose spray. Inhalers are also available for pet allergy sufferers.

If all of these tips fail, don’t get rid of the family pet just yet. Some people suffer from allergies that have nothing to do with their pets. Common culprits include pollen, mold or cigarette smoke allergies. Don’t assume that your allergies are attributed to your pet. Visit your doctor and have a skin test of a variety of common irritants to confirm what your particular triggers are. Even the most sensitive to animal allergies can achieve a happy balance in the home with proper medical treatment, a regular house cleaning regimen and frequent pet grooming.

When it comes time to feeding your baby solid foods, your initial vision might be dipping a spoon into a little jar of pureed peas, carrots or bananas. Did you know that your baby will eat about 600 of these cute little jars of baby food? And that the cost of all these jars can add up $400-$600?

If you are interested in making a HUGE dent in this baby budget line item, we recommend you make your own baby food. Now don’t laugh, roll your eyes or start trembling at the thought of cooking – most people find it surprisingly simple and quick to make baby food.

Homemade baby food will cost less than $100, saving your family up to a whopping $500! And before you ask ” but who has the time?”, think about using the tried n’ true ice cube tray method of making baby food. It will take only 30 minutes per week! There are not many things you can do in 30 minutes a week to save hundreds of dollars.

Here are the four basic steps to making baby food:

Step 1: Start with fresh fruits or vegetables. Depending on the type of food, you will need to wash, chop and peel the fruits and vegetables. If you are using frozen produce, simply open the package.

Step 2: Cook the food in the microwave or steam the food on the stove. Foods are done when the can be pierced or mashed easily with a fork.

Step 3: Pour the food and cooking juices into a food processor or a blender and puree to a soft and velvety texture. You may need to add water to get the right texture.

Step 4: Spoon the food puree into ice cube trays. Cover and place them in the freezer. When frozen, pop the baby food cubes out into a freezer storage bag. Baby food cubes stay fresh for up to two months in the freezer.

When it comes time to feed your baby, simply select baby food cubes from the freezer, defrost and the rest is YUM!

Apple Puree
6 medium golden delicious apples

Step 1: Prep – Wash, peel, core and cut apples into one-inch (3 cm) slices.

Step 2: Cook – Place apples in a microwave safe dish. Cover. Cook 5 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes. Cook an additional 5 minutes. The apples are done when they can be pierced easily with a fork.

Step 3: Puree – Place apples and cooking juices into a blender or a food processor. Puree to a smooth texture.

Step 4: Freeze – Spoon into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays. Cover. Place in freezer eight to 10 hours or overnight. Remove cubes from trays, place in storage container or freezer bag, and return immediately to the freezer.
Makes 24 1-ounce servings. Stays fresh for two months in the freezer.
To serve, select frozen apple cubes from the freezer, defrost and warm, check the temperature and feed.

Age to introduce: About 6 months.

Sweet Potato Puree
2-3 medium to large sweet potatoes

Step 1: PREP – Wash, peel and chop sweet potatoes into one-inch (3 cm) cubes

Step 2: COOK – In a medium-size saucepan, pour ½ cup water. Set a steamer basket in the saucepan and place sweet potatoes cubes in the basket. Cover. Bring water to a boil and turn down the heat and simmer for about 12-15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. They are done if the sweet potatoes can be mashed easily with a fork. OR Place sweet potatoes and 2 Tablespoons (30ml) of water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover. Cook 8-10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. They are done if the sweet potatoes can be mashed easily with a fork.

Step 3: PUREE – Place sweet potatoes and cooking juices into a blender of food processor. Add ½ cup (60 ml) of water. Puree. Add additional ¼ to ½ cup (60 – 100 ml) of water, as needed, to develop of smooth texture.

Step 4: FREEZE – Spoon into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays. Cover. Place in freezer 8-10 hours or overnight. Remove cubes from trays, place in storage container or freezer bag, and return immediately to the freezer.
Makes 24 one-ounce servings. Stays fresh for 2 months in the freezer.
To serve, select frozen sweet potato cubes from the freezer, defrost and warm, check the temperature and feed.

There are few more money saving secrets to making baby food:

1. Buy fresh produce that is on sale or in season
2. Use coupons for frozen fruits and vegetables
3. Make baby food in large quantities and freeze it in single servings

There really is no right or wrong way to clean. Whatever works best for you is great. Be very careful that you do not get stuck in the details of these projects. Do what you can and then move on! Don’t spend this week cleaning and organizing your spice cabinet. We’ll spend some time down the road de-cluttering this room and you can focus on those areas at that time. Your main goal for this room is to spend the next seven days working towards a clean, functional, and easily maintainable kitchen.

I must admit that for me the kitchen is the area that requires the most work. If my kitchen looks clean I feel more relaxed and in control…and vice-versa. My family (myself included) can tend to use the kitchen as a dumping ground. Attempt to come up with clutter-busting solutions to fit your home. If you have an area that seems to accumulate clutter, try to come up with a system to get rid of it (or at least contain it).

Following is an example of how to break these tasks into 7 days.� � Each day you should plan to spend between 15-30 minutes. I do best if I set the timer.� Please keep in mind to break up your job into tasks however it suits you best

Day 57:
Grab a bag and purge! Set the timer for 15-30 minutes and purge what you can. If this is a project that requires more than the time permits, just write this down for a project to do when you have a chance. Don’t let yourself get stuck!

Day 58:
Clean ceiling fan, walls, doors, ceilings, and baseboards. If you have time left, try to tackle a bit more purging.

Day 59:
Clean your fridge. This means inside, outside, and on the top. Also clean your oven. If your oven is not a self-cleaning type, you may want to do this at a later date.

Day 60:
Take down curtains and wash
Clean the windowsills and trim
Windex windows, mirrors, and all glass surfaces
Hang the window treatments back up

Day 61:
Completely clear off your countertops and wash them down thoroughly. Clean small appliances and decorative accessories and make an effort to be very selective which items get placed back. Appliances which are not used much should be tucked away. If you are like me and seem to accumulate clutter in one area of the countertop, place a basket there! Old habits are really hard to break! If you have a table in the kitchen, wipe that down as well.

Day 62:
Wipe down all the cabinets and try to wipe inside as many cabinets as possible.
Sweep and mop floors
Treat yourself!� Decorate for summer; new tablecloth, placemats, fresh flowers, etc.

Day 63:
Free Day (or catch up)

Before you start any of the above projects, make sure you start with a straightened room.

Some of the tasks may need more time than what you have this week. An example of this would be if you really need a thorough de-cluttering of plastic ware, spices, freezer, etc. For larger tasks, skip it for now (or do what you can without making a larger mess for yourself) and make a to-do list. At the end of our 80 days (or during, when you have the time) you can go back to the list to see what needs to still be addressed. I don’t want you to get stuck and lose your momentum.

Enjoy the journey,

Betsy
�

When a couple moves in together or gets married they are busy combining two households into one, picking out new dishes or arguing over what color to paint the living room. Chances are the last thing on their mind is outlining an ownership agreement of their dog; however, it can be very important to outline who’s dog the dog will be in the event of a split.

If there are two dogs belonging to two different people then the situation is more clear cut; however, if one member of the couple owns the dog prior to the relationship they need to protect their rights as the dog’s owner. Another situation to consider is if the couple gets a dog together during the course of the cohabitating relationship.

Couples must agree on who owns the dog, who will take responsibility for daily walks and feedings and perhaps most importantly, who bears the financial responsibility for caretaking. These situations are not always clearly defined between partners in attempts to avoid awkward conversations, but they should be to make things easier in the event of a split. If possible the couple should consider drawing up a contract to outline these details to avoid hurt feelings later.

The person owning the dog, caring for the dog and providing financial support for the dog are not always the same person. Responsibilities are often shared and this is where the dispute can sometimes arise. People often feel like they put effort into raising the dog and are left in the cold when the split arises. If you already have a dog when you go into a relationship you need to make it clear that the dog will be yours when the relationship ends. This often means that you will need to provide the financial support in addition to being the primary caregiver. If you expect that this will be the case you need to make sure that your name is on the Veterinary records and you will need to take responsibility for registering your dog in your name with the County Animal Control office.

If you elect to get a dog while in the relationship you will need to make sure to specify who will take ownership and responsibility. If the dog belongs to both and other responsibilities are split then there will likely be a custody dispute at the end of the relationship. The cost of owning a dog can also become a burden and splitting the expense of the dog bed, hidden fence and other pet supplies is highly recommended to keep things fair. This is fine if you are prepared to set aside your differences to create an amicable custody arrangement if necessary. Dog custody arrangements are on the rise in a society in love with their dogs and have become common place amongst divorcing or separating couples. This arrangement can have benefits and drawbacks; however, it should be discussed upon getting the dog rather than waiting for the separation to occur.

Regardless of your situation an agreement can and should be discussed sooner rather than later to avoid inaccurate assumptions on the part of either member of the couple. One member of the couple could feel that because they buy the dog food and pay for the Veterinary visits they are the entitled owner. On the other hand, the other partner could feel that because they do the daily walking, and feeding that they are the entitled owner. Both sides have a good argument so it is best to discuss before hand to prevent unnecessary hard feelings during a difficult time. In the end your dog could be lucky enough to have two caring parents and the best of both worlds, but this will likely not be the case when resentments are involved.

When you look around your home are you often overwhelmed by all that you have to complete?� � So many projects, so little time; these once good intentioned tasks have become stressors in your world. � It is time to get real.�

List all the unfinished projects that you are working on; big and small.� Which of these projects simply cannot be finished by you?� Create a plan on how you can finish this; whether it is by hosting a workday at your home or by creating a weekly savings plan so you can afford to hire someone.�

Be critical when you analyze your unfinished projects to-do list.� When prioritizing what needs to be done, you need to not only think of the condition of where the project currently stands, but rather what the effect the unfinished project creates in your life.� In addition, now is the time to toss out any projects that simply do not belong on the list; now or possibly ever.�

Following is a guideline for completing these tasks, but please adjust these suggestions to best suit your needs.

Day 50
Make one large master list of all the unfinished projects; inside and outside of our home.� Asterisk the projects that you cannot do on your own, and start working on a plan for completion; budget and time-line.� From the list, pick 5 different simple projects that you would like to complete this week, or choose one larger job that can be completed when it is broken into 5 simple tasks.� Be realistic with the amount of time you have to work on this.� If you only have 15 minutes a day, do not give yourself more than what can be completed in that timeframe.

Days 51-55
Each day work towards either finishing a project from your list, or take the time to complete a task towards a larger goal.�

Day 56
Begin breaking down other projects from your master list into smaller achievable projects that you can tackle throughout the summer.

Enjoy the journey,
Betsy

May is Women’s Health Month.� It is a good reminder for all of us to pamper the ones we love.� The next few days we are going to focus on taking care of ourselves; because if we don’t love ourselves – who will?�

The cost of clutter is such a problem these days.� Loss of income, stretched budgets, overwhelmed schedules, late bills, broken relationships, depression, and lost dreams are just a few costs that some of my clients have experienced.� During the next seven days I ask you to try a few simple things, none lasting more than 15 minutes, but each can create a big impact.� Gaining control over your life does not have to be looked at as a monumental task; rather it can be dealt with in small bite-size steps.

Day 43:�

Set the timer for 5 minutes and purge a small space.� Don’t try and do an entire closet, rather one� small drawer.� Try the four box method: put away, give away, throw away, and keep.� Notice how amazing you feel, and the impact you see, from accomplishing a simple task.� If you have time, set the timer for another 5 minutes and recapture another small cluttered space.

Day 44:� Grab a bag and set the timer for 15 minutes and attack your car.� Once de-cluttered, wipe down all surfaces.� The next time you get in your car you will feel so much better sitting in a clean and organized space.

Grab a bag and set the timer for 15 minutes and attack your car.� Once de-cluttered, wipe down all surfaces.� The next time you get in your car you will feel so much better sitting in a clean and organized space.Day 45:

Write down a goal for yourself.� Share your goal with a friend, and start working towards it.� Encourage your friend to also share a goal with you.� Be each other’s cheerleader!

Day 46:

Is there a book you have been meaning to start but the clutter in your life (material and time) has prevented it?� Your mission today is to set the timer for 15 minutes and start your book.� Remember, if you don’t take care of yourself, who will?�

Day 47:

It’s time for another 5 minute purge.� Set the timer for 5 minutes and purge a small space and repeat the process if you have enough time.

Day 48:

Pamper someone else today.� Share with a friend, relative, or neighbor some of your best de-cluttering techniques.� Offer to drop off someone’s donation bags to your local thrift store.� See how taking care of others, gives you back.

Day 49:�

Set your timer and breathe.� Either in the morning or night, set the timer for 5 minutes, give yourself a quiet space, and breathe; meditate, pray, or simply allow your body and mind to relax.�

Enjoy the journey,

Betsy

It seems everywhere you turn these days, someone or something is “Going Green.” Sure, some may say it’s just a huge trend or the latest fad, but I ask, how can becoming more conscious of the impact on the environment be anything but good? Consuming less and reusing more sounds like a win for everyone!

With the increase in awareness it only makes sense that this new found sense of responsibility would make its way into our not only our daily lives but our special occasions as well. Throwing an Eco-Conscious Baby Shower doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style or serve your guests wheat grass punch. There are a lot of ways that you can make
your next Shower Baby-, Guest- and Earth-friendly.

Décor and Food

• Make sure your décor items can do double duty. For example, display unwrapped gifts in creative ways for centerpieces.
• Use locally-grown flowers from your farmer’s market.
• Shop the farmer’s market or organic aisles at the grocery store for your food. If using a caterer, try to use one that does the same.

No Paper Goods

• If an online invitation is out of the question, then look for invitations printed on recycled card stock.
• Use linen napkins and real dishes. If you don’t have enough of either, check out local rental companies. Plain white dishes and napkins are extremely affordable to rent.
• Don’t be afraid to try local discount or dollar stores either. A simple set of plain white or clear dishes and napkins will go with any theme and is something you can use over and over.
• Want to do it without spending money? Call your friends and see what fun, mix and match combo you can come up with for a fun and festive look.

Favors
Give favors that will actually be used by the guests later.

• A flower in a simple bud vase is something that will make your table look great and just as easily brighten up a desk or kitchen window at
  your guests’ home.
• Hang a reusable shopping bag on the back of each chair as a favor.
• In lieu of favors, go to the Arbor Foundation or another online source and plant a tree in each guests’ name.

Gifts

• There are hundreds of amazing eco-friendly products for baby on the market now. With just a little research you can find products that
  will surely elicit the requisite “oooooo’s and “awwwww’s” from your guests.
• Think of new ways to wrap presents. Use baby blankets or towels in lieu of wrapping paper. Present gifts in reusable shopping bags in
  lieu of paper gift bags.
• If you just can’t imagine the mom not having any traditional presents to unwrap, then use some of the many adorable recycled gift wraps on
  the market and be sure to recycle the wrap when the party is over.

Finally, designate a bin for recycling any gift wrap or paper goods other guests may bring.

Most importantly, be creative! Look at throwing an Eco-Conscious event as a fun challenge to see how many ways you can reuse and
re-purpose things you already own. When you see how little waste you have after the event, you’ll be so glad you did.

Following are the steps in de-cluttering anything you use to contain your clothes: drawers, closet, or storage bins.� The first step I normally recommend is to empty out the space entirely.� Make four piles (or have bins) and as your emptying place each item in the following categories:

Keep

Sell

Donate/Give Away

Throw out

What to Keep:

I have heard all different strategies on how to decide what to keep.� My system is quite simple.� If I would not buy the item TODAY it gets tossed.� Try to not think about how much (or how little) you paid for the item.� It’s time to take the emotions out of the things around you!� Also, do not keep items that no longer fit you.� I clearly remember hanging onto a dream size wardrobe.� What I discovered is when I hit my dream size, the clothes were not as spectacular as I had envisioned.� If you are trying to fit into a certain dream size, tear out a picture of an outfit from a catalog.� When you reach your goal, try the outfit on before you buy it.� This is especially true if you are a woman holding onto clothes that fit you before children…5 + years ago!

What to Sell:

Prior to trying to sell your item(s), it is best to research what is the current market price.� I sell all my items on ebay. Once you have an amount of what similar items have sold for in the recent past, you need to decide if you want to sell it or donate it. One thing to keep in mind when selling your item(s) on ebay is that there are no guaranties your item will sell at the price you would like it to, or will sell at all

What to Donate/Give Away:

Because I have been very blessed by hand-me-downs for my children, I try to pass things right along when at all possible.� Make sure that your good deed is not cluttering up someone else’s closet.� Ask if your items would are needed first.� If you plan on donating your items to a non-profit charity make sure you keep a good record of what was donated and have the charitable organization sign your receipt. For specific instructions, please check out here:� http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf

What to Throw Away:�

Throw away overly used and damaged shoes and clothing.

�

Now that your closet is completely empty it is time to give it a good cleaning top to bottom.� Before you start loading the closet back with only the items you have in your “Keep” pile, it’s time to evaluate what areas of your closet were the most cluttered.� If it was your shoes, place a shoe shelf to place in the bottom.� Perhaps it was the shelf above the coats that was overwhelmed with stuff.� Measure the area and place bins or baskets and designate each; purses, belts, etc.� Before you run right out to your nearest “mart” store to get bins, baskets, etc. make sure that you don’t already have something in your home that would work just fine.� Try to design a no-fail system for yourself and spouse.�

�

Daily Challenge for Days 36-42:

Since this is such a huge undertaking, I am going to suggest you take it at your own pace.� Be realistic with how much time you have, set your timer, and attack your clutter.� If you have 15 minutes, empty out a drawer at a time.� If you have 2 hours challenge yourselves to a small closet, and if you have an afternoon, attack a larger closet.� It is so worth the effort!

Enjoy the journey,

Betsy

The reality of the situation is this; puppies are going to make messes and chew on stuff. They are going to get into things they shouldn’t and explore areas they have no business in. This is what puppies do until they are taught right from wrong. While puppies can not rationalize as humans can, they can recognize what is acceptable and non-acceptable behavior from your responses. Puppies will be conditioned to stay off the furniture, chew on the correct objects and go to the bathroom in the same spot when consistently praised for doing so. It is up to you to shape your puppies behavior over time. Here are 10 tips for puppy proofing your home to set your dog up for success:

1. Put up your shoes. Puppies need to chew to ease teething pain as well as maintain their dental health over their lifetime. Proper chew toys are essential for any dog owner. Until your puppy has learned that shoes are not appropriate chew toys you should always keep them put away. While this might sound obvious, many people leave them lying about the house and are surprised and angry when their pup destroys their favorite pair of kicks. Thankfully, closets have doors that will keep your curious puppy at paws length from this seasons’ must have peep toe pumps.

2. Cover up your cords and wires. If you have excessive audio and visual equipment with speaker wires and cords strewn about, your puppy is likely to chew on them. Tuck those wires away whenever possible. Tie them up with inexpensive plastic zip ties or feed them through special tubes designed to house wires of this type. This will help you avoid the expense of replacing your expensive components.

3. Put up hazardous chemicals in your garage or basement. Puppies will get into things they are not supposed to if they are within his reach. Purchase a shelving unit from your local hardware store and put up those jugs of oil, antifreeze and gasoline as they can cause unnecessary illnesses and death in some cases.

4. Store medications in upper cabinets. Make sure that even the most harmless of medications are stored in upper cabinets out of your pups’ reach. Your puppy can chew through those plastic prescription bottles and ingest harmful quantities of medication in the process.

5. Tie up the cords of your blinds. When mini-blinds are open their cords dangle temptingly in front of your pup. He may just want to play, but these dangling strings can hang him up, literally. Your pup could become injured or strangled in blind cords so make sure to tie a knot in the string keeping the cords high out of his reach.

6. Lock up the cleaning products. If you keep cleaning products below the kitchen or bathroom sinks like most people then you should always put baby locks on your cabinets to keep nosey puppies from sniffing out your cleaning products. Bleach, ammonia, comet, drain cleaner and many others can be deadly to your pooch if ingested. Curious puppies can open cabinet doors when not locked properly.

7. Store dog food in airtight plastic containers. Do not leave a bag of dog food sitting out for your puppy to get into. Some dogs will eat until they become sick if given the opportunity. Solve this problem by storing dog food in large plastic containers. You can purchase a $5 plastic bin from a hardware store of opt for a fancier version from a pet superstore.

8. Keep toxic plants out of reach. Aloe Vera, Lilies, Baby’s Breath, Daffodils and many others can be toxic to your pet. While it depends on the size of the dog, puppies should not be around plants like this because their immune systems are still developing they are more susceptible to illness.

9. Put the chocolate away. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is toxic to dogs. Dogs are drawn to chocolate as people are and will eat it wrappers and all in some cases. If you have candy dishes out on coffee tables or in bowls on the kitchen table or counters, put them away. When properly motivated by these open bowls he will find a way to get to the tempting treats.

10. Purchase covered trash containers for every room in your house. Puppies can be quite the little scavengers when tempted by items left in trash cans. Make sure that all trash cans in the house are covered to avoid unnecessary messes. Do not overlook the bathroom trash bins. Small bathroom trash cans with domed lids keep nosey puppies from dragging your used tissues and other sanitary items about your house. Covered trash cans will eliminate this messy and potentially embarrassing situation.

While some owners avoid indoor problems by keeping their pets outside with dog fences others stay are secured indoors with a dog crate, but remember both require consistency to be effective. If you use either of these methods, you should always look for ways to keep your valuables safely out of reach.

Soot particles are small enough to be breathed deeply into the lung and even pass directly through capillary walls into the blood stream. The particles may contain carcinogens – such as benzo[a]pyrene – and can also act as “surrogate allergens.” The medical community recognizes that the cornstarch powder in latex gloves (used to keep the rubber from sticking to itself) can acquire latex allergens. When the powdery granules become airborne and are inhaled by someone who has latex allergy, that person can experience an allergic reaction – sometimes severe. Similarly, the microscopic particles of soot that settle on surfaces that contain mold or pet dander can become contaminated with allergenic substances. The particles can then become airborne again and be inhaled when surfaces are cleaned or otherwise disturbed in some way.

Now I have to talk a little bit about chemistry (ugh, groan, I hear you say….but chemistry is one of my favorite subjects!). Complete combustion inside a gas furnace or boiler results in the formation of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) vapor. In other words, one atom of carbon (C) from methane (CH4) combines with two atoms of oxygen (O) from the air to produce CO2 (one carbon atom, two oxygen atoms). Four hydrogen atoms combine with two oxygen atoms to form two water molecules (H2O). If the combustion is incomplete, however, some of the carbon combines with only one atom of oxygen, resulting in carbon monoxide, or CO (one carbon atom, one oxygen atom). When there isn’t enough oxygen, combustion is incomplete. Then some carbon atoms combine with oxygen to create carbon monoxide, other carbon atoms combine with oxygen to create carbon dioxide, and still other carbon atoms do not combine with any oxygen but rather they combine with each other to produce soot (“C”).

What creates soot in our indoor environments?

A gas furnace or boiler that is not firing properly or that does not have sufficient make-up air can produce soot. And even though the furnace or boiler may be located in the basement, if the combustion products are getting into the basement air, airflows carry the soot up into habitable rooms above.

Gas fireplaces can produce soot. When soot particles are heated in a flame, the particles become incandescent (glow) and give off a yellow light. The gas in gas fireplaces is not premixed with enough air, so the flames are yellow due to inadequate oxygen (otherwise they’d be blue, like the flames coming from a gas cooking stove – not exactly what people expect to see in a fireplace!). If there is inadequate draft for a gas fireplace that is producing soot, the particles can leak into the house and stain the walls and ceilings black.

People love jar candles, because of their pleasant scents and yellow, flickering flames; but jar candles also produce a lot of soot, even if burned for only a few hours. As the air moves in and out of the jar, it disturbs the flame structure and causes incomplete combustion. If you burn jar candles, look at the jar rim. Is it black with soot? Imagine the soot that candle released into the air that you and those you love then inhale.

Soot staining in older homes can be fairly uniform, sometimes visible only when pictures are removed, revealing whiter surfaces beneath where soot has not deposited – though in some Victorians, the soot pattern mimics the horizontal “stripes” of underlying plaster/lath, darkest at the plaster “keys.” In newer, better-insulated homes, soot stains on exterior walls and on ceilings near exterior walls look like vertical stripes on studs, with darker black dots at the nail heads. Wherever air moves more turbulently due to temperature differentials, the air will impact surfaces that much more frequently and deposit the soot particles it carries in its flows. (Dark spots develop in bathrooms above vanity fixtures for the same reason: increased deposition rate due to hot air rising above the bulbs.)

I know of one homeowner whose insurance company spent $5,000 to have all the rooms in his house repainted. The man continued to burn jar candles, however, and had to repaint the house all over again. So protect the value of your property by choosing tapered candles over jar candles (just don’t burn the candles near a window or door, where airflows may disturb the flame). Better yet, choose the battery-operated, fake candles that look like the real thing.

Of course, money is important, especially in these lean times. But your health and the health of those you love – including your children – are paramount. So stop burning jar candles. If you don’t burn candles and you still see soot stains on your walls or ceilings, have a professional evaluate your furnace or boiler and undertake necessary maintenance or repairs.

Last week we worked on cleaning out the coat closet.� A lot of the same principles apply when cleaning out your children’s closets.� The first step is to empty out the contents of the closet.� While emptying place each item into the four categories

Keep

Sell

Donate/Give Away

Throw out

What to Keep?

This is pretty simple for children’s closets.

1. Does it fit or will it fit soon?
2. Will he/she wear it?

What to Sell?

Prior to trying to sell your item(s), it is best to research what is the current market price.� I sell all my items on ebay. Once you have an amount of what similar items have sold for in the recent past, you need to decide if you want to sell it or donate it. One thing to keep in mind when selling your item(s) on ebay is that there are no guaranties your item will sell at the price you would like it to, or will sell at all

What to Donate/Give Away?

Because I have been very blessed by hand-me-downs for my children, I try to pass things right along when at all possible.� Make sure that your good deed is not cluttering up someone else’s closet.� Ask if your items are needed first.� If you plan on donating your items to a non-profit charity make sure you keep a good record of what was donated and have the charitable organization sign your receipt. For specific instructions, please check out here:� http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf

Throw Away:�

Throw away overly used and damaged shoes and clothing.

Now that your child(ren)’s closet is completely empty it is time to give it a good cleaning top to bottom.� Before you start loading the closet back with only the items you have in your “Keep” pile, it’s time to evaluate what areas of the closet were the most cluttered.� If it was the shoes that your child tossed in there, place a shoe shelf in the bottom.� Perhaps it was the shelf above the clothes that was overwhelmed with stuff.� Measure the area and place bins or baskets.� Before you run right out to your nearest “mart” store to get bins, baskets, etc. make sure that you don’t already have something in your home that would work just fine.�

Following is a guideline for completing these tasks, but please adjust these suggestions to best suit your needs.

Day 29:� �

Figure out what you are going to do with the items you are purging.� Do some research in regards to online auctions, local consignment stores, non-profits, or yard sales.

Days 30-32:�

Let the purging begin!!� Empty out the closet entirely and sort through all the items.� Once you have cleaned out the closet, only place back what you would like to keep.� This is the time to assess the situation for organizing items (bins, shelves, basket, etc.).� You can do this all in one day if you have time, but if not, split it up between the three days and tackle as much as you can each day.

Day 33:

Donation day!� Or this is the day to list your items on an online auction site, place a price sticker on each item and box them up for a yard sale, or drop off at a consignment shop.� Don’t allow your closet clutter to become attic, garage, or basement clutter.� Make sure you take care of this today!

Day 34:�

As a reward for your diligence and hard work, today you can purchase those organizing items for your closet.�

Day 35:�

Rest

Tip for keeping things neat and tidy:

Don’t wait for a purging event; rather keep a bag inside your child’s closet for items that he/she outgrows.�

Enjoy the journey,
Betsy

Someone recently mumbled something to me about being scared to hit 40. “Are you kidding me?” I answered. “40’s the best age yet.” I can say this because I’m, well, how do I put this gently–past 40. And I’m not ashamed to admit it. So maybe some of you under-40’s right now are raising your brows questionably, or secretly thinking I’m lying to the world as well as to myself. Or saying, “THAT chic just wishes she had her bikini-bod back like I do.” But nope, I’m sticking to my story. (Plus, in my mind at least, I don’t look that bad in a bikini). I like being 40-something, love it actually, and amazingly, so do all the other 40-something year-old women (and men) I’ve questioned.

Here’s why. It’s my assessment that precisely on the day you hit 40, all the knowledge you’ve been gathering for the past 39 years suddenly comes to the forefront of your brain and starts making itself useful. I firmly believe that on your 40th birthday, you sit down in the middle of your third piece of birthday cake (yes, third. It is your day) and you realize that finally, FINALLY, you’re free. Everything just clicks. You no longer have to compete with all the other women in the world. You no longer have to pull out all the stops to at least somewhat resemble a Victoria’s Secret model. This is the day you let out that never-ending sigh of relief and allow yourself to be simply…(drumroll, please)…you.

And it’s awesome. Because what a You you are.

You can dress how you want, say what you want, do what you want, and no one can stop you. You’re 40 for pete’s sake! With age, comes wisdom, right? Of course it does. And, “age” doesn’t have to be 90, it just has to have seen enough of the world to know the rules and know when to break them. See? 40. Old enough to have gathered the wisdom, young enough to enjoy it.

The theme of the Forties decade is Freedom. It’s like when you grew up and left home for the first time, burst into the world to make your way, failed miserably in your first job interview, but then sailed through your next interview because you’d already made all the mistakes in the first one. You’ve learned. You’ve been there. You’ve dealt with that personality type before or dated that kind of man before or had to deal with crap like that before. And now, you’re with it, you’re savvy, you’re wise. And you’re better. You’re better than all that, and basically, you’re just better. Not to mention, thanks to all the antioxidants out there, you’re lookin’ good to boot!

So, the next time I hear someone complain about being 40, maybe I’ll correct them, or maybe I’ll roll my eyes and groan, or maybe (probably) I’ll go skipping off with my new attitude and not care what anyone thinks, and ponder all the knowledge I gained with every moment of my 40-plus years. And then, when I’m done skipping and pondering, I may even go don my bikini.

Spring can be a very dangerous time� in the malls and online shopping sites.� Retailers are in the midst of filling the aisles with spring and summer styles, and are slashing prices of the winter merchandise at record percentages due to the tight economy.� Please keep in mind that it is not a good deal if you never wear it!� Stop paying retailers to store their unwanted merchandise in your closets!

This week we are going to focus on cleaning out the clutter in your coat closet.� I would like to challenge you to empty out this closet entirely.� Make four piles (or have bins) and as your emptying place each item in the following categories:

Keep

Sell

Donate/Give Away

Throw out

�

What to Keep?

The easiest way to initially sort through the coats, boots, shoes are to keep only the items that actually fit your family.� Also, I would ask you to consider tossing any coats that you did not wear this season.� Only keep coats that you actually plan on wearing in the future.� If you would not buy it, don’t keep it.

What to Sell?

Prior to trying to sell your item(s), it is best to research what is the current market price.� If generally sell� all my better items on ebay. Once you have an amount of what similar items have sold for in the recent past, you need to decide if you want to sell it or donate it. One thing to keep in mind when selling your item(s) on ebay is that there are no guaranties your item will sell at the price you would like it to, or will sell at all.� Make sure you put in� a reserve price that you are happy with, or start the bidding at a comfortable number.

What to Donate/Give Away?

There are some wonderful charities that focus on coat donations.� Do a quick search on the internet to find a non-profit organization in your area.� If you plan on donating your items to a non-profit charity make sure you keep a good record of what was donated and have the charitable organization sign your receipt.� For specific instructions, please check out here:� http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf

Throw Away:�

It’s time to get rid of the solo gloves, broken umbrellas, moth eaten/ripped clothes and any of the other unusable items in your closet.� How do you know if it should be thrown away?� When it is now longer good for you or anybody else.

Now that your coat closet is completely empty it is time to give it a good cleaning top to bottom.� Before you start loading the closet back with only the items you have in your “Keep” pile, it’s time to evaluate what areas of your closet were the most cluttered.� If it was the shoes that your family tossed in there, place a shoe shelf in the bottom.� Perhaps it was the shelf above the coats that was overwhelmed with stuff.� Measure the area and place bins or baskets and designate each for a family member.� For my family of four, we have four baskets on the shelf.� In each basket are our own gloves, hats, and scarves.� Before you run right out to your nearest “mart” store to get bins, baskets, etc. make sure that you don’t already have something in your home that would work just fine.� Try to design a no-fail system for your family.� These organizing missions are not to make your life more difficult!�

Following is a guideline for completing these tasks, but please adjust these suggestions to best suit your needs.

Day 22:� �

Figure out what you are going to do with the items you are purging.� Do some research in regards to online auctions, local consignment stores, non-profits, or yard sales.

Day 23-25:�

Let the purging begin!!� Empty out the closet entirely and sort through all the items.� Once you have cleaned out the closet, only place back what you would like to keep.� This is the time to assess the situation for organizing items (bins, shelves, basket, etc.).� You can do this all in one day if you have time, but if not, split it up between the three days and tackle as much as you can each day.

Day 26:

Donation day!� Or this is the day to list your items on an online auction site, place a price sticker on each item and box them up for a yard sale, or drop off at a consignment shop.� Don’t allow your closet clutter to become attic, garage, or basement clutter.� Make sure you take care of this today!

Day 27:�

As a reward for your diligence and hard work, today you can purchase those organizing items for your closet.�

Day 28:�

Rest

�

Enjoy the journey,

Betsy

Last week we worked on the large filling drawer to keep important papers.� These papers, although quite important, are not as imperative as the items I am going to ask you to keep in your smaller folio.� Once completed, this smaller folio will contain everything you need in case of an emergency.� In addition, it is extremely important to instruct your family members as to where this folio is in case you are unable to get it.�

Here is a sample of important papers. Keep in mind your list may look different, and should be personalized for your own needs:

• Titles of owned property (real estate, cars, recreation vehicles, etc)
• Other property records
• Certificates of Deposits and Stocks that have not been cashed in
• Insurance Policies (auto, home, health, others)
• Open Loan Agreements
• Child Support Orders
• Retirement plan papers
• Birth Certificates for all family members
• Citizenship papers
• Marriage Certificate or domestic partner registration paper
• Divorce paper
• Death Certificate of family member
• Social Security Card
• Records of paid mortgages
• Will and Trust
• Power of Attorney
• Copies of all current credit cards front and back (in case they got lost or stolen)
• Past 3-7 (or more) years taxes – for detailed information on how long to keep your tax records, check here:� http://www.irs.gov/publications/p552/ar02.html

Following is a guideline for completing these tasks, but please adjust these suggestions to best suit your needs.

Day 15:� �

Get a folio for these important papers and designate a home for them: safety deposit box, fire safe, etc.

Day 16 – 17:�

Go through your old filing cabinet or drawer and purge old papers that you don’t need and file the important documents.� Don’t forget to shred any papers prior to throwing into the garbage if there is any important information on them.� Check with your accountant and/or attorney for personal guidelines on what to keep and for how long.� Start a list of the documents that you need to acquire to complete this folio (will, trust, birth certificate, etc.)

Day 18:

Make sure your documents are� current.� If you need a will, trust, power� of attorney, etc. contact an attorney, or� you can even do this for yourself using different methods.� I have used Suze� Orman’s Protection Portfolio CD to create these documents and it worked out easily and� was quite inexpensive.�

Day 19:�

Make copies of all your credit cards (front and back)

Day 20:�

Take this time to apply for any important documents that you have lost throughout the years: social security cards, birth certificates, marriage license, etc.� Check with your state’s website for detailed instructions.

Day 21:� �

Rest

�

Enjoy the journey,

Betsy

Your family is growing in size and you have to find a roomier home. You may feel lucky if the person moving out is leaving behind a refrigerator or some stylish carpeting, but beware. Many things left behind in a house should be cleaned or removed prior to occupancy, especially if you or someone else in your family, particularly a child, has allergies, asthma or other environmental sensitivities.

1. The Refrigerator. There is often allergenic dust on the sides and back of the appliance, as well as dust trapped in the coils and insulation. These surfaces can be HEPA vacuumed with a 36-inch crevice tool (found on-line; Google “36-inch crevice tool” AND “vacuum”). A drip tray, if present, can be contaminated with mold, bacteria and yeast. When the refrigerator compressor turns on, by-products of this growth can become airborne and be inhaled. The tray should be removed and cleaned. A few tablespoons of salt in a clean plastic (not metal) drip tray can help deter such microbial growth. (In newer refrigerators, the drip tray is on top of the compressor and only accessible for cleaning from the rear after removal of an access panel; salt shouldn’t be used here.)

2. The Washer and Dryer. Biodegradable lint can pile up in back of a dryer, and if the washer has ever leaked, there can be mold growth on the floor or the lower few inches of wall behind the appliance. The washer/dryer should be moved and the area thoroughly cleaned. The dryer hose should be checked to be sure that it’s not kinked or squashed, and that it vents to the exterior. For confined spaces, I recommend a solid metal, periscope-style dryer duct rather than a hose that is likely to be crushed. Never use flexible plastic hose.

3. Built-Ins in Unfinished Basements. Below-grade spaces are prone to mildew growth, so work benches, pegboards to hold tools, and built-in wooden shelves and seats are often covered with mold, and should be removed or cleaned and painted to adhere moldy dust.

4. Carpeting and Built-Ins in Finished Basements. I would say that more than half of the finished basements I investigate end up in a dumpster because they haven’t been consistently dehumidified in spring/summer/early fall or heated in the colder months. Relative humidity has thus been elevated and mildew has sprouted, usually invisibly, on the lower few feet of walls and built-in bars, on the bottoms of shelves, and in carpet dust. (Hold a bright flashlight parallel to smooth, finished vertical surfaces to see the spots of probable mold colonies at the lower foot or two, as well as higher up on outside corners.) A moldy carpet should be removed under containment, and replaced with vinyl or ceramic tile flooring. Any built-ins should also be removed or cleaned and painted to adhere residual dust. The lower few feet of pressed-board or painted walls can be cleaned with a bleach/water solution or a household cleaner suited for the purpose. Unfinished wood should be lightly sprayed with paint or an appropriate sealant, to adhere residual dust. If off-gassing is an issue, use an Elmer’s glue and water solution (one part glue to one to two parts water). Painted surfaces can be repainted.

5. Carpeting in Other Spaces. People often replace wall-to-wall carpeting in rooms but leave the carpeting on stairs and in hallways, yet it is these areas that often receive the most foot traffic and where the carpeting is sometimes most severely contaminated with allergens from pets, dust mites, and even mold growing on captured dust.

6. Window Treatments. Some window shades off-gas a vinyl smell that can be irritating to those who are sensitive to chemicals (like fragrances). Such blinds should be removed from the house, along with the Seller’s other possessions. Sometimes curtains contain mold growth on surfaces that are near the cool floor or that have rested up against a cool window or slider. Curtains and drapes can also be full of allergens from pets and dust mites. Such curtains should be cleaned if possible or replaced.

7. Furniture. Perhaps the family moving out of the home is downsizing and thus is interested in selling you some furniture. If that includes a bed or two, replace each mattress and box spring, and clean the frame of all dust. If any of the furniture pieces are antiques, they may have been stored in a damp basement or garage at some point and can contain a nearly invisible fuzzy film of mildew growth on solid surfaces, especially the bottoms and backs; there may also be mold growth in cushioning or on upholstery. If you want to accept such hand-me-downs, buy new mattresses, reupholster pieces, and clean solid surfaces. Inheriting someone else’s dust mites and other allergens and irritants shouldn’t be part of the deal.

©2009 Jeffrey C. May

Most of us can relate to the warm fuzzy feelings associated with the relationship between children and dogs. Movies and television have shown classic relationships of this sort for decades because of the popularity of dogs among children. Every time a dog walks by most toddlers and young children point and exclaim, “Look Mommy, puppies”!

While we love the idea of our children growing up with their special canine friend, the reality of its practice is not as perfect as it sounds. We have all seen the stories on the news. Every year in America dog bites are among the top 10 reasons for injuries to children. In fact, dog bites account for more emergency room visits per year than roller skating, skateboarding, all-terrain vehicles and horseback riding accidents combined. While there can never be a guarantee that your child will not be bitten by a dog; there are steps that you can take to dramatically reduce the risks.

First it is important to understand why dogs bite children in the first place. Most dogs are safe and loyal companions, but even the friendliest of dogs can bite if they feel threatened, afraid or hurt. Dogs can be protective over the things they care about including their dog bed and toys or spaces such as their yard, their owner’s parked car or their puppies. Children often make the mistake of inserting their arm into a fence to pet a dog who might be concerned about protecting his space and bite the unsuspecting child. Children need to understand that it is in a dog’s nature to be protectors. Another reason dogs bite children is because children have a tendency to crowd, chase, corner or stand too closely over a dog. These behaviors are all considered threats in the dog’s world. Children must be taught that they need to respect the dog’s space and avoid threatening behavior.

Now that we have a better understanding of why dogs bite children we can begin a step by step education program for our children. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and an national non-profit called Prevent the Bite have worked together to come up with a list of safety tips for children to avoid being bitten by dogs. Here is a basic list of the tips included in this guide:

1. Always remember that no owner means no petting. Your children should know that if there is no one with the dog or closely supervising the dog then it is never acceptable to pet the dog.

2. Always practice the WAIT theory when meeting new dogs
W – Wait to see if the dog is with its owner and the dog and owner appear friendly
A – Ask the owner for permission to pet the dog
I – Invite the dog to sniff or greet you first
T – Touch the dog gently to pet and never pet the face or head of strange dogs

3. Remember that hugs are for people and not for dogs. Children should not drape themselves around the dogs neck as the dog may consider this a threat. Hugs also place the children face to near the dog’s mouth and can result in serious injury.

4. Do not scream or run around dogs, this will agitate them. Dogs also have a tendency to chase running objects so this behavior can be dangerous.

5. Never go near a dog who is eating, sleeping, chewing on a toy or not feeling well. Children sometimes want to innocently play with the dog, but the dog might be protective of its food, toy or bed and choose to bite.

6. Do not go near a dog when he is in a car, behind a fence or tied up even if your child knows the dog as he will want to protect his space.

7. Teach your children what to do when being chased by a strange dog. They should stop running and stand completely still like a tree. If they have a bike or a skateboard they should put it between them and the dog and stand still while looking directly at the ground. Eye contact can sometimes antagonize an angry dog. If they have been knocked over by the dog teach them to lie on the ground with their knees to their chest, hands over their ears and arms covering their face.

This might sound scary to you, but most bite cases can be prevented by teaching your children about how dogs think and making sure they follow these tips.