Monthly Archives: May 2012

Everyday Ways to Decrease Your Carbon Footprint

You probably already know about replacing frequently used light bulbs with CFLs, so I won’t hit you over the head with that one. And I’m guessing you’ve heard that upgrading to more energy-efficient appliances also makes a big dent in your carbon footprint, so I won’t go there. Yet, I’m guessing you may not know how many pounds of carbon dioxide you can shave off your carbon footprint by making a few other slight adjustments, such as only running full loads in your dishwasher or changing your air filter regularly. But first, what is a “carbon footprint” anyway? We all have one, even if we can’t see it! … [More]

Summer Resolutions

It seems like yesterday that I was making my list of resolutions for the New Year and wouldn’t you know it, this Monday is Memorial Day and the official start of summer! I can’t believe we are almost at the halfway point of this year. If I could be so bold, I would suggest that the beginning of summer is a great time to reassess and get focused on any resolutions that may have slacked or replace them with better ideas to accompany the better weather. Summer Resolution #1: Simplify This is something I constantly need to work on: cleaning up and getting rid of things I no … [More]

Know When to Shut Down Your Computer

I’m guilty of wasting energy at home by not turning off my computer when I’m not using it for long stretches. I may go online to look up how long eggs keep after the sell-by date. Or perhaps I’m doing some online banking, shopping for a Mother’s Day gift, or watching funny videos of a dog using the Internet. Whatever the reason I’m at my computer, I sometimes walk away like it’s a refrigerator that needs to run all the time. And that’s a wasteful habit. So, I’m trying to change! Guidance on Shutting Down You may be wondering if it’s not better to leave the computer running … [More]

Tips for Seasonal Storage

Want to make your life easier throughout the year? Take some time to re-arrange your things once a season. As the seasons change, the items that we use most often change too. In the sweltering heat of August, who wants to look at a coat closet filled with down jackets, scarves and mittens? Follow these tips to tweak your storage systems so that you can quickly and easily get to the items you need for the current season, whether it’s antifreeze or sunscreen. Clothing and closets If you only make one seasonal change to your organizational systems, focus on your clothes! In my 10 years of working with … [More]

Organize This! Our Chat On Facebook

Did you miss the incredible live Facebook chat with professional organizers Joshua Zerkel and Lisa Zaslow? It was packed—pun intended—with good information. Really, though, there was so much good, professional information shared that I wanted to pass along some of it to those who missed it. CLEANING AND PURGING your home, workspace, storage: Be prepared: come up with criteria, have good supplies (black trash bags, recycling bin, donation bin, and a container for items to sell), and have time set aside at the end of each organizing session to take your items to donation center. There will be items that you can’t decide on, so consider a “Maybe” … [More]

Secrets to Spending Less on Gas

So, maybe these gas-saving tips aren’t “secrets,” but they may have been placed on a dusty shelf inside your long-term memory. Everyone, especially me, needs reminding at times. As you know, gas is getting more expensive, making commutes to work more unpleasant and vacations harder to budget. However, there are some simple ways to use less gas, and they’re free if you remember them! I’ve gathered some key fuel economy tips for you, plus information to consider when buying a new car. Just so you know, the gas-savings figures cited below are from the U.S. Department of Energy. Easy Ways to Use Less Fuel Tame the road rage. … [More]

Live Chat on Facebook

Like writing your personal memoir, planning a dream vacation, training for a marathon, and competing in a hot dog eating competition, the hardest part of organizing your home and life is actually getting started. It can seem really overwhelming and completely foreign to your natural sensibilities. Best to not even start, right? Wrong. (Of course!) You just need a good push in the right direction from a professional organizer. Now you just need to somehow find and pay for a professional organizer, right? Wrong again. (Now I’m just toying with you.) All you have to do is join us on Facebook this Thursday, May 17th at 5pm (EST). … [More]

Seasonal Transitions – Beyond the Obvious

When summer comes and the weather gets warm, we all know what to do – put the long pants and heavy coats in storage, and bring out the shorts and t-shirts! Easy enough, right? But what about the things that are not quite so obvious – your information and your paper? These things have transitional states of their own, and by managing them you can make your life a lot easier. Here are a few ideas: Toss and delete. Open your file drawer. Are there outdated insurance policies, unwanted or unneeded statements or bills, or a folder overflowing with grocery receipts? Take this opportunity to get rid of … [More]

How to Choose a Moving Company

The month of May contains many little celebrations – spring weather, end of the school year, blooming lilies and National Moving Month! Maybe moving isn’t as exciting as lilies opening up for the world or kids throwing down backpacks for the summer, but it’s part of everyone’s life at some point. As I’ve mentioned before when discussing how to pack moving boxes, I think hiring a moving company is worth it. I’m not lazy, just practical! However, hiring a mover does require some thought, even if you’re only moving a mile away. It’s important to protect your wallet and your belongings by hiring a reputable mover. After all, … [More]

Less Energy Destroyed – LED Lighting

Last month I talked about the different things Extra Space Storage is doing to reduce its consumption of electricity. This week I want to highlight a kind of lighting that we use at our facilities to reduce energy consumption – LED lighting. Even though LED doesn’t stand for Less Energy Destroyed, it might as well. LED lighting is at the cutting edge of lighting technology. Only until recently has this type of lighting become more widely used and recognized. LED lights outperform incandescent light bulbs and compact fluorescents (CFLs) in the following areas: Life Span Environmental Impact Light Output And when I say outperform, I mean SIGNIFICANTLY outperform the … [More]