Are you in the midst of cleaning out your closet?  Here is a great opportunity to donate your gently used professional men’s attire to help men in crisis dress for success.  For the third year, Men’s Warehouse is sponsoring National Suit Drive during the month of September.

The National Suit Drive helps low/no income men make a good impression during job interviews by providing them with professional attire.  You can help someone make a new start by donating gently used:

• Suits
• Sport coats
• Dress slacks, shirts, shoes
• Sportswear (linen shirts, sweaters, casual pants, vests)
• Outerwear (jackets, long coats, raincoats)
• Ties and other accessories

It’s easy – once you have cleaned out your closet, locate your nearest Men’s Warehouse store location.  You can drop off your donation until September 30.  From there, Men’s Warehouse will contribute the items to a local nonprofit organization.  If you live in Tulsa, items will be donated to John 3:16 Mission.

What’s in your closet that you no longer wear?

Are you prepared if disaster strikes?  Do you have a plan to evacuate your home or business in the event of an emergency? Do you have provisions to sustain yourself and your family for an unknown period of time? 

The Home Safety Council urges all families to be prepared in the event of a hurricane, flood, ice storm or other natural disaster.  There are two steps to preparing for a disaster:

1. Develop a communications plan.  Determine how everyone in your family will find each other and stay connected in the event of an emergency.
2. Prepare provisions.  Put together the things you will need in an emergency so that you are “ready to go” or “ready to stay” if disaster strikes.

For instructions on how to develop a communications plan and other useful information, visit the Home Safety Council.

As of Saturday, May 29, members of the United States military who have given their lives in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan reached the 1,000 mark.  The 1,000th was a 24-year old Marine who had begged to be returned to the front lines after recuperating from a bomb blast incurred while serving in Iraq.  He stepped on a land mine in Helmand province less than a month into his second tour.  Marine Corporal Jacob C. Leicht gave the ultimate sacrifice – he gave his all in service to our great nation.  And as the numbers indicate, he is not alone.  At least 4,400 members of the US military have died in the Iraq war since 2003.

Memorial Day was established to honor those who died in service to the United States of America and as a nation to come together and pay tribute to the men and women who gave their all.  But the initial intention of Memorial Day has become diluted over the years.  This appears to have happened about the time that Congress changed the date from “May 30″ to “the last Monday in May” in order to afford everyone a three-day weekend.  Memorial Day has now become a day to remember anyone who has passed away, not just those who have fallen defending our freedom.

In an effort to restore awareness and reverence to the Memorial Day holiday, Congress enacted the National Moment of Remembrance in 2000.  This program encourages all Americans to pause for one minute at 3:00pm local time to remember and to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to provide freedom for all.  While you wait for the Moment of Remembrance, take the time to look over the names of our fallen because “each name of the fallen is engraved on our hearts.”

But a “moment” just isn’t long enough. On this Memorial Day 2010, and everyday between now and the next Memorial Day, honor the memory of the those who served so that you can live in the “land of the free and the home of brave.”

“O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who  more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life.
America, America
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine.”

Have you cleaned out your closets or garage lately?  Do you still have boxes or bags of items sitting around that you intend to donate to charity?  Well, I have a simple solution that will help you out.

I just found out about a great new service – it’s called Donation Town.  This is an online service that will help you to locate a charity in your local area that will send a truck to your home to pick up your used clothing or household items.  Your items can be left at the curb in boxes or bags, ready to be picked up on a scheduled date.  Follow these simple steps:

1. Visit the national directory of charities and enter your zip code.
2. Select a charity in your area to pick up your donation.
3. Schedule your pick up.

It’s simple and it’s so easy to do.  Why not give it a try today?

Eco-Organizing Made Easy

It’s easy being green! Living an eco-friendly lifestyle is not only trendy, but it’s the right thing to do! So why not incorporate some green practices into your organizing? You can keep it low-key by following some of the easy eco tips listed below, or you can go all the way and declare yourself “eco-organized” by adopting an environmentally friendly lifestyle. If you’d like to get on board, start with the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

REDUCE
By clearing clutter and creating easy-to-locate “homes” for your things, you avoid making expensive, unnecessary, duplicate purchases. Many of us have issues with

consumerism and over-abundance. To be more eco-conscious, you might consider reducing your overall shopping habits. Or, you can decide that it’s sometimes better to invest in a higher-quality, longer-lasting item that won’t fall apart quickly. You can also “co-op” large purchases — such as snow blowers or lawn mowers— with your neighbors, or simply borrow (like in the good old days) things that you only need to use once in a while. And don’t forget about reducing your paper consumption. Use both sides of your paper and print out less. If you fear that you’ll lose the information if you don’t have a hard copy, then set up e-folders on your computer for easy file retrieval.

REUSE
Would you like to save money and be eco-friendly by repurposing items you already own rather than purchasing new? Reuse common household items in new and attractive ways. An empty kleenex box can become a plastic shopping bag holder. An unmatched teacup can hold paperclips. Shoe boxes, coffee cans, paper ream boxes, mint tins — just about any type of container can be covered with pretty paper and reused in the organizing arena! Very often people purchase  many, many organizing bins, baskets, and boxes with the hopes that they will be the answer to their organizing woes. Scout out your own unused containers and put them to good use.

RECYCLE
There are many ways you can recycle both during and after the organizing process. Consider your current recycling habits. If you are an eco-newbie, start off with baby steps. Explore your local recycling programs, and set up an easy recycling station in the kitchen. Stash small recycling bins in locations where you handle papers. See how easy it is to toss papers and cardboard in a recycling bin rather than in a garbage can. Also, make smart decisions when it comes to recycling your castoffs. Rather than discarding items in the trash, utilize your local donation resources. You may already know that you can donate clothing to Goodwill, but what about the extra lumber in the garage or your old cell phones and eye glasses? Use your computer to search for nearby charities that need your unwanted items, or ask your professional organizer for recommendations.

In addition to these Reduce, Reuse, and Recycling tips, you can go a step further and:

• discover new ways to save energy, such as turning off computers at night, using power strips to make shut-down easy, driving more efficiently by grouping errands, and setting up a home energy audit

• educate your family on how to handle household waste, such as locating recycling services in your county, disposing of household hazardous waste properly, and composting food scraps

• search out green retailers, such as those that offer sustainable or locally-produced organizing products and/or second-hand stores

As with any organizing project, you must be motivated and inspired! Whether you want to get a little “greener” or become all-out eco-optimized, stay focused on the benefits of going green. Eco-organizing can be easy and convenient, and it can ultimately save you time and money. And, of course, it will make Mother Earth very happy!  © 2010 Articles on Demand™

Quick Garage Tips

No matter if you purchase an expensive custom garage storage system or just hang a few hooks for your bikes, investing in your garage is a good idea. Hey, you might even fit your car in there once it’s organized!

• Think of your garage in terms of zones: automotive, gardening, sports, tools, toys, etc. Consolidate items for easy retrieval, placing items as close as possible to where they will be used. For example, keep gardening accoutrements in a large basket by the outside door. Set recycling bins right next to the interior door. Put tools near the workbench.

• Install pegboard on one wall. Use hooks to hold tools and gardening equipment. Pop in brackets and you can install shelving as well. Then use labeled jars or a multi-drawer storage system to separate small pieces of hardware.

• Get things off the floor and onto the walls and ceiling. Install inexpensive hooks to hold bikes, rakes, brooms, sleds, ladders, and hoses. Install cabinets and shelving along the back or side walls.

• Make it easy for kids to access and put away their own stuff. A tall can will neatly hold hockey sticks, baseball bats, and other long items. Corral balls in a large bin.

• Finally, keep a fire extinguisher handy, mounted on the wall. ©2009 Articles on Demand™

My teenage son is an up and coming cyclist with a dream of winning the Tour de France.  He is entered in a 26 mile race this weekend made of five laps on a course which is described as hilly with lots of twists and turns.  So this afternoon I took him out to ride the course to get familiar with it and to time his laps.

The start of the race is at a remote park on the edge of a lake.  We were the only ones in the parking area, save for a lone pickup truck with a boat trailer – the owners of which were probably happily wiling away the beautiful sunny day out on the lake somewhere.

Lap 1 – As my son took off, I started the stop watch on my cell phone.  Even though the sun was out, there was still a distinct chill in the air so I decided to sit in the car and wait as he made his rounds.  It was then that I realized I had not brought along anything “to do.”  I had inadvertently left my bag, packed with books and magazines, at home.

The battery on my car has been acting up, so I didn’t want to turn on the car radio for fear of running the battery down in a remote area with no one around to provide a jump.  Additionally, my cell phone was down to just one bar on the battery – I needed what was left to keep the stop watch running – so I couldn’t use my phone to check email or surf the web.

I began fussing with myself for not remembering to bring something “to do.”  Look how much time I was wasting – I could be “doing” something.  I grabbed a handful of maps from the door pocket to leaf through.  The road maps of Denver and Dallas brought back fond memories of road trips with my daughter.  I opened up the Oklahoma map and traced the 2010 Oklahoma FreeWheel route.

Lap 2 – Opened the console between the front seats, organized the CDs and miscellaneous items found there and threw away some trash in the park dumpster.  Next I checked the glove compartment for something “to do.”

Lap 3 – Found two cycling catalogues in the back seat that my son had picked up at the bike shop on the way out of town.  Leafed through the pages and looked at all the biking accessories for really serious cyclists.

Lap 4 – Realized how incredibly quiet it was.  The park is far removed from any traffic – the only noises were birds chirping and the sound the breeze makes as it blows through the still clinging dried up leaves on the trees.  It occurred to me that maybe I didn’t need “to do” anything other than be still and observe what was going on around me.

Lap 5 – Got out of the car and walked up a small hill to get a better view of the road.  The air was warming up and bugs were beginning to buzz around.  I breathed in the warm spring air, and then watched with pride as my cyclist came sprinting down the road and crossed over what will be the finish line on Saturday.

What do you do when there’s nothing to do?  Why not give nothing a try.

Did you receive a gift of jewelry for Valentine’s Day?  If so, then it might be a good time to organize your jewelry collection so that your new gift will have a suitable home.  All you have to do is follow the basic steps for organizing.

• Step 1 – Sort your jewelry.  Start by gathering up all of your jewelry and then putting it into categories.  Your categories will depend on what kind of jewelry you tend to wear – rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, fine jewelry and costume jewelry are just a few of the categories you might choose.
• Step 2 – Purge.  Are there items you no longer wear or that are no longer in style; are there pieces that are broken, or an earring that is missing a mate.  Keep only the things that you truly love and use.  It’s a good time to consider selling any gold you no longer want.
• Step 3 – Designate a home.  Is your jewelry located in a convenient place?  Is it easily accessible when you are ready to adorn yourself?  Is everything in one spot or do you have to search around to put together the right assortment?  Choose the best location to store your jewelry so that you have immediate and easy access when you need it.  This also makes putting it away after you wear it a lot easier.
• Step 4 – Decide on the right container.  You might choose to use a favorite jewelry box or stacking storage cases.  Hanging chunky necklaces on hooks keeps them visible and takes up less space than storing in a jewelry box.   Make decisions on whether you like to keep sets together, or if you prefer to store pieces by type.  You might choose to keep your fine jewelry separate from your costume jewelry.  Some ladies find it easier to group by color.
• Step 5 – Regular maintenance.  Use the one in, one out rule – if you acquire a new piece of jewelry, make room for it by eliminating a piece from your collection that no longer works for you.  Be sure to keep your appraisals up-to-date and in a safe location.  And don’t forget to have those special pieces cleaned to maintain their luster and brilliance!

Tulsa Tough is a three day cycling event designed to promote fitness and healthy lifestyles while showcasing our fabulous city.  For the past 3 years, Tulsa Tough has created the opportunity for kids to earn a bicycle through the Tulsa Kids Program.   This year Tulsa Tough will be giving away its 1,000th kids bicycle.The goals of the program are to:

• Teach Kids Safe Escape Techniques for Dangerous Situations
• Give Away 300 Kids Bikes and Helmets
• Train the Kids on Bike Handling
• Bring the Community Out to Support and Ride with the Kids

Volunteers from Tulsa’s cycling community meet to assemble hundreds of bicycles in one evening.   Bicycle mechanics from local bike shops tune up all the bikes so that they are safe and ready to ride.

The success of this program has earned Tulsa Tough a chance to win a $50,000 grant  from Pepsi.  It’s called Refresh Everything and the winners are chosen by public vote.   The top ten receive funding and Tulsa Tough is currently in the top 30.

Please support this worthwhile program by voting today and everyday through February 28.  Visit www.refresheverything.com/tulsatough to cast your vote.   You can also help by posting this information to your Facebook page and Tweeting about it.   Spread the word far and wide – every vote counts!

“Socks on the floor, socks on the floor;
drive your parents crazy with your socks on the floor.
Take ‘em off your feet, leave them all around;
drive your parents crazy with your socks on the floor.”
{Rap to the beat of “Pants on the Ground“}

When you are raising a child with ADD, the simplest tasks can be monumental.   My son is what everyone refers to as “high maintenance” – my husband and I simply refer to him as “The Triplets.”  From the time he was a toddler, he has outpaced us both.

He has never liked wearing shoes and socks.  When he was in elementary school, I would pick him and the first thing he would do would be to take off his shoes and socks in the car.  He would wait until the last minute in the morning to put them on, frequently grabbing them in his hands to put them on in the car on our way to school.  One day, we got to school and he had his socks on, but “uh-oh, Mom, I forgot my shoes.”

As he got older and rode the bus to school, he would come home and immediately take off his socks – in the living room, dining room, family room – they would land anywhere.  When he would be away at camp during the summer, I would move a piece of furniture to clean, and there would be a dirty sock.  My husband and I always joked that when he grew up and left home we would still be finding his socks in inconspicuous places.  No matter what we tried, we were unable to get our son keep his socks picked up.

Now that he is in high school, we decided it was time to issue the ultimatum – if we find socks on the floor, they go in the trash.  When they are all gone, he would have to buy new socks using his own money.  Miraculously the socks found their way to the dirty clothes hamper and no longer were we finding them strewn all over the house.

This past summer, while he was away at camp, I didn’t find any sock traces when I cleaned.  And it struck me that I missed finding those socks.   He finally learned to pick up his socks and now I missed the reminders.   It’s a sign that he is growing up and will soon be going off to college, where he will probably leave his socks on the floor.  When he leaves, I will still look for his socks on the floor.