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Moving On and Over...

2011-05-08T09:34:00.002-07:00

The Moving On part: This is the last (anticipated) post for this blog. Lots of recent changes to my job/career/freelance endeavors will prevent me from having the time to keep it updated. Additionally, one of the sites I published MANY of my how-to articles on has now ceased (at least in that capacity) so links to those articles in previous posts have also been removed. << Which means you may be

Before You Leave: Last Minute Travel Checklist

2011-04-19T14:55:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to take a vacation or travel away from home for more than a week? Invariably, we all tend to forget to do one or two things before we leave home, that we can never seem to relax about until we return. To make your travel plans stress free, here's a few things you might want to consider adding to your checklist of things to do before you go: Notify a trusted neighbor, relative or

Exploring New Ways to Earn a Living

2011-04-06T22:13:00.002-07:00

I keep running into people that seem to be at a crossroads, trying to figure out which path should they choose when it comes to earning a living. Like myself, many are diversifying into areas that they might not have considered a few years ago, when the economy (at least on the employment side) felt a bit less fragile. But now, with so many unemployed, the focus is on finding ways to earn a

Chores, Allowance and the 21st Century

2011-02-15T08:46:00.008-07:00

When I was a kid, chores and allowance were "the norm" for pretty much every family in our neighborhood. In our family, chores were assigned and posted on the fridge. Over the years there may have been a switch here and there in the compensation system (flat rate weekly allowance vs. per chore) but the values and requirements remained the same: Money = Responsibility. I can still remember the

TO DO Lists - Positive Goal Reinforcements

2011-01-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

I recently read a tweet that said If you're not finishing your "To Do" list, you're basically doing something wrong. I wholeheartedly...disagree. A few years ago I sat down and created a To Do list for everything I thought I wanted to accomplish in the next 18 mos. It was a substantial list I must say, with more than 50 items. I pinned it to my bulletin board and at least glanced at it a few

The Top 3 Household Forms You Should Keep On Hand

2010-12-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

The holidays are here, which means many of us will be doing one (or all) of the following: Arranging for someone to feed and water our pets and plants; Arranging for a new babysitter to watch the little ones while they're on Christmas vacation... or we are out on New Year's Eve; Sending one of our children with friends, a youth group or other family members on a vacation away from their

Save Your Sanity - Holiday Online Shopping Is the Way to Go

2010-12-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

I'll let you in on a secret: I rarely go to the mall after Thanksgiving. It's not that I don't love the decorations and Christmas festivities - it's just that I don't enjoy the parking hassles, frantic shoppers and overstimulated kids having meltdowns. I prefer to save (or savor) my sanity! Besides, I've found that overall, I can get just as many great deals shopping online as I can at the malls

Cooking SOS - Holiday Help is Here

2010-11-25T08:21:00.001-07:00

Have a quick question about cooking a turkey or ham? Need ideas for what to do with the leftovers? When it comes to meals from Thanksgiving to Christmas, I say get all the resources you can! Here's a great list of websites, articles and toll free consumer help lines that can be especially valuable for the Holiday Season: Butterball Turkey Talk-Line: (800) BUTTERBALL or website Foster Farms Help

Relocating and Move In Must Dos

2010-11-23T10:15:00.001-07:00

I recently relocated to Tucson from Orange County... which gave me the opportunity to "practice what you preach" on a few different items that I've recently posted about, including: using colored tape to distinguish which items are fragile; using pencil boxes to store small items; and the MOST important doing a move-in walk-through. My new apt. has a fabulous view and a cute little patio, but

Habitat for Humanity ReStore - the OC's Best Kept Secret

2010-09-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

Twitter/restoreOC Last week I spent a few hours working with Nicole, coordinator of social networking and volunteers for ReStoreOC and had a great time getting a quick tour of their Garden Grove location on Harbor Blvd . While I was aware that Habitat for Humanity had a store, I assumed it was mostly building supplies like paint and molding. Boy was I pleasantly surprised to find out that there

Can You Spare a Pencil? RAOK Special Request

2010-09-10T15:30:00.000-07:00

This is a special blog post - one that I don't often do, but was moved by a request I found on Craigslist.org today...for pencils. Today I decided that in between writing assignments and working on a client project, I would find at least one way to perform a Random Act of Kindness (RAOK). So I hopped on Craigslist and began checking out the "wanted" section. The pencil request was the second one

Document Storage - What to Do with Important Papers

2010-08-15T15:11:00.001-07:00

Recently I worked with a client who was clearing out a storage unit that contained more than 20 years worth of medical records as well as important business and tax documents. Whether you are dealing with your personal tax records and important papers, the estate of a loved one, or the documents accumulated when running a business of any size, having a document storage plan is a good idea.

Packing Made Easier with Colored Tape

2010-07-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

Labeling boxes is always recommended, but adding an extra "visual clue" as to a box's content can save you even more time. Whether you are packing up the house for a cross-country move or organizing the garage, colored packing tape can be a big help for identifying boxes. Here's just a few of the ways to use colored tape to make your packing and organizing easier: 1. If you have kid rooms to

The Price of Time - Learning to Delegate

2010-06-14T19:44:00.001-07:00

How much is your time worth? Finding out is the first step in analyzing whether or not it is more beneficial for you to hire someone else to complete tasks... or do them yourself. So let's start here: Know the Value of Your Time Calculator Take a few moments to input the basics, then calculate the results. You may be surprised at the outcome. Even more so, you may discover that you would

It's Almost Summer--What Do We Do with the Kids?

2010-05-28T08:38:00.002-07:00

Summer is just around the corner and for many families that means family vacations, summer camp and helping the older kids find summer jobs. Here are a variety of articles centered around those topics that may help you in your family's search for creative (and economical) ways to keep the kids busy this summer! 10 Fun and Free Things to Do in San Diego San Diego is an excellent place for a

Using Your Creative Talents to Make Money

2010-05-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

One of the positive things about the current economic situation is that it has given many talented individuals the "kick in the pants" do actually do something with their creative talents... from jewelry making and crafts to photography and baking, home-based creative businesses have been on the rise. Are you a budding photographer, baker or artisan that's looking to supplement your income?

How to Get Money for a Small Business

2010-04-23T12:08:00.001-07:00

For many, one of the biggest deterrents to starting a business is finding the funds for startup. While some may chose to start a business based solely on private investment, there may be additional state and federal programs that can help. One of the ways the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides short-term loans to small businesses is through their Micro-Loan Program. The SBA does

Charmed: A Dog's Life in Huntington Beach

2010-04-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Meet Charm. She's one of two rescue dogs that belong to my roommate... which kind of makes me her "aunt". Charm's favorite place (and one of mine too!) is Dog Beach -- just one of the many dog-friendly outdoor spots available here in Huntington Beach. Now that it's Spring, you'll find Charm and her sister Paloma, weekday mornings at Dog Beach catching Frisbees and enjoying the waves. The

Laundry 101: Tips & Tricks To Make Your Laundry Easier, Less Costly and More Eco-Friendly

2010-03-08T12:46:00.001-07:00

Laundry...necessary evil or enjoyable task? I'd venture to say for most it falls somewhere in between. Having been doing laundry for more than two decades now, I'm feeling like somewhat of an expert when it comes to managing laundry chores. Here are a few tips that can help make the laundry tasks easier, less costly and more eco-friendly! The Green Guide to Biodegradable and Non-Toxic Laundry

Getting a Handle on Life in 2010

2010-02-04T17:02:00.000-07:00

I am not one for New Year's resolutions, but I am definitely in favor of taking stock of where you're at vs. where you want to be, and then creating a plan or list of goals for the things you'd like to change. Maybe you're like me and bypass the whole January 1st ritual of posting a new list of resolutions on the fridge or dresser mirror. Maybe, you too will consider February (or whatever month

My Favorite Small Storage Tip: The Pencil Box

2010-01-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

While the pencil box is a staple for school supplies, you might not realize how very versatile it can be for storing small objects. Whether you are organizing your suitcase or makeup drawer, consider purchasing a few plastic pencil boxes to store smaller items. They're inexpensive (especially during Back-to-School sales), stackable, reusable and easy to store. I stocked up on them a few months

From Fussy Babies to Stressed Out Adults - Tips for Restoring Calm

2009-12-28T21:31:00.002-07:00

The Holidays bring excitement, fun, parties...and for many, stress or depression. Here are a few articles that can help you restore the calm during the Holiday Season (and the rest of the year too!) [ADDITIONAL CONTENT ARTICLE LINKS REMOVED] photo credit: sxc.hu/claudmey

Recycle and Reuse This Holiday Season

2009-12-19T20:40:00.001-07:00

Make it a point to recycle and reuse this Holiday Season. It's good for the environment, easy on the wallet, and encourages lots of participation from the family. Need a few ideas to get started? Check out some of these: Save this year's Holiday greeting cards to reuse next year. An easy and frugal way to reuse: Cut off the front cover and use next year as a Holiday postcard. Simple draw a line

Now IS the Time to Remodel

2009-11-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

I received a voicemail message from my client on Saturday... in a nutshell she was THRILLED that her Powder Room remodeling project was moving along smoothly and quickly. My client lives in a coastal community here in Orange County, where 12-18 months ago a 2-4 month wait was the "norm" for just about any type of remodeling work - from painting to plumbing. This project by the way, was a major

There's Centerpieces...and Then There's CENTERPIECES

2009-11-16T22:54:00.001-07:00

I recently wrote an article to share some of the inexpensive Holiday centerpiece ideas I've used over the years. Having budget-friendly options seems more important this year, when so many are scaling back on seasonal entertaining. Creating an inexpensive holiday centerpiece for your Thanksgiving or Christmas table can be easily achieved with a few items from your garden or pantry. With a