NEAT & SIMPLE LIVING with Ariane Benefit, Organizing Coach

Simplifying Life: How about a "TRASH makeover?" Saves Money too!

Are you looking for a way to reduce how much trash you generate and simplify your trash disposal and recycling?  Think it would be IMPOSSIBLE to get your trash down to just one can a month?

Check out this blog with some really neat "Practical Green Living" ideas from two  "EnviroMoms" 

The video clip below shows them on Nightline doing a "trash intervention" Some professional organizers are even specializing in doing but  "Green Living" makeovers.  How cool is that!?

Do you know how many cans of garbage your family puts out each month?

In our home, we are lucky that we can recycle ALL paper, plastic, glass, aluminum, etc.  Our recycling is about 4 times what we put out for garbage.  We aren't down to one can per month of garbage, but we are down to 1/2 to 1 garbage cans per week. 

p.s. We finally found this water filtration unit that fits under our kitchen sink! It's only sold at HOme Depot.  The water is even BETTER tasting than the bottled water....so we have cut our use of plastic water bottles to almost none.  We still use them for traveling etc. but we refill them several times before disposing of them.  Because the separate filtered water faucet is quite slow, I fill up pitchers of water and keep one in my office and one in the kitchen.  That way it's easy to remember to keep my glass of water full.   

The TRUE cost of things

"The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life, which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run."
--Henry David Thoreau

When you think about buying things, or decide to keep things you no longer really love or use, how often do you stop and think about the true cost of things?  I'm talking about the true cost of owning the thing throughout it's life cycle.  

For example, are you aware of how much time you spend maintaining the things you own?

When you think about buying something, do you think about the time, energy and money it will take to:

- Shopping for things
- Choosing and buying things
- Storing things, choosing and buying containers, shelves etc. 
- Fixing things (especially houses and cars - do you really plan for all the repairs?)
- Cleaning things
- Looking for things
- Inventorying and insuring things
- Worrying about people taking your things and paying for security systems
- Yelling at your kids about things
- Fighting with your spouse about things
- Figuring out how to let go of things such as finding some one to give them to

How much of the cost of your home actually goes directly to storing things you can't find when you need them anyway?

Do you argue with people in your life about stuff? Is it worth the trouble?

What would you do with your time, energy and money if you didn't have to worry about so many things?

Are your things helping you avoid having to make the tough decisions about what you really want to be and do with your?  Are they filling a void in your heart and soul?  Keeping you stuck in pattern that is painful but familiar and therefore its hard to change? 

Starting to let go of unneeded things gradually can actually help you face this.  Sometimes the first step in stopping the cycle is just to acquire less and refocus all that shopping energy on self-care.  

How would your life be different with fewer clothes? fewer books, DVDs, CDs? fewer magazines? less junk mail? fewer toys? fewer photos? a smaller house? no car payments?  

MORE FROM THE WEB AND BLOGOSPHERE ON THE TRUE COST OF THINGS AND LIVING WITH LESS 

• ZEN HABITS Leo Babauta published a free e-book on Thriving on Less: Simplifying in a Tough Economy that is worth a read. He has also published a book on the Power of Less. I haven't read it, but thought you might like to know!
   GET FREE DOWNLOAD
  
• THE DEBT FREE KID - A neat post by Karissa about the true price of things...a great reminder that things really don't buy happiness.
  
• GREEN FERTILITY - Here's a neat couple of posts about the true cost of things...like the true cost of a dozen eggs...and the true cost of low cost food...this one really opened my eyes.
  
• THE TRUE COST OF OWNING A HOME - Owning a home may not be as much of an investment as you think...if you are thinking of owning  a home, think it all the way through and DON"T let the mortgage companies talk you into "buying the largest home you can afford"  or "don't worry about the total cost, just think about the monthly payment"   The total true cost can be as must as 5 TIMES the monthly payment to cover utilities, property taxes and maintenance. Even if you have two incomes, I always recommend buying a home you could afford on 25 - 40% of the lower income ALONE.  The freedom is so worth it! 
  
• THE TRUE COST OF DRIVING  A neat little calculator to help you learn the TRUE cost of driving your car. You might be really astonished! 
  
• THE TRUE COST OF CREDIT  - Tells you what it really costs to use your credit cards.
  
• THE WALDEN POND PROJECT - An activity to help kids learn the true cost of things.

Do you have or know of a great post on the true cost of things?

Post your link below!

Getting Unstuck Coaching Group is here!

Over the last several weeks, Suzanne Babb and I have been working closely with my new publishing company to reinvent the Getting Unstuck Coaching and Support Group as an ONGOING group, not just a one-shot deal.

We are thrilled to announce that the group officially begins Jan. 15! 

An Affordable Alternative

For people interested in coaching, but aren't sure about investing a lot of money in it, (and who has money to spare these days?)  we have designed a truly unique program that enables you to experience coaching in a group setting. 

Group coaching provides you with a way to receive ongoing learning, feedback, support, and inspiration without having to spend a fortune. You not only get our support, you get the support of other people who are all working on getting unstuck, getting inspired, and getting organized.  

A Longer Term Alternative

This program is designed to be an ongoing support experience, kinda like Weight Watchers, but for Managing Your Life, not your weight.  So just when you've found your groove and are making serious progress on your goals, you won't be cut off.  

If you find you've really gotten a handle on things, you can leave the group.  If you "fall off the wagon" (and most of us do when life throws us curveballs) we will be here for you - and you won't have to get on a waiting list.  Just re-enroll in a couple easy steps.

 Special Offer

You get 3 months of coaching calls, ALL of Suzanne's e-books on Organizing, and Technology and Ariane's Organizing eBooks, discounts on future workshops, an exclusive online support forum, and much more.  Learn all the details here:  Getting Unstuck Coaching Group

Whatever you decide, I truly wish you a world of sustainable success in 2009!

25 Ways I Save Money - 2008

I wrote a post on this a few years ago, and with financial times the way they are, I thought this might be a good time to update it and ask: How are you Saving Money?

1. We live in a smaller house than we can afford, and do our own gardening, home repairs and painting. This year, we redid our front garden to expand it and use only plants that don't require watering, and that are perennial.  This is going to save us a lot of money on annuals! Plus it's going to save a lot of time spent on mowing. The new tree will also give us more shade in the summer and save on energy.  I have posted a video clip of the project in the Neat and Simple Living Cafe. 
   Find more videos like this on Neat and Simple Living Cafe
    
   
2. Pay bills online with a free checking & online account from Wachovia which also pays interest on our balances.
   
3. We still have our home equity loan balance on a 0% credit card. Haven't paid interest for the 3 years since we renovated the entire front and backyard of our home which has enabled us to pay it off much faster. I set up reminders in my GOOGLE CALENDAR to tell me when the 0% rate is up and then we move it to another 0% interest account. We have paid most of it, and used it to invest in a new roof. But it's still all 0%.
   
4. We never use an ATM or any other banking service that charges fees.
   
5. We changed all our lightbulbs to compact flourescent bulbs including our front porch and outdoor lights. Of course we got them in bulk on sale! We still have not had to replace any of these bulbs.  They really last!
   
6. We use a single Amazon.com Rewards Credit Card and get $25 rewards every month or two. We put all daily living purchases on it and pay it in full every month. We use the reward certificates for birthday gifts that we can simply enclose in a birthday card. In 2008, we earned over 500$ for using our card.
    
7. We use a Miles One Rewards credit card for all business purchases and get free miles for traveling. In 2008, we got Alan's ticket to go with me to the NSGCD Conference for free.
   
8. Don't go to movie theaters anymore - we have cable & wait for movies to come out on cable.  We use Tivo to record movies we really want to see.
   
9. We only eat in restaurants or get takeout maybe once a month or even 2 months. We cook at home every day.
   
10. We only run the dishwasher and washing machine when it's full.
    
11. Buy water by the case -  on sale. Only drink water, coffee or tea...no sodas, etc.  We don't drink alcohol at all any more.  NOTE: We are looking for a water filtration system and no longer using plastic bottles.  We hope to soon be able to find water packaged in those biodegradable corn-based plastic bottles.
    
12. We moved our car insurance to Geico last year and saved $1500 per year.  Northern NJ has nearly the highest insurance rates in the country. We couldn't believe we saved this much.  And our insurance rates have actually gone down every year!  Probably because my car just keeps getting older.  We also have a huge collision deductible which also keeps rates down.
    
13. I cut my husband's hair myself.
     
14. I keep my own hair long and trim the front of my hair myself so I only have to go to the hairdresser 2-3 times a year.
    
15. I color my own hair.
    
16. I mostly only wear lipstick and blush.  Only use full makeup for special occasions.  :)
    
17. Only wear a watch and my wedding rings as jewelry.  Jewelry on my neck, wrists or ears causes me a lot of discomfort and annoyance anyway.
    
18. Do my own pedicures and go out for a pedicure maybe once a year as a treat for a special occasion.
    
19. Do my own manicures...and I don't use nail polish on my fingernails - it saves a lot of time too!!  : )
    
20. We rarely throw any food anyway. We have a system for storing leftovers to make sure we use them them. We always put leftovers in a designated section of the top shelf in the fridge next to the milk so we can't forget about them. We use leftovers the next day for lunch or snacks or as a side dish with dinner.
     
21. We have a small Cuisinart counter top combo toaster, broiler and convection oven and use that for heating & baking small portions instead of turning on the oven. 
22. We keep our cars. I've only bought one brand new car in my life! Cars only depreciate so I never saw the point in losing a few thousand dollars as soon as you drive it off the lot.  But I did finally splurge on my 40th birthday and got myself a 2000 Sebring Convertible which I will keep as long it is still safe to drive!  I love it!  It is actually very practical as we can open the top and haul just about anything an SUV can.  Even more!  Plus it gets about 27 MPG.  Not bad when you consider how much mileage an SUV gets. In 2008, it is still going strong, but does have a little water leak. : )
    
    I had my 1988 Honda Accord for 10 years until I gave it to my brother in 2000.  He had it another 4 years before it died.  My husband has a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid he LOVES and it gets nearly 50 mpg.  We also buy other things used...like our dining room set.
    
23. We don't buy CDs or DVDs anymore - we download most of our music  - we get 25 songs free every month with our Comcast cable internet service.  The super high speed internet pays for itself between the free music and all the research we do on it to save money.
    
24. We avoid processed foods like microwave popcorn, we use the bulk kind and have a West Bend Stir Crazy popcorn popper.which is actually a lot of fun to use!  We also make our own sugar free ice cream with just fruit and milk using the Vitamix blender we invested in. Cutting out sugar and gluten has saved a lot of money in addition to improving our health dramatically.
    
25. We use a digital camera for photos and ONLY print out a very select few!

Whew...that was fun!   So what are your top tips?  Would love to hear any additions you might have!    : ) 

Happy Thanksgiving!    I'll be in Virginia visiting family till Sunday!

See you next week! 

 

1. We live in a smaller house than we can afford, and do our own gardening, home repairs and painting. This year, we redid our front garden to expand it and use only plants that don't require watering, and that are perennial.  This is going to save us a lot of money on annuals! Plus it's going to save a lot of time spent on mowing. The new tree will also give us more shade in the summer and save on energy.  I have posted a video clip of the project in the Neat and Simple Living Cafe. 
   Find more videos like this on Neat and Simple Living Cafe
    
   
2. Pay bills online with a free checking & online account from Wachovia which also pays interest on our balances.
   
3. We still have our home equity loan balance on a 0% credit card. Haven't paid interest for the 3 years since we renovated the entire front and backyard of our home which has enabled us to pay it off much faster. I set up reminders in my GOOGLE CALENDAR to tell me when the 0% rate is up and then we move it to another 0% interest account. We have paid most of it, and used it to invest in a new roof. But it's still all 0%.
   
4. We never use an ATM or any other banking service that charges fees.
   
5. We changed all our lightbulbs to compact flourescent bulbs including our front porch and outdoor lights. Of course we got them in bulk on sale! We still have not had to replace any of these bulbs.  They really last!
   
6. We use a single Amazon.com Rewards Credit Card and get $25 rewards every month or two. We put all daily living purchases on it and pay it in full every month. We use the reward certificates for birthday gifts that we can simply enclose in a birthday card. In 2008, we earned over 500$ for using our card.
    
7. We use a Miles One Rewards credit card for all business purchases and get free miles for traveling. In 2008, we got Alan's ticket to go with me to the NSGCD Conference for free.
   
8. Don't go to movie theaters anymore - we have cable & wait for movies to come out on cable.  We use Tivo to record movies we really want to see.
   
9. We only eat in restaurants or get takeout maybe once a month or even 2 months. We cook at home every day.
   
10. We only run the dishwasher and washing machine when it's full.
    
11. Buy water by the case -  on sale. Only drink water, coffee or tea...no sodas, etc.  We don't drink alcohol at all any more.  NOTE: We are looking for a water filtration system and no longer using plastic bottles.  We hope to soon be able to find water packaged in those biodegradable corn-based plastic bottles.
    
12. We moved our car insurance to Geico last year and saved $1500 per year.  Northern NJ has nearly the highest insurance rates in the country. We couldn't believe we saved this much.  And our insurance rates have actually gone down every year!  Probably because my car just keeps getting older.  We also have a huge collision deductible which also keeps rates down.
    
13. I cut my husband's hair myself.
     
14. I keep my own hair long and trim the front of my hair myself so I only have to go to the hairdresser 2-3 times a year.
    
15. I color my own hair.
    
16. I mostly only wear lipstick and blush.  Only use full makeup for special occasions.  :)
    
17. Only wear a watch and my wedding rings as jewelry.  Jewelry on my neck, wrists or ears causes me a lot of discomfort and annoyance anyway.
    
18. Do my own pedicures and go out for a pedicure maybe once a year as a treat for a special occasion.
    
19. Do my own manicures...and I don't use nail polish on my fingernails - it saves a lot of time too!!  : )
    
20. We rarely throw any food anyway. We have a system for storing leftovers to make sure we use them them. We always put leftovers in a designated section of the top shelf in the fridge next to the milk so we can't forget about them. We use leftovers the next day for lunch or snacks or as a side dish with dinner.
     
21. We have a small Cuisinart counter top combo toaster, broiler and convection oven and use that for heating & baking small portions instead of turning on the oven. 
22. We keep our cars. I've only bought one brand new car in my life! Cars only depreciate so I never saw the point in losing a few thousand dollars as soon as you drive it off the lot.  But I did finally splurge on my 40th birthday and got myself a 2000 Sebring Convertible which I will keep as long it is still safe to drive!  I love it!  It is actually very practical as we can open the top and haul just about anything an SUV can.  Even more!  Plus it gets about 27 MPG.  Not bad when you consider how much mileage an SUV gets. In 2008, it is still going strong, but does have a little water leak. : )
    
    I had my 1988 Honda Accord for 10 years until I gave it to my brother in 2000.  He had it another 4 years before it died.  My husband has a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid he LOVES and it gets nearly 50 mpg.  We also buy other things used...like our dining room set.
    
23. We don't buy CDs or DVDs anymore - we download most of our music  - we get 25 songs free every month with our Comcast cable internet service.  The super high speed internet pays for itself between the free music and all the research we do on it to save money.
    
24. We avoid processed foods like microwave popcorn, we use the bulk kind and have a West Bend Stir Crazy popcorn popper.which is actually a lot of fun to use!  We also make our own sugar free ice cream with just fruit and milk using the Vitamix blender we invested in. Cutting out sugar and gluten has saved a lot of money in addition to improving our health dramatically.
    
25. We use a digital camera for photos and ONLY print out a very select few!

Whew...that was fun!   So what are your top tips?  Would love to hear any additions you might have!    : ) 

Happy Thanksgiving!    I'll be in Virginia visiting family till Sunday!

See you next week! 

 

Do You Forget to Use Your Grocery Coupons? Hate Your Coupon Organizing System? Try these tips!

If you clip grocery coupons, but have a tendency not to use them before they expire, the tips here will help you organize AND remember to use them.  I recommend the Mrs. A's Coupon Organizer as the best tool to help you ORGANIZE your coupons AND remember to USE them, but using the tips in this article you could create your own system (if you have more time than money.)

This innovative and unique Coupon Organizer is especially helpful for people with a visual Organizing Style and for those who prefer organizing tools that super simple to use. My clients who use it are now raving fans too. 

I have used many coupon organizers in the past and abandoned them all because I hated shuffling through them. The first week I used Mrs. A's Coupon Organizer I saved $24 dollars. It paid for itself!   Even though I have stopped clipping coupons because it simply is no longer a profitable use of my time, if you are a stay-at-home mom on a limited budget, clipping coupons can save you a lot of money and this system will make it much easier!

INNOVATIVE "AT A GLANCE" DESIGN

Mrs. A's Coupon Organizer is a three-ring binder (9" x 9" x 2") that is designed to fit in the front portion of your shopping cart, so you can easily flip through the pages and see your coupons while you shop! What I love most about it is the coupon holder insert pages (See Photo Below). These pages have clear holders that allow you to easily insert the coupon on the page and let you see "at a glance" all the coupons you have, rather than fumbling with them one at a time.

There are 12 color-coded and tabbed categories to sort coupons. The tabbed categories make it incredibly easy to organize, store, and find your coupons. PLUS they are in the same order as products are arranged in the aisles of a typical supermarket.

ADD COUPON TO YOUR SHOPPING LIST

Mrs. A's Coupon Organizer also comes with shopping lists (See Photo Below) so that after you clip a coupon, you can immediately add it to your shopping list so you don't forget to use it before it expires.

ONLY CLIP COUPONS FOR ITEMS YOU NEED TO BUY - DON'T OVERSTOCK

I also recommend that you don't bother to clip any coupon you wouldn't put on your shopping list within a month or so anyway (unless it's worth over over a dollar).  That way you don't buy more than you really need or clutter up your coupon holder with things you don't need now.  Keep in mind that there will ALWAYS be more coupons!  : )

PUT COUPONS IN ONE PLACE AS YOU SHOP

While you are shopping, after you find an item and put it in your cart, you can move the coupon to a designated place (such as the slot in the back of the binder or somewhere in your cart) so you don't forget to give the coupons to the cashier.

COULD NOT BE BETTER DESIGNED

I am notorious for being very picky and pointing out details of how products could be made better, easier to customize, etc. and I swear I could not have designed this any better. There is not one thing I would change. I have recommended this organizer to so many people that Paul Stout from Mrs. A's offered my clients and colleagues a $10 off coupon!  You can see a video demo of the product too. Unfortunately, it is not yet available in stores, but like the Purseket, I suspect it soon will be!

p.s.  Don't forget to get my new free ebook "100 Surefire Ways to Organize Your Busy Life!"

Wednesday Wisdom - Using what you have to get organized without spending a penny!

WISDOM

I have always preferred having wings
to having things.

                   - Pat Schroeder

This quote is so true for me.  In 1992 when I moved from Oak Park, Illinois, to NJ I had to sell or donate nearly everything I had.  Because I had so much stuff it had cost my company over $14,000 to move me out to Illinois.  (I told you I used to be a packrat)  But when I wanted to move back to NJ, the only way I could afford it was to lighten my load. (it only cost me $1200 to move back) I eventually collected more stuff, but then I let go of it once again after I got my first Feng Shui Consultation.  Read here about how letting go of clutter may have been the thing that helped me get married for the first time when I was 41 years old!  Ultimately, my quest to let go of clutter led me to finding my passion, taking charge of my own happiness, and starting this business which has truly given my spirit wings.

BONUS NEAT & SIMPLE ORGANIZING TIP!

Here is my latest foray into using what I already have to get organized.  I needed a plastic bag holder in a closet where I put a litter box for my cats.  I didn't want to run out and spend $12 on a new one, so I thought for a minute, and here's what I came up with...I took the last few tissues out of the package and stuffed it with plastic bags!  It works like a charm!

Happy Fourth of July!  : )

New Credit Card Scam Alert - Never give your PIN to someone who calls you!

Received this in an email and checked it out.  It's not a hoax.  Unfortunately it's very real so be careful!  It's not really about organizing, but I consider this a "Public Service Message"   : )   

__________________________

The scam works like this: Person calls you and says,

"This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona ?"

When you say "No", the caller continues with,

"Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?"

You say "yes". The caller continues -

"I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?"

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says,

"I need to verify you are in possession of your card". He'll ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers".

There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers' that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. [These are the PIN numbers you need to make purchases]

After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?"

After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, "Don't hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.

You actually say very little during the call, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 w as charged to our card.

Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number.

What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation.

The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a "Jason Richardson of Master Card" with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily!

______________________________

Don't let this happen to you!  : )

Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs - Have you tried them yet?

Seth Godin, marketing guru, recently posted a challenge to all bloggers to write about their experiences with and promote the use of the Compact Flourescent (CF) LightBulb.

In his post, he questions why people resist the funny looking Compact Flourescent (CF) Light Bulb when they save so much money, are good for the environment, last longer, etc. 

I can't say why everyone does, but I can tell you from my own experience why I was reluctant! : )

1.  I thought flourescent lighting was bad for you!  Truly.  Some where along the line I had heard that flourescent lighting caused depression and was bad for your eyes.

2.  I  felt it would made our rooms look and feel institutional.  I hated the "kind" of light it was.  I thought we should have full spectrum light bulbs in our home. 

3. I didn't think they would "fit" in our lamps and overhead lights.

4. They were expensive!

Well, my husband, the engineer, ever devoted to the latest technology, went on a campaign to convince me that flourescent light technology had evolved.  He pointed out how wrong I was on every front.

1. The new Compact Flourescent light bulbs are NOT bad for you!!

2. These new fangled flourescent bulbs, weird looking as they are, actually cast an even warmer glow than regular light bulbs.

3.  They are designed to fit in almost every lamp and ceiling light. (even a couple of our ceiling fans.  There is one caveat to that though. They will not work with dimmer switches.

4. As Seth points out, they are not expensive when you consider how long they last, and how that they use 75% less electricity than other bulbs.   

It's been at least 3 years ago now since we found 5-packs on sale at Home Depot and we switched EVERY light bulb in our home that would allow us to use the Compact Flourescent (CF) Light Bulb.  We even put one in the outdoor light on our front porch.  We got outdoor versions for our flood lights, too. 

Here's our experience with them in a snapshot.

• We have not had anything bad happen to our health OR our eyes.  : )
• The lighting is actually warmer and nicer than regular bulbs!  But it does take a minute to warm up.  That takes a little getting used to, but it's no big deal.
• They fit in every lamp except those with dimmers or halogen bulbs.
• We have not had to replace a single one! I love not having to worry about changing bulbs or keeping a big supply on hand.  So there is a Space advantage too!
• Our electric bill did go down some.  Hard to quantify that though since we have added other electronic devices.

So, I give the bulbs 2 thumbs up! I highly recommend you give them a try. Next time a bulb goes bad, go flourescent!

If you really want to get wild, check out this CF light bulb that also CLEANS YOUR AIR as it lights your room  : )

For other blog posts on CF light bulbs, see: Seth's Blog: How many bloggers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?.

Monica Ricci also wrote an entertaining post on the joys of the CF bulb. 

It's good for your budget and for the environment too!  What are you waiting for?

Got a bit of Gadget Mania? Having Trouble Resisting the Urge to Splurge? Sometimes all it takes is the right question!

I confess.  I am a natural born enthusiast.  And, I am especially drawn to creative ideas! So when I saw this clever little gadget at the Container Store, I got all excited.  How clever!!  It holds your cooking utensils so you don't have to lay them down on your stovetop or get your spoon holder dirty!  So I showed it to my husband.  "What do you think?  do you want one?" 

He looks at me and gives me some of my own medicine with his trademark smirk...."Do we REALLY need that?"

I stopped dead in my tracks.  Looked at him and started laughing.  Just that question started me thinking about what a pain it would be to use and how quickly it would become clutter! 

• Where would I put it when it's not on the pot so that it would be handy? (I don't have drawers near my stove.) 
• Suppose I put it in the other not so handy kitchen drawer, will I really get it out of the drawer to use it every time I cook? 
• Then clean it and put it back? 
• Nah

All of a sudden, my good old fashion spoonrest that sits on my stovetop 24/7 starting looking beautiful again.  Besides, it's shaped like a cat!!!  And I do love my cats!  : )

Goes to show you - NO ONE is immune from the appeal of a clever kitchen gadget.  But one little question - the right one - can give you much needed power over your impulses! 

Do I REALLY need that???   Will I REALLY use that?  Where will I PUT that??

Thank you Alan!  Come to think of it...my own medicine didn't taste that bad.  And I still have $10 in my pocket!

This is one of a few close calls I've had this holiday season.  The bag of impulse purchases I have to return to Linens N Things is proof I'm not always that strong.   I love that store!!  And something about this time of year made me buy 10 oh-so-clever stocking stuffers for my husband (read: me) that he wouldn't really want - and I don't really need.  Too bad Alan wasn't with me then! 

The nice thing about shopping in certain stores regularly, is that I WILL actually return those impulse buys!  The bag is already sitting next to my front door waiting to go back.

So how are you holding up with the ever tempting "urge to splurge" this holiday season?  : )

p.s.  I do the same thing for him in his weaker moments!  : ) It's all about teamwork.

25 Ways I Save Money

Dawn over at Frugal for Life has put out a call to share ways to save money.  I couldn't resist this one,  so here are the top 25 ways we save money!  Thanks for the great idea Dawn! 

1. We live in a smaller house than we can afford, and do our own home repairs and painting.  Though we weren't thinking about it at the time, living in a smaller house gave me the freedom to quit my corporate consulting work and start my Neat & Simple Living professional organizing business.
   
2. Pay bills online with a free checking & online account from Wachovia which also pays interest on our balances.
   
3. We moved our home equity loan balance to a 0% credit card. Haven't paid interest for the 3 years since we renovated the entire front and backyard of our home which has enabled us to pay it off much faster. I set up reminders in Outlook to tell me when the 0% rate is up and then we move it to another 0% interest account. It will all be paid off in 2008.
   
4. We never use an ATM or any other banking service that charges fees.
   
5. We changed all our lightbulbs to compact flourescent bulbs including our front porch and outdoor lights. Of course we got them in bulk on sale!
   
6. We organized our shopping routines to use coupons! My favorite coupon organizer is Mrs. A's coupon organizer - I save around $20 - $25 every week since I got it.  It's very unique in that it lets you see all your coupons at a glance. My clients who use it love it too.
   Update 10/10/06 Mrs. A's saw this post and is now offering Neat & Simple Living readers 33% off on this award winning coupon organizer!
   
   
7. We use an Amazon.com Rewards Credit Card and get $25 rewards every month or two. We put all daily living purchases on it and pay it in full every month. We use the reward certificates for birthday gifts that we can simply enclose in a birthday card.
    
8. We use a Miles One Rewards credit card for all business purchases and get free miles for traveling. We've gotten 2 tickets free that way!
   
9. Don't go to movie theaters anymore - we have cable & wait for movies to come out on cable.  We use Tivo to record movies we really want to see.
   
10. We only eat in restaurants or get takeout maybe once a month or even 2 months. We cook at home every day.
    
11. We only run the dishwasher and washing machine when it's full.
    
12. Buy water by the case -  on sale. Only drink water and coffee or tea...no sodas, etc.  Only drink wine on special occasions.   NOTE: We are planning on getting a water filtration system and no longer using plastic bottles.  We hope to soon be able to find water packaged in those biodegradable corn-based plastic bottles.
    
13. We moved our car insurance to Geico last year and saved $1500 per year.  Northern NJ has nearly the highest insurance rates in the country. We couldn't believe we saved this much.  And our insurance rates have actually gone down every year!  Probably because my car just keeps getting older.  We also have a huge collision deductible which also keeps rates down.
    
14. I cut my husband's hair myself. And I keep my hair long so I only have to go to the hairdresser 2-3 times a year. Also color my own hair and trim the front of my hair myself.
    
15. I mostly only wear lipstick and blush.  Only use full makeup the first time I meet a client for the first time!  :)
    
16. Only wear a watch and my wedding rings as jewelry.  Jewelry on my neck, wrists or ears causes me a lot of discomfort anyway.
    
17. We saved a lot of money on our wedding rings with just simple bands.  We put our money into the down payment on our house!
    
18. Do my own pedicures and go out for a pedicure maybe once a year as a treat for a special occasion.
    
19. Do my own manicures...and I don't use nail polish on my fingernails - it saves a lot of time too!!  : )
    
20. We rarely throw any food anyway. Have a system for storing leftovers and USING them! We have a sin tray in the fridge on the top shelf and always put leftovers there and then use them the next day or 2 for lunch or snacks or as a side dish with dinner.
     
21. We have a small Cuisinart counter top combo toaster, broiler and convection oven and use that for heating & baking small portions instead of firing us the stove.
     
22. I've only bought one brand new car in my life! Cars only depreciate so I never saw the point in losing a few thousand dollars as soon as you drive it off the lot.  But I did finally splurge on my 40th birthday and got myself a 2000 Sebring Convertible which I will keep as long it is still safe to drive!  I love it!  It is actually very practical as we can open the top and haul just about anything an SUV can.  Even more!  : )
    
    I had my Honda Accord for 10 years until I gave it to my brother who had it another 4 years before it died.  My husband has a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid he LOVES and it gets nearly 50 mpg.  We also buy other things used...like our dining room set.
    
23. We rarely buy CDs or DVDs anymore - we download most of our music  - we get 25 songs free every month with our Comcast cable internet service.  The super high speed internet pays for itself between the free music and all the research we do on it to save money.
    
24. We avoid processed foods like microwave popcorn, we use the bulk kind and have a West Bend Stir Crazy popcorn popper.which is actually a lot of fun to use!  We also make our own sugar free ice cream with just fruit and milk using the Vitamix blender we invested in. Cutting out sugar and gluten has saved a lot of money in addition to improving our health dramatically.
    
25. We use a digital camera for photos and ONLY print out a very select few!

Whew...that was fun!   So what are your top tips?  Would love to hear any additions you might have!   hmmm...Wonder what a list of the top 25 ways we waste money would look like!  : ) 

Follow Dawn's Journey to Fixing Her Credit Report! She shares & teaches all!

Dawn's Steps to Order Credit Reports and Monitor Your Credit Score

Dawn over at www.FrugalforLife.com is actually going to take you through her steps as she fixes her Credit Report! 

I've been through this process. It was not pleasant!  But it was definitely worthwhile. I closed a lot of really old accounts that I thought were already closed. Plus I found multiples of accounts and weird addresses making it look like I had a ridiculous amount of credit available to me.  It was like over $500,000 - that makes you a bad credit risk, even if you don't have any balances on the accounts. 

When I closed all those old and bogus accounts, my fico score went way up - over 720!  If I hadn't done this years ago, we might not have been able to buy our house! 

If you have been wondering how to go about this, join Dawn as she goes through the process.  Here is an excerpt:

First item of business is getting my credit score. Personally, I only like to go through www.Myfico.com to get all three as they seem to have more history behind them and seem to be more standardized. Using a score from one of the credit agencies isn’t always a good idea as many times they are off from the fico, and the fico is the more preferred way to check your score by banks and others.

After buying my score, which comes with a report on all three agencies, I quickly go over anything that may stand out as incorrect. But in order to dispute an item, I will need the credit report from the agency itself.

Next step is to ...  read Dawn's full story

Good Luck Dawn!

How to Have a Successful Garage Sale

I personally don't hold garage sales for several reasons. 

1. The extensive time and effort involved.
2. I don't like selling and haggling over the cost of items.  I'd end up giving it all away anyway! 
3. I don't have enough space in our small house to hold the amount of stuff it would take to have a successful garage sale!

But if you enjoy the whole process of planning and conducting garage sales, you can make money, and it's a great way to practice Green Organizing.  Garage and yard sales provide an opportunity to recycle and reuse perfectly good stuff instead of throwing it way.  To help you have a successful garage sale, the blog Garage Sale Professional - Successful tips for hunting and selling. provides advice and links to many resources. 

(FLICKR.com Photo Source Chaosatlanta)

For example, here is an excerpt providing tips from an NBC news article by KPVI posted on the blog.  Dean and Suri, 18- year veterans share tips on how to conduct a garage sale AND how to shop at garage sales.  Dena earned over a thousand dollars at her last garage sale so she knows what sh'e talking about!

Dena Ruffridge, garage sale shopper:

"Just be organized, have everything priced, clean. People will buy your stuff if it's been washed and cleaned and it looks like something you would want to buy at a store."

Garage sales can be a lot of work, so why should someone take the time of hosting their own garage sale?

Siri Kline, garage sale shopper:

"Money! It's a great way to make some money back. It's always great to donate too, but you spend a lot of money for your stuff so sometimes it's nice to just sell it for a dollar or something, you know, because you get a lot out of it."

When it comes to shopping, they say

"Don't get it just because it's cheap, and most importantly make sure it works."

"The standard is usually don't pay maybe more than a fourth of what that item was originally worth and look at what kind of condition it's in.

If it takes batteries or if it needs to be plugged in, you know, ask the person if you can plug it in or make sure it works before you take it."

Source: http://www.kpvi.com/index.cfm?page=nbcheadlines.cfm&ID=34689

This is good advice, but while making sure something works is important, I have to stress that the MOST IMPORTANT criteria in buying any item is that you:

• Know exactly how and why you will use it.
• Know exactly where you will store it and be able to find it!!! 

If you can't answer these questions, chances are 99% sure you will have just paid money to acquire someone else's clutter and add to your own clutter! Don't fall victim to buying something because "it's so cute!"  or "I'll find a way to use this someday"  Those are some of the most common thoughts that lead to clutter accumulation.   

That said, if you really need something, looking for it at garage sale is a treat way to save money.  Just make sure you have a list of what you need with you and stick to it.  There are always exceptions, but think 2 or 3 times before buying something not on your list and you will be more likely to truly save money.  As a bonus, you can help keep good stuff out of landfills by shopping garage sales.

Here are a few other neat links to on how to hold a successful garage or yard sale.

BEST GARAGE SALE TIPS ARTICLE
The best article I found is by Sara Noel, called "Holding a Successful Garage Sale."  Here's an excerpt.

First Things First
Before you start planning, phone your local authorities to inquire about any permits you may need and any provisions or ordinances they may have. Some communities may prohibit the sale of food items or used bedding.

Plan ahead what you'd like to do with remaining leftovers that don't sell. Donations are always welcome at thrift stores, some shelters, and even some nursing homes. Call ahead to these establishments and get information on any items they don't accept or how and when they accept drop-offs.

Decide if you want to include others. Maybe you have friends or family that would like to add some items to your sale. You may want to consider an entire neighborhood or block sale. This can cut your advertising costs down considerably.

Safety Tips

• Have a phone handy if possible.
• Post a sign on any entrance doors that states "Off Limits". You don't want anyone inside your home or wandering around the perimeter of your home.
• For safety reasons, consider sitting outside of your garage. Being inside the garage is often remote and not visible from roadside.
• Keep your cash box in a safe location.
• Don't permit any hanging sale items or tables to obstruct your view.
• Don't place items right next to the road where they could be easily stolen.
• If you have a pet, please make sure it's on a leash.
• While making change, always keep the money handed to you in plain view. This prevents anyone from claiming they gave you an amount they didn't.
• In many areas, it's illegal to post signs on utility poles because it's a potential hazard to workers. Check before placing your signs.
• Be sure the items you're selling have not been recalled or pose any potential hazards. You should avoid selling older cribs, strollers, helmets, playpens, carseats, and baby gates.
• Consider not posting your full address in your ads. You can share main cross streets and let visitors follow your signs.

Gathering the Goods
You can start at anytime to declutter and organize items you don't want to keep. You can start organizing your unwanted items into boxes. There are many practical items that are great sellers, so don't overlook...Read more at: http://www.sideroad.com/Home_Organizing/successful-garage-sale.html

WIKI-HOW

How to Hold a Successful Garage Sale

Looking for a great way to get rid of your clutter and make extra cash at the same time? Garage sales are popular, fun and easy to manage. Think how much neater your home will be and what you could do with the money you make. Depending on how many unwanted items you have, you can make upwards of $1000/weekend!

Steps

1. Gather items for sale by walking from room to room in your home, identifying what you no longer need. If you haven't used something for over a year, it's a good sign you won't miss it! Hot sellers are children's toys, old tools, books and simple kitchen items.
2. Inventory each item on a sheet of paper as you identify it for sale.
3. Review your completed inventory sheet and assign a price to each item. Remember, garage sale items have to be inexpensive. If you have an item worth more than you will get at a garage sale, consider selling it on Ebay.
4. Attach a CLEARLY written price label to each item. Using brightly colored labels will make it easier for your customers to find the price and will save you time on the day of the sale.

READ ALL 18 Tips Here:  http://www.wikihow.com/Hold-a-Successful-Garage-Sale

Happy Garage Saling!

Chairs and sofas you can store stuff in!

Last week, an episode of Mission:Organization featured a really cool way to store stuff - under the cushions of chairs and sofas.  The prices are amazing!  from 79$ to 329$  The designs look good.  And, you get to choose your own fabric from over 100 options.

If you are short on storage space, check out these solutions. 

http://www.homereserve.com/

One of my clients has purchased one and we are putting it together on Thursday.  I'll let you know how comfortable it is and include a picture!

Till then, sending neat thoughts!

 

How to Save the World The WalMart Dilemma

As an organizer who tries to help clients save money on organizing products, I face the Walmart dilemma from time to time. 

I personally won't shop at Wal-mart, but if a client chooses to, that's their decision.  I usually can find whatever is needed for the same price, maybe a few cents more, and sometimes even less than what Wal-mart sells it for.  I have tons of LNT 20% coupons, or I can get it used, free (through Freecycle) or at Target. 

I've written my piece on Wal-mart...but wanted to share this Canadian's view.  He has an excellent point about the real blame being on the way the Free Trade laws are structured.  However, It should be noted that Wal-mart expends a HUGE effort to influence Free Trade agreements that make it easier for them to import from China - even though China actually subsidizes businesses there so that they can export cheap goods to us. 

See: How to Save the World - The Wal-mart Dilemma.

All the best,

Clutter-free gift ideas and a less commercial Christmas

Have you ever thought Christmas has become way too commercialized? Have you ever wished you could just not participate in the frenzy the holidays have become?  Do you worry you might seem cheap to your friends and family?

Well, thanks to Dawn at www.frugalforlife.com I discovered a site that actually gives you amazing resources to get started decommercializing the holiday! They even have a Kit!  It's called www.buynothingchristmas.org This site is EXTRAORDINARY! They have coupons you print for services you can give. They even have a Buy Nothing Catalogue.

Here are 10 ideas of mine for gifts you can give without buying anything.  I'd love to hear any ideas you have!

1. Create a...

Choosing Paint Colors for Your Home

If you are planning to paint a room in your home, here are a few GREAT ways to try on colors before you commit to them! Several sites offer free VIRTUAL ROOM PAINTERS. It's awesome.  You can try out various color combinations, or use the pre-selected color palettes to visualize your space.  Here a few I've used:

• SHERWIN-WILLIAMS Color Visualizer
• BENJAMIN MOORE Personal Color Viewer
• LOWES Signature Colors Virtual Painter

TRY OUT COLOR WITH SAMPLES
All the major paint suppliers now provide inexpensive trial sizes of paint colors to test out on your walls!  This is a great way to test the color in all light sources before you commit.   

(I recommend living with the samples on the wall for at least a week and seeing how the colors change in morning, afternoon, night, sunny, overcast and rainy conditions.  You'll be amazed at the difference in color!

You need balance and flow in your quest of  homes for sale, so consider a for sale by owner home. We are the largest network of FSBO experts in North America. Find homes for for sale, or advertise your for sale by owner home. Make your own luck at Homesbyowner.com.

3/14/07

10 Tips for Buying Spice Storage Products and Spice Organizers

NEAT TIPS - How to Buy Spice Storage Products and Spice Organizers

Before buying a products to store spices, consider the following questions & tips:

1. Is it easy to use?
2. Will it be easy to clean?
3. Will you have to constantly refill containers? if so are they really easy to open, close, and refill?
4. Is it easy to get the right amount out of the containers?
5. Where in your kitchen do you have space?
   Don't buy a product unless you KNOW that you have a designated space for it.
6. Will each spice have it's own home so that you will know exactly where to put it when you are done with it ? And it will be easy to find?
7. Count the number of spice bottles, etc that you use and make sure the storage solution you buy will be large enough for all your needs. You may need to buy more than one. One to keep handy for cooking, One for longer term storage.
8. Do you really love the look of it and will you enjoy using it?
9. Will it fit with your decor, colors, etc.?
   Don't buy just because it's a novelty and seems like a cool idea. When you get it home, if it doesn't fit in, you may end up not using it.
10. Make sure it's returnable - just in case you don't like it after you get it home.

To see more ideas for spice storage solutions:

Spice Storage Solutions (Over 30 types)

Other Food Storage Ideas

Cabinet Organizers (Including Door, Lid, Shelf Organizers, & over 50 other ideas from the Container Store)

COUPON: Get 33% Off Mrs As Coupon Organizer!

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Is Wal-Mart Good for America?

Dawn over at www.frugalforlife.com posted an extremely thought-provoking post on Walmart and the new Wal-Mart Movie. Frontline also did a Wonderful show on "Is Wal-mart Good for America?"  Clear facts and figures about Walmarts business practices.  You can watch the full 60 minute program online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/view/   While you are at it, check some of their other shows like "The persuaders" about the advertising industry, and "The Secret History of Credit Cards"

Here's what I have to say on the subject of Walmart.

I have already seen several documentaries on Wal-Mart and agree with a lot of the points and comments on Dawn's post. I personally stopped shopping at WalMart years ago. And, we are fighting having them come to our town. Being 10 miles from New York City, we are not even close to rural.

Our town, and those surrounding us, have vibrant downtowns filled with unique shops. That's one of the things we love about living here. We aren't a carbon copy filled with chain stores and we want to keep it that way.

Wal-Mart does indeed lie and unethically maneuver the system in the pursuit of profit.  For example, they actually had a written policy that stated they wanted to keep wages within a limit so that people would qualify for medicaid rather than them having to pay for Health benefits.

They also said they would only buy American. Hah! They have killed more American businesses than they have helped. AND they buy a huge percentage of their stuff from Asia. Not only that, they use their buying power to force small businesses here to redesign their products to make them cheaper (and lower quality) or they won't carry their products.  In fact though, their strategy is to provide ridiculously low prices on endcap products to lure you in...and then most of their stuff is the same price you'd find at Kmart or Target.

Let's not even get started on how they use their power to censor artistic products like movies, music and books. I suppose we get what we deserve when we value low prices above all else. It's like when you hire a contractor just because they give you the lowest bid. You usually don't get quality. Or worse, you have to redo it.  The thing is low prices lead to low wages and eventually a lower standard of living.  For example, in ohio, massachusetts and vermont where factories (like Thomson electronics and Rubbermaid) were closed because they couldn't compete with China (Which most of Walmarts goods now come from China) A Walmart opens.  50 and 60 K per year jobs are now replaced with minimum wage jobs and rundown towns.

One last thing, I understand the argument that rural folks don't always have access to the product selection and low prices...but how did they survive before Wal-Mart? They had to be frugal, creative, simple and live with less stuff. Ironically, isn't that what a lot of us are trying to do?

Bringing mass consumerism to rural areas is not the solution. I don't mean to judge or offend individuals who do choose to shop at Wal-Mart. Having grown up on welfare myself, I know what it's like to be really poor.  I only hope to inspire people to think about it.

For really low prices, I think you can do better at Amazon.com or even e-bay.com, where they let everyday people sell their stuff to anyone, anywhere. It's like a big online flea market where you can get amazing deals. - Now that's democratic!

Okay, I'm off my soap box now. Have a great holiday And think about this...

What if you bought NOTHING at Christmas? What Gifts Would You Give? (Click to see 10 gift ideas that cost nothing or next to nothing...)

All the best,

How to find missing pieces to your flatware

How to find missing pieces to your flatware.... Over the last 4 years, we managed to lose 3 teaspoons to our Gorham flatware set. I have a feeling they were accidently thrown away. Tonite I found a couple great websites where I could get the individual spoons and not have to buy the full place settings.

The first is www.replacements.com
They are great for the really hard to find missing pieces.

The site I bought from is: www.placesettings.com
They offered the second lowest price I found anywhere, but they also offered free shipping and no tax!

It's going to be so great to have a complete service of 12 again. Plus I got a few extras just in case. : )

Come to think of it, that would be a great gift if you know someone who broke a dish to their favorite dishware.

All the best,

Mix it Up with Kitchen Aid

Guest Author Post from Susannah Lee, Pastry Chef

I've used a KitchenAid mixer for all of my baking needs and have always been impressed with my mixer's power, reliability and durability.  The one I've been using has been in my family since the early 1980s and is still going strong.

I decided to purchase a second mixer to increase my production and was thrilled to discover the current opportunity offered by KitchenAid.  For $299, they are packaging a 5qt. Artisan Series Stand Mixer plus either the Ice Cream Maker or Pasta Kit.  Also included are a cookbook and a set of handy (and sturdy) kitchen tools.  The offer lasts until December 31, 2005.  For more details, go to: www.buykitchenaid.com .

I selected the Ice Cream Maker and am happy to report that it works beautifully.  It makes about two quarts of smooth, creamy ice cream (most home ice cream makers yield around one quart).  It takes around twenty minutes for churning the cream base into a soft-serve consistency (provided the base you've made is thoroughly chilled).  After churning to the soft consistency, place ice cream in a container and allow it to harden and 'cure' in the freezer (should take an additional two hours, depending on how cold and crowded your freezer is). 

The one drawback of this model is that the bowl attachment must be kept frozen for at least fifteen hours prior to making ice cream in order for the bowl to remain cold enough during the churning process.  I've found the best thing is keep the bowl stored in the freezer at all times so I can try out a new recipe at any time.

Sue Lee