Been a busy week between doing nothing. I still have the tail end of the cold I had last week – mostly coughing fits, which upset my husband. He still does not want me touching things – like food and dishes as he is afraid of catching the cold.
Eating dinner has continued to be an adventure. He used to be a such a good cook and enjoy it so much – no longer. We ate out our usual 3 nights for the weekend, which helped a bit, but then we were back to cooking at home. While out on Monday we stopped in at the Walmart Neighborhood Market (supermarket only) to buy stuff for dinner. We came up with the idea of making a soup we like, for dinner. It was too late to make it so we were going to buy what we needed and make it yesterday (Tues), but unlike Walmarts normally this one has a terrible produce deprtment and we could not find good potatoes or onions.
So today we bought same and are making the soup for tomorrow. Husband made it so I would not touch it. Now remember, he was always the better cook. First thing to do is cut up the onions. I would use a paring knife; he takes out the largest knife we own. I didn't want to criticize, so I said nothing and hoped he would not hurt himself. He did not. Then onto the potatoes – he had major trouble as he could not cut through them – they were not our usual red potatoes as same looked terrible, but similar edible skin potatoes. As he finally started swearing I simply said “I usually use a small knife for that.” He then went and took the smallest knife we have – the one I only use to open sealed food packages as it is too small to cut with – and proceed to cut the potatoes with it. Then the meat had to be cut up. The rest of the vegetables added were frozen ones – including some I had split into bags in the freezer when I made normal amount of soup in December at the holidays. We have added more meat to make it a dinner entree this time. I watched it as it cooked – stirring it now and then. I just shut it off and took the pot off the stove to cool off. It should cook 2 hours, I let it cook an hour and a half as it will cook again tomorrow before we eat it. This also allows about 2 hours before we go to bed so we can put in the fridge without needing to put the pot in ice water to cool it off.
At the same time I have our clothes in the washing machine – deal with my cold is I put in washer, I move to dryer, he takes the clothes out of the dryer (because the heat of same will kill all the “germs”) and then he will hang up his shirts, but I can fold the rest. I did not do other than clothes last week and probably won't this week either – what fun next week – plus our reenacting clothing still needs to washed and stored until the next event, probably in the spring.
Monday I had telephone call from my sister. She had someone who could come and would take stuff from our family home for his non-profit thrift shop and we would get a receipt for the donation. She also had someone coming today to take furniture, so could husband and I go on Tuesday so she did not have take off 2 days from work? So we went. While we waited for the fellow to come we walked around the house looking for certain items. I should mention that there have already been 2 tag sales – one by a professional and one by my sister. The fellow was amazing – he packed the stuff so quickly – and I was surprised that breakables were not wrapped – most of what was around the in the house in smaller things are now gone including several closets of clothing (including the gown I wore to his sister's wedding as a bridesmaid), all the bed linens & towels, drinking glasses (at least 2 sets of same), candle holders (lots of same), toys and anything else you can imagine – plus other stuff. In our walk around the house before and while I wandered around while they were there (husband went out to the car as he was tired – we had to get there earlier than we normally wake up) some items were found that, yes, we took. My mom had embroidered a lovely (large) wreath of flowers on blue velvet back in the 1970s/80s and my sister had asked if I wanted it and I had said no. In the interim I thought about it and decided I wanted it, but when we were there just before the first tag sale, I did not see it and presumed that it had been taken by one of my sisters or mom had asked for it. But it was in the dining room. I looked at it and the frame was damaged and huge. I told husband that I wanted it, but if we could get it out of the frame – that was great. A quick trip to the car – we have all sorts of useful things in the car – and a large Swiss army knife was found (no staple removers in dad's office) and he pulled the staples out so I could keep the needlework. I plan to refinish it in the same manner I finish embroidery pieces that I make, but don't plan to hang up – as an unquilted small quilt piece.
Our first stop was my dad's office. We are still hoping to find the book about our family and husband wanted to see what show business books were there. My sister had mentioned in the list of things that the fellow could take and what he could not take that there were office supplies in the office closet – so I had to look. I am about to run out of what is called columnar paper – that is the accounting paper with number columns on it – and have not really wanted to spend the money to buy a new book of it – husband tried downloading from online, but it was not that usable – and I found a number of books of it in the closet – now here. Husband found a book he wanted – we took that too. Just before the fellow the arrived husband found 2 ceramic mugs from the Williamsburg Pottery – perfect to use for reenacting and not cheap – so we were putting them in the car when the fellow arrived. He was very nice and I said, very efficient.
At first husband stayed with me in the house as we did not know the fellow and we followed him as he looked at what was in the house – as we walked around in my parents' bedroom I noticed a stack of tablecloths – there the long missing and looked for, tablecloth that I had embroidered in high school was there! So now the only thing I have not found that I was looking for is that book!
As I waited in the house as they went through everything my eye fell on 2 pewter, 18th century looking candle holders. (Not antiques, just looking like.). I picked them up and walked out to husband in the car and showed them to him – he agreed we needed to take them for reenacting – perfect for extra candle holders at the candlelight nights event.
As the fellow was finishing he asked about several large black garbage bags in the kitchen. I texted my sister – yes, they were garbage not stuff she was keeping. He went through the bags and most of what was in them – kitchen items not actual food or paper garbage – he took also – another 2 cartons worth!
I have not yet spoken to my sister about the furniture man today and how much he took.
It is amazing how much stuff a family of 5 accumulates over 60 years – and I know that mom was always donating stuff to different organizations. One thing I can say – We do have less stuff than my family did – well, there are the teddy bears - larger and smaller - and their friends…
So think about it – when one day your house has to be cleared out – how much will there be? Enough for children to take what they want, plus 2 tag sales, plus a thrift shop truck load, plus…?
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK -
Try looking through one room – perhaps your kitchen or your living room – anything there you no longer like? Did you buy new set of dishes and still have the old set? Every one item that you get rid of is one less for the thrift shop man to come and take later.
Showing posts with label office supplies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label office supplies. Show all posts
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Thursday, July 11, 2019
REFRIGERATOR AT LAST? AND ON TO THE NEXT PROBLEM
We arrived home last Friday night - much earlier in the evening than usual. It was a combination of exhaustion, the heat, possibility of heavy rain later in the evening, and knowing that we might have to be up and about early on Saturday for the delivery of our new refrigerator. Normally no matter how late it is when we arrive home we clear out all - or just about all - of the stuff in the RV. This time we only brought in what we needed to have for the night and Saturday morning. We did not want more stuff in the house - which was still discombobulated from when the new fridge had been delivered the week before. There was no computer phone call with the time that the delivery would be made the next day as we were suppose to receive and had received the night before the first refrigerator was received. Knowing that the crew also calls about half an hour before they actually come, we went to bed expecting a call the next day.
I was woken by someone ringing our doorbell and pounding on the door at 7:30 am. I was unsure if it was the delivery as no one had called and was physically too exhausted to get up and look out the window. At 9:30 am my alarm went off. I telephoned the store and was told that I was not on the delivery list for the day. (Glad I didn’t force myself out of bed at 7:30.) The delivery manager who told me this seemed to have no memory of who we were and what was going on. He put me through to the appliance manager. She remembered us, but it was as if we had not been told the week before that it would be delivered on Saturday - the day I was calling her. She told me that she had the fridge and it would be delivered the next day - Sunday. (Quite frankly we were surprised that they deliver on Saturday or Sunday - it used to be week days only.)
The time frame for the first refrigerator to be delivered was 11:30 am to 4:30 pm. We figured that there was a delivery time which ended at 11:30 am and one that started at 4:30 pm. We were called and told that the time range was 12 pm to 5 pm. Lunch was problematic - there was food in the basement freezer and some packaged food in the house - but we had not had a properly working fridge in over a week and a half and did not really have food in the house for the lunch, but we figured we could hold out - and what were the chances we would be one of the last deliveries of the time frame?
We woke up before noon and dressed and went into our home office to work on our computers, sort mail that arrived while we were away, catch up email etc. Around 3:00 husband said that he really needed to eat something as his blood sugar had dropped. Crackers were not enough - so I made him a can of pea soup. I had a small individual applesauce. We went back upstairs. Now, I did get work done - I managed to transfer files to a DVD for my annual archiving of last year, caught up on email, etc. At 4:00 the phone rang. It was the delivery company’s computer again - delivery was now to be 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm!
I telephoned the store - they had the same info, but they did give me a phone number for the delivery company. I called same - 3 times as the first two times I was dropped off hold. I got a nice woman named Becky. I explained that entire saga- damaged refrigerator delivered, having to wait a week for a replacement, delivery not set up for the day before as we would be told, the change in time at the last minute, we are both Diabetics and have not eaten and are becoming ill... She went and checked. There had been a problem on an earlier delivery that set the crew back 90 minutes! She also told me that there were 4 deliveries ahead of us so it would be an hour to an hour and a half before they came and we should be able to go out and eat something. I thanked her.
We did not go out for lunch as we did not trust doing so. Glad we did not. We received a call around 5 pm that they would be here within half an hour. Husband went outside to wait. Good thing. The numbering is odd on the houses here plus depending on the GPS it can show us up the street or about 5 + blocks of where we are. Husband saw a truck stop about 2 houses up the street from us with the men in the truck looking confused and he waved them over.
As opposed to the first crew which was just the other side of perfunctory - meaning a little short of same - this was the type of the delivery we expected (other than the time problem). Two friendly delivery men. Robert had explained to them that they were taking back the same model that we had recently received because of damage. They came in and measured the doors again. (The last one came in, so this one had to - they were twins.) The one in charge looked at the damage and shook his head that it had been delivered like that. They took the old one out. They unpacked the new one. The one in charge called husband over - there was a scratch in the freezer door of the new one - he and we had the same idea - the freezer doors were switched. They brought the new fridge in. They removed the plastic wrapping from it. It was plugged in so all knew it was working. They saw that it was not level and leveled it. (The prior crew had told us it could not be leveled when we asked them to do so.) They did not set up the inside, but I had been told by the manager that they are not suppose to do so. If this crew had come with the original fridge and same had not been damaged and had worked right - I would be just as happy with this store as I was after I bought a washing machine from them. (Which is why we bought from them again.) We tipped the two men - husband is not one to tip for deliveries and such, but we agreed that they did that good a job - especially compared to the last crew. After delivery and setup the fridge is suppose to sit set at the middle range for 24 hours without opening and closing the door or putting any food in it. We shut it off and set up the shelves inside, put in the remote thermometer and shut the door. We went out for a much needed dinner at the Asian buffet we go to.
It is more or less working properly. Apparently it is suppose to go up and down more than our older fridge to keep the proper temperature - although not as much as the first one did. It is also suppose to do so less after it is filled - it is suppose to be at least half filled and food added a little at a time. We have put a lot of bottles of water (made by us, not commercial) in it to add food to it as we have not yet been food shopping and even then, do not have a lot of food in the fridge at any one time in hot weather (in case storm takes down the electricity), and not that much in the winter either other than at certain times as there are only two of us.
So Monday afternoon after picking up the mail at our box - from over a week - and lunch out at Wendys, we came home and I was ready to start catching up on work at my computer. Our bank statements, as well as those for our business and for the two clubs of which I am treasurer had all come in and I planned to work on them. ( I had caught up on email on Sunday while we waited for the delivery.)
I turned on my computer. Some message went past too quickly for me to read. I then tried to go to the Win XP virtual machine in my computer to catch up and sync my Organizer entries in my old Palm Centro with Organizer - but the computer would not switch to the XP side. Husband came to figure it out. Unfortunately I have been having problems with my old, analog monitor recently and it decided to die in the middle of this. We managed to turn my computer sideways and hook it up to the monitor from husband’s second computer - hanging on the wall on his side of the office. He fixed the computer problem.
He had been looking for a new monitor for me. I really did not want a digital one, but that it is all there is. The big problem was that unless we were going to rearrange a good part of the office, I needed a small monitor - about 18 inches across - or it would not fit. There were two candidates he had found. One was Walmart and one was from Staples - but the latter had to be ordered. So Walmart it was. We went in to a local Walmart. We found the monitor we had been looking at - on our trip last week we actually had a chance to see it running and it looked okay. We also found one that he had not seen anything about that was smaller. He looked it up online on his cell phone - well rated and only US$60 (plus sales tax). We decided to go with same. It could be returned and at that price if we decided that I should have the other monitor (it can be turned vertically which might be good for me when reading full page things such as IRS manuals), this was cheap enough to keep as a spare emergency monitor around the house. We took it to the electronics desk - it was $90? Husband pointed out that it was $60 online - we were told that we had to ask for a price match (to Walmart’s own online price). He walked away in reference to a call he had taken. Husband checked and he told him that we should take it to customer service and buy it there, asking for the price match.
This Walmart is in the middle of being updated. The entry now has a gate that when closed only lets one into the store, not out, and when open bings when one someone walks out. Plus there is a security device on the box - how do we get to the service desk - without security descending on us? He decided that he would stay inside of the entrance and I should go out, get in line and explain and ask what to do. I walked over to the first register aisle (empty of customers) and walked out and got on the service line. I was 3rd in line. But there were problems with everyone ahead of us. Finally after he watched people walk out the entrance, set off the alarm, and have nothing happen, he met me at the line. We bought it for the online price and started home.
My old monitor sat on a small plastic shelf, which I do not want to get rid of. (I keep my 2 external hard drives for backup under it, as well as it having sections to hold both kinds of paper clips, pencils, pens, etc. ) Apparently the old monitor bent the shelf and the new monitor rocked. We finally got it balanced and working. I then ran to cook dinner and add some items to the refrigerator after shutting off the computer.
Yesterday, Tuesday, we finally went for our annual eye exams. We were due last November - back when husband’s shoulder was in pain and we could not go that far. Since then this and that has happened, so it took until now. (All was good at the appointment - thank you for asking.) We drove home afterwards despite the drops in our eyes.
On arriving home I helped husband set up our portal air conditioner in the living room so he could finish a weaving project on his loom and went upstairs to try to catch up on computer - and pay a bill. I had trouble seeing anything on the screen - it all seemed overwhelming (husband had changed the settings to make the icons larger - something I really did not need or want). Colors were too bright. The white was too bright. I figured it was all related to the eye drops. I managed to work around it - checked email - first time since Sunday, paid the bill, etc. Husband later changed the icon settings back for me.
So today when we came home from a couple of errands I was ready to go to work on my computer and get work done. It was still too bright - the white too bright, the colors too bold - and I am talking about type - not pictures. I ended up switching to my distance glasses (normally use reading glasses - as I am doing now with my laptop - when working on the computer) and pushing my seat back as far as my arms could reach. He spent a good deal of time - dinner was late tonight - trying to get to the colors and white so that they are not too bright/bold for me, but not so that the white is grey either. Not sure if he/we are done with it with yet.
And he does not understand why I say - change is never good.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -
For some reason change is easier for some people. There are people who look forward to something new - new clothes, new car, new computer, new household appliance, new house, going someplace new on a trip. Are you one of them? Or are you like me - someone who wants everything to stay as it is and has trouble adjusting to change?
I was woken by someone ringing our doorbell and pounding on the door at 7:30 am. I was unsure if it was the delivery as no one had called and was physically too exhausted to get up and look out the window. At 9:30 am my alarm went off. I telephoned the store and was told that I was not on the delivery list for the day. (Glad I didn’t force myself out of bed at 7:30.) The delivery manager who told me this seemed to have no memory of who we were and what was going on. He put me through to the appliance manager. She remembered us, but it was as if we had not been told the week before that it would be delivered on Saturday - the day I was calling her. She told me that she had the fridge and it would be delivered the next day - Sunday. (Quite frankly we were surprised that they deliver on Saturday or Sunday - it used to be week days only.)
The time frame for the first refrigerator to be delivered was 11:30 am to 4:30 pm. We figured that there was a delivery time which ended at 11:30 am and one that started at 4:30 pm. We were called and told that the time range was 12 pm to 5 pm. Lunch was problematic - there was food in the basement freezer and some packaged food in the house - but we had not had a properly working fridge in over a week and a half and did not really have food in the house for the lunch, but we figured we could hold out - and what were the chances we would be one of the last deliveries of the time frame?
We woke up before noon and dressed and went into our home office to work on our computers, sort mail that arrived while we were away, catch up email etc. Around 3:00 husband said that he really needed to eat something as his blood sugar had dropped. Crackers were not enough - so I made him a can of pea soup. I had a small individual applesauce. We went back upstairs. Now, I did get work done - I managed to transfer files to a DVD for my annual archiving of last year, caught up on email, etc. At 4:00 the phone rang. It was the delivery company’s computer again - delivery was now to be 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm!
I telephoned the store - they had the same info, but they did give me a phone number for the delivery company. I called same - 3 times as the first two times I was dropped off hold. I got a nice woman named Becky. I explained that entire saga- damaged refrigerator delivered, having to wait a week for a replacement, delivery not set up for the day before as we would be told, the change in time at the last minute, we are both Diabetics and have not eaten and are becoming ill... She went and checked. There had been a problem on an earlier delivery that set the crew back 90 minutes! She also told me that there were 4 deliveries ahead of us so it would be an hour to an hour and a half before they came and we should be able to go out and eat something. I thanked her.
We did not go out for lunch as we did not trust doing so. Glad we did not. We received a call around 5 pm that they would be here within half an hour. Husband went outside to wait. Good thing. The numbering is odd on the houses here plus depending on the GPS it can show us up the street or about 5 + blocks of where we are. Husband saw a truck stop about 2 houses up the street from us with the men in the truck looking confused and he waved them over.
As opposed to the first crew which was just the other side of perfunctory - meaning a little short of same - this was the type of the delivery we expected (other than the time problem). Two friendly delivery men. Robert had explained to them that they were taking back the same model that we had recently received because of damage. They came in and measured the doors again. (The last one came in, so this one had to - they were twins.) The one in charge looked at the damage and shook his head that it had been delivered like that. They took the old one out. They unpacked the new one. The one in charge called husband over - there was a scratch in the freezer door of the new one - he and we had the same idea - the freezer doors were switched. They brought the new fridge in. They removed the plastic wrapping from it. It was plugged in so all knew it was working. They saw that it was not level and leveled it. (The prior crew had told us it could not be leveled when we asked them to do so.) They did not set up the inside, but I had been told by the manager that they are not suppose to do so. If this crew had come with the original fridge and same had not been damaged and had worked right - I would be just as happy with this store as I was after I bought a washing machine from them. (Which is why we bought from them again.) We tipped the two men - husband is not one to tip for deliveries and such, but we agreed that they did that good a job - especially compared to the last crew. After delivery and setup the fridge is suppose to sit set at the middle range for 24 hours without opening and closing the door or putting any food in it. We shut it off and set up the shelves inside, put in the remote thermometer and shut the door. We went out for a much needed dinner at the Asian buffet we go to.
It is more or less working properly. Apparently it is suppose to go up and down more than our older fridge to keep the proper temperature - although not as much as the first one did. It is also suppose to do so less after it is filled - it is suppose to be at least half filled and food added a little at a time. We have put a lot of bottles of water (made by us, not commercial) in it to add food to it as we have not yet been food shopping and even then, do not have a lot of food in the fridge at any one time in hot weather (in case storm takes down the electricity), and not that much in the winter either other than at certain times as there are only two of us.
So Monday afternoon after picking up the mail at our box - from over a week - and lunch out at Wendys, we came home and I was ready to start catching up on work at my computer. Our bank statements, as well as those for our business and for the two clubs of which I am treasurer had all come in and I planned to work on them. ( I had caught up on email on Sunday while we waited for the delivery.)
I turned on my computer. Some message went past too quickly for me to read. I then tried to go to the Win XP virtual machine in my computer to catch up and sync my Organizer entries in my old Palm Centro with Organizer - but the computer would not switch to the XP side. Husband came to figure it out. Unfortunately I have been having problems with my old, analog monitor recently and it decided to die in the middle of this. We managed to turn my computer sideways and hook it up to the monitor from husband’s second computer - hanging on the wall on his side of the office. He fixed the computer problem.
He had been looking for a new monitor for me. I really did not want a digital one, but that it is all there is. The big problem was that unless we were going to rearrange a good part of the office, I needed a small monitor - about 18 inches across - or it would not fit. There were two candidates he had found. One was Walmart and one was from Staples - but the latter had to be ordered. So Walmart it was. We went in to a local Walmart. We found the monitor we had been looking at - on our trip last week we actually had a chance to see it running and it looked okay. We also found one that he had not seen anything about that was smaller. He looked it up online on his cell phone - well rated and only US$60 (plus sales tax). We decided to go with same. It could be returned and at that price if we decided that I should have the other monitor (it can be turned vertically which might be good for me when reading full page things such as IRS manuals), this was cheap enough to keep as a spare emergency monitor around the house. We took it to the electronics desk - it was $90? Husband pointed out that it was $60 online - we were told that we had to ask for a price match (to Walmart’s own online price). He walked away in reference to a call he had taken. Husband checked and he told him that we should take it to customer service and buy it there, asking for the price match.
This Walmart is in the middle of being updated. The entry now has a gate that when closed only lets one into the store, not out, and when open bings when one someone walks out. Plus there is a security device on the box - how do we get to the service desk - without security descending on us? He decided that he would stay inside of the entrance and I should go out, get in line and explain and ask what to do. I walked over to the first register aisle (empty of customers) and walked out and got on the service line. I was 3rd in line. But there were problems with everyone ahead of us. Finally after he watched people walk out the entrance, set off the alarm, and have nothing happen, he met me at the line. We bought it for the online price and started home.
My old monitor sat on a small plastic shelf, which I do not want to get rid of. (I keep my 2 external hard drives for backup under it, as well as it having sections to hold both kinds of paper clips, pencils, pens, etc. ) Apparently the old monitor bent the shelf and the new monitor rocked. We finally got it balanced and working. I then ran to cook dinner and add some items to the refrigerator after shutting off the computer.
Yesterday, Tuesday, we finally went for our annual eye exams. We were due last November - back when husband’s shoulder was in pain and we could not go that far. Since then this and that has happened, so it took until now. (All was good at the appointment - thank you for asking.) We drove home afterwards despite the drops in our eyes.
On arriving home I helped husband set up our portal air conditioner in the living room so he could finish a weaving project on his loom and went upstairs to try to catch up on computer - and pay a bill. I had trouble seeing anything on the screen - it all seemed overwhelming (husband had changed the settings to make the icons larger - something I really did not need or want). Colors were too bright. The white was too bright. I figured it was all related to the eye drops. I managed to work around it - checked email - first time since Sunday, paid the bill, etc. Husband later changed the icon settings back for me.
So today when we came home from a couple of errands I was ready to go to work on my computer and get work done. It was still too bright - the white too bright, the colors too bold - and I am talking about type - not pictures. I ended up switching to my distance glasses (normally use reading glasses - as I am doing now with my laptop - when working on the computer) and pushing my seat back as far as my arms could reach. He spent a good deal of time - dinner was late tonight - trying to get to the colors and white so that they are not too bright/bold for me, but not so that the white is grey either. Not sure if he/we are done with it with yet.
And he does not understand why I say - change is never good.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK -
For some reason change is easier for some people. There are people who look forward to something new - new clothes, new car, new computer, new household appliance, new house, going someplace new on a trip. Are you one of them? Or are you like me - someone who wants everything to stay as it is and has trouble adjusting to change?
Friday, August 3, 2018
BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES - AGAIN
First, my apologies - somehow I forgot last night to write and post to you. I had finished the yearbook (next year meeting program guide) for my embroidery guild chapter and on Tuesday I had taken it to be printed - yesterday (Wednesday) we picked it up and in the evening when I normally would be writing and posting to you, I stapled, labeled, and stuck stamps on the yearbooks to be mailed out today. Somehow my mind then wandered off and I never did get back to writing and posting. So I am doing it today.
Last year I wrote about back to school supplies - http://wheredidileavethat.blogspot.com/2017/08/this-week-back-to-bit-more-normal.html
Today is more about back to school supplies. As I wrote last year, even as a child I loved office supplies and back to school was actually fun for me - the promise of a blank notebook, not scribbled on or in was the promise to me of a year that I would stay organized and all assignments would be done ahead of when they were due. This, of course, was never true for me or I would not be writing this blog.
As I mentioned last year this is the time of year to buy supplies that might be needed as they are discounted. Do you have pens and pencils in your house that you can find? If not this is the time to get them - and a box to keep them in. The same with basics such as scissors and tape. Good time to find plastic boxes, crates, and file storage boxes.
Growing up I thought everyone went to back to school the Wednesday after Labor Day unless they lived in New York City - since NYC rarely needed a snow day (subways always ran until more recent years when even they had to close sometimes for weather) so the schools in NYC started on the Monday, a week after Labor Day as the did not need to have the 3 snow days the rest of had built into their schedule. I have in recent years learned that schools around the country start and end on all different schedules. (Around here schools close at the June.) Some school districts close for a 2 month vacation -some for a 3 month vacation. Even around here there is now a movement to start schools earlier - in some districts even before Labor Day (although many districts have union agreements against same). The local change is the result of adding holy days of additional religions as days off during the year and the need to make up those days in the calendar.
But right now is the time for school supplies. I wanted to add this second posting about school supplies as there are some that people (as least old timers such as me) do not think of as back to school items.
Electronics. Laptops, tablets, and so on. Stores are running sales now on these for back to school. I was reminded of this as my husband has for some time (years) been pushing me to replace this laptop - to say it is not new is an understatement, you know those stickers on the laptops that show what version of what is included in it - well, the newest copyright on any of them on this laptop is 2004 - that make it around 14 years old, and yes, it still runs Windows XP. It was my work laptop when it was new. I bought a newer work laptop since then and rather than toss this one, it became my kitchen computer - where I go online at night and write and post my blog. It still works - mostly. Some websites are too fast for it and therefore run very slowly on the computer. But for most things it is fine. Husband has been pushing me to get a new laptop. My desktop - main - computer is Windows 7 and not all of my software runs on it - it is even harder to get me to get new software. I tried using his laptop which is Windows 10 and I was not happy with it - and probably even more software will not run. He has been showing me back to school ads for laptops and pushing “Look what great prices they are.” I start to think what a great idea - that website that takes sooooo long to open will work quicker, but I know it is hard for me to switch and it will involve screaming and yelling - on both our sides. (Husband is a dear and puts up with my wanting everything to remain the same and be able to use my old software and goes to great lengths to “make it so” but even he cannot do magic.) So, it reminded me to mention it to all of you. Now, don’t run out and buy a new computer just because they are on sale - but if you have been thinking of getting one - it is a good time save a few bucks.
Another school supply that I don’t think of as being one is casual furniture. Back to school includes going to college and stores that carry casual furniture - small pieces for storage and the like - are having sales and also have a larger choice of them in stock. Shelving units, small file cabinets, the doored cabinets with shelves in them are readily available now.
Of course clothing including shoes for adults (remember back to college) as well as children, of course, are in stock now.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK -
While one should not go out buying items willy nilly and only buy what one actually needs, if one is need of office supplies, clothing, electronics, casual furniture, etc. now is the time to look for bargains.
Obviously one should not buy stuff just because it is on sale - that just adds to the clutter and having too much stuff, but if items are needed it is always best to buy them during the time they are on sale.
Last year I wrote about back to school supplies - http://wheredidileavethat.blogspot.com/2017/08/this-week-back-to-bit-more-normal.html
Today is more about back to school supplies. As I wrote last year, even as a child I loved office supplies and back to school was actually fun for me - the promise of a blank notebook, not scribbled on or in was the promise to me of a year that I would stay organized and all assignments would be done ahead of when they were due. This, of course, was never true for me or I would not be writing this blog.
As I mentioned last year this is the time of year to buy supplies that might be needed as they are discounted. Do you have pens and pencils in your house that you can find? If not this is the time to get them - and a box to keep them in. The same with basics such as scissors and tape. Good time to find plastic boxes, crates, and file storage boxes.
Growing up I thought everyone went to back to school the Wednesday after Labor Day unless they lived in New York City - since NYC rarely needed a snow day (subways always ran until more recent years when even they had to close sometimes for weather) so the schools in NYC started on the Monday, a week after Labor Day as the did not need to have the 3 snow days the rest of had built into their schedule. I have in recent years learned that schools around the country start and end on all different schedules. (Around here schools close at the June.) Some school districts close for a 2 month vacation -some for a 3 month vacation. Even around here there is now a movement to start schools earlier - in some districts even before Labor Day (although many districts have union agreements against same). The local change is the result of adding holy days of additional religions as days off during the year and the need to make up those days in the calendar.
But right now is the time for school supplies. I wanted to add this second posting about school supplies as there are some that people (as least old timers such as me) do not think of as back to school items.
Electronics. Laptops, tablets, and so on. Stores are running sales now on these for back to school. I was reminded of this as my husband has for some time (years) been pushing me to replace this laptop - to say it is not new is an understatement, you know those stickers on the laptops that show what version of what is included in it - well, the newest copyright on any of them on this laptop is 2004 - that make it around 14 years old, and yes, it still runs Windows XP. It was my work laptop when it was new. I bought a newer work laptop since then and rather than toss this one, it became my kitchen computer - where I go online at night and write and post my blog. It still works - mostly. Some websites are too fast for it and therefore run very slowly on the computer. But for most things it is fine. Husband has been pushing me to get a new laptop. My desktop - main - computer is Windows 7 and not all of my software runs on it - it is even harder to get me to get new software. I tried using his laptop which is Windows 10 and I was not happy with it - and probably even more software will not run. He has been showing me back to school ads for laptops and pushing “Look what great prices they are.” I start to think what a great idea - that website that takes sooooo long to open will work quicker, but I know it is hard for me to switch and it will involve screaming and yelling - on both our sides. (Husband is a dear and puts up with my wanting everything to remain the same and be able to use my old software and goes to great lengths to “make it so” but even he cannot do magic.) So, it reminded me to mention it to all of you. Now, don’t run out and buy a new computer just because they are on sale - but if you have been thinking of getting one - it is a good time save a few bucks.
Another school supply that I don’t think of as being one is casual furniture. Back to school includes going to college and stores that carry casual furniture - small pieces for storage and the like - are having sales and also have a larger choice of them in stock. Shelving units, small file cabinets, the doored cabinets with shelves in them are readily available now.
Of course clothing including shoes for adults (remember back to college) as well as children, of course, are in stock now.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK -
While one should not go out buying items willy nilly and only buy what one actually needs, if one is need of office supplies, clothing, electronics, casual furniture, etc. now is the time to look for bargains.
Obviously one should not buy stuff just because it is on sale - that just adds to the clutter and having too much stuff, but if items are needed it is always best to buy them during the time they are on sale.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
SCHOOL AND OFFICE SUPPLIES
This week back to a bit more normal organizing - instead of our weird adventures.
First of all, we bought and I have been using a new dish rack instead of using the dead dishwasher as a rack. It is actually smaller than my old rack and I have trouble fitting in the dishes and pots from dinner and must store them away before I wash the items from night snack - well, at least it makes me put everything away.
Now -school supplies. I think I have mentioned before my love of office supplies - as a child I played with my dad’s supplies in his office and I am always looking at them for ideas of what to do with them. I was also a strange child who actually loved going to school and the new supplies for the year were exciting.
You are thinking - I don’t need school supplies, so I will skip this post - don’t! You may need school supplies and not realize it. I know our purpose is to get rid of stuff - not buy stuff, but sometimes school/office supplies can help us organize.
We are in school supply season (at least in the U.S.) and the stores are all competing for business so there are very good prices on the supplies. A wonderful time to stock up on needed supplies.
Our reenacting unit had to move out of our headquarters for a good part of a year. When we move back our modern space in the back was disorganized and simple supplies lacking. When school supply season rolled around I bought a package of pens, one of pencils, a clip board that opened for storage, a large pad of lined paper (now we were set to pass around a paper each meeting for attendance, as well as additional ones for lists of who is coming to which event), scissors, tape, glue, ruler, marker pen, small box to keep it all in and a second box in another color to put sewing supplies in (they had been in a small open basket before in a file cabinet). Now we are set for whatever we need - a sign for the door saying “use the front door” or “keep this door closed” no problem, someone needs to take minutes as the secretary is not there - plenty of paper and pens, and so on.
So think about it. Do you journal your organizing efforts in a notebook? If you think you will need a notebook before next year, now is a great time to get it cheaper. If you can never find a pen or pencil - a package is cheap to buy now - put pens and/or pencils around the house where you always need them and can’t find them. Scissors also inexpensive. If you sew and fly and have a problem with pointed scissors when flying - I bought Fiskars blunt tip scissors (even have a cover for the tip) which are nice and sharp for cutting, but blunt ended to take on planes (or in my case to jury duty) - best price of the year right now on them. Folders for filing what you sort - even in colors. Pocket folders for papers you need to bring places. (I have one for my papers to take to our reenactment unit meetings and one in a different color for same for my embroidery chapter meetings.) Small plastic boxes for storage. Backpacks. Great time to stock up.
But now, remember, don’t buy more than you will need - this time will come again next year. Also it is important to set a place for the spares to be kept so that you can find them when you need them.
We had a small month calendar on our fridge for TV shows. Husband made it on the printer and sealed it in plastic sheets. He has been using it as a “white board”. It is hard to fit the info in the small squares and the ink is hard to get off of it. I saw in with the school supplies a larger wall calendar which is a white board. It said that it was magnetic - which I took to mean it would stick to the fridge. No, it meant that one could put magnets on it. Husband was intrigued by the idea and we bought one to see if we could put it on the fridge. We did so. There are 5 weeks on it - we set the first week as 8:00 pm, the next as 8:30, next 9:00, next 9:30 and the last 10 pm (rarely half hour shows at 10 or 10:30 pm). Since the shows no longer run a full season, we list what is on and we would like to see. Petty idea I know. But what could you use a large calendar which can be erased for? It is actually made to hang on a wall with included hangers so don’t think it has to go on the fridge. (We glued washers to the back and then put heavy duty magnets on same - but even then we needed to put a string around the sawteeth it was suppose to hang from and then around two magnet hooks on the fridge.)
That reminds me of another great office supply - but it probably is not on sale. We have a labeling machine. It prints small plastic labels. Labeling is good and helps one to find things easier. In our case it from Brother, but there are several companies which make them. Husband printed the times for each set of boxes small and put it on a tiny thin magnet and put it on the board to make it easier to see what time something is on. But since labeling things is a great way to keep track of what there is and which box, can, etc. is which - these labels are wonderful. They even come off of many surfaces cleanly. I label the various stick flash drives I use for data with them. I put them on DVDs/CDs to know what is on the disk. If it is a reuseable disk, when I delete it to reuse, I take the old label off. My husband (since the time of floppy disks, through zip disks to stick flash drives) does not label his. He “knows” which is which - the green one over there is “X”, the red one over there is “Y” and so on. Generally he has no idea which is which and has to sit and stick each one in his computer until he finds the one he is looking for - if he does. Boxes of craft supplies when labeled are easy to find the supply one is looking for - ribbons, buttons, pompoms? Easy to find when the box says what it is in it.
Of course, for cardboard boxes - marking pens work great for labeling also.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK -
Supplies to make organizing easier are good to have - but don’t go crazy buying “more stuff”, buy what will be of help to YOU. Make sure you have a place to keep what you buy so that you will be able to find it as it is needed.
First of all, we bought and I have been using a new dish rack instead of using the dead dishwasher as a rack. It is actually smaller than my old rack and I have trouble fitting in the dishes and pots from dinner and must store them away before I wash the items from night snack - well, at least it makes me put everything away.
Now -school supplies. I think I have mentioned before my love of office supplies - as a child I played with my dad’s supplies in his office and I am always looking at them for ideas of what to do with them. I was also a strange child who actually loved going to school and the new supplies for the year were exciting.
You are thinking - I don’t need school supplies, so I will skip this post - don’t! You may need school supplies and not realize it. I know our purpose is to get rid of stuff - not buy stuff, but sometimes school/office supplies can help us organize.
We are in school supply season (at least in the U.S.) and the stores are all competing for business so there are very good prices on the supplies. A wonderful time to stock up on needed supplies.
Our reenacting unit had to move out of our headquarters for a good part of a year. When we move back our modern space in the back was disorganized and simple supplies lacking. When school supply season rolled around I bought a package of pens, one of pencils, a clip board that opened for storage, a large pad of lined paper (now we were set to pass around a paper each meeting for attendance, as well as additional ones for lists of who is coming to which event), scissors, tape, glue, ruler, marker pen, small box to keep it all in and a second box in another color to put sewing supplies in (they had been in a small open basket before in a file cabinet). Now we are set for whatever we need - a sign for the door saying “use the front door” or “keep this door closed” no problem, someone needs to take minutes as the secretary is not there - plenty of paper and pens, and so on.
So think about it. Do you journal your organizing efforts in a notebook? If you think you will need a notebook before next year, now is a great time to get it cheaper. If you can never find a pen or pencil - a package is cheap to buy now - put pens and/or pencils around the house where you always need them and can’t find them. Scissors also inexpensive. If you sew and fly and have a problem with pointed scissors when flying - I bought Fiskars blunt tip scissors (even have a cover for the tip) which are nice and sharp for cutting, but blunt ended to take on planes (or in my case to jury duty) - best price of the year right now on them. Folders for filing what you sort - even in colors. Pocket folders for papers you need to bring places. (I have one for my papers to take to our reenactment unit meetings and one in a different color for same for my embroidery chapter meetings.) Small plastic boxes for storage. Backpacks. Great time to stock up.
But now, remember, don’t buy more than you will need - this time will come again next year. Also it is important to set a place for the spares to be kept so that you can find them when you need them.
We had a small month calendar on our fridge for TV shows. Husband made it on the printer and sealed it in plastic sheets. He has been using it as a “white board”. It is hard to fit the info in the small squares and the ink is hard to get off of it. I saw in with the school supplies a larger wall calendar which is a white board. It said that it was magnetic - which I took to mean it would stick to the fridge. No, it meant that one could put magnets on it. Husband was intrigued by the idea and we bought one to see if we could put it on the fridge. We did so. There are 5 weeks on it - we set the first week as 8:00 pm, the next as 8:30, next 9:00, next 9:30 and the last 10 pm (rarely half hour shows at 10 or 10:30 pm). Since the shows no longer run a full season, we list what is on and we would like to see. Petty idea I know. But what could you use a large calendar which can be erased for? It is actually made to hang on a wall with included hangers so don’t think it has to go on the fridge. (We glued washers to the back and then put heavy duty magnets on same - but even then we needed to put a string around the sawteeth it was suppose to hang from and then around two magnet hooks on the fridge.)
That reminds me of another great office supply - but it probably is not on sale. We have a labeling machine. It prints small plastic labels. Labeling is good and helps one to find things easier. In our case it from Brother, but there are several companies which make them. Husband printed the times for each set of boxes small and put it on a tiny thin magnet and put it on the board to make it easier to see what time something is on. But since labeling things is a great way to keep track of what there is and which box, can, etc. is which - these labels are wonderful. They even come off of many surfaces cleanly. I label the various stick flash drives I use for data with them. I put them on DVDs/CDs to know what is on the disk. If it is a reuseable disk, when I delete it to reuse, I take the old label off. My husband (since the time of floppy disks, through zip disks to stick flash drives) does not label his. He “knows” which is which - the green one over there is “X”, the red one over there is “Y” and so on. Generally he has no idea which is which and has to sit and stick each one in his computer until he finds the one he is looking for - if he does. Boxes of craft supplies when labeled are easy to find the supply one is looking for - ribbons, buttons, pompoms? Easy to find when the box says what it is in it.
Of course, for cardboard boxes - marking pens work great for labeling also.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK -
Supplies to make organizing easier are good to have - but don’t go crazy buying “more stuff”, buy what will be of help to YOU. Make sure you have a place to keep what you buy so that you will be able to find it as it is needed.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
DID NOT FALL BEHIND THIS WEEK - CAUGHT UP A BIT INSTEAD
Well, here it is another week gone by. Time to write again.
First a bit of how I am writing and posting this blog. The first few posts I wrote in advance as this is at least my third attempt at a blog (on varying subjects) and I figured if I kept 3 weeks ahead I would be fine. Of course like, I am guessing, most of you, I used up the 3 posts and now post week to week. I have a reminder on my calendar for Tuesday night to write the week’s post so I can post it on Wednesday night (which is generally around midnight Wednesday into very early Thursday morning) which give me a chance Wednesday night to proof read it again or write the post if I did not get to it Tuesday night - which happens much too often. So, if you are coming to see read it, it is posted by early Thursday am Eastern US time. If you sign up to receive it weekly in your email it seems to arrive late Thursday.
It was another week of getting very little done as I get sidetracked from doing things by husband and by “emergencies” which arise. But I did get some tasks done. Repeat tasks such as bill paying, laundry, dish washing and such get done ahead of lesser tasks. They are necessary to keep the house and us going.
I had left the bed made up in the RV for our next trip, but the generator needs to be worked on by a mechanic and he needs access to the air conditioning switch inside the RV - over the bed, so I had to unmake the bed yesterday - about an hour of wasted time to do so, get the bed itself disassembled and covered with plastic covers to keep it clean. When we go away next, there will about another hour putting it all back together and making it back up - I had hoped to avoid this work as we had only traveled on our last trip for a few days and our next 2 trips are of even shorter duration. As long as I took it apart I will wash the bed linens. For each of us there is a large laundry bag which holds a blanket, pillows, and mattress cover from half the bed (since it is made up as if it was two adjacent twins) - marked so I know whose is whose - since someone other than us will be inside the RV, the laundry bags are sealed in plastic bags.
The bank statements for us and for the two non-profit organizations of which I am treasurer this past week and all the statements have been reconciled and filed away. I actually got the stack of items on my desk waiting to be done back down to what I needed to do about 6 months ago. I am sure it will grow again.
I started working on a corporate income tax return due out by September 15 - maybe it will be out early for once and not at the last minute.
We have started calling up and changing our mailing address for our various financial mail (bills, statements, and checks to deposit coming in - nothing fancy) to our Post Office box as a way of dealing with our mail going astray. I am calling and changing each as I go to pay the bill or deposit the check. I figure when we go to the banks we will change the mailing address there. Husband has taken care of a couple of items which are his. We may have a problem in winter or bad weather as we will need to get to our PO box, but we can always call and find out how much to pay and where to send it. We pay our bills the old fashioned way - by check and mail. This has helped us, in at least one case, avoid having our info stolen from a company which was hacked.
I have not finished putting away the food from last week’s trip - I have it in plastic boxes which snap closed and it is mostly the same snack food we eat at home, so I have been using it up bit by bit instead.
I did 4 loads of laundry last week to catch up on our clothes and towels as I had done it early the week before to go away with all clothes cleaned. I did not change the bedding as since we had been away, we used the bed over 2 weeks the equivalent of sleeping it in for just over one week - a big time saver - and, as I told you, I hate sheets.
I went through my food books last night - cooking and diet - and sorted out 27 of them to donate. Mostly these are in reference to diet related to a condition we both have and are no longer needed by us as we know what to do. Other books were ones which seemed like good ideas or were gifts or for foods we no longer eat. Don’t worry - there are still lots of cookbooks on the shelf - but I did manage to get it down to one shelf so there is lots of room in the bookcase for crafts books. The cooking books are on the bottom shelf as they are not used often. Some of them I know I will never use, but they are sentimental favorites and one is a “Gone with the Wind” cookbook, of no real use, but I could not part with it. I kept the cookbooks for an assortment of types of cooking we like and a couple that we have never used, but still sounded interesting. I put the ones we are keeping back on the shelf in sections based on what they are for - with a stack of assorted types of paperbacks facing forward to save room and make them easy to see.
So it was more or less a typical week around here. A bit of decluttering, a bit of organizing and much wasted time.
First a bit of how I am writing and posting this blog. The first few posts I wrote in advance as this is at least my third attempt at a blog (on varying subjects) and I figured if I kept 3 weeks ahead I would be fine. Of course like, I am guessing, most of you, I used up the 3 posts and now post week to week. I have a reminder on my calendar for Tuesday night to write the week’s post so I can post it on Wednesday night (which is generally around midnight Wednesday into very early Thursday morning) which give me a chance Wednesday night to proof read it again or write the post if I did not get to it Tuesday night - which happens much too often. So, if you are coming to see read it, it is posted by early Thursday am Eastern US time. If you sign up to receive it weekly in your email it seems to arrive late Thursday.
It was another week of getting very little done as I get sidetracked from doing things by husband and by “emergencies” which arise. But I did get some tasks done. Repeat tasks such as bill paying, laundry, dish washing and such get done ahead of lesser tasks. They are necessary to keep the house and us going.
I had left the bed made up in the RV for our next trip, but the generator needs to be worked on by a mechanic and he needs access to the air conditioning switch inside the RV - over the bed, so I had to unmake the bed yesterday - about an hour of wasted time to do so, get the bed itself disassembled and covered with plastic covers to keep it clean. When we go away next, there will about another hour putting it all back together and making it back up - I had hoped to avoid this work as we had only traveled on our last trip for a few days and our next 2 trips are of even shorter duration. As long as I took it apart I will wash the bed linens. For each of us there is a large laundry bag which holds a blanket, pillows, and mattress cover from half the bed (since it is made up as if it was two adjacent twins) - marked so I know whose is whose - since someone other than us will be inside the RV, the laundry bags are sealed in plastic bags.
The bank statements for us and for the two non-profit organizations of which I am treasurer this past week and all the statements have been reconciled and filed away. I actually got the stack of items on my desk waiting to be done back down to what I needed to do about 6 months ago. I am sure it will grow again.
I started working on a corporate income tax return due out by September 15 - maybe it will be out early for once and not at the last minute.
We have started calling up and changing our mailing address for our various financial mail (bills, statements, and checks to deposit coming in - nothing fancy) to our Post Office box as a way of dealing with our mail going astray. I am calling and changing each as I go to pay the bill or deposit the check. I figure when we go to the banks we will change the mailing address there. Husband has taken care of a couple of items which are his. We may have a problem in winter or bad weather as we will need to get to our PO box, but we can always call and find out how much to pay and where to send it. We pay our bills the old fashioned way - by check and mail. This has helped us, in at least one case, avoid having our info stolen from a company which was hacked.
I have not finished putting away the food from last week’s trip - I have it in plastic boxes which snap closed and it is mostly the same snack food we eat at home, so I have been using it up bit by bit instead.
I did 4 loads of laundry last week to catch up on our clothes and towels as I had done it early the week before to go away with all clothes cleaned. I did not change the bedding as since we had been away, we used the bed over 2 weeks the equivalent of sleeping it in for just over one week - a big time saver - and, as I told you, I hate sheets.
I went through my food books last night - cooking and diet - and sorted out 27 of them to donate. Mostly these are in reference to diet related to a condition we both have and are no longer needed by us as we know what to do. Other books were ones which seemed like good ideas or were gifts or for foods we no longer eat. Don’t worry - there are still lots of cookbooks on the shelf - but I did manage to get it down to one shelf so there is lots of room in the bookcase for crafts books. The cooking books are on the bottom shelf as they are not used often. Some of them I know I will never use, but they are sentimental favorites and one is a “Gone with the Wind” cookbook, of no real use, but I could not part with it. I kept the cookbooks for an assortment of types of cooking we like and a couple that we have never used, but still sounded interesting. I put the ones we are keeping back on the shelf in sections based on what they are for - with a stack of assorted types of paperbacks facing forward to save room and make them easy to see.
So it was more or less a typical week around here. A bit of decluttering, a bit of organizing and much wasted time.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
USING OFFICE SUPPLIES TO HELP IN ORGANIZING
Growing up I used to love to go to my dad’s office. Actually I loved it so much that I went into the same job as he had - accounting. His office had such fun things (yes, I was odd even as a child) - rubber stamps and pads, pens, pencils - even in colors, stickers, paper, envelopes, staplers, clips, and so on. So much fun to play with.
I still love office supplies - the last time my husband went out to try to find a gift for me for some occasion or other was at an office supply store (before he finally gave in and realized there was nothing that I wanted and he should give up). Office supplies can be used for so many things that they are not intended for as well as those they are intended for. (We were at an event and the flag being carried in a color guard was too long for the height of the room and it touched the floor. I asked at the desk of the venue - no pins - then I asked if they had any sort of paper clip or such - bingo, fixed the problem.)
So how do office supplies help one get organized?
Labels - you do use them don’t you. You can write info on things or make nice labels which make things look more organized. There are computer labels which can be printed. There are labeling machines - mine is a Brother TZ type - to make labels. Some are permanent labels - be sure you want them as they won’t come off easily if at all. Others are temporary.
When I have a file folder which I will be keeping for awhile it gets a permanent label printed by computer. I use different color edge labels printed with the computer in some drawers I use red edge labels for folder to go through at the new year and blue for permanent folders, in other drawers I use yellow and green for same (so they get used up more or less evenly) this cuts down on time clearing out folders for the new year (well, actually I do this around May, so I have info for taxes). In my desktop file holder I have folders which are permanent for folders subjects which are needed on an ongoing basis which also get computer printed labels with color edges - in this case they color signifies what the folder is for - blue is personal, red for our business, green for one club, yellow for the other - no color on the end means it is for my accounting business and each color/type of file goes into a different section in the holder and some which are temporary - something which needs to be done and then the folder will no longer be needed - I use small removable labels - I write on it, put it on the folder and it remains there until it is no longer needed and then is removed from the folder which can be used again and the label is tossed out - I use markers on them to color code them to match the permanent folders in the desktop holder sections. These removable labels can also be folder in half vertically and stuck on a page it becomes a tab to find the place again and it can then be removed when no longer needed. I use larger removable labels on the boxes that I store prior years financial records and write the year on the label. When I am ready to reuse the box - 10 years later - I pull off the old label and put on the new one.
I have marked the magazine holders we have with labels printed with the Brother machine this way we know which magazines and which years are in the holder. (There are other similar label machines from other companies, this happens to be the one I have and use not an ad for the company.) We have a number of zipper vinyl bags, which one cannot see through, in our RV and we label them with labels from the Brother so we know what is in them. I put labels on my USB flash drives which I make on the Brother - so I know what is on the drives. The blank ones get the removable labels from above with a label which reads “Blank”. It goes across the drive and its cap - when the cap comes off to use it, the label has to be removed so I never forget and leave a “blank” label on a drive in use. So wonderful to know which is which. I also use the temporary labels on the drives I take to the vault for offsite storage - they are labeled with the Brother tape as to what they are - “Offsite A” and “Offsite B” and then when I update them I put the date on a removable label and put it, again, across the drive and it’s cap so I know what date it is, when I again update it, the removable label has to come off and be tossed.
Folders - can not only hold papers in filing cabinets, but can be used to keep papers together in general. A paper alone can get lost - in a labeled folder (even a temporary label) will be harder to lose and easier to see. I have a pocket file holder for tax info for clients and another for my paid bills. Folders do not fit in them as it is the same size as the folders - I cut about a quarter of an inch off one end and they fit! I can use this to make what is in the pocket of the file holder easy to take everything out of the pocket at once without losing anything or I can use it to make sections in a pocket of the of the holder so it can hold more than one type of bill.
I have 2 sizes of paperclips. I use the small ones for smaller groups of papers and the larger ones for larger groups - obvious. What else can one use them for? Well, as I mentioned above, shortening a flag that will otherwise drag on the floor. Christmas ornament hangers - I learned this in elementary school when the teacher did it - unfold the paperclip into an S shape and it is an ornament hanger. In a related idea the large ones can be used to hang decorations around the rooms. I hang my “roping” (plastic) on the curtain rod by turning large paperclips into the same S shape and putting one at each end of the curtain rod - one in the center on longer ones - and then hanging the roping over it - I also hang an embroidered piece in a hoop from the center of a curtain rod in the same way. Also good when opened for getting stuck staples out of a stapler. Oh, and they can be put together in a chain to decorate an office Christmas tree.
Staples are also great for what they are intended for - stapling stacks of papers together - If you have papers which belong together -STAPLE THEM! Stapling is more definite than the paper clips mentioned above and won’t get caught and pulled off the papers. What else can you use them for? A hem that comes down - staple it together until you can fix it - this is an old trick.
Pencils great for writing what might need to be erased and pens for what needs to stay written. A pencil, a piece of paper and a window can let you copy something by hand. (I do this with fabric when I want to copy something to the fabric to stitch.) Put what you want to copy on the window with removable tape (another wonderful thing) and then do the same with the piece of paper or fabric. On a sunny day you will see the picture and be able to copy it to the paper - or fabric with a pencil.
Yes, tape. I am talking about clear plastic tape - often called “Scotch tape” whether it is that brand or not. There are several types. (I don’t bother with the gift wrap version.) I use the permanent one for what it is intended for - taping paper together - but it can also, again, be used for fixing clothing. But removable tape of this type is great. I tape my paper todo list to my computer desk with removable tape - when I am done I pull it off the desk, pull the tape off the paper, write a new list and put it back with the same piece of tape (there is a limit to how long one piece of tape will last). I can stick a note to something with it. (Yes, I know about the papers which stick to things on their own - last time I used one it left glue on the sales receipt it was attached to and others have not stayed in place.) If you want to tape a check or cash into a card, removable tape lets it be removed undamaged and intact.
Envelopes - of course they are used for mailing things, but they can also be used to hold papers and other things - and the larger manila ones with clips can be reused. If I have to take papers some place I put them in a manila envelope and close the clip. I then can take the papers out where I am going and then clip the envelope closed again and then when back at home remove the papers and file away and reuse the envelope.
I have several envelopes which are just larger than regular # 10 envelopes each marked on the end edge with one of our regular trips. I put anything related to the trip in the envelope as it comes along - a reservation made a year in advance sits in the envelope and then as the year goes along - discount tickets to an event? - add them into the envelope. Coupon for a restaurant? - add it in. A store looks interesting? - add it in. When it is time for the trip, I just pull the envelope and all is there. I keep these envelopes in date order in the middle section of the 3 section wall pocket - just under the bills to pay section - next to my desk.
Oh, and in the bills to pay section above is another large than # 10 envelope - it is for what I need to do on Friday - the day we go out for banking and such. I put the items needed in the envelope for Friday - checks to deposit, receipts to return items, etc. I then use a small piece of paper (at one time when I carried a small memo book, which had been cut in half, in my pocket, I used the other half of the pages which my husband had cut off on an electric saw, now I am using up old business cards - always shredding them after, but any small pieces of paper can be used) with the errands listed for example PO (remember we go there daily); Bank - transfer $X savings to checking (actually I just write S-C $X), 2 deposits, withdraw $Y; Club bank - deposit, Return to store and so on. I use a large paperclip to attach this to the outside of the envelope to follow as I go along.
Paper can of course be used for all sorts of notes. When we have paper which is printed on and not used - especially those annoying pages when one prints something and it runs 2 pages, but the second page just had the titles from the end of the page or such on it and is wasted - I put it aside. Part pages are in one section and full pages in another on top of my desk file holder. If I am going to print something which is just going to be used by me I use the back of these pages to print on or I can use them to write notes on - especially when one is calling a company and needs to make notes of the conversation due to promises made, information provided, or responses to what you said by the company employee for your records (always put date, time and employees name on the page too). Small pieces can be cut into quarter or third of a page either vertically or horizontally to use as memo paper - great for shopping lists.
So as you see ordinary office supplies can be used in a variety of different ways to help you get and stay more organized. Any good ideas you have on using office supplies?
I still love office supplies - the last time my husband went out to try to find a gift for me for some occasion or other was at an office supply store (before he finally gave in and realized there was nothing that I wanted and he should give up). Office supplies can be used for so many things that they are not intended for as well as those they are intended for. (We were at an event and the flag being carried in a color guard was too long for the height of the room and it touched the floor. I asked at the desk of the venue - no pins - then I asked if they had any sort of paper clip or such - bingo, fixed the problem.)
So how do office supplies help one get organized?
Labels - you do use them don’t you. You can write info on things or make nice labels which make things look more organized. There are computer labels which can be printed. There are labeling machines - mine is a Brother TZ type - to make labels. Some are permanent labels - be sure you want them as they won’t come off easily if at all. Others are temporary.
When I have a file folder which I will be keeping for awhile it gets a permanent label printed by computer. I use different color edge labels printed with the computer in some drawers I use red edge labels for folder to go through at the new year and blue for permanent folders, in other drawers I use yellow and green for same (so they get used up more or less evenly) this cuts down on time clearing out folders for the new year (well, actually I do this around May, so I have info for taxes). In my desktop file holder I have folders which are permanent for folders subjects which are needed on an ongoing basis which also get computer printed labels with color edges - in this case they color signifies what the folder is for - blue is personal, red for our business, green for one club, yellow for the other - no color on the end means it is for my accounting business and each color/type of file goes into a different section in the holder and some which are temporary - something which needs to be done and then the folder will no longer be needed - I use small removable labels - I write on it, put it on the folder and it remains there until it is no longer needed and then is removed from the folder which can be used again and the label is tossed out - I use markers on them to color code them to match the permanent folders in the desktop holder sections. These removable labels can also be folder in half vertically and stuck on a page it becomes a tab to find the place again and it can then be removed when no longer needed. I use larger removable labels on the boxes that I store prior years financial records and write the year on the label. When I am ready to reuse the box - 10 years later - I pull off the old label and put on the new one.
I have marked the magazine holders we have with labels printed with the Brother machine this way we know which magazines and which years are in the holder. (There are other similar label machines from other companies, this happens to be the one I have and use not an ad for the company.) We have a number of zipper vinyl bags, which one cannot see through, in our RV and we label them with labels from the Brother so we know what is in them. I put labels on my USB flash drives which I make on the Brother - so I know what is on the drives. The blank ones get the removable labels from above with a label which reads “Blank”. It goes across the drive and its cap - when the cap comes off to use it, the label has to be removed so I never forget and leave a “blank” label on a drive in use. So wonderful to know which is which. I also use the temporary labels on the drives I take to the vault for offsite storage - they are labeled with the Brother tape as to what they are - “Offsite A” and “Offsite B” and then when I update them I put the date on a removable label and put it, again, across the drive and it’s cap so I know what date it is, when I again update it, the removable label has to come off and be tossed.
Folders - can not only hold papers in filing cabinets, but can be used to keep papers together in general. A paper alone can get lost - in a labeled folder (even a temporary label) will be harder to lose and easier to see. I have a pocket file holder for tax info for clients and another for my paid bills. Folders do not fit in them as it is the same size as the folders - I cut about a quarter of an inch off one end and they fit! I can use this to make what is in the pocket of the file holder easy to take everything out of the pocket at once without losing anything or I can use it to make sections in a pocket of the of the holder so it can hold more than one type of bill.
I have 2 sizes of paperclips. I use the small ones for smaller groups of papers and the larger ones for larger groups - obvious. What else can one use them for? Well, as I mentioned above, shortening a flag that will otherwise drag on the floor. Christmas ornament hangers - I learned this in elementary school when the teacher did it - unfold the paperclip into an S shape and it is an ornament hanger. In a related idea the large ones can be used to hang decorations around the rooms. I hang my “roping” (plastic) on the curtain rod by turning large paperclips into the same S shape and putting one at each end of the curtain rod - one in the center on longer ones - and then hanging the roping over it - I also hang an embroidered piece in a hoop from the center of a curtain rod in the same way. Also good when opened for getting stuck staples out of a stapler. Oh, and they can be put together in a chain to decorate an office Christmas tree.
Staples are also great for what they are intended for - stapling stacks of papers together - If you have papers which belong together -STAPLE THEM! Stapling is more definite than the paper clips mentioned above and won’t get caught and pulled off the papers. What else can you use them for? A hem that comes down - staple it together until you can fix it - this is an old trick.
Pencils great for writing what might need to be erased and pens for what needs to stay written. A pencil, a piece of paper and a window can let you copy something by hand. (I do this with fabric when I want to copy something to the fabric to stitch.) Put what you want to copy on the window with removable tape (another wonderful thing) and then do the same with the piece of paper or fabric. On a sunny day you will see the picture and be able to copy it to the paper - or fabric with a pencil.
Yes, tape. I am talking about clear plastic tape - often called “Scotch tape” whether it is that brand or not. There are several types. (I don’t bother with the gift wrap version.) I use the permanent one for what it is intended for - taping paper together - but it can also, again, be used for fixing clothing. But removable tape of this type is great. I tape my paper todo list to my computer desk with removable tape - when I am done I pull it off the desk, pull the tape off the paper, write a new list and put it back with the same piece of tape (there is a limit to how long one piece of tape will last). I can stick a note to something with it. (Yes, I know about the papers which stick to things on their own - last time I used one it left glue on the sales receipt it was attached to and others have not stayed in place.) If you want to tape a check or cash into a card, removable tape lets it be removed undamaged and intact.
Envelopes - of course they are used for mailing things, but they can also be used to hold papers and other things - and the larger manila ones with clips can be reused. If I have to take papers some place I put them in a manila envelope and close the clip. I then can take the papers out where I am going and then clip the envelope closed again and then when back at home remove the papers and file away and reuse the envelope.
I have several envelopes which are just larger than regular # 10 envelopes each marked on the end edge with one of our regular trips. I put anything related to the trip in the envelope as it comes along - a reservation made a year in advance sits in the envelope and then as the year goes along - discount tickets to an event? - add them into the envelope. Coupon for a restaurant? - add it in. A store looks interesting? - add it in. When it is time for the trip, I just pull the envelope and all is there. I keep these envelopes in date order in the middle section of the 3 section wall pocket - just under the bills to pay section - next to my desk.
Oh, and in the bills to pay section above is another large than # 10 envelope - it is for what I need to do on Friday - the day we go out for banking and such. I put the items needed in the envelope for Friday - checks to deposit, receipts to return items, etc. I then use a small piece of paper (at one time when I carried a small memo book, which had been cut in half, in my pocket, I used the other half of the pages which my husband had cut off on an electric saw, now I am using up old business cards - always shredding them after, but any small pieces of paper can be used) with the errands listed for example PO (remember we go there daily); Bank - transfer $X savings to checking (actually I just write S-C $X), 2 deposits, withdraw $Y; Club bank - deposit, Return to store and so on. I use a large paperclip to attach this to the outside of the envelope to follow as I go along.
Paper can of course be used for all sorts of notes. When we have paper which is printed on and not used - especially those annoying pages when one prints something and it runs 2 pages, but the second page just had the titles from the end of the page or such on it and is wasted - I put it aside. Part pages are in one section and full pages in another on top of my desk file holder. If I am going to print something which is just going to be used by me I use the back of these pages to print on or I can use them to write notes on - especially when one is calling a company and needs to make notes of the conversation due to promises made, information provided, or responses to what you said by the company employee for your records (always put date, time and employees name on the page too). Small pieces can be cut into quarter or third of a page either vertically or horizontally to use as memo paper - great for shopping lists.
So as you see ordinary office supplies can be used in a variety of different ways to help you get and stay more organized. Any good ideas you have on using office supplies?
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