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Putting Old Paint to Work

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Dear Organizer,

We have been clearing out our storage room in the basement. There are cans of paint that are almost full and useable but we don’t have a use for them.  We were wondering if you know of a charity that might be interested in this type of donation?

Wooster Reader

Dear Reader:

Glad you are addressing that space in your home and great question!  Reusing and/or recycling paint goes a long way to help protect our environment.  Here is a donation site tip that I am glad to share and please spread the word.

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Wooster will accept cans of paint if they meet the following criteria:

-          Paint cans must be at least half full or better

-          Latex paint ONLY

-          Gallon / Quart/ Pint  sizes accepted

-          Paint must be usable. Meaning 5 years old or newer

-          No leaky or dented cans

-          No rust on cans

-          Aerosol cans without the spray nozzle are not accepted

Please check the cans carefully so that your donations are acceptable. Our ReStore Manager, Ron Scherzinger, suggests calling first if you are in doubt.  The ReStore is a wonderful place to shop and discover a variety of items that are priced right and may work in your building and renovation projects.  Readers please consider shopping there first before purchasing new. Your donations and purchases benefit Habitat for Humanity whose goal is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness by building adequate homes for others.  The store is located at 1451 Spruce Street Extension and is open weekdays 9:30am-4:30pm  and Saturdays 9am-3pm.

If some of your cans don’t meet the ReStore acceptable list, remember that the Wayne County Hazardous Waste Collection Days are coming up!

Thursday through Saturday, August 21-23, 2008.

Drop off your hazardous materials for no fee between

8am -4pm at

Wayne College/Old Orrville Airport

North Crown Hill Rd ,Orrville

For more info on what items are accepted visit www.timetorecycle.org

Joanna Keplar is the Education Specialist in the local office of the Stark-Tusc-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District.  She suggests that readers hold onto their non-donation paint cans and recycle them on the collection days in August.  If that is not possible, she offers this advice. For small amounts of latex paint left in a can, remove the lid and allow the paint to dry into a solid.  For oil based paint, remove lid and fill with kitty litter until all paint is absorbed.  Once these paints are in solid form, the cans may be added to your curbside trash.

Thanks to all who donate, re-use and recycle!

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Important Paperwork

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Dear Organizer:

My husband and I don’t agree on where to keep our valuable papers.  He says that our current safe deposit box at the bank is the best solution. I would like to keep our papers at home in a fireproof safe so we have access to them when needed.  What do you recommend as the best location and do you have a checklist that you use regarding what needs to be kept this way?  I enjoy reading your column. Thank you!

~Dalton reader

Greeting to you in Dalton:

I welcome the chance to write about the importance of keeping valuable papers and items properly.  Important legal and financial documents and other items that would be difficult  to replace should be safely protected.

As to which of the two spots mentioned is the best option, that is truly a personal ‘peace of mind’ preference. This,of course, is assuming that your home fire resistant safe is of the highest quality and has passed all tests.  A home safe securely bolted to the floor or wall is recommended.  Since it seems that you and your husband have different comfort levels regarding storage of these shared items, perhaps you might consider using both storage spots. I don’t often recommend duplicate efforts but when it comes to peace of mind, I am ALL for it!

If this sounds like a solution to you and your spouse, block off some time on your calendar to visit your bank box. Take a moment in the private cubicle to create a Master List of the items currently in your safe deposit box. Allow yourself enough time that day to take those items and photocopy everything.  Return to the bank with your two stacks. One stacks being the original documents and the second stack, the copies. Back in the cubicle, begin sorting.

Decide which originals you would like to keep at your fingertips in your firebox at home (passports and car titles are good examples).

Place the photocopies of those items in your bank deposit box.

Originals, such as your birth certificates, trusts and military discharge papers could be kept in the bank box. It’s your choice.  Place the photocopies of the originals that will stay at the bank in your home firebox pile. When finished, you will have two complete sets in each spot.

Absolute must: While you are still at the bank be sure to indicate on your Master List where each Original Document is housed. Remember to revise and maintain your Master List as content changes.

Here’s something to think about as you are sorting. Upon the death of the box holder, a box may be sealed for some time (possibly weeks or months) until it is opened by a court order. In the meantime, survivors may not have access to the contents. Talk with you bank about this possibility and other options. Consider keeping the originals of these 4 types of papers in your home firebox.

-Cemetery Deeds

-Insurance Policies

-Marriage Certificates

-Wills

Make the time to check with your legal advisor regarding how they have stored your legal document or iginals. More peace of mind.

A good guideline of important papers to be stored safely follows:

Marriage, Birth, Death certificates

Settlement and Divorce Papers

Last Will and Testament

Trust papers, Living Will, Powers of Attorney

Social Security Documents

Insurance Policies

Cemetery Deeds

Adoption,custody,citizenship papers

Military Discharge papers

Passports

Property deeds, motor vehicle titles

Stocks and bond certificates

Savings Bonds

Home Inventory List, including photos or a video

Home Computer backups

Valuable jewelry certificates/receipts/pictures of items/appraisals

List of Important Numbers –Bank Accounts

What’s in your wallet?

Photocopies of drivers license and

credit cards (front and back for 800 #)

I hope you never have to use that last one. I guarantee you will kiss the paper copies if you do have to retrieve them.

Absolute must: Don’t forget to reward yourself for all of you efforts. Perhaps a visit to the Dalton Dari-Ette for a milkshake or cone? That is one of my favorite spots when I treat myself. You live so close. Luck you

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Bookshelves

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Dear Organizer:

I am an avid reader and my bookshelves are overflowing. I have boxes of books stored in my garage. I realize they are taking up lots of space but have a hard time when I think about parting with them. Some are special to me. What should I do? J. –Rittman

Dear J.-
You are not alone! Many of us have a difficult time letting go of books. As a professional organizer, I have learned that one big reason why books are hard to part with is because they are a tangible indication of what we humans would like to think is our knowledge. Interesting point to ponder…isn’t it? Books are a wonderful and important part of our lives. Let’s bring some order to your personal library so that they remain a positive in yours.

Step One:

Don’t save weeding for your garden alone! Andy Rooney says it well:
“Bookshelves need as much weeding as a garden and the weeds are not so apparent.”

In your situation, I recommend you begin weeding in the garage. Open the trunk of your car and place empty boxes for donations inside. Tackle one box of the stored books at a time. Be honest when you ask yourself (out loud) “ How special is this book to me?” Remember, these books are in a box in your garage, after all. Rescue the truly special ones. Place all others in your trunk.

Avoid stopping to ‘read’ the book again. A common pitfall at this stage of the process.
Move quickly. Think of the game HOT POTATO! If the book stays in your hands too long, it will begin to burn. Look at the title and decide if it stays or goes. Trust your instinc ts to know which books are truly special. Remind yourself constantly of the value of donating books to other people. Placing a book in new hands instead of back into a storage box allows you to share the pleasure of that good book!

Short Guide to Letting Go:
-Old Textbooks
-Novels that you have no plans to read again (Seriously, aren’t you just thankful you had the time to read it once?!)
-Outdated or irrelevant reference books
-Out grown children’s books (Tough one for many of my clients! Lots of memories of time shared reading with the kids. Be selective. Hold onto the worn copy of Goodnight Moon. Share the rest with other children)

-Constantly remind yourself that information is easy to access these days and that some information is quick to change.
-If this process is overwhelming, please consider asking for help.

When you are done is the garage move inside and repeat the process.20

Step Two:

Take a good look at your current library shelves. Make sure you are storing books on shelves that are designed for them. 12” deep is plenty of room. Avoid deeper shelves. They promote stacking books in two rows and the back row will get lost.

Still have too many books for your current shelves? Consider adding shelves in other rooms. Books are inviting and decorative in any space if they are housed in a functional way. If you like to read mystery books before going to sleep, assign that category of books to your bedroom.

Arrange books in the same way that they are organized in a library or bookstore. Separate non fiction from fiction. Then group non fiction by type (travel, history). Next, alphabetize by author. Arrange fiction this way too. OK, hold on, I feel some eyes rolling at this detail! Look, we’re not saying you have to learn the Dewey decimal system here! We’re just bringing some alphabetic order. The larger your collection, the easier it will become to maintain if you follow this tried and true s ystem of arrangement to function. Set the system up once and then maintain it. If it is important to you, you’ll make the time to keep up with it.

Step Three:

Congratulate yourself! You’ve streamlined and have made an important part of your life more functional and convenient. Maintenance tip: Visit your public library more frequently. While you are there, decide which books you wish to check out and the ones you wish to purchase ….then, visit the bookstore. When you are removing the 3 new books from the shopping bag, collect 3 books from your home library and place them in the same shopping bag. 3 IN / 3 OUT. Walk the bag to your car so it is ready for your next donation run.

Keep up with your weeding. In a garden or on the book shelf….small sessions are just simply more manageable and rewarding!

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