Look at it this way. If you are rich with clutter, SHARE your abundance. Take 10 minutes this weekend and find 3 items in your home that you don’t need.
Bag them and place in your car for the next time you drive by your donation site. Unclutter and share. Others are in need.
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!
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
947 East Johnstown Road #237, Gahanna OH 43230