Organize Home Maintenance Records

When it comes to taking care of your biggest investment ~ your home, there are a lot of things that you need to manage and keep organized. In most households, these tidbits of information are spread out throughout the home ~ instruction manuals and receipts stuffed in a drawer, paint numbers on the top of a paint can in the garage. Does that sound familiar? With home maintenance and repair, it is important to be organized and current on everything that you have done to your house. It is easy to lose track of all of the home repair projects that need to be done and when.

 

Another item that is easy to lose track of are all of the home improvements and repairs you have made to your home over the years. Home improvements need to be considered when you sell your home for calculating the sales price and then for calculating capital gains after the sale. So where do you go to store and then easily find these important records about your home?

 

To keep your house in tip-top shape, you need an organized system and home where this information lives for easy reference and retrival. I found a product titled the Home Maintenance Organizer that I now offer in The Simplified Home e-store (www.TheSimplifiedHome.net) and to my local clients. This home record organizing system provides a solution to, and a home for, all the home repair/maintenance clutter. The Home Maintenance Organizer is a binder where you can record and store all of the important information about your house, like window sizes, room dimensions, when you last had the furnace or refrigerator serviced, paint colors, and much more. This system also comes with an essential set of guidelines that will tell you what home repairs should be done and when.

 

The binder also has storage for ongoing projects that are happening around the house as well as places for important documents. The binder is an easy to carry with you system when shopping for window treatments, appliances, etc.

 

Another system to use for vital and archived home records, like home deed, mortgage, home title, etc. is our HomeFile Financial Planning Organizer Kit that is used in a file cabinet or filing box. This is a ready-made home filing system to hold all your vital personal and home records, most of which that you need to keep, but don’t need to access often.

 

 

Both these ready-made organizational systems solve the clutter problem of how and where to keep home maintenance records and will and make sure your biggest investment is always taken care of.

Originally posted 2009-02-07 13:23:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

How to Avoid the Linen Closet Avalanche

Oh how easy it is to accumulate a large collection of mismatched and worn-out linens that crowd shelves in heaps, so jammed together that when you tug for a towel or reach for that yellow sheet, everything comes tumbling down.

With these tips, whipping your linen closet into shape will be one of the easiest organizing projects you’ll tackle. And it’s an excellent way to feel you have at least one thing under control.

Sort, Purge and Organize
First, sort all your towels and sheets to determine which are worth keeping and which should go. Turn worn-out and thread-bare towels and sheets into rags or garage dust covers.

Have you ever thought about how much is enough when it comes to linens. A guideline that I uncovered is that you don’t need more than three sets of sheets per bed and as few as three sets of bath sheets or towels, hand towels, and washcloths per person (more if you change towels daily.) This gives you one set in use, one in the hamper, and one in the closet ready for action. You’ll need only one or two sets for guests (one on the bed and one in the hamper or closet).

Resist the temptation to hoard extra sets for emergencies. Honestly, what emergency could occur that you would need extras, ones that really just sit in a closet and never to see the light of day? Use the one-in/one-out inventory rule to keep your inventory under control. When you acquire a new set, retire an old one.

Give your linens room to breathe
There are few things more refreshing than the fragrance of clean sheets and towels. But if your linen closet is crammed full, you’ll actually cause the opposite to occur. Textiles experts indicate that air flow is important to the safe storage of most textiles. If linens are crowded without room to breathe the fibers retain moisture, which attracts mold, mildew and possible permanent damage to the fabric. Experts recommend airing out your linens every three months to eliminate trapped moisture. If you find you have musty smells in your linen closet, experts suggest that you can chase away mustiness with an open container of baking soda, activated charcoal, or calcium carbonate.

Over the next several months I will be featuring excerpts of my new book and family chore system ‘Mom, Can I Help Around the House? A Simple Step-by-step System for Teaching Your Children Life-long Skills for Pitching in and Picking up’ To learn more about the book, visit: www.KidsandChores.net

I start this series with an explanation about why, as an Organizing Consultant, I felt this topic of calming the chaos by getting kids on board to contribute to household maintenance was so necessary to write about and put forth.

In my work with clients for the past four years, I’ve observed many characteristics in chaotic homes, but here I focus on four major characteristics that I’ve found to be most common.

1. Lack of systems and homes for belongings
Without systems and procedures, each time a task is performed; it’s like reinventing the wheel. Time, energy and productivity are lost. In addition, if belongings do not have consistent homes, then again, time, energy and productivity are lost when searching for needed items. Without systems and regular homes for belongings, family members have nothing to count on in the home, like “this is the process for performing this task, or this is where we put this item.”

2. Children not consistently performing home maintenance tasks as an active member of the family team
Let me share with you one lesson I’ve learned in my many years as an Organizing Consultant and parent of two … you cannot truly gain control of your home and achieve an organized lifestyle if your children are not an active and contributing member of the family team working toward the common goal of keeping the home picked up, organized, and running smoothly.

From my observation, the less the children are given clear home maintenance expectations (chores) and consequences for not performing these expected tasks, the more chaotic and disorderly is the home, and the more frazzled and overwhelmed is the home manager.

3. Procrastination runs rampant in chaotic homes
Procrastination is a bad habit. There is really nothing positive that comes from choosing to procrastinate. In the organizing world we define it as a delayed decision. There are many causes of procrastination, most notably our increasingly fast paced 24/7 lifestyle, but essentially, procrastination is an impulse to delay an action or decision until a later time. Procrastination is always present in disorganized and chaotic homes. Procrastination often spreads to all family members – when one person gets away with it, it opens the door for others to adopt the same behavior.

4. More stuff comes into the home than leaves
With the massive debt that the average American carries, it is no surprise that our homes are bursting at the seams with over purchasing and consumption. Common in chaotic homes, are often few limits placed on how much stuff comes into the home. Impulse purchasing is common, with little analysis about the purpose of a new purchase or where it will be stored once home. Then as a result of our busy lives, we never get around to the drudgery of purging little used and no longer valued stuff. Without regular efforts to equalize our stuff (eliminate equal amounts of existing stuff as new stuff is brought home), our homes are soon bursting at the seams and in a state of chaos.

There are many more common characteristics than the four I’ve detailed above, but these major characteristics will give you some food for thought. Can you identify your own household in any of these characteristics?

Originally posted 2008-08-22 08:57:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

6 Bright Ways to Save

What it comes to saving energy in your home, lighting is an easy place to start, according to Edison Electric Institute. You may wonder what lighting has to do with achieving a simplified home. Quite a bit actually. Simplifying your home environment and life includes more than organizing your stuff and everything you own having a home. Simplifying life includes designing your environment for greater productivity, and lighting contributes greatly to how you feel and work in your space. It also means using your resources efficiently, which is what I’m referring to in the following 6 ways to save.

These bright ideas may help you become more energy efficient.

1. Dust light bulbs and fixtures regularly.
2. Provide task lighting over desks, tool benches and the like so you don’t have to light the whole room.
3. Put lamps in corners of rooms so the light reflects off two walls
4. For lamps left on more than two hours a day, use compact fluorescent bulbs, which use up to 66 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs. A 23-watt compact fluorescent bulb can replace a 100-watt incandescent.
5. Use dimmable incandescent bulbs wherever possible.
6. Install photoelectic controls or timers to turn outdoor lighting off and on each day.

To learn more about how to save money and protect the environment, visit www.getenergyactive.org.

Originally posted 2008-12-07 09:20:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Children, Time and Chores

While there are no set rules on the amount of time a parent can expect his child to do chores, there are generally accepted guidelines about what chores a child can handle based on age and maturity and how long each chore should take.

However well-meaning a parent may be when assigning chores, many still find that they become frustrated when their child takes an inordinate amount of time to complete relatively simple chores. There could be a number of reasons why the child takes so much time to complete assigned chores, but one of the main reasons could simply be his inability to conceive of and manage time without guidelines and instruction.

It’s a familiar problem, especially with young children. Many just need time, maturity and modeling from adults to grasp the concept of time.

For parents who struggle with teaching their children to complete chores within a given timeframe, consider the following strategies:

• Give clear deadlines for completing chores. The guidelines my children have for completing their weekend chores is that they have from Friday after school until Sunday at noon to complete their chores. This method allows them to develop time management skills when planning their chores along with other plans we have over the weekend.

• Measure the time a given chore takes your child. As adults, it’s not fair for us to expect a young child to complete a chore to the same mastery we may be able to complete the same task. We all need time to learn, practice and master a new skill. A method to consider for determining the time it takes your child to complete a chore is to time him completing the chore on three separate occurrences. Add these three measurements and figure the average. Knowing the time that it takes your child to complete each task can help you set realistic, age-appropriate deadlines, that also help your children develop time management skills.

• Use a regular kitchen timer. Setting a kitchen timer to the time you expect a chore to be completed can save your child lots of time during the day that could be better spent devoted to other worthwhile endeavors, like homework or participating in recreational activities.

• Equip the child with a watch with an alarm. The advantage of using a watch with an alarm is that parents can set it to beep at a certain time every day to remind the children to start a new activity, like chores or homework. Watches are especially helpful when performing time-sensitive chores or those which tend to conveniently slip children’s minds.

• Make TV commercial breaks an ad-hoc clock. Today’s generation clearly identifies with television. Telling children that they need to have a chore completed “before the next commercial break” could help them understand 15 minute increments of time or more.

The amount of time allotted for a child to complete a chore should be determined after weighing many factors, including the child’s age, learning style and ability. As parents, we should provide many opportunities for our children to be successful while learning and mastering life skills. By providing clear expectations, needed training, and then monitoring their work, you provide your child with a secure foundation in which to learn and master home maintenance and time management skills.

Originally posted 2008-09-09 06:01:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Organize for an Emergency: 5 Tips To Get Your Home Insurance Buttoned Up!

In recognition of September’s Emergency Preparedness Month, I found a great article by Guru Sarah Welch of Buttoned Up that I wanted to share.

Homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance is a necessity; it covers you for unexpected occurrences ranging from robberies to fires.

However, when it comes to assessing whether or not you have adequate coverage, the devil is in the details. For example, did you know that the majority of these plans do not cover floods or earthquakes or that some cover fire damage but not wildfire damage? With more and more extreme cases of weather and natural disasters, it is more important than ever to review your coverage and be certain that you have the best level of protection you can get given your budget constraints.

Here are 5 tips for getting your home insurance organized.

1. Watch What You Claim

Did you know that if you keep making small claims over and over, you may exhaust your insurance funds more quickly than you anticipated or be dropped from the plan? It may also cause your premiums significantly increase, in which case paying for that roof repair out of your pocket may be smarter financially. Look carefully at your plan before you make a claim or talk to your agent to find out all of the nitty gritty details on small claims and their effect on your coverage.

Valuables.doc by Buttoned Up - available at www.TheSimplifiedHome.net

2. Take Inventory

Do you know exactly what is in your home? First of all, write down from memory everything of value in your living room from electronics to DVDs. Now take that list to the living room. Did you remember it all? Now imagine doing that for your entire home after a fire rips through your home. Everyone has valuables; they are so much more than just artwork or televisions. Think about your CD’s, iPods, clothing, outerwear, golf clubs, Corningware, picture frames.  They are all valuable and worth something. Go through your home and take an inventory of everything in your house room by room. Take photos, keep the proofs of purchase for anything in your home over $200, get appraisals done on all luxury items like jewelry, and keep it all in an easy to grab binder that you can take with you at a moment’s notice. The other reason this step is important is you may find that you are carrying insurance for $25,000 worth of goods in your home, but actually have close to $50,000 worth of items in the house. You can also hire an insurance appraiser to go through your home after you take inventory if you would like. At the bare minimum, however, having the inventory log of the valuables in your home will get you a lot more in reimbursement if the worst does occur.

3. Determine Exactly What IS Covered

Insurance packets and their corresponding websites are not written for the layperson. They can be highly confusing, full of legal mumbo-jumbo, and contain asterisked scenarios such as “If your home is damaged in a fire you are covered for X amount of dollars.”* The small print under the asterisk then clarifies along the lines of *Note: Unless you own a red car, a monkey, or have ever eaten at Dale’s Deli.” These papers can be overwhelming, so schedule an appointment with your agent and discuss the ins and outs of your current coverage. To make the conversation easier, bring your valuables binder to talk about your home inventory, and discuss events that aren’t covered by your current plan, like sewage, hurricane, flood, earthquake, etc.

4. Equip and Prepare

Owning Insurance is one piece of the puzzle, but you can also take insurance into your own hands with proper emergency planning and preparation. For example, if you live in an area that has frequent wildfires, you should clear the brush around your property on a regular basis.  You may also want to consider applying a coat or two of fire deterrent paint.  If you live in a hurricane prone area, do you have proper roofing reinforcements and windows installed? Even if you don’t live in an area with extreme weather, simply having an alarm system means fire departments will be quickly alerted of flames and police of burglaries. These safety defenses also have an added bonus: they can lower your insurance rates dramatically.

5. Have an Insurance Assessor on Deck:

Keep the contact information of a trusted insurance assessor who is not affiliated with your insurance provider in your valuables inventory log. If you ever need to file a claim, have that third party assess your damage immediately. Your insurance company is going to do the same and they will try to pay you back as little as possible. Cover your bases and fight back by having another professional document the claim and cost so you get what you rightfully deserve. Your home is your safe haven, your livelihood. You should do everything you can to protect those assets by planning ahead.

We love Buttoned Up products and carry a wide variety in The Simplified Home. Here are a couple that I recommend for organizing home records and paper so you have what you need at your fingertips in the event of an emergency.

Life.doc - The only complete system for organizing all of your critical information in one spot.

The Life.doc binder by Buttoned Up will guide you through the process of capturing your critical information so it’s ready when you need it. Give yourself and your family peace of mind.

Learn more about Life.doc

Receipt.catcher – your receipts buttoned up.

The perfect spot for all those pesky receipts.

When it’s time to pay the taxes, balance your checkbook or return an item, you’ll know where it find the receipts when you use the convenient and compact Receipt.Catcher.

It includes nine tabbed sections that make it easy to classify receipts now and find them again later.

Learn more about Receipt.catcher

Collision.kit – The ONLY kit that ensures you have everything you need to accurately capture the details surrounding any car accident.

If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you know how critical it is to remember and document the facts after the accident. But when you’re shaken and upset it’s easy to leave the scene without complete information. Collision.kit from Buttoned Up ensures you have everything you need to record the details of the incident.

Learn more about Collision.kit

Pocket.doc – The ONLY perfectly portable record book for your essential information.

The Pocket.doc provides simple to fill out forms that easily fit into a wallet, purse or backpack. So you have critical emergency, medical, and contact information when and where you need it. 

Learn more about Pocket.doc

Originally posted 2009-09-28 15:13:52. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

7 Simple Steps to Turn Closet Chaos into Closet Nirvana!

Imagine how marvelous it would be to open your closet door and in place of the regular junk pile, you find a well-organized, attractive array of clothes, shoes and accessories. Imagine the focus, calm and efficiency you would realize as you look into your closet and can walk straight to the item you need and get dressed in a snap.

You are experiencing Closet Nirvana, and it is possible, if you follow these seven simple steps.

1. Purpose the space
Before you get started, you need to visualize the result and what purpose you want this space to serve for you. What do you want to accomplish by organizing your closet? Consider your lifestyle and what you need to have good access to. For example, do you want better access to shoes; do you want to be able to do all dressing in the closet? Brainstorm the current problems you now experience and visualize the results you would like to see at the end of your efforts.

2. Begin a purge
If you are like most clients I work with, your closet has become a dumping ground for a sundry of unrelated stuff that you do not know where else to store. Before you can improve a space you have to purge the excess, clutter and stuff that does not fit the purpose of the space, in order to get to what is most valuable to you. As you start purging, consider the 80/20 rule and be honest with yourself about how this applies to you.

You wear 20 percent of your clothes, shoes and accessories 80 percent of the time.
Think about it … you likely reach for the same pair of favorite jeans, khakis, blouse, pajamas, and shoes yet your closet is bursting at the seams with clothes that have not seen the light of day in months and even years. I recall a client who held onto more than fifty pairs of pajamas all stuffed in several drawers that could barely be opened. She did not have any idea what was stuffed in these drawers. As you consider each item, be honest when you ask yourself:
• When did I last wear this?
• How did I feel when I last wore it?
• Do I find it beautiful?
Let the answers to these questions drive your purging decisions.

3. Decide how and where to store off-season clothes
A common complaint I hear is there just is not enough space. Many clients make the mistake of storing in their closet every piece of clothing and accessory they own rather than just what they wear. To free up space for better access to what you currently wear, remove off-season clothes and accessories to another part of the house. Storing in the main closet items like formal wear or ski-wear, that is rarely worn, contributes to closet chaos.

4. Install second hanging rods
In many homes I see, the hanging structure of the closet consists of ventilated shelving that the builder installed. By installing a second hanging rod, you can double the hanging space for pants, shirts and some skirts. By improving the use of the vertical space with a second hanging rod, you improve your access to your belongings.

5. Sort clothing by style, length and color (like with like)
During the purge, it is essential to be able to view the entire inventory you own of each color and style in order to make educated decisions about what to keep and what to purge. I recall a client who had so many sweaters that when sorted she owned as many as 25 sweaters in each same color. By viewing them all together, sorted by color and style, she could easily purge the excess and duplicates.

When rehanging items back in the closet, sorted by length and style, you improve access to your possessions and the efficiency of the space. If all blazers are hung together, space is opened up for a second hanging rod, a bank of shoes or laundry basket. Hanging clothes by color and style also improves your ability to quickly match outfits and find what you need in a snap.

I have clients whose primary goal of contracting a Professional Organizer to organize their closets was to reduce the time it took them in the morning to get dressed and out the door to work. This step will definitely reduce your dressing time.

6. Look up for storage
In most closets, there are opportunities to install additional shelving above the hanging space. Less used items like hats and dress shoes can be moved to this less accessible space and free up areas at eye level for most used items.

7. One in /One out rule
Most of the hard work is behind you and you are now experiencing closet nirvana. In order to keep your newly organized and peaceful space from returning to closet chaos, implement the one in and one out rule. Every time you bring a new item into your closet space, choose at least one item that goes out.

Now, go dive into that closet and take action!
Happy Organizing!

Originally posted 2008-08-17 08:37:40. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Angie’s List Article about Janet ~ Resolve to Rid Yourself of Clutter to Expand Use of Valuable Space

The following is an article written by Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List, where I was interviewed. The article appeared in the Indianapolis Star, Home and Garden section on 12/26/09. I’m reprinting the article on my blog for the great tips it offers.

Find reliable contractors and doctors when you join Angie’s List today –
Use promo code LOCAL to save 15%.

********************

By Angie Hicks (Founder of Angie’s List)

About this time each year, professional organizer Janet Nusbaum sees an uptick in business. “Folks start to set new goals for the year, and getting organized is always in the top 10,” said Nusbaum. Owner of Simplified Spaces in Carmel. “They have an influx of new stuff that comes in during the holiday. Often, when I get the call, they’re feeling very overwhelmed, and they’re reaching out for some solutions.

The new year represents a fresh start and a chance to purge the old, unnecessary items in your life to free up valuable space and reduce clutter. Organizing a home office, garage or basement can be a family project that you do yourself or one in which you hire a professional like Nusbaum.

“The first step is to define what the purpose is of that space,” Nusbaum said. “If you see conflicting stuff there that doesn’t meet the purpose of that space, it needs to leave, pose of that space, it needs to leave, so all you have in that space are things that meet your vision for what you want to do (there).”

Some other things to consider before beginning a reorganization project:

• Make a list of the tasks you want to accomplish and prioritize by putting the tasks most important to you at the top of the list.
• Start small and allot an hour or two dedicated to one area to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
• Buy to replace, not to add.
• If it doesn’t fit or it’s out of fashion, donate it. If you’re reorganizing your wardrobe closet, hang pants long ways, rather than fold, which takes up twice the space. Use stacking hangers that can hold multiple garments. Organize your closets by color or by type.
• Keep only what is necessary to accommodate your family’s needs. Keep in mind that round containers take up more space than square containers.
• Purchase several large plastic storage bins with lids. Organize items according to their use and label the bins accordingly.

Nusbaum also recommends storing items closest to their point of use. “If your coffee maker is on the kitchen counter, it’s more efficient to store everything relating to making that cup of coffee right together,” she said. It saves you steps.”

Carmel resident and a Simplified Spaces client, Julie Bowen, is a self-proclaimed “neat freak” who has hired Janet to organize her home, garage and basement. Organizers can also help organize bills and other paperwork that often gets lost in the shuffle.

Bowen keeps systems in place so she, her husband and two children know where to find things when they need to put up and where they are when they need to use them.

“Our home is easier to maintain because everything has a home, Bowen said.

Fritz Klooz, owner of Innovative Garages in Avon said his company can maximize garage space with overhead storage, cabinets and grid wall systems and pulley systems.  “The idea is to get everything up off the floor of the garage so you can power wash your garage or sweep your floor a lot easier, Klooz said.

You don’t have to throw away and create additional waste when you purge. An environmentally savvy organizer will look to recycle whenever possible. Also, donations to authorized charities can be used as a tax deduction.

Angie Hicks is an Indianapolis resident and founder of Angie’s List, a national provider of consumer ratings in more than 500 categories of service.

(Because they wrote this great article about my business, I’m returning the favor by passing on their 15% coupon code)

Find reliable contractors and doctors when you join Angie’s List today – Use promo code LOCAL to save 15%.

Originally posted 2010-05-07 12:26:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Are you prepared for an emergency?

March is Red Cross Month. As we approach the season of increased weather related emergencies, we are reminded of the unprecidented natural disasters of 2008. At no time in my lifetime can I remember so many natural emergencies occurring so close together. 

Regardless of how busy our daily lives are, we must take personal responsibility for our own care and safety by developing a preparedness plan in the event of a national emergency.  As the Red Cross says “Help Starts with You.”  Preparedness is all about planning ahead, having what you need on hand, storing things in an accessible way and making sure you know what to do before you need to put that knowledge into practice. Even though predicting every disaster scenario is impossible, preparing the basics is smart and simple. Take the time NOW to accomplish the below steps and your family will be basically prepared for any natural or unnatural disaster.

• Prepare a Family Communication/Reunion Plan. The Plan enables your family to communicate and to meet during a disaster. It records all important phone numbers, email addresses, and meet-up locations so that family members can reach one another by phone, email or in person. But keep in mind that you may not be able to rely on land or mobile phone communication, so be sure to have a back up plan.
• Stock three days and three nights of provisions to get you through 72-hours of living without electricity. The provisions are obtainable at any Walmart or Target and most large grocery stores. Just add these items to your regular shopping list.
  • One gallon of water per person per day (for three days). For a family of four, you’ll need 12 gallons of water.
  • Ready to eat, non-perishable food (dried fruit, cereal. protein bars, canned food, crackers, soups, pasta, rice, peanut butter and jelly, pudding cups, powdered milk are highly recommended)
  • Paper plates, cups, dinnerware, paper towels, plastic food bags, plastic gloves and a manual can opener
  • One flashlight per person plus extra batteries
  • Travel size toiletries, including sun screen
  • A First Aid Kit for the home, one for the car and one for the grab and go bag.
• In a central location put a change of clothes for each family member plus extra underwear and blankets and basic toiletries like soap, toothbrush, shampoo, toilet paper and razors. Use a shelf, an extra large plastic trash bin, or an extra large plastic container for these items.
• Have a supply of cash for a 72-hour period. ATMs may not be an option.
• Prepare a supply of family over-the counter and prescription medicines.  Remember the pets too.
• Purchase a NOAA weather radio. Radio Shack, Walmart, Home Depot and Ace Hardware carry them. Set it for your county. It will tell you the status of the disaster, evacuation information, and alerts. Get a transistor radio with batteries. It will tell you local conditions, school closings, travel hazards, and local shelters. While you’re there pick up a landline telephone (it costs under $12.00)
• Pack a grab and go bag (backpack or small rolling luggage) in case you have to evacuate your home to a hotel, shelter or relative’s home. Keep it light with just the basics: toiletries, change of clothes, medicine, 2 bottles of water, protein bars and cell phone.
• One person in the family needs to carry a first aid kit.
• Depending on your family, add special items like extra eyeglasses, favorite plush toys, or portable electronic games.
• A dust mask, duck tape, scissors, a whistle, can opener and other similar items.
• Copy the contents of your wallet (both sides of credit cards, insurance cards, and license). Stick it in a grab and go bag.
• Prepare for the care of your pets too – food, water and food bowl, leash, a toy, medications, vet records.
• For a complete, portable document system, get a PortaVault at http://www.securitaonline.com.

Schedule a natural preparedness day to review your plan with your family. Everyone needs to take personal responsibility for their own safety when a natural disaster does occur. Then practice your family disaster plan at least twice per  year.

For more information on developing your family’s disaster plan, visit:

American Red Cross - “Help Starts With You”

www.Ready.gov

Originally posted 2009-03-17 10:50:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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