DrDeClutterBlog.com

Identify theft does happen, and it’s important - even just on the basis of helping you be more organized for your life in general - to know how to prevent it and how to deal with it if it ever does happen. Keeping our finanacial information and important documents secure is one of our most imp0rtant responsibilities. The more prepared you are now, the less of a hassle it will be later.

PREPARE/PREVENTION

1. Common Sense! Don’t carry numerous credit cards with you or carry a large purse just asking for someone to “try” to steal from you. It’s just the world today, there’s no reason to set yourself up for trouble!

2. Check your credit report annually. Know what it looks like, what cards you have, etc.

The 3 major credit bureaus are: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can get your report free from them.

3. Review your bills and statements on a regular basis to make sure you are not getting billed for things you did not buy.

4. Guard your mail and trash from theft. Shred any papers with your social security number, full credit/debit card numbers and ID numbers that would allow others to access your accounts.

5. Use caution when giving out personal information. NEVER give out your social security number.

TIP: Memorize your SS number, don’t carry around the card.

6. Copy the contents of your wallet or purse. Copy your credit cards, debit cards, etc. so that you have the information. This is good even if you just happen to lose them. Keep this information in you important documents file system at home or in your office.

IF YOU EXPERIENCE IDENTITY FRAUD 

1. File a police report with your local law enforcement, and/or wherever your ID was stolen (you might be on vacation.)  

2. Notify your financial institution.

3. Contact the fraud departments at the credit bureaus. (See #1 in first section.)

4. Inform your credit issuers. Report lost or stolen checks or credit cards immediately. (This is where having copied your credit cards and such and filed the info will come in very handy! See #5 above AND DO IT TODAY!)

5. Place a fraud alert statement on your credit report.

6. Request that credit bureaus identify accounts closed due to fraud as “closed at consumer’s request.”

7. Request free credit reports (See #2 in above section.)

8. Report check theft to check verification companies.

9. Check post office for unauthorized change of address requests.

10. Follow-up contact with letter and keep copied of all correspondence.

Other good sources:

Financial Info

Investopedia - gives an extended list.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Identity Theft Hotline 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338)

KEEPING AN EYE ON SAFETY
Submitted by Kay Rosenthal PhD, RN Director
Options for Healthy Living, Inc.,
Estes Park, CO
Options For Healthy Living newsletter at http://www.optionsforhealthyliving.org/

“For many children, each year, the holidays are interrupted by a trip to the hospital emergency room. Prevent Blindness America (PBA) reports that in 2003, there were more than 10,000 toy and play activity eye injuries in children under the age of 14. The PBA further reports that 90% of these injuries were preventable. Unfortunately, each year some of these easily preventable injuries will result in blindness.

So, choose toys wisely. Prevent Blindness America recommends gift-givers follow these tips for choosing safe toys:

1) Look for toys that have the letters “ASTM.”
This means that the product meets the national safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials.(Many toy makers follow safety guidelines, some do not).

2) Inspect toys for sturdy construction.
Children’s toys should be durable and be able to with stand impact. (Shattering pieces are a recipe for disaster).

3) Store toys properly after play to avoid trips and falls onto sharp objects.
Check the lenses and frames of “dress-up” and sunglasses. Many less sturdy models can break resulting in an eye injury. Always avoid toys with sharp areas or rods. (Stay clear of toy weapons).

4) Avoid toys with flying objects or that shoot - especially BB guns and slingshots. (Toy guns are responsible for the largest amount of eye injuries in children).

5) Never give toys with small parts to young children. Young kids tend to put things in their mouths increasing the risk of choking.

6) Read directions carefully and follow suggested age levels to ensure the toy is appropriate for your child’s ability and age.

7) Explain the proper use of a toy to your child. A simple explanation of how not to use a toy and enforcing it prevents dangerous misuse of some toys.

If a child does sustain a cut or puncture of the eye or eyelid, knowing what to do could help to prevent vision loss: PBA lists the following instructions to help save valuable time.

1) DO NOT allow the child to rub the eye.
2) DO NOT try to remove an object that is stuck in the eye. (This could further damage delicate eye tissue) Cover the eye with a rigid shield without applying pressure. The bottom half of a paper cup can be used. See a doctor at once”.

Enjoy the holidays and keep these eye safety tips in mind while you finish your holiday shopping.

Resources: www.preventblindness.org and www.mayoclinic.com
Source: Akron General Medical Center, Center for Parish Nursing
Thanks for taking good care of yourself and your loved ones. www.optionsforhealthyliving.org

Family vacations are a fun and wonderful experience.  However, it’s normal to be concerned about safety issues especially when traveling with children. 

Here are a few tips to help ease your mind.

Airport Safety – Always keep an eye on your luggage and never leave it unattended.  To avoid someone else picking up your carry-on bag, try not to place it on the conveyor belt until you’ve been security checked yourself and right about to walk through the metal detector.  Once you put it on the conveyor belt keep a close eye on it.

Hotel Safety – Keep valuables in a safe and always know where your closest safety exits are in case of an emergency.

Road Safety – It’s a great experience to drive in another country but it can also be very stressful and even dangerous.  Before your trip, get information on what driving is like in your destined country.  Once there pay close attention to all road signs, if the signs are in a different language this will make things more difficult.

Car Rental - To avoid being detected as a ‘tourist,’ practice with your rental car controls and features before driving it.  And don’t go out in a car with a rental-company logo on the bumper or windscreen, which automatically announces you as a tourist and makes you more vulnerable to attacks by thieves, and for this same reason make sure you don’t leave your maps, hotel documents and guidebooks in the car.

Cell Phones - If it’s possible to roam your mobile phone in the country do it, and if not get one to use internationally; it will be useful especially in case of emergencies at your destination and for making contact with your base back home.

Sight-Seeing Safety – Always keep a close eye on your children. Children aren’t aware of the dangers around them and won’t act any different in unfamiliar surroundings.  Place a safety card in your child’s pocket including your name, contact details and hotel information.  You can also tape this information on a card directly on your child’s back or stomach under their clothes.

Jewelry and Bling - Don’t wear expensive jewelry or carry expensive bags, cameras or laptops and try not to appear as a tourist too often.  Always, always keep a close eye on your bags. It’s a good idea to actually carry your cash, identification and credit cards in your pocket and not in your main bag. 

Restaurant Caution - Be especially careful with your bags when sitting down at restaurants.  It’s a common scam for thieves to steal bags from right under someone’s seat when they’re dining and happily preoccupied chatting. 

Common Sense! - Stay on the main roads and near people at all times.  Try not to wander down unfamiliar roads or alleys even if you’re tempted to find a short cut.

©2008 Kim Wolinski, MSW “Dr. DeClutter” Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert    www.DrDeClutter.com

Editors and publishers are free to reprint blog articles as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact.

One of the reasons for clutter, inner and outer, is that we have too many choices, too much overstimulation of all our senses on a daily basis. Noise, pollution, options and decisions over the most unimportant things, like lipgloss, color of makeup, TV shows or clothing, plus very important things, like war, jobs, food, life and death decisions in regards to illness, relationships and more.

This doesn’t mean we should shun all the glorious creative and interesting ideas and things that come our way, but it does mean that we can learn to focus, choose a narrower window of options from which to choose from, and learn to really know ourselves on the level of what truly is important in our lives, supports and motivates us to be our best.

Most people being very unconscious of the fact that they can actually be selective and narrow down their choices (”step - away - from - the - cash - register!”) are also not conscious that they have a larger problem, they are numb. They are in-trance most of their lives. We all are, and I’m in that “we” too! I am persistant at “staying awake” and as consicous as I can day-by-day.

“We are victims of overstimulation. The bombardment of the senses, information overload, and stress from constant decision-making cause us to move from fatigue to hypersensitivity and overreaction to emotional exhaustion to, literally, a deep psychological and spiritual numbness.”  ~ James W. Fowler and Sam Keen, 

The above quote comes from the book “Life Maps: Conversations on the Journey of Faith”  was written in 1978! They make reference to author Alvin Toffler and his 1970s breakthrough book Future Shock. “Future shock” is also a term for a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies. Toffler’s shortest definition of future shock is a personal perception of “too much change in too short a period of time.”

You might be calling our recent changes “gas pump shock”, “food price shock”, or “sticker shock”. But, it’s all the same, it’s future shock.

Most people live lives “eyes-glazed-over”. I talk a lot about people being in “trances” when it comes to clutter, collecting, pack ratting, etc. But it’s in how we collect and spin on lots of things: information, ideas, gossip, stories, complaints, illness, dramas, worry, fear, stuff and things as well as doing “too much”, being “too busy”, always “too stressed.”

How can you opt-out of future shock? Organize your time, thoughts and activity around the following:

1. Identify your life-values. What you value is what you believe is most important. What you do the most is what you value. Does it match?

2. Sit down and decide who you are and what you really want. Define what is best for you in all life areas: mental, emotional, spiritual, material, financial, relationship, time, events, play, liesure, work.

3. Sit down with your family and discuss these things and encourage them to do the same for themselves and the family.

4. Daily, take time to think through what is your best-life’s plan for your day, then take the action to creat it and step into it.

5. Be flexible: adjust your plan as the day goes on. See how it works.

6. Change and adjust as you go. Learn what works, what doesn’t and do more of what works. Add to this list and do more of what keeps you peaceful, happy, less-stressed, centered, grounded and well.

Thirty years ago Toffler, Fowler, Keen and many more consciousness building educators were sounding an alarm that continues to get louder and louder. We are in more “overstimulation” now that ever projected by most people over thirty years ago. more overstimulation than ever before in history. To have a better life, you have to make better choices — starting now.

The bottom line is, you have complete power over and responsibility for your choices every moment. Make them the best for your life, and your life will change for the best!

©2008 Kim Wolinski, MSW “Dr. DeClutter”Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert    www.DrDeClutter.com

Editors and publishers are free to reprint blog articles as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact. 

Whatever you normally or newly do this summer, make sure that you take the time to pre-plan and make a check-list of things to take or do before heading out to water, sand, hills, mountains, etc.

Too many accidents and painful memories, including, sadly fatalities happen in the summer just because people aren’t taking the simplest of precautions. A life jacket on the cool boat may look “dorky”, but dorky is better than dead.

©2008 Kim Wolinski, MSW “Dr. DeClutter” Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert    www.DrDeClutter.com

Editors and publishers are free to reprint blog articles as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact.

Okay, maybe not kill you (not right away!) but . . . they aren’t the safest thing on the market yet, even though we’re all trying to do our best to use them and save, save, save and such.

New technology racing to meet the Green needs of “saving the planet” may put us in harms way at times. This might be one of them.

Incandescent bulbs, the regular ones we’ve been using for years, will be phased out by 2012. BUT, the new twirly ones are questionably dangerous. You decide what you need to do today. Here’s the latest scoop - Click here and listen to this VERY IMPORTANT video report.

Or, you can see Rep. Ted Poe from Texas take this to Capital Hill. Click here. I applauded when it was over! Find the EPA’s Report on this here that Poe and the other video discuss.

I wrote the following in May and have updated it above with new information. Still a good read below including the “how to dispose of them due to mercury” at bottom. 

Okay, so Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs are suppose to be so great… but, not always the “brightest light bulb” in the room. No pun intended! They really aren’t always as bright as the “old” bulbs, and some have that nasty warehouse lighting effect that just doesn’t work for me.

And, they have a toxic mercury in them.  BAD.  See video. So really be careful if you have children around them. The fumes alone from a broken one are toxic.

Now, all that sounded bad. It’s not. It’s just part of our need to save the planet and a new product in process… it’s all good. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs are everywhere to be purchased now, and I’m sure they’ll get better and better. Use them!

• they certainly are cooler to the touch
• don’t emit all the heat that traditional light bulbs do
• last longer
• save money
• save on emissions

So, to the point!… how to dispose of them safely, since they have mercury in them and we don’t want it in our groundwater or soil. Xcel Energy announced in their most recent bill to recycle them FOR FREE of charge through their new partnership with ACE HARDWARE. Cool! Check with your local ACE store, or visit their partner site. They are offering this service in several states now.

©2008 Kim Wolinski, MSW “Dr. DeClutter” Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert    www.DrDeClutter.com

Editors and publishers are free to reprint blog articles as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact.

Okay, kind of like guns, “clutter doesn’t kill” but the people who are clutter-bugs can kill themselves (shoot self in the foot!) creating a fire hazard! 

In order not to be a headline in tomorrow’s paper, and have to really be embarrassed about your clutter!!! clear it out now.

Think of it as pruning the forest for a healthier forest, and less fire disaster opportunity!

Here are two examples on the same day! to remind you to get started and keep going until it’s done!

Fire destroys NE Portland home, sends two to hospital

Posted byn Helen Jung  June 23, 2008 08:46AM

An early-morning fire destroyed a Maywood Park home, in which clutter and combustibles helped the flames to quickly consume the home.

The fire, which was ruled accidental, began on the back patio of the home at 9914 NE Failing, said Lt. Allen Oswalt of Portland Fire and Rescue.

Portland fire crews, initially told there might be a person inside, had trouble accessing the home due to “excessive content clutter” inside. The homeowner was able to escape after some difficulty, said Oswalt.

A firefighter suffering from heat exhaustion was sent to a nearby hospital where he was evaluated, released and expected to fully recover. The homeowner, who had tried to put out the fire, was also sent to the hospital for evaluation.

BREAKING NEWS: Bloomfield Fire Dept. Battle House Fire
By Reggie Hales  Jun 23rd, 2008

Bloomfield, CT – Early morning fire destroys house at 41 Harding Ave., between Blue Hills Ave and Coventry St. Cause of fire unknown at this hour. No reports of any injuries in Bloomfield. Fire crews from the Bloomfield Volunteer Fire Dept. Battled a morning blaze that engulfed the home. No one was home at the time of the fire. “ The call for this fire came in at 2:52 am. With several cars in the drive we thought we had people inside. But quickly learned that the residents were all way on a family trip in Jamaica, for a funeral, said Fire chief Arthur Gold.”  

Neighbors said that were happy the fire dept did a great job of knocking the fire down and preventing the fire from spreading to other homes. And also before it could ignite any of the cars in the driveway. It took a couple of hours to totally knock the fire down and put out hot spots. One fireman said he had a tough time getting around in the house, because of so much clutter. The Bloomfield building dept. is investigating the cause of the fire.

TEMPERATURE: Keep your freezer temperature at 0 deg. F or -18 deg. C, or below. The maximum freezer temp. should be 5 deg. F. If in doubt, buy a thermometer especially made for freezers and refrigerators. 

STORAGE CONTAINERS: Though heavy-duty foil can be recommended for freezer storage, aluminum foil has come under the microscope in the past few years showing that it may leach in to foods. So, wrap food first in freezer paper or parchment paper, then in foil as it does snug it tight.

Check any plastic bags or containers for the recycle numbers. We are hearing more and more about #7 being very bad for us. It is being taken of the market more and more.

LABEL! Date all food packages and containers when putting them in the freezer. Put the date your bought/stored it, and circle or add the expiration date or maximum storage time recommended.

WAIT UNTIL IT COOL: Never put hot or warm food in a freezer.

DON’T OVERCROWD: The air flow in the freezer must be able to circulate freely throughout the compartment shelves / layers to keep food properly frozen. 

USE FROM BOTTOM/ROTATE: The longer food sits in layers and on the bottom of the heap, it’s easy to forget it’s there. Many a petrified roast or meat patties have been thrown out because they were on the bottom too long.

CONTAINER FILL: Food expands when it’s frozen. Allow 1/2 inch airspace at the top of containers for expansion. When freezing in a jar, leave the top unscrewed until the the contents has expanded and frozen, then screw the top on, otherwise, it can shatter the glass.

WARNING: Do not refreeze thawed out food. Eat it up! If a frozen food looks and smells odd, sorry, trash it.

BULK BUYING: It’s so tempting to buy in bulk and have lots of food in our freezers. Think again. It’s also easy to forget to use our frozen food up fast enough, and waste much of it. Get good buys, buy on sale and bulk if you can and want, but plan ahead and use it up regularly so that you don’t run the risk of old or bad food, or throwing money in the trash.

Last, but now least, enjoy your food! Yea electricity and re-freeze-eration!

©2008 Kim Wolinski, MSW “Dr. DeClutter”Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert

Editors and publishers are free to reprint blog articles as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact.

Refrigerators and freezers account for about a sixth of all electricity use in a typical US home. They use more electricity than any other single household appliance.

Refrigerator Use 

1. Keeping your fridge full (not to the point of over-stuffing) will allow it to run at maximum capacity.

2. Over-crowding or under-using makes the fridge work harder to maintain it’s optimal internal temp of 3 deg C, or 37 deg F.

3. If you don’t have a lot of food in your fridge at times, put in a couple of large containers/bottles/jugs of water. This will help regulate the temperature. And, you’ll have cold water if you want to drink it!

4. Clean the coils under or in back of your refrigerator at least once a year. If you kitchen gets lots of breeze, dust and dust-bunnies, do it twice a year.

Freezer Use 

1. Because a freezer operates most efficiently when full, buy the smallest freezer you think you will need.

2. Clean the coils on the back once every year.

IMPORTANT: POWER SURGES AND OUTAGES

If the power has gone out or the appliance stops working:

1. Do not open the door, letting out the cold that it has left.

2. Frozen food will stay frozen about two days if the freezer is full. About one day if the it’s half full.

3. Refrigerator food, especially milk based, will go bad quickly.

4. Sadly - the rule of thumb (and safety) is: When in doubt, throw it out.

But, “what if it smells okay?!” Many harmful bacteria can’t be seen, smelled or tasted, so your safety is at risk if the little guys are creating their new world!

It’s all about saving time, energy and saving the planet now… well, it always has been, but we’re just past the tipping point and people are actually doing something about daily choices and being a bit more diligent - yea!

So, when it comes to dishwashing and your dishwasher:

First off, studies have been done around the world that show there’s not always a big difference in water and water heater use/efficiency whether dishes are done by hand or by a dishwasher. Some people don’t know how to wash dishes effectively by hand and waste a lot of water and soap. But, if you can do dishes by hand - do that too!

1. Run it only when it’s full to maximize energy. If it takes you too long to fill it up, and you need you don’t have a lot of dishes, think about washing plates by hand - they’re flat and quick to do right after you eat. Or, get a few more of everything that will fill it up and do them all at once!

2. Save $25-35/year in energy costs by replacing any pre-1994 models.

3.  Don’t pre-rinse: up to date dishwashers have the power to handle food residue.

4. Opt for the air-dry option if you have it. If you don’t have this option, stop your washer after the rinse cycle and open the door.

WARNING: Isn’t that steam upon opening the dishwasher door a great feeling on your face? Like a little spa treatment! DON’T DO IT!! Do not open your washer when it’s steaming, especially when you are breathing the fumes directly from the detergent and foods cleaned off. Why? Research now shows that the detergent mixed with some foods can be very toxic to our lungs.

5. Don’t use the full cycle option if you have a shorter one. I never use the long cycle and my dishes are always washed just fine. This reduces the amount of water used and then the energy heat the water and run the machine.

6. When summer comes, and power outages might accompany the heat and A/C use, use your dishwasher’s timer option, if you have one, to take advantage of off-peak electricity use. Or, just make a note and remind yourself to turn it on at the right time. I tend to do mine when I go to bed.

7. Read your owners manual. Every machine is different and they will give tips for your brand’s efficiency use.

There are new models coming out all the time. If you’re almost ready to buy a new one, keep checking out the best innovations for efficiency - while checking out the best time to buy to save money as well!

©2008 Kim Wolinski, MSW “Dr. DeClutter”Stress, Change and Organizational Skills Expert

Editors and publishers are free to reprint blog articles as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and the signature line remains intact.