You can do your part to help planet earth by recycling CDs, DVDs and all their packaging appropriately.

The Bad News

Each year, billions of CDs and DVDs are manufactured, while millions of these discs end up in landfills and incinerators. If you use, sell, promote, distribute, or manufacture compact discs, it is your responsibility to recycle and promote how to recycle them. Compacts Discs, when recycled properly, will stop unnecessary pollution.

The Good News

Recycling and repurposing CDs, DVDs and their packaging, meaning that the paper, polycarbonate, some media types that have as much as 20mg of gold can be reclaimed and used again.

Here is a great video showing the process of recycling and repurposing the plastic when processed appropriately. Below the video are addressed to recyclers just for CDs and DVDs.

This video is from http://cdrecyclingcenter.org/

http://www.greendisk.com/gdsite/technotrash.aspx

http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/245/1/DVD-and-CD-Recycling.html

NESAR Systems
Attn: Recycle
420 Ashwood Rd.
Darlington, PA 16115
(724) 827-8172

Plastic Recycling
2015 S. Pennsylvania
Indianopolis, IN 46225
(317) 780-6100

Digital Audio Disk Corporation
Attn: Disc Recycling Program
1800 Fruitridge Ave.
Terre Haute, IN 47804-1788
(812) 462-8323

Data Management Service
99 Mulberry St.
Terre Haute, IN 47807

Yes, it’s still January, soooo it’s still the New Year and there’s still time to redecide your New Year’s Resolutions, Goals, changes, etc. But, you’ll have to be “still” in order to do this for yourself!  

I’m going to just jump right into what I want to tell you about to help your jump back into your life . . . as 2012 is here and rolling right on, with or without us!  

What kind of New Year’s Resolutions Setter and Keeper are you?

We tend to fall into one of 5 categories when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions:
   1.  You’ve set your goals and you’re off to a great start doing them. Congratulations!
   2.  You’ve not decided on any yet, but you want to refresh some areas of your life – probably the same areas you’ve been trying to refresh for years.
   3.  You’ve set them, but have already dumped them.
   4. You are limping along sporadically taking action on your NYR’s, but mostly are feeling bad about yourself that you are not keeping your committments to yourself better and “perfectly.”
   5. You don’t care and don’t believe in NYR’s!

Wherever you land in these categories, I’m here to give you permission to stop feeling bad, wrong or guilty! Yea! And to share a secret about NYR’s that will set you free to be, do and have a great start of your New Year.  

The Dirty Little Secret and Truth About January and New Year’s Resolutions
I’ve been spreading “The Truth” about NYR’s in my presentations all month already. This truth is especially important, and true, for women.  

I just finished my 8 weeks telecourse on Holiday Stress Be Gone and the last of 3 live calls was focused on this issue. The feedback has been great as it registers for my participants how they can get and stay focused and step into the New Year with pride and peace in themselves. (By the way, I’ll be setting this program up for self-study soon and you can take it too!)  

So, here it is. The dirty little secret and truth you need to know to relax, breathe and enjoy January for what it is. This is especially important and true for women.  

The truth is . . . when you are in charge of the holidays and all that they can entail, you’re hardly in a place come January 1st to jump into your new year and change gears!  

Some people haven’t even gotten back home by January 1st, and/or their travel bags are still sitting in the dining room packed . . . and starting a new year of clutter and guilt.  

If you’re still putting away holiday decorations, haven’t even touched your returns and thank you cards are still sitting in a pile waiting to be written (and you’ve now missed the postage increase that happens today!), you have no brain-bytes left to focus on NYR’s! Right?!  

So, here are 6 Keys to get back on track by the end of January. 

How to Get Ready to Set and Go on Your NYR’s

1. Put all of your holidays stuff away.

2. Finish returns and thank you’s, etc.

3. Get “into” January completely.

4. This weekend, the last weekend in January, sit down and write out 3-5 things you want to change in your life over the next 11 months. (Not more than 3-5 that you can realistically accomplish or you’ll sabotage yourself.)

5. Don’t even start your NYR’s List yet! Just “prepare” for them by the end of the month; perhaps you need to get supplies, tools, call someone, get your daytimer scheduled ahead, join a class, do some paperwork,  etc. 

6. Then, by February 1st, be ready to start your New Year and Resolutions with calm, peace and focus!

Feel better? I do! And from the feedback I’ve been getting again this year, I know other’s are feeling much better too.  

Blissings upon you and your New Year! Be, do and have the year you really choose, one day at a time. 

“Making resolutions is a cleansing ritual of self assessment
and repentance that demands personal honesty and,
ultimately, reinforces humility.
Breaking them is part of the cycle.”
~ Eric Zorn, Newspaper Editor
 
And… join in the celebration of  The Year of the Dragon!
 

Mental Health care increases 30-35% during January and early February.

Over the past few decades, typically 80% of psychiatric and psychological problems are related to marriage and family, and the rest to professional and job conflicts. Now, we can add major financial debocals and recession and, and, and . . .

Here are some simple TO DO TIPS to manage post-holiday blues. 

. . . eat right.

. . . get plenty of rest.

. . . exercise regularly.

Do set realistic goals:

. . . organize your time.

. . . organize your space, stuff and things.

. . . make lists (use a notebook, not little pieces of paper!)

. . . prioritize.

. . . make a budget and follow it.

. . . set New Years Resolutions and Goals on which you can really follow-through and succeed.

. . . find ways to simplify your life on a daily basis (the “blues” can be directly related to feeling overwhelmed and getting little done on TO DO lists that are unrealistic to begin with.)

Let go of the past, embrace the new present and future.

Allow yourself to feel sad, lonely or melancholy when these feelings arise, these are normal feelings, particularly during and after the holidays – and before Valentine’s Day.

• Do something for someone else.
• Enjoy activities that are free.
• Spend time with family and friends, people who care about you.
• Spend time with new people or a different set of friends or family.
• Contact someone with whom you have lost touch.
• Give yourself a break: plan to prepare (or buy) one special meal, purchase one special gift, and take in one special event.
• Complete small jobs and projects, or let them go.
• Start a Gratitude Journal. Daily write 3-5 things you are grateful for.

Week two into January, and counting!

Are you back to yourself yet? Are you undecorated and into this new year?

Each persons experience during the holidays is relative of course… but many relatives can be exhausting and frustrating to be around for too long!

It usually takes me until the middle of January to defog my head from my encounters-of-the-family-kind and my family-hangover!… I love them dearly, and, whew!

So, one pile at a time . . . and, back to focus, to

• reorganize your home after your joyfilled present wrapping extravaganza,
• get back to eating better and lose those extra pounds (again),
• get thank you’s written and sent,
• photos processed, up or downloaded, attached and sent  and distributed to family and friends,
• photo albums scrapbooked,
• reoganize the decorations and wrapping supplies storage area,
• back to your own routine again. Whew!
• Oh, and start to use up those Gift Cards one by one!! (Thanks Suzi, I used your annual gift to me today –  Panera Bread GCard!)

FOCUS TIP: Don’t take too long to get all these kinds of things done as they will keep you from being focused and back to your necessary life and flow.

Some people jump right in after the holidays and start the big take down and store it away. Others wait until into January and enjoy those lovely decorations and good memories. However you do it, have fun!

Set a date to undecorate. Make it a fun event!

Have a party!

Ask for and allow others to help.

Make it a pot-luck or make a fun snack spread with fun beverages and music.

Have fun, that’s what it’s all about.

Holiday storage for decorations will relieve lots of future stress: Store Smart

a) Keep all of your decorations in the least amount of containers/tubs as necessary. (Let go of those you will not use again.)*

b) Store containers in deep-storage, out of your way in the garage, basement, shed or attic.

c) Label every container on the outside with what is inside so that anyone can easily find what you want and help you decorate next year!

*Note: Whatever you might donate, put in boxes and lable DONATE, TAKE IN NOVEMBER. If you take your Holiday decorations to thrift stores now they’ll throw them out as they have no space to store them for 11 more months. Tuck them away and put a tickler reminder on your calendar for late October or early November to take them.

“Christmas is not a time nor a season,
but a state of mind.
To cherish peace and goodwill,
to be plenteous in mercy,
is to have the real spirit of Christmas.”
~ Calvin Coolidge

I wish you a very, Merry Christmas.
Kim, “Dr. DeClutter”

Over 9 billion dollars was spent on gift wrapping alone last year! YIKES! And, unfortunately, 99% of it bad for landfills and won’t be degrading anytime soon.

It’s easy to accumulate too many rolls of wrapping paper, too many bows, and now outdated bags and tags, holiday colored baskets, etc.  It also might be that you just don’t wrap and give gifts like you used to.

But when do we go through them?

Now!

As soon as you can, before you pack it all away to forget about it for another year, take an hour or two and go through all of your gift wrapping stuff, boxes of boxes, etc.

Then, what to do with it?

Give them to friends with bigger families and kids who will enjoy them!

I did that today. Some of the items are just stunning bags and boxes, but I’ll just never use that many any more. (I have always bought them during the big after Christmas sales so they were very inexpensive, yet lovely.)

Since I couldn’t leave today for Christmas as planned (snow, icy roads) I took the opportunity to go through all my closets and storage bins of C’mas wrapping, bows, boxes, accessories and culled them out. I’m giving about 20% to friends of mine who can use them next year. Feels great! Plus, BONUS #2 – I know what I have now too!

My friends have teenage daughters who will love all that extra lovely stuff, and it doesn’t cost them a penny!

It was really fun to do it. It was like going through treasure chests! I forgot two little Christmas music boxes, that are also gift card holders, that I love. I wound them up and enjoyed them!

Oh, and don’t forget to go through your Gift and/or ReGift Box too! You may find some last minute items in there to give yet this year.

Now, with everything reorganized, it’s easier to remember, find and use next year. That’s priceless!

PS  Don’t give what you’ve culled out to thrift as it’s too late this year. They have no where to store it and it will be trashed. Just give it away directly to friends, Girl Scouts (who wrap presents for free at Christmas) or others who will enjoy it.

Responsible recycling is important!

Here’s a great, easy way to recycle your old Christmas lights.

Take them to ACE Hardware … see more here. http://www.lightsforlifeinc.com/

.

1. Check your expectations at the door. Whatever happens after you get “there” or others arrive at your house… is going to happen. Enjoy the people, not the stuff.

2. Let go of past hurts and misunderstandings, and present frustrations. This too shall pass.

3. Reality—it’s not going to be perfect! Have fun anyway!

Bottom-line… ENJOY!

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!!