The Essential Travel Bag

Photo from Flickr

A frequent traveler friend informed me she always keeps a travel bag ready. It contains all of her essential items such as small bottles of shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush, razor, etc. Basically, all she has to pack are her clothes and her makeup bag. Even for two or three trips a year, this is a time saving idea. A list is always helpful to avoid forgetting something.

The Skeleton of Your Home

According to Alice Fulton and Pauline Hatch, the authors of the book It's Here Somewhere, cupboards, closets, and drawers are a home's skeleton. This skeleton reveals the true condition of a home. I have thought of this theory while mashing down the contents of drawers before shutting them! This idea does inspire me to clear some things out. Sock organizers have been particularly helpful to me. Once all the socks are neatly organized (preferably by color), as shown above, it takes no time to stuff the clean pairs in order. This is also a time saver, as I remember years ago hastily sorting through a jumbled mass every morning. Sock organizers are sold by several stores, or old shoe boxes may be used. Desk drawer organizers are a must to keep home office supplies in order.

Simplify

In the book It's Here Somewhere by Alice Fulton and Pauline Hatch, the authors discuss simplifying the home. This strategy is discarding duplicate and worn out items. For example, they believe in having one set of measuring cups, one spatula, etc. I appreciate this idea, with the exception of preferring an extra set of measuring cups and spoons while cooking and baking. When preparing more than one dish, I'm too lazy to stop, wash, and reuse.

Fulton and Hatch state that simplifying the home will reduce clutter and confusion and creates order. And, of course, the basic rule of organizing is grouping like items together. A few years ago, while cleaning out garage cabinets I found five putty knives all in different places. This is one way that being unorganized costs money and time - you either don't realize you have a certain item or can't find an item you have, so you buy another one.

Be Ready for Tax Time

Some certified public accountants state that income tax documentation only needs to be kept for six years, while others vehemently state the paperwork should be retained indefinitely. The Internal Revenue Service has three years from the original due date of the return or the date the return is filed, whichever is later, to audit the return and assess a deficiency, if necessary. If a return reveals a substantial understatement of income (greater than 25% of the amount reported), the statute of limitations period extends to six years. However, there is no statute of limitations if a taxpayer fails to file a tax return or commits fraud.

I did a massive file purge last summer and decided to only keep the last ten years of income tax records. Sometimes in the midst of such a flurry of activity, one may get carried away. I have decided to revert to an indefinite keeper for the reason of the last sentence in the first paragraph. Once in a while, quirky things happen and it would be hard to prove a return was filed if it has been discarded. My 72 year old mother, who has copies of every income tax return she and my father have filed, will enjoy the "I told you so" on this one.

Start a tax file and begin collecting documents that pertain to your tax situation: charitable contributions, medical expenses, real estate purchases or sales, etc. My 2009 taxes are finished and I have already made a 2010 folder, so I can drop in various papers as they arrive. This year, I had all the documents together, except for one paper which took time to track down. Hopefully, next year all the necessary papers will be filed together.

A Key Habit

A few years ago, I conducted a frantic, near-hysterical search for my keys, which resulted in my being late for work almost half an hour. Of course, they were inadvertently placed underneath something. After this needless stressful episode, it was time for a change. Up on the wall went a decorative hook and the keys had a designated holding place. Most people probably have enough sense to know this simple concept. Every time I come home, even if for less than an hour, the keys are placed on the hook. Thankfully, the desperate key searches are over.

Cook for the Freezer

A big time saver is to double what you are cooking and put it in the freezer for another time. Or, take some time on a day off and cook specifically for the freezer. The night before you want to serve your freezer food, place it in the refrigerator to defrost. It is so convenient to come home and put a dish in the oven. Then you have extra time for laundry or decluttering! Generally, freezer food should be consumed within three months. Do not freeze dishes containing potatoes. It is best to undercook pasta slightly (1-2 minutes)to prevent it from becoming mushy. I am now freezing cookie dough in small batches, formed into individual cookies, so they are ready to bake. (The dough is easier to shape if placed in the refrigerator for a little while.) The taste is better and it is less expensive than buying prepackaged cookie dough. If I freeze food in glass/plastic containers, I tear off a piece of masking tape to make a label. The masking tape comes off easily with no residue and it is cheaper than buying labels. Include the baking temperature and time on the label, so you do not have to take time to look it up when preparing the food.

Make a Freezer List

The last few months I have kept a list of the contents in my freezer (located in the garage). I keep a pad of paper stuck to the side of my refrigerator with a clip/magnet. This small idea has made such a difference, particularly when it is cold! I'm not running back and forth and, more importantly, not wasting food. It's so convenient to stand in the kitchen and know every item that is located in my garage freezer. Consistency is the key with this concept to mark off the used items and add the new ones after grocery shopping. Even if I have a box of steaks, I keep a count of how many are in the box.