Good News, Sunshine, and Rainbows -- OH MY!

Today I am not going to discuss much about organizing -- okay, I'm not going to discuss it AT ALL.

It occurred to me that while I was reading today's paper, there really isn't much good news to read. I know you have all experienced what I am talking about. Recession, depression, election, molestation, you get the idea. Well, I went to Google and typed in "good news." Lo and behold, a ton of websites popped up! I have now made www.goodnewsnetwork.org my home page. It has nothing but good news. Can you imagine that? When I log onto the internet now, I see that a dog saved some kittens from a fire, there is a vaccine that stops sick kids from getting sicker, there are stories about injustices being righted...it goes on and on! Can you believe that there is so much good going on in the world? I tell you what, when we all stop focusing on all the bad, it will allow all the good to come through. Give it a try. I guarantee you'll feel better or YOUR MONEY BACK!

Is There Viagara in Your Fishsticks???

This weekend I read an article about what is leeching into our waterways besides fertilizers and auto oil -- medications. It seems that some people like to dump unused pills down the toilet. The waste water treatment plants are not set up to take these chemicals out of the water before sending it into the rivers. When they conducted some tests using water from these streams, they were coming up with high levels of drugs including Viagra and birth control pills. Obviously, when this happens, these chemicals get into the fish, we eat the fish, and digest these chemicals. Yuck. Makes me seriously consider becoming a vegetarian...again.

I just know you are thinking about organizing your medicine cabinet this week so I wanted to send you some good info. Check out www.earth911.org and type in "medication" and your zip code in the search area to locate places that will accept unused or out-of-date medicine. Another great resource is www.smartxdisposal.net. They show you how to SAFELY disposes of old medicine without flushing it down the toilet. So, get organized, clean out your medicine cabinet, and keep your fishwich Prozac free!

Congratulations! You've Been Approved....AGAIN!

Well, once again I have been approved for a new Visa/Mastercard with a HUGE credit line from a bank I have never done business with. Nice. Another item goes into my round file.

I have posted in the past some places to get your name off of junk mail lists and now here is one to get your name off of those annoying credit card offers: www.optoutprescreen.com. Nice, huh? You can thank me by sending a cash donation to... Ha! Just kidding. The thanks I will get is knowing you have saved a tree. Now go forth and Opt Out!

What Color is Your Thumb?

I guess the color of your thumb depends upon where it was last.

Don't have a green thumb? No worries. You can easily increase your indoor air quality with some easy to grow plants such as the peace lily, bamboo palm, English ivy, mums, or gerbera daisies. What makes these plants easy to grow is that they tell you when to water them. If they start to droop and look listless, add some water and voila! they perk right back up again. What could be easier than a plant that tells you when to water it? Of course, no one tells you HOW much water to give so try to use some common sense. I know you have some so put it to good use.

Don't Waste Tom!

Did you know that approximately 10% of toothpaste is left inside the tube when it is thrown away? It really pays to squeeze, bend, fold, even cut open your toothpaste tube before hucking it in the garbage. Better yet, did you know that Tom's of Maine's toothpaste tube is recyclable? I had no idea until I read about it. Guess I should really take note of what I throw away...

Does this have anything to do with organizing? Not really, but it is my blog and today I felt like writing about toothpaste. I feel minty fresh now.

My Roseanne Roseannadanna Hairbrush

It is really amazing what you can find when you just stop and look around. As a fairly organized person, I know where almost anything is in my house but every once in awhile I find something that I forgot about. The latest is my new hairbrush. Well, it isn't really NEW but it is new to me. I found it in a drawer in my bathroom that stores travel items so I only look in there a few times a year. When I DO look in there, rarely do I look in the very back of the drawer. Well, I just happened to take a peek the other day and lo-and-behold! I found a hairbrush. I usually use a large comb or hair pick but this brush looked like it might actually work in my naturally wavy hair (thanks, Mom!) without loosing half of it to the brush. The only problem with this great new hairbrush, is that with my hair type, the more I brush the bigger my hair becomes. Yes, this was great in the 80s when big hair was in, but it isn't so "in" anymore. This brush is really great because it gets out all the tangles and leaves my hair nice and soft...and really big. The longer I brush, the more I resemble a blonde Roseanne Roseannadanna. Which, again, in the 80s might have been cool but not so much now. But with Halloween coming up, this may be a great disguise for me! Tangle-free BIG hair and a costume all in one! To make this long story even longer, the point is to look around and see if there is something you have overlooked for a long time that you might be able to put into use right now without having to buy a new one. Less consumerism, more creativity! Let the hunt begin!

Spam -- it's not just for breakfast

We all either love spam or hate spam -- both kinds I mean. Personally, I love fried spam and I would love to fry the other kind of spam. I think after so much time spent trying to unsubscribe I would finally get the hint that it isn't working. Apparently, sometimes when you actually unsubscribe, marketers then know that they have a working email address and send you more spam. If only they would send the kind that I can eat...THAT would be something to celebrate.

So, what can you do about spam? The best way to rid yourself of it is to either change your email address or just learn to live with it. Make your delete key your best friend. Your best friend will protect you from the overseas lottery, the latest in Canadian drugs, and those annoying pet nail trimmers.

If you do decide to change your email address, I suggest you get one for work, one for friends and family, and one for ordering online items. The one you use for ordering online items can have the maximum amount of spam/junkmail control on it. It will take a bit of time to let everyone know your new email addresses, but if you and your best friend can't handle all the spam, just change your email address. Now that I have made myself hungry after all the spam talk, I'm heading for the kitchen...

Paper Towel-less (Heavy Sigh...)

It is official. I am no longer using paper towels or paper napkins. Yes I have wanted to do this for awhile now but it has taken me 5 YEARS to use up my Costco supply. Now that I am down to the last bit of paper towels and napkins, I am mentally getting ready to say good-bye to the paper for good. This crazy notion hit me when I first blogged about watching what goes into the trash can. I can easily say that I am a recovering paper-a-holic. Hello, my name is Lisa and I'm addicted to paper towels...

Well, I am free (almost...within the week...) and I am looking forward to using my cloth napkins on a daily basis. I was actually shopping today at Goodwill looking to purchase cloth napkins when it occurred to me that I have at least 2 dozen cloth napkins that I have been saving for a special occasion. Granted, this special occasion hasn't happened in the last 8 years so I think it probably won't. Yes, I do have some fancy-schmancy napkins that I use for the holidays but the other napkins haven't seen the light of day since before W was president. AND I purchased the coolest cloth (actually, 3 came in the pack) from Bed Bath & Beyond that absorbs, won't streak and is machine washable! I heard the angels sing and I could have sworn I saw a unicorn dance across a sparkly rainbow....

Take a look into YOUR garbage. I know it is not as interesting as the neighbor's, but see what you might be able to do without.

Organizing Incentives aka Scooby Snacks

It seems to me that in order to get organized, one needs to have an incentive. It can't come from a spouse's complaining or the fact that you can't find that important phone number. It really comes down to WANTING to be more organized. I don't care if it is your desk, your refrigerator, or your car. Once you have the incentive, it will get done. And in order to keep it organized you have to continually pat yourself on the back for each and every small task you have done to becoming more organized. Are you stressed out because your kitchen is a mess? Vow to keep the dishes done. When you have loaded them up into the dishwasher, pat yourself on the back or, if your spouse did the chore, give them a big pat on the back and a Scooby snack. The point is to recognize the little bit that you are doing and build from it. Old habits do die hard but they can be changed. I have seen it done, and I am a walking example of it as well. Here is a great quote for you to chew on (if you don't have that Scooby snack handy): "Good thoughts elevate deeds; good deeds elevate thoughts." -Anonymous

I'm Baaaaaack.......

Sorry, it has been a while. I promise to blog more often...

Kids are in school, craziness has calmed, and I am ready to send you on your way with my helpful tips and tricks to organize, simplify, and green up your life! Sounds like a pretty big task, doesn't it? Take one small bite at a time and before you know it, the whole cake is gone! Not that I would know...really.

Today's tiny tip is to go visit catalogchoice.org and sign up to get your name taken off of catalog mailing lists. You can also keep your name on lists that you still want to get but DON'T DO IT!!! Check my past blog on saving a tree. Remember, once the catalog reaches your hands, the coupon and specials are close to being outdated anyway. Visit your favorite stores online -- not through a catalog that was created by taking away Bambi's forest. Really. Don't. Do. It.

See? One small bite and you feel better already!