Were you prepared?

48 hours ago as I write this a huge summer storm ripped across the mid-Atlantic and knocked out power for millions of people including me.  Current reports state that it may be days or even more than a week before power is fully restored to everyone.  I am pretty well prepared for things like this.  I have been through many storms and outages over the years since my family lives in a remote part of the county.  We expect to be without power regularly and always stay prepared.  But each time there is something that I wish I had or had prepared better.  Here are a few things to think about to be better prepared next time.

What did you need from the store?  Was it bread, milk and other perishables?  If not, what items were non perishable supplies that could have been kept on hand?   If you needed it for the current emergency, there is a very good chance you will need it for a future crisis.  Make a list of supplies to keep on hand and use and replace them regularly.

Did you know where to find everything that you already have?  If you had to really search for supplies that are already on hand consider keeping everything together for the next emergency in a location that you will be able to access without electricity. Don’t store emergency supplies in a dark basement or really full closet.

Were any of your supplies too old or not functioning?  Supplies don’t last forever and many need to be used and serviced regularly.  I would have a running refrigerator right now but my generator hasn’t been used or started in 4 years.  This is definitely on my list of things to fix and service regularly. Don’t forget to remove batteries before storing items so that the batteries do not corrode and ruin anything.

Was there anything that you needed to do that you did not know how to do?  Do you know where to shut off water and power to your home?  Do you know how to hook up and start a gas generator?  Consider having someone show you these skills for the next emergency.

Her are just a few items that I like to keep on hand:

• Batteries in a variety of sizes for a radio, flashlight or lantern
• Gas grill and spare propane tank with cook ware for the grill.  You can cook just about anything on a gas grill with a few cast iron pans.  Coffee is simple with a percolator or French press
• Coolers that can become your refrigerator with a bit of ice. 
• First aid supplies for minor injuries.
• Spare blankets and cold weather gear for winter emergencies
• Candles and matches
• Non perishable foods like soup and tuna
• Gas cans with gas.  Use and replace regularly.

A little bit of preparedness goes along way during any emergency or natural disaster, the more that you have on hand the less frustrated you will be waiting in long lines.

Simplify bill pay for less stress

Nobody likes to pay bills but the process of actually paying them doesn't have to be stressful.  Bill payment is probably one of the most procrastinated tasks that anyone has.  No one wants to send their hard earned money off any earlier than they have to.  Me neither!  Here are a few simply ways to keep track of the bills that you pay regularly and make sure that they are paid on time.

Keep the information for all bills together.  This is one of my favorite.  No matter what method you use, keeping all the information on your accounts together makes it easier to know if a bill has been paid and how to contact the company in case of a problem.  There is a monthly bill organizer from the office store that has pockets for each month and a place to log it all.  I use a spreadsheet for mine that also allows me to make calculations and look at costs over time.  You can also keep it as simple as writing your information on a piece of paper that you keep with your check book.  Remember to keep this information secure the same way you would any other financial information.

File bill statements together by the month.  Forget trying to create complicated filing systems that you can never remember.  File normal monthly bills together by the month.  Most of them only need to be keep for two years, so the Freedom Filer system is perfect.  They suggest having a folder for each month for two years.  One set is labeled even year and the other odd year.  You file by the month and when you come back to where you started you purge the folder at the beginning of the month so that you never have more than two years worth of filing.

Automate bill pay or pay online as much as you can.  The internet has made it easier than ever to pay bills.  You can have bills pay automatically or pay them online manually and even go paperless to avoid piles of mail and potential identity theft.  You may want to set up a checking account just for recurring accounts.  This will prevent unwanted overdrafts from checks and debits that occurs unknowingly together.   For bills that come in the mail, keep them together for easy access when you are ready to pay bills.  A folder at your desk or near the door or mail box works well for this.

Schedule bill due dates near the same time each month.  With bills due around the same time of the month you can pay them all at once.  If money is tight and you are willing to pay bills more often you can group them into weekly or bi-monthly groups.

What is your favorite way to keep track of accounts and bills that need to be paid?

Ah, vacation...are you packed and ready to go?

Summer if finally here.  The garden is planted, lawn care is well underway and it is time for some much deserved time off.  Are you ready or will you have to put in overtime just to get out the door?  Sometimes it feels easier to just stay home than go through all the prep and packing for a trip not to mention the worry that you will forget something.

Reduce anxiety by keeping a list of the things that you always need to do before taking a trip such as stopping the newspaper and holding the mail.  Keep contact information along with the to do items so that it is all in once convenient place.  You will be able to check off the items and avoid looking for lost numbers.  Think through the time that you will be gone.  What needs to be done or put on auto pilot?  Use this visualization to decide what to pack as well.  What will you be doing?  Where will you be going while on vacation?

Prep for the next trip when you return from the last one.  If you know that you will be traveling soon, keep travel toiletries and other travel only items together in your suitcase for the next trip.  This will reduce the need to search for each item all over again each item.  You can also keep a list of personal items that you normally take so that there is little chance to forget to pack them next time.

Relax.  Remember that most things can be purchased where ever you are going unless it is into the Australian Outback, and most of the things that we do before leaving are great to have done but the world will not end if they are forgotten.  I am always guilty of super cleaning the whole house, making sure that everything on my desk is done and up to date and nothing is out of place before I leave.  The result of this is being worn out and stressed out before I ever leave the house.  I now give myself permission to not have EVERYTHING done before I leave and start earlier so that more gets done before I go.

Enjoy your summer.  Life is short and should be enjoyed.  Take a well deserved trip with a little less stress getting ready.

Is your task list working for you?

We all have a list of things that need to be done but we don't have to use the same method to keep track of them.  What's your favorite way to capture and complete tasks?  Here are a few you may want try.

• Pencil and paper - Most of us are familiar with this variety of list making.  It's low tech and easy.  It never crashes or needs to be backed up but for many of us it just doesn't work.  As you cross items the list becomes messy and you have to carry it everywhere.
• Stickie notes - They are easy to use and handy but get out of hand quick if they are not kept under control.  Try to corral them in a folder or on a piece of paper rather than all over your desk. Judith Kolberg describes this method in her book Conquering Chronic Disorganization.  This is one of my favorites since it is tactile while being flexible.  The stickies allow you to move them around and categorize them however you wish.
• PDA, smartphone or cellphone - Use the memo, calendar or task feature on your phone so that your to do items are always with you.  This is especially helpful when you remember a to do item when you are away from your desk.
• Electronic calendar - The electronic calendar is my new best friend, especially one that lives in the "cloud."  It can be synced with your portable device and accessed from any internet connection.  Corrections and changes are immediate from any place you access the calendar.  Tasks can be added to the task list or scheduled on the calendar.
• Timeline - Map tasks out on a timeline in the order that the need to be done so that an important step isn't forgotten.  
• Planner Pad - This is a to do list and calendar in one that helps you prioritize and schedule tasks for maximum effectiveness.  You can find them on the internet for purchase.
• Monthly and weekly desk calendars - Theses are a great choice for folks that are usually at a desk or prefer to handwrite items.  You can see a block of time and plug into it the things that need to be done.

If the method that you are currently using isn't working for you try a different one.  Many times we beat ourselves up for not making the system work when we are really using the wrong system for us.  Think about what you do and seems natural to you when picking a system.  For example, if you are always out of the office and hate carrying a bunch of stuff then a bulky planner may not be for you especially if you are always leaving it at the office.