Safety Central has created very detailed checklists for emergency preparedness. Whether you’re looking for checklists for the home, car, or office you can finf it in this great resource.
The National Association of Professional Organizers is proud to be participating in the 5th Annual National Preparedness Month in September. Sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign, NPM is a nationwide effort designed to increase awareness as well as encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies.
To help its members and the community become better prepared, NAPO is helping to educate people about the importance of careful preparation and planning to effectively deal with emergencies and natural disasters.
“Ever since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and other natural disasters, Americans have been increasingly aware of the importance of being prepared for any kind of emergency,” said NAPO President Standolyn Robertson. “As professional organizers, we can help people prepare themselves at home and in the office for emergencies. By taking the time to get organized and plan ahead, they can more effectively deal with any kind of situation.”
Some tips for preparing an emergency plan:
o Speak to your children’s school about their shelter-in-place and/or evacuation plans
o Determine what types of disasters, both natural and man-made, are most likely to occur in your area and how you will be notified
o Know the evacuation plan at your job
o If your cell phone was inoperable, determine how you would you get in touch with family
o Devise a family meeting place and an out-of-town contact
o Prepare a small kit with emergency supplies that you keep at home, in your car, or at work in case of an evacuation
NAPO joins more than 1,200 national, regional, state and local businesses and organizations that
have pledged their support and joined the 2008 National Preparedness Month Coalition. National
Preparedness Month helps to raise awareness and promote action by Americans, businesses,
and communities on emergency preparedness.
“Individual preparedness is the cornerstone of emergency preparedness,” said Homeland
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Experience shows that if Americans take steps ahead of
time, they stand a much better chance of coming through an emergency unharmed and
recovering more quickly.”
If you would like assistance of a professional organizer to help you prepare, contact Julie Cubino, Certified Professional Organizer and NAPO member since 2004. For more information about the Ready Campaign and National Preparedness Month, visit ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY.
Swimmer Michael Phelps, world recorder holder and Olympic gold medalist, was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. His mother, Deborah, recently was interviewed by the New York Times and discussed Michael’s challenges during childhood, his diagnosis, the period of time he used medication, and how swimming became an outlet for his energy.
My favorite part of the article was the statement “Too many adults looked at Ms. Phelps’s boy and saw what he couldn’t do. This week, the world will be tuned to the Beijing Olympics to see what he can do.”
This is a fabulous success story of Phelps embracing his gifts and getting support for his challenges. The loving role his mother played in advocating for him was also invaluable.
There is a great 20 minute video available to watch for free on the internet. It’s called The Story of Stuff and it takes viewers through the life cycle of how our stuff is created, marketed, sold, and disposed of.
Easy to watch and very eye opening- it’s a must see for anyone who participates in the consumerism of our modern life.
After watching this video, recognize that the good news is that each of us can contribute to changing this life cycle simply by making different choices. We vote with our wallet and we can choose a new path by “voting” for products that are gentle on the earth.
Things can feel like they are spinning out of control sometimes, can’t they? And at those times you wish everything would stop, just for one minute, so that you could catch your breath.
When you want that moment of solace, just for one minute, to find your peaceful place again, the following web presentation can help. Titled “Has Anyone Told You?” will provide you that moment.
A friend shared this with me and I have viewed it several times. It always have the effect of helping me to breathe, slow down, and remember what is most important,
Empty time on your calendar also provides value too. I wear many hats- as an entrepreneur, mom, wife, friend, volunteer, etc I have many different things vying for my time and attention. People have asked me many times what my secret is as a professional organizer that allows me to optimally manage my time. I have a basic philosophy for my calendar that you may find useful too…
I allow a bit of open time in my schedule. I don’t like it when my calendar is packed so tightly that one minor blip can throw off the whole day. For me, mastering time management is more than simply about scheduling each minute of my day. It’s about leaving time to pause so that the creative inspirations can come through and so that I can handle the unexpected during the day.
Empty space on my calendar provides the much needed peacefulness that allows me to do my best. Give yourself some empty space on your calendar each day and watch your peacefulness and creativity soar!
July is known for fireworks, long sunny days, ice cream, and summer carnivals. It’s also a time for vacations where the purpose is to (hopefully) kick back and relax.
If you will be traveling, you won’t want to miss The Harmony Travel Planning & Packing Checklists now available for just $9.95 (plus applicable tax). It’s filled with travel tips and checklists you’ll need to plan your trip and pack for everyone from adults to small children and pets. Plus, this handy guide is customizable for your unique needs and it’s available electronically for added convenience. Kid-tested and parent approved, I’ve personally used this for years and am excited to now make it available to everyone who wants harmony on their next trip!
I just read a great article in the Burlington Free Press called “Sustainable Living in the Suburbs”. Tim Nitz’s desire to be environmentally friendly by living a simple and sustainable lifestyle is impressive. The concept of “going green” has been gaining momentum in recent years and Nitz’s story goes well beyond a simple fade.
The one kitchen-size bag of garbage a month really caught my attention. Compare this to an Environmental Protection Agency statistic that in 2006, of the 250 million tons of garbage generated, Americans only recycled only 33%. Sweeden does much better with recycling 85% of their garbage. While the goal of one bag of garbage each month may feel out of reach to some, taking some simple measures to reduce each person’s impact on the environment would be great. I admit, while I am an avid recycler, my family is not even close to this number. This has motivated me to see how low I can go with limiting our garbage creation.
Take action… Does your area have a recycling program? Are you using it? If no recycling program exists, be a proponent of creating one. If one does exist, use it to the fullest extent possible. Form a new habit- recycle even when it’s not “convenient” to do so! If we each take this one step, it would make a big positive impact for our earth.
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s book, “Change Your Thoughts- Change your Life” has proved to be very powerful reading for me. In this book, Dyer includes the 81 verses of the “Tao Te Ching” or “Great Way” with his analysis of how to apply these verses to modern day living.
Verse 11 really caught my attention regarding the value of empty space:
“Thirty spokes converge upon a single hub;
it is on the hole in the center that
the use of the cart hinges.
Shape clay into a vessel;
it is the space within that makes it useful.
Carve fine doors and windows,
but the room is useful in its emptiness.
The usefulness of what is
depends on what is not.”
There is a high value for empty space when it comes to successfully completely an organizing project. Consider typical comments of someone who is telling me their goals for what they want an organized space to look like…
“I want to see my kitchen counters again.”
“I want to have nothing on the floors so it is easy to vacuum.”
“I need to be able to find things easily. Right now there is so much stuff that I can’t get to anything.”
“I just want to make this mess disappear. I can’t breathe when I look at it. It’s too overwhelming.”
In every case, these individuals are desiring more empty space. The amount of possessions they have has filled up the emptiness to a point that the space’s usefulness and serenity is diminished. To reach their goal, they will need to relocate, reorganize, or remove some of this excess stuff so that they can reclaim some of the “emptiness” that they desire.
This does not mean that one needs to get rid of every meaningful possession. Additionally, there are some people that choose to live more simply than others. (Check out Voluntary Simplicity if you want to learn more.) The key is to balance the empty space that they person desires with the need to have their possessions honored and available for use in their space. A truly empty space void of everything may prove useful for meditation although would not be helpful if you are sitting on the floor for dinner because you let go of your dining table! Ahhh… everything in moderation!
Ultimately this verse is a bit counter intuitive although very accurate. A person will feel more “full”, “alive”, and “light” when they are surrounded by a bit more “emptiness” in their space.
I just read a great blog post by Melissa Stacey about Stressful Clutter. She highlights the connection between stress and clutter and provides a few ideas on where to start. I have noticed that people don’t often begin this process until they are completely overwhelmed and stressed about the situation. In an ideal world, one would begin to change their relationship with stuff and clutter before reaching this more extreme feeling of overwhelm. As with any transformation, a person truly has to be ready to begin. Even the smallest step will begin the journey.
