Monday, June 20, 2011

CNN Article about Clutter

Here is another great article about organizing: 

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/16/seeking-serenity-a-life-less-cluttered/

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Article About Productivity vs. Interruptions

Here is an article with some new productivity statistics about workers who are interrupted on the job, mostly by wireless calls and texts.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-05-18-social-media-worker-distractions_n.htm

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Best Place for Your Baby Registry

I've heard a lot of pros and cons of having baby registries in different place: local stores, department stores, discount stores, online and more. After all is said and done, I still think the best store to have a baby registry is Babies 'R' Us.

While local baby supply stores may be good for your local economy, it is difficult for gift-givers from out of town. Department stores like Macy's, JC Penney's and Sears are nice for clothes and bedding, but they often do not offer the selection of equipment (strollers, cribs, car seats, playpens, swings, bottles, diapers, wipes, etc.) that Babies 'R' Us does. Discount stores such as Target and Walmart will give you a good selection for lower prices, but they have two detriments. The first is that their inventories change often, so your registry items may be gone even a month or two after you create your registry. The second problem is the return policy. Target has a notoriously poor return policy, setting a monetary limit on how many items you can return without a receipt within a year, even if the returned items are on a registry. Online stores like Amazon.com have the selection, but they change their inventory often as well. Also, the buyer has to pay for shipping and doesn't get to see or touch the items live--which is half of the fun of buying baby stuff! Plus, online stores exclude gift-buyers who are uncomfortable with using the Internet or paying for things online.

For these reasons, I suggest creating your baby registry at Babies 'R' Us. They have a very liberal return policy, especially for items on a registry. They have almost everything you can imagine you'd need or want for a baby, including clothing, bedding, equipment, furniture, diapers, wipes and formula. They have many locations nationwide, so out-of-towners can send gifts. They also have an easy-to-use online registry system that allows people to send the gift directly to your address.You can sign up for a rewards card that gives you large coupons for diapers and such, and Babies 'R' Us will give you a substantial coupon after your baby is born to finish purchasing items on your registry.

While it's finally your decision where to have your registry, or whether or not to have a registry at all, I recommend visiting a Babies 'R' Us as part of your search. The prices may seem a bit high, but it's worth the convenience for you and your friends and family.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Another Baby Gift Idea: Childproofing

Another great ideas for new parents is the gift of safety...child safety to be exact. You can purchase and install a lot of the items yourself, but why not call a professional?

There is a company in Wayne, PA, called KidProteq* that will analyze your childproofing needs for a fee. Then you can use that fee to purchase items from their store and/or to get them to install the items. While many babies don't start crawling until about six months old, it may be good to have these items in place while the baby isn't mobile.

I'm pretty savvy with a screw gun, but I wish I had hired someone else to give me the best products and tell me what to do.

*This post does not represent an endorsement of this company. Services and fees may vary.

Special Delivery: Organizing for a New Baby

The arrival of a new baby can turn even the most organized person’s world upside-down. Here are some ideas to help expecting parents, as well as gift-givers, to prepare for the big day and beyond.

Look at the registry.  If you’ve been shopping at a baby supply store in recent years, you know that it’s easy to be overwhelmed.  There are a lot of new “gadgets” out there for babies, some essential and some more gimmicky.  Many baby registries are available to view online or on computers in the store.  Gift cards to the store are also great idea, so the new parents can purchase unexpected essentials after the baby arrives.

Stock up on basics.  Of course, we all want to buy frilly clothes, tiny shoes and cute pillows, but the best gifts are towels, washcloths, receiving blankets and burp cloths.  These items are used often and washed often, so they wear out easily.  There are a lot of creative designs and organic options out there now, so you can still have fun shopping!

You can never have too many of the essentials.  It may not be glamorous giving someone diapers and wipes, but they are necessary!  Parents may even include their preferred brand of diapers and wipes on their registry.  You can also find out if the parents plan to use cloth diapers and help them stock their stacks.

Shop rummage sales.  If the new parents are on a budget, ask if you can look for gifts at rummage sales.  You can find almost-new swings, playpens, glider chairs and even bedding at rummage sales.  Inspect the items closely, though, and be careful about cribs and car seats.  Standing in line at a rummage sale while pregnant is not very fun, so it would be great if you could do it for the expectant mom!

Give time.  Having a baby is like having ten times as much work to do in half the time.  One of the best gifts a person can give new parents is his or her time.  Offer to come over for a few hours to babysit so the new parents can rest.  If you aren’t confortable watching the baby alone, offer to do laundry, go to the grocery store or cook a meal.  These tasks get very difficult when you have a newborn, especially if the mother is recovering from surgery.