It’s easy for a bedroom to become disorganized. As one of the most lived-in rooms in the house, it is a natural magnet for all types of paper, books, toys, and knick-knacks. Since your bedroom is where you sleep, it’s important you keep it as neat as possible to encourage relaxation at night.

Arrange the Clothing in Your Closet
Your closet was not designed to be a refuge for every article of clothing you have ever owned. Go through your closet and remove anything you haven’t worn in the last year. With the exception of some types of formal wear, if you haven’t worn it in the last 12 months you probably won’t wear it in the next 12 months. Donate the clothes to a charity, and make room in your closet so you can find what you’re looking for quickly and easily.

Reorganize Your Drawers
It’s so much easier to shove an article of clothing in the back of a drawer than decide whether or not to keep it. If your drawers are so packed that you can’t find what you need when you need it, then it is time to weed out clothing you don’t wear. This goes double for items you don’t wear because they are stained, don’t fit, or don’t look good on you.

Take Advantage of the Space Under Your Bed
Evict the boogieman and put a few large plastic storage bins under your bed. Choose wheeled bins for easy access. Storage bins are ideal for items you use infrequently, like uncomfortable shoes.

Use Baskets
Baskets are a good way to make your bedroom look neat quickly. A laundry basket is a must, and so much better than a pile of clothing on the floor. Put a wastebasket next to your nightstand so you can easily throw out tissues and other bits of garbage.

Hang Art
Don’t clutter every surface with framed photos. Instead, hang your photos in small groups around the room and free up your tabletop space.

Put Things in the Right Room
If your bedroom has become home to wayward items that belong in the playroom or garage, then put them where they belong.

Get a Covered Desk
If your desk is in your bedroom, it’s easy to get sidetracked by work at bedtime. To prevent this, invest in a desk with a solid cover to prevent you from being distracted by work at the wrong time.

Use a Shoe Tree
Organize shoes on a hanging shoe tree in your closet. This frees up floor space and makes it easy to find shoes when you need them.

Put Personal Care Items on a Vanity
Vanities are a convenient way to keep your personal care items organized. A bath vanity can go in the master bathroom or in your bedroom.

Clear Your Nightstand
Keep your nightstand free of anything you will not use immediately before bed or upon arising. For most people, that means having only one book, a clock, a bottle of water, and a box of tissues.

Miguel Salcido is an avid blogger, father of 2, and recent proud homeowner. He loves studying architecture and home design and decor and plans to one day buy a custom house plan to build his dream home.

If several household members are sharing a bathroom, follow these 14 tips to help organize it.

Tip #1

• Clean out every drawer and shelf in the bathroom. Get rid of anything that isn’t being used.

Tip #2

• Move your medicines to the kitchen. The heat and steam in the bath can ruin them.

Tip #3

• Give each household member a different colored basket to fill with toiletries. No sharing. Make sure everyone has their own toothpaste, eye drops, cosmetics and grooming supplies. Each person will keep the basket in his or her bedroom.

Tip #4

• Evaluate your storage. You will need places for: towels, nail care, extra paper, feminine hygiene products, hair care and back-up supplies of soap and shampoo. Nothing else belongs in the bathroom.

Tip .#5

• Use a shower/bath caddy for shampoo and soap. They hang on the wall of your shower and keep the clutter out of your shower area. They are relatively inexpensive and available in many different styles.

 

 

Tip #6

• Set up a drip-dry container for bath toys if you have small children.

• Corner to corner suction cup hammocks work well

Tip #7

• Make space for a small, lidless hamper or laundry basket. Otherwise, have a system for depositing used towels in the laundry room.

Tip #8

• Use hooks instead of towel racks for kids. They’ll be more likely to use them. Have as many hooks and/or towel racks as you have persons using the bathroom.

Tip #9

• Make a checklist of all products in your bathroom as well as those used by each individual. Review your list weekly before shopping.

Tip #10

• Explore the variety of storage options you can use in the bath.
• Small countertop drawers can organize cotton balls and Q-Tips.
• Use cutlery trays in drawers, plastic shelves under the sink and caddies which attach to doors.
• Rolling carts can all contain the clutter that frequently accumulates in this much-used room. To keep things organized, each person can have one basket on the cart.

Tip #11

• If pressed for space when storing towels, consider a space-saving towel rack that clips right over the back of the bathroom door.

Tip #12

• Transform the dead space over your toilet by adding a stacked cabinet to store some of those items that have been kept under the sink.

Tip #13

• Consider installing a shower dispenser right on the wall to dispense liquid soap, shampoo and conditioner and eliminate all of that clutter

Tip #14

• Use organizational cosmetic containers or even small boxes to organize each person’s cosmetics individually.

Author Kathi Burns, CPO® gives Tampa Bay 10 Connects CBS News viewers advice to help them organize their home from her  book How to Master Your Muck

Instructions for Curbside Service  

Waste Management – North County (760) 439-2824 or East County (619) 596-5100

North County customers can place their (non-flocked) trees at the curb for collection/recycling.

Be sure to remove all decorations, including ornaments, tinsel, lights and the tree stand; if the tree is taller than six feet, please cut it in half.  East County customers can recycle their Christmas trees by placing the trees in their yard waste bins on their regular pick-up day, trees must be cut into 4-ft sections and must fit into yard waste container.  Flocked trees cannot be recycled, but will be collected if cut into three-foot sections and placed into the regular trash cart.  Trees will be picked  up for recycling beginning Dec. 27th until January 15th

 

Allied Waste – (619) 421-9400 or (858) 278-6061

Allied Customers with curbside yard waste collection can recycle holiday trees by placing them at the curb on their regular collection day for the first two weeks after Christmas. Please remove all ornaments, tinsel, garland and plastic or metal stands.  Cut trees to 4 foot lengths or less.  Artificial trees are not recyclable through curbside programs and will not be collected.

Apartments, condominiums, mobile homes:  Contact your manager or HOA for information about collection at your complex.

 

EDCO (760) 744-2700

Christmas trees, including flocked trees, may be recycled in EDCO’s yard waste recycling program. Place cut trees in designated yard waste recycling container(s), or bundle tree sections together with twine (maximum 4 feet in length and 18 inches in diameter) and place on curb during regular yard waste collection or in yard waste bin.

If your apartment or condominium has a collection program for landscape material, place tree sections into your designated green waste container.

 

ESCONDIDO DISPOSAL – (760) 745-3203 (Service for Escondido only)

Christmas trees are collected curbside from single-family residents from Dec. 27th

through Jan. 14th

 

Trees must be cut to 4-foot lengths and may not be placed in plastic bags, may not be flocked, and may not include tinsel, ornaments, nails, or tree stands. Set the tree out at the curb with your regular greens collection or put in yard waste bin (must fit into yard waste bin). Flocked trees should be cut to fit inside trash container.

Multi-family residents should ask their complex manager for the tree collection site at their complex.

 

Trees will be collected from these multi-family sites from Dec. 27th through Jan. 9th

and include the

same restrictions listed above for curbside tree collection.

RAMONA DISPOSAL – (760) 789-0516

Christmas trees are collected curbside from single-family residents on their service date.  Residents

should cut down to sizes no longer than 4-feet in length or they will not be removed.  Clean Green

trees only (no plastic bags, and may not include tinsel, ornaments, nails, or tree stands).

DAILY DISPOSAL – (619) 702-3300

Christmas trees are collected curbside from single-family residents on their regular green waste

collection date. Trees must be cut into sections that fit into yard waste bin. Trees may not be flocked,

and may not include tinsel, ornaments, nails or tree stands.  Major Cities, Communities, and Unincorporated Areas

Alpine (Unincorporated)

Service Company- Waste Management, Daily Disposal, Pacific Waste, Allied Waste

Curbside – yes

Drop-off Information-N/A

Bonsall

Service Company –EDCO (760) 727-1600

Curbside- yes

Drop-off Information- Please drop at River Village at 5256 S Mission in the northwest parking lot from

12/27 to 1/10.

Camp Pendleton

Service Company- Waste Management

Curbside – yes

Carlsbad

Service Company- Waste Management

Curbside – yes

Drop-off Information-  Calaveras Park- 2997 Glasgow Dr., Poinsettia Park- 6600 Hidden Valley Road,

Stagecoach Park (lower park)- 3420 Camino de los Coches, Fire Station #1- 1275 Carlsbad Village Dr.,

Waste Management/Palomar Transfer Station- 5690 El Camino Real.

Christmas tree recycling is available between December 27 and January 17.  Please remove all lights,

ornaments, and stands.  No flocked trees accepted.

Chula Vista

Service Company- Allied Waste

Curbside- yes

Drop-off Information – Call (619) 421-9400 for more details.

Chula Vista single family residents with cart service can recycle holiday trees by placing them at

the curb on their regular collection day or use one of their two free yard waste passes to take their

tree to the Otay landfill.

Apartment, condominium, or mobile home residents:  Contact your manager or HOA for

information about the free pre-scheduled collection day for your complex.

Coronado

Service Company- EDCO

Curbside – yes

Drop-off Information- Place trees inside the collection bin: Dec. 25- Jan. 8 Collection bins located

in the parking lot of Glorietta Bay Park Boat Ramp (off Strand Way). Residents of Coronado Cays

can drop off holiday trees in the collection bin located in the parking lot across from the Fire

Station on Grand Caribe Causeway.

Crest (Unincorporated)

Service Company- Waste Management, Allied Waste

Curbside- yes

Drop-off – Waste Management’s recycling and buyback center, located at 925 Oconner St. in El Cajon,

just south of the intersection of Bradley Ave. and Johnson Ave. They will accept trees M-F 7am to 5pm,

Sat 8am to 12pm.

Del Mar

Service Company- Waste Management

Curbside – yes

Drop-off Information- N/A El Cajon City and Unincoporated

Service Company- Waste Management, Allied Waste

Curbside- yes

Drop-off – Waste Management’s recycling and buyback center, located at 925 Oconner St. in El

Cajon, just south of the intersection of Bradley Ave. and Johnson Ave. They will accept trees M-F

7am to 5pm, Sat 8am to 12pm.

Encinitas

Service Company- EDCO, (760) 436-4151

Curbside – yes, single-family residences may place their trees curbside during regular collection

service 12/27/10-01/14/11. Multi-Family complexes contact EDCO.

Drop-off Information- Contact EDCO.

Escondido

Service Company- Escondido Disposal, EDCO (760) 744-2700

Curbside: yes, single-family residents from Dec. 27 through Jan. 14. Set the tree out at the curb with

your regular greens collection. No tinsel, ornaments, nails, or tree stands.  Must be cut to 4-foot

lengths.  Flocked trees will be accepted.  Multi-family residents should ask their complex manager

for the tree collection site at their complex. Trees will be collected from these multi-family sites from

Jan. 3 through Jan. 7 and include the same restrictions listed above for curbside tree collection.

Drop-off Information- (Dec. 26 – Jan.17) Kit Carson Park – 3333 Bear Valley Parkway (south

entrance, first parking lot on right), and Jesmond Dene Park – 2401 North Broadway (in the parking

lot next to ball fields.) Look for signs at both locations. There are no tree-length restrictions at the

drop-off sites

Fairbanks Ranch (Unincorporated)

Service Company- Waste Management, Allied Waste

Curbside- yes

Drop-off Information- N/A

Fallbrook (Unincorporated)

Service Company- Fallbrook Refuse, EDCO and Waste Management

Curbside Information- yes

Drop-off Information- River Village – 5256 Mission Road (North End near Prudential Realty)

Imperial Beach

Service Company- EDCO

Curbside- yes, single family residences may place their trees curbside during regular collection

service 12/26 -1/18.

Drop-off Information- (12/26-1/22) Public Works Facility – 495 Tenth St, Boys and Girls Club – 847

Encina Ave, Sports Recreation Center – 425 Imperial Beach Blvd

Jamul (Unincorporated)

Service Company- Waste Management

Curbside- yes

Drop-off – Waste Management’s recycling and buyback center, located at 925 Oconner St. in El Cajon,

just south of the intersection of Bradley Ave. and Johnson Ave. They will accept trees M-F 7am to 5pm,

Sat 8am to 12pm.

Lakeside (Unincorporated)

Service Company- EDCO, Allied Waste, & Waste Management

Curbside- yes Drop-off – Waste Management’s recycling and buyback center, located at 925 Oconner St. in El Cajon,

just south of the intersection of Bradley Ave. and Johnson Ave. They will accept trees M-F 7am to 5pm,

Sat 8am to 12pm.

La Mesa

Service Company- EDCO

Curbside –yes

Drop-off Information- (Dec. 26 – Jan. 15) Residents of La Mesa can drop off trees at the EDCO Station,

located at 8184 Commercial Street in La Mesa’s industrial center. Holiday tree drop-off available:

Monday – Saturday, 7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Closed Christmas and New

Year’s Day.)  Free holiday tree mulch will be available on a self-load/self-haul basis.

Lemon Grove

Service Company- EDCO

Curbside Information- yes, single-family residences may place their trees curbside during regular

collection service 12/27-1/17

Drop-off Information- Dec. 27- Jan. 17. Collection bin located in the fenced dirt lot at the corner of

Central and Olive Ave. , across from Civic Center Park.

National City

Service Company- EDCO

Curbside Information- yes, single-family residences may place their trees curbside during regular

collection service the first two weeks after Christmas.

Oceanside

Service Company- Waste Management

Curbside – yes, customers can recycle their Christmas trees for free by placing the trees at the curb on

their regular pick-up day.  Trees will be picked up for recycling during the two weeks following

Christmas, from Dec. 27 to Jan. 7. Remove all decorations, including ornaments, tinsel, lights and the

tree stand; if the tree is taller than six feet, please cut it in half. Flocked trees cannot be recycled, but

will be collected as regular trash.

Drop-off Information- N/A

Poway

Service Company- EDCO

Curbside – yes, yes, single-family residences may place their trees curbside during regular collection

service 12/27/10-1/14/11. Multi-Family complexes contact EDCO

Drop-off Information- Contact EDCO, (858) 748-7769

Rancho Santa Fe

Service Company- Waste Management, Allied Waste, EDCO, (760) 436-4151

Curbside – yes

Drop-off Information- N/A

Ramona

Service Company- Ramona Disposal (760) 789-0516) or ramonadisposal.com

Curbside – yes, Residents may place holiday trees curbside from 12/26-1/15 during regular collection

days.

Drop-off Information- Ramona High School – Dec 31st

, Jan 1st

, Jan 2nd

, Jan 8th

and Jan 9th

. Residents do

not need to cut trees. Ramona Disposal will place collection bins at the high school parking lot,

residents can put their trees in those bins.

San Diego

All City of San Diego residents please call (858) 694-7000 for more information.

Drop-off Information- See attached list on last page

San Diego-Unincorporated EDCO- (760) 744-2700, Allied WasteThose living in single-family residences may place their trees curbside during regular collection

service for the first two weeks after Christmas.

San Marcos

Service Company – EDCO

Curbside Collection – yes – Residents may place holiday trees curbside from 12/27 through 1/14

during regular collection days.

Drop-Off Dates – Dec. 26 – Jan. 12.  Place trees inside collection bins located in the parking lot of

the Senior Center, located at 111 Richmar Avenue.

Multi-Family communities contact EDCO at 760.744.2700.

Santee

Service Company- Waste Management

Curbside – yes

Drop-off Information- Waste Management’s recycling and buyback center, located at 925 Oconner St.

in El Cajon, south of the intersection of Bradley Ave. and Johnson Ave.   They will accept trees M-F 7am

to 5pm, Sat 8am to 12pm.

Spring Valley (Unincorporated)

Service Company- Waste Management, EDCO, & Allied Waste

Curbside- yes, single-family residences may place their trees curbside during regular collection

service the first two weeks after Christmas.

Drop-off – N/A

Solana Beach:

Service Company- Waste Management residential curbside,

Curbside Information- yes

Drop-off Information- (Dec. 26 – Jan. 14)  635 South Highway 101 (City Hall Parking Lot) and 715 Valley

Ave (La Colonia Community Center).

Valley Center

Service Company- Waste Management & EDCO, (760) 744-2700

Curbside – yes

Drop-off Information- Please contact EDCO at 760-744-2700 for the nearest drop off location.

Vista

Service Company-EDCO (760) 727-1600

Curbside-yes, residents may place holiday trees curbside on their regular collection day during the

two weeks after Christmas at no extra charge – from Monday, December 27 through Monday,

January 10.  Trimmings and the stand must be removed.  Organic decorations, such as natural

garland and wreathes, can also be placed in the residential designated yard waste container.

Drop off information-(Dec 27-Jan 10) Drop-off in the public parking lot between S. Santa Fe

Avenue and Mercantile Street (523 S. Santa Fe Avenue), Parking lot on the corner of S. Melrose Dr.

& Shadowridge Dr. City of San Diego

December 26, 2010 – January 23, 2011

• Residential only drop-off sites are listed below.

• Drop off trees during daylight hours only.

• No ornaments, trash, or tree stands.

• No commercial loads. • No fundraising loads.

Manual container customers using your own bins should place trees on the curb for

collection on your regular greenery recycling pickup day. Trees over four feet in length

should be cut in half.

Automated container customers using the large, green 96-gallon bin provided by the

city should cut their trees to fit into the automated container for pickup on collection

day.

Christmas Tree Residential Recycling Drop-off Sites

Site          Address

1. Carmel Valley   Carmel Valley Recreation Center, 3777 Townsgate

Drive, lower parking lot.

2. Encanto     Cielo Dr. @ Woodman St.

3. Golden Hill     Golden Hill Recreation Center, 2600 Golf Course Dr.

4. La Jolla     Kate Sessions Park, Soledad Rd.

5. Logan Heights    Memorial Recreation Center, 2902 Marcy Ave.

6. Miramar   Miramar Landfill and Greenery Recycling, Convoy St.

north of Highway 52

7. Mission Bay     Sea World Dr. @ Pacific Highway

8. Oak Park   Chollas Lake, 6350 College Grove Dr., in Gloria’s Mesa

parking lot.

9. Ocean Beach   Robb Field Recreation Center, 2525 Bacon St.

10. Otay Mesa/Nestor   Montgomery Waller Community Park (lower west

parking lot on Palm Avenue)

11. Rancho Bernardo   Rancho Bernardo Recreation Center,18448 W.

Bernardo Dr.

12. Rancho Penasquitos   Canyonside Recreation Center, 12350 Black Mtn. Rd.

13. SDSU      Parking Lot D off Alvarado Rd.

14. Scripps Ranch    Scripps Ranch Recreation Center, 11454 Blue Cypress Dr.

15. Tierrasanta     De Portola Middle School, 11010 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.

16. University City    Swanson Pool, 3585 Governor Dr.

Many clients call upon addSpace To Your Life!  to help get their papers organized when they are in the process of a divorce. I help them gather, organize and scan the records they will need so that they are able to proceed ahead with confidence and skill. Oftentimes they call upon me a bit late in the game after changes have been made and records transferred. Because of this,  I asked a colleague, Kimberly Lynch, to write this article for you or anyone else that might need the tips. My wish is for everyone to gather their own personal power and be prepared as they go down the path of divorce or separation.

These are what Kimberly considers the top 10 financial documents to obtain, review and/or organize during a divorce:

(1)  Get a copy of your credit score – you can get a copy FREE every 12 months from www.annualcreditscore.com. Obtain copies from all 3 reporting agencies.  Check them for accuracy.

 

(2)  Copy all credit card statements- if you have good credit, open your own credit card now.

 

(3)  Track what you spend- create a budget and save receipts.  Can you pay down some current debt?

 

(4)  Prepare an inventory of all assets

(a)  List all real estate and their current values

(b)   List all investment/retirement accounts –

identify whose name the account is in, the current value and who the beneficiary is

 

(5)  List life insurance policies- including who the policy is with, the amount of coverage, the term and who the beneficiary is.

 

(6)  List all other insurance policies and include policy numbers- i.e. car insurance, home owner’s or renter’s insurance, health insurance

 

(7)   Copy all bank statements for all open bank accounts- checking and savings

 

(8)  W-2’s and other statements of income

 

(9)  Copy birth certificates for both spouses

 

(10)  Marriage certificate

 

I also recommend saving paper copies as well as saving all documents electronically so that you can easily send them to your attorney or accountant.

By Kimberley Lynch

www.primerica.com/kimberleylynch