Vacations require a lot of planning and list-making. It’s not just you that must become ready for your trip, but you’ll want to prepare your neighbors, deal with the mail, leave instructions for co-workers, and make plans to board your animals or arrange for house sitting. Whether you’re away for a long weekend or a month-long trip, pre-planning can take the anxiety out of preparing for some fun!

So if your summer plans give you an opportunity to get away for a while, here are our Top 10 Tips to get you on your way!

Happy trails to you!

1. Tell friends, family, and trusted neighbors where you are going and for how long. How might they can reach you in case of an emergency? Have the post office put your mail on hold if you will be gone for an extended amount of time. Be sure to contact your credit card company if you are traveling oversees. It is not uncommon for charges made in other countries to be “flagged” due to increasing credit card fraud/theft.

2. Make sure everything is up to date, specifically your passport and ID card. Confirm your reservations, pet or house sitter, the person who will water your plants, etc. Pay your bills or set up an auto-pay so you don’t have to pay late fees when you return.

3. Organize your home before you travel. In addition to cleaning as you normally would, clean out the refrigerator, take out the trash, do the laundry, spray for bugs, etc. Think of chores that are typically a hassle to do and need to be done only occasionally such as sharpening your knives. Take this time to take care of it.

4. Make lists. You should make a “Before We Leave” Checklist and a “To Pack” checklist. You don’t want to end up paying $8 for toothpaste at the Walgreens on the Las Vegas Strip. If you are not sure what you need to do before your leave or what to pack, click HERE for a for a “Before We Leave” checklist and HERE for a “To Pack” checklist to get yourself started.

5. Prepare your vehicle. Get the oil changed, fill the tires with air, check when the last time a major service happened and when it is needed again (found in the vehicles manual), etc. These kinds of checks will ensure you are not stranded on the side of the road. Bring jumper cables, a first-aid kit, flares and emergency supplies just in case that happens. I like to wash my car before a major road trip so the inside is clean and smells nice.

6.Fully charge electronic devices and don’t forget to bring the chargers. For some reason, chargers seem to be the easiest thing to forget and one of the more expensive items to replace when you are visiting a different area.

7. Create an itinerary. Itineraries are great tools because you know/decide what you’re doing and when you’re doing it. You can get the most out of being a tourist, or being on time if you’re on a business trip. Some important information to keep on your itinerary is:

• Flight numbers/times and the confirmation numbers
• Emergency contacts
• Airport transportation information
• Subway/bus maps
• Local contacts (rental car companies, hotels, airlines)
• Addresses of places you want to visit
• If you are out of the country, the embassy number and address, and photograph your luggage, passport, and credit cards to keep on your cell phone.

8. When you travel, you should be sure to carry some essentials with you. Bring some snacks, drinks, and entertainment (tablet, book, magazine, crossword, knitting, playing cards, etc.) to help make the adventure fun. Take this time to not work, avoid email, and indulge in some hobbies you never really have time to do.

9. When you come back to your clean home, unpack immediately. Who knows when you will “get to it.” The easiest place to start is emptying all of your dirty clothes into the hamper and starting laundry.

I hope this makes vacationing less stressful!

Thanks for reading,

— Regina Lark

Spring is a good time to donate your un-used and unwanted items that take up valuable space in your home. You will lighten your load, reduce your carbon footprint, and feel better about your surroundings, and your donation is tax deductible! Others will benefit from your desire to clear your path of unwanted stuff! At the end of the Top 10 Springtime List below you will find a link for suggestions about where to donate darned near everything you no longer need or want. 

The Top 10 Springtime List of where many people store or stash and what is in those places, the stuff they probably no longer need: 

1. Kitchen: donate duplicate appliances, gadgets, pots, pans, coffee mugs and glasses to women’s shelters or thrift stores.

2. Bathroom: women’s shelters need unused soaps and shampoo (travel size from hotel stays, etc). 

3. Living room: Pack up those videos, DVDs, or CDs that no longer suit your listening or viewing tastes. Your multi-media boxes may be donated to thrift stores or GreenDisc.com 

4. Bedroom: in a word, clothes. Go through your closet and dresser drawers. Donate what you haven’t worn for a year or more, or what no longer fits, or you never really liked. Thrift stores will take your unwanted clothing. On the donation list below you will find places that want women’s business attire for poor women entering the job market. 

5. Kids’ rooms: Toys! Ask your children for input about toys and books they have outgrown, never played with, or otherwise will never use and donate to local shelters, churches, or thrift stores. 

6. Hall closets: empty hangers, suitcases and backpacks may go to thrift stores. Unused linen and towels to animal shelters

7. Dining room: napkins and tablecloths; wine glasses, decanters, water pitchers, salt and pepper shakers, platters and serving bowls. Unless these items are seasonal, choose your best and donate the rest to your local thrift store. 

8. Backyard: planters and pots, gardening hand tools, lawn ornaments gathering cobwebs near overgrown plants to Goodwill or similar place. 

9. Garage: sports equipment, sneakers, dust-collecting household tsotchkes that you will never use again but which never quite made it to the Goodwill. Board games like Monopoly, Scrabble, checkers and Backgammon remain popular thrift store items (just be sure you have all the pieces). These things can be donated to a thrift store. 

10. Book shelves: clear your bookcase of novels, “how to” books, or any book that you are certain you will never read again. Public libraries appreciate your donations. 

11. Bonus! Here’s a great list for where to donate and recycle a whole lot of stuff! https://aclearpath.net/resources/ 

Regina Lark
A Clear Path
www.AClearPath.net
regina@aclearpath.net 

Images used are from the following sites
serenehousecleaning.com/index.php/2016/06/10/organize-the-garage/
designsponge.com/2016/11/10-well-organized-kitchens.html
closetamerica.com/how-deep-clean-your-walk-closet-organized-look-year-round 

2. Thankful for the unused space behind the sofa that allows more storage space. In general, there are a lot of places in the home that are often overlooked or are a space we would not ordinarily think we can use. The accent table behind the couch allows for more space to place items you would want when you’re on the couch or passing by it.

3. Thankful to those that help us keep our home comfortable and clutter-free. Whether it is friends or family at one point another person has helped us keep our home organized. Although, it helps to assign chores or write a “to-do” list to be checked off daily to ensure that no task is forgotten.

4. Thankful for inventions made for people that can’t help but forget something when rushing out the front door.

5. Thankful for hidden storage. Furniture that doubles as storage is becoming increasingly easier to find. Although, it is not hard to create a cluttered “junk” pile in hidden storage spaces because no one sees it.

“It’s coming. I can feel it in my bones,” said Isabel, a client who asked for help assembling the family earthquake kit. I reminded Isabel that of course it is coming, here in West Los Angeles we live about as close to a fault line as anyone would want! 

Personally, I think it’s kind of kooky that everyone living in California does not have an earthquake kit. Heck, I’ve got a kit in my car, one next to my front door, and a canvas bag beneath my bed, just near the head of my bed. The bag contains tennis shoes, jeans, socks, underwear, hoodie, reading glasses, flashlight, water purifier, and batteries. I am ready for WHEN (not if!) the next big EQ rocks L.A!

September is Emergency Preparedness month. In an ideal world we’d like it very much if we didn’t have to think about what may befall us or our family. But we live in a world where disaster can strike at any moment. I know a lot of folks who want to hold on to their stuff “just in case.” But the chances of a big earthquake occurring, are probably higher than the chance you’ll need that extra toaster you’re holding onto for “just in case.”

When I moved into my home I purchased two 1-person EQ kits at a local surplus store. You can also find them at places like Lowe’s or Home Depot, or you can build your own: http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit. For local resources throughout the state, visit the website for the California Earthquake Authority: https://www.earthquakeauthority.com/

• This month’s Top Ten Tips to provides additional resources, ideas, and ways to prepare for what we all know can occur at any moment (even though we’re also in denial!).  Many products described below can be found at: The Epicenter: https://theepicenter.com/

1. Tools: You may want to have some or all of these tools stored in a bin for easy access:

• Fire extinguisher large 5-20 pound, type ABC
• Crow bar, 1 ft min.
• Leather gloves
• Multi-function pocket tool or knife
• Plastic tarp, 9×12 ft min
• Nylon rope 100 foot
• Duct tape
• A multi-purpose tool for shutting off gas and water main valves.
• Portable generator. Make your selection based on what really needs to be powered and the run time of the model. Our recommendation is for a maximum size of 5 HP, 2250 Watt 120 vac only. To get a 230 vac generator will require an 8 HP motor, and your run time will drop in half. Typically, the only items in your house that will require 230 vac is an electric heating system, an electric water heater, or an electric range. What you really need to power is a refrigerator, a few lights, and a radio.
• Power converter for running 120 volt items from car battery.

2. Light: I lived in the San Fernando Valley when the ’94 earthquake hit Los Angeles at approximately 4:00AM and it was very dark inside and out. Disaster or not, you want to always have access to light.

• Flashlight with 2 set of spare alkaline batteries and one spare bulb. Newer LED flashlights are also available and run much longer on a set of batteries. Store the flashlight by turning one battery in the wrong direction to avoid the inevitable corrosion.
• Lantern battery – kerosene or propane powered. Store fuel or batteries, but never use fuel-based lighting until you are sure gas leaks are eliminated.
• Long life candles.
• Waterproof matches or lighter

3. Communication: Chances are pretty good that cell towers will become inoperable for a time. Get ready with other methods of communication.

• AM/FM radio.  Store at least 3 sets of alkaline batteries for standard units. Inexpensive radios are available from your local Radio Shack.  The best radio is one that has rechargeable NI-cads built in, and may be charged with the built-in solar cell, or by cranking on a built in generator handle.
• This solar/generator survival radio is available from Epicenter. We recommend this radio for your supplies in your car as well.
• Pen, pencil, and paper pad.  Store in zip lock bag.
• Stamped postcards.  Store in zip lock bags.  Your house might be gone, but if you still have a mailbox, the mail will continue service.  An easy way to stay in touch with family far away.
• List of important phone numbers, including your out of state focal
• Weather radio or police scanner.  A bit expensive, but a weather radio is a must in tornado or hurricane country.

4. Your home:

• Find out where the utility shutoffs are for water, power, and gas.
• Place a flashlight or an emergency light next to your breaker panel.
• Place a wrench in your water meter box located near the street and attach a tool on your gas meter for turning off the gas.
• Evaluate each room in your house.
• Ask yourself: what will fall on my head, or will keep me from getting out if it fell?  Secure anything you find.
• Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors away from beds, couches, and anywhere people sit.
• Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches.
• Store household chemicals on a bottom shelf of a closed cabinet. Never store bleach and ammonia in the same cabinet.  These chemicals, when mixed, will create a deadly toxic gas.
•  Change the batteries 2x/year in the carbon monoxide and fire alarms throughout your home.

5. Store at home:

• Water: 30 gallons per person (2 gallons per person per day for 1 week).
• Canned goods: ready to eat soups, meats, veggies and fruit. Make sure you know when they will expire.
• Cooking: Barbecue, 40 pounds charcoal, and two cans of starter fluid.  Or a propane unit with two 20 pound containers of propane.  A propane camp stove may also be used.

Store the following items for use with above:

• Pot and pan for cooking
• Kitchen knife
• Silverware
• Styrofoam cups
• Water proof matches or lighter
• Zip lock bags
• Can Opener
• Aluminum foil

6. Keep your car safe: Think of your car’s trunk as a big steel supply cabinet.  Keep your supplies in the trunk along with other items like tools, jumper cables and spare tire. Even if you are at home when a disaster strikes, and your home is well stocked, you may still need the supplies in your car. Your house may not be safe to enter, or may catch fire after a disaster like an earthquake.

Your car will be one of your most important resources after a disaster strikes.  Keep it mechanically sound, and pay close attention to the exhaust system.  A leaking exhaust system could kill. Replace your battery every 2-3 years.  In an emergency, your car battery will need to run the radio and heater for extended periods.

7. Prepare for disaster on the job: Read your company’s evacuation plan. Note the designated meeting locations for after an evacuation. Each time you enter a room, take note of the exit routes and locations of fire extinguisher and medical kits. Keep your own personal supplies in your desk in a single pack of some kind that you can access quickly.  Along with your supplies, store a pair of walking shoes.

Be sure you have composed a card to carry in your wallet or purse with important phone numbers including the number of your out of state phone contact. Keep the area under your desk free of waste-paper baskets and the like. This 6 square foot area might be home during a few traumatic moments.

If you are not at your desk when something happens, don’t count on being able to make it back.

8. Emergency supplies at work:

• Emergency water rations
• MRE’s (Meals ready to eat, or coast guard food rations)
• Emergency space blanket
• Flashlight with extra batteries of chemical light stick
• First aid kit

9. Know and understand your neighborhood: Contact your school district to obtain policy regarding how children will be released from school. Know the location of the nearest police and fire stations, as well as the route to the nearest hospital emergency room. Meet with neighbors and find out who has medical experience. If you are taking this preparedness thing seriously, share this information with the households next to you. The more people you can convince to prepare, the greater your group resources. Remember that you will be called upon by all around you for help, especially by those who didn’t take warnings seriously. Show neighbors where the utility shutoffs are and provide them with a list of contact phone numbers. Ask how to turn off your neighbor’s utilities.

10. Come up with a family plan: Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance: how you will get to a safe place; how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations.

11. Bonus Tip: Make a commitment to de-clutter the crowded places in your home or apartment. Find a secure and smart place for your disaster supplies, and be sure to create a clear path so getting out is easier

Thanks to: https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan for great emergency response ideas.

This time last year found me getting ready for a nearly 2-week vacation. Being away from my life wasn’t the easiest (or worst!) task I’ve had to shoulder. I learned a lot about planning, delegating, letting go of control, and figuring out how to relax.

I’ve discovered that for me, relaxing isn’t just about hanging out doing nothing. In order for me to relax, I find that having routines and systems in place are important so that I can accomplish daily goals. Having routines helps me feel like I can also plan my down time (yes, that has to be scheduled, too!), which for me looks like a long bike ride, or a power walk, dinner and movie with a friend, or spending time with a good book.

In celebration of my learning to relax, I’m happy to send some tips and strategies to help plan and manage your time, put a little routine in your life, and relax for a change without feeling guilty.

Have a great month!

1. Evaluate your morning. Do you wake up and immediately check your phone or e-mail to begin solving problems? Consider easing yourself into the day with an early morning walk, cup of coffee, or nice breakfast to center yourself before beginning each workday.
2. Get rid of the rain clouds that follow you around. Is there a daunting task you’ve been putting off? Maybe you’ve been meaning to organize your junk drawer or unpack from your vacation last month. Though you can certainly survive and function without doing these tasks right away (which is why they are still unfinished), you will feel better after you finally say no to procrastination and get on with at least one, small project.
3. Do you know where your time goes when you’re sitting in front of your computer? You could be over- or under-estimating how much time you actually spend online. Consider using a free time tracking tool such as www.rescuetime.com to evaluate how to best use your time.
4. Set a cleaning routine and stick to it. It’s easier to spend ten minutes cleaning the kitchen after dinner each day than an hour once a week when the dishes pile up. It is also stressful to be looking at a mess for an extended period of time. Write out a cleaning routine for daily, weekly, and monthly tasks.
5. Take time to be present. When you find yourself overwhelmed and reacting to several situations at once, spend five minutes on deep breathing, self-awareness, and collecting yourself mentally. When you are ready, make a list of what you need to do and then act on which is the most urgent. Delegate tasks if you are able.
6. Auto-schedule the payments for your bills. This way you will not have to spend time paying them over the phone, online, or via mail. Instead, spend five minutes each month reviewing the charges to ensure they are correct.
7. Evaluate items in your home and ask yourself what purpose each item serves. If it serves no purpose, why is it taking up space in your home?
8. Create a checklist for activities. This could include: gym bag, information for the pet, home, or babysitter, school bag, extracurricular activities, overnight bag, etc. Save these checklists as word documents and update them as necessary. Keep a print out in the mudroom or kitchen to review before leaving the house.
9. Keep all of your passwords in one safe place or use a password service. This will save you time with the “forgot your password” link and also expedite the login process in the future. Here’s a handy link.
10. Ask for help. Honestly, I think one reason I get a lot done is that I ask for help on the tasks I don’t like or find difficult to manage. I’ve traded “time” with friends and colleagues. I helped a friend organize her kitchen, and she agreed to edit a few articles I’m writing.
11. Bonus: Feel free to contact me for any time-related issues – let’s chat and see what we can figure out together! 818-400-9592

Stay cool!

Regina

Top 10 tips for your best Garage Sale EVER!

Hooray! Summer is nearly here – a good time of year to play, romp, and CLEAR. Clear out the old, the unwanted and the unused. There’s an incentive to clearing. Creating more space in your place may have a positive effect on your peace of mind. A fun way to deal with the stuff you don’t need is to sell it all at a yard sale. Make extra cash, ask a few neighbors to join you for a block sale, and get rid of the things that haven’t been serving you for years!

Doesn’t that sound great?!

Here are tried and true Top 10 Tips for your best Garage Sale EVER!!

1. Six or more weeks before the sale choose the date for your sale. Weekends, of course, are best. With good planning, a 3-day weekend is fine for a 1-day sale because people have more time for chores, shopping, and playing.

2. Schedule an entire day to clear your garage before the date of the sale since you will want to be ready bright and early in the morning of your sale. Throw away the obvious trash. Add colorful post-it notes to the sale items, and different color post-it notes to items that you plan to give away or keep.

3. Stage an area in your home or garage where all your “for sale” items can sit until the sale. Take a few pictures of some of your sale items.

4. De-clutter for the sale: Go through all the spaces in your home, office, garage, closets and drawers. Everywhere. Carry a box or bag with you as you go through each area and fill it with that which you no longer use, want, or desire. Be ruthless. And try to not let guilt guide your decisions about letting go! Now put all the stuff in the staging area.

5. Pre-sale advertising on Craigslist and NextDoor.com: This is the key to having the best garage sale EVER! Each week for four weeks prior to the sale, post an ad about your sale on craigslist. The weekly ads should include the same important information: title of ad, city/community of yard sale, dates/times of yard sale, but the body of the ad should change each week. Your ad should excite, delight, and attract potential customers! Show pictures of some of the sale items. Comments may include, EVERYTHING MUST GO! MORE ITEMS IN NEXT WEEK’S AD! Each week post different stuff with different but similar comments. The goal is to build a “following” so people look for your ad next week. Do not include your address until your final post a week before the ad. Very early on the morning of the sale, post ad #4 a second time (for a total of 5 posts).

6. Signage (part 1): Signs should be clear, simple, and readable. Cut a poster-board in half. That’s about the size you should make the signs. Use block letters, printed with date/time of sale, address of sale. Each sign should have a space to draw a directional arrow. Plan to start the sale in the morning because people are more likely to show up to your door before 7am!

7. Signage (part 2): Before you hang your signs, spend a few days driving around your neighborhood for all the ways to get to your house and likely places to hang the signs. If your sale is on a Saturday, post the signs on Wednesday evening. When you go out to hang signs, bring these with you: thick-tip Sharpie marker, heavy duty tape, hammer and a few nails. Add a directional arrow to each sign just before hanging. IMPORTANT: REMOVE YOUR SIGNS THE DAY AFTER THE SALE (or better, THAT NIGHT!!!) Do not clutter your neighborhood with your old yard sale signs.

8. Day before the sale: Take everything from the staging area inside the house to the garage or area where you plan to hold the sale. Get the items into boxes and bags and close to the front door. Wipe down dirty or dusty items. Have a bunch of paper or plastic grocery bags to help cart away the purchases. Also, have a change purse with several $1s, $5s, a couple of $10s, and coins. Get a good night’s sleep.

9. Day of sale: Get up and out EARLY! People will be waiting when you get outside. Feel free to politely ask them to return at the designated time or… start selling! Put a tall/large item near the curb to attract people driving by your house.

10. To price or not to price an item: If the point of your sale is to get rid of your old stuff, don’t add a price tag on anything. When a customer asks about the cost, ask what they want to pay and take their money! Or name a price, and banter back and forth with the customer until you come to an agreement. If you’ve got a big-ticket item such as a treadmill, couch, or dining set, go ahead a name a price and guage a customer’s reaction. Bottom line: sometimes when an item has a price tag, it may discourage the customer from asking for a lower price. I’ve done at least 25 yard sales (personally and professionally). I’ve never tagged a single item and always had a great sale.

I wish you amazing success with your sale. Put what you’ve earned in the bank, or take yourself and a friend out to dinner! But please don’t go shopping!

The recession of the early 21st century saw an upsurge of home-based businesses According to IncFile.com this counts for approximately 38 million U.S. households with an active home office and the numbers continue to grow. Most people who now work from home were previously employed by someone else. A desk job generally included a desk, filing cabinet, office supplies, computer, etc. Everything is in place for the new employee to start the job and hit the ground running.

Leaving an employer – by choice or by force – and starting out on your own can be both thrilling and scary. Self-employment can be very freeing; autonomy and independence are seductive. Self-employment bring the very idea of “the sky’s the limit” into a tangible goal. There are so many things that can be accomplished when you work from home, and there are so many things that could actually help you as a home owner. Like did you realise that you might be able to save money by using business energy in your home? All you have to do is call up someone like Simply Switch who would be able to find you the cheapest energy provider and then you would be able to save money on your energy bills at home. This isn’t just the only bonus that comes from working at home, there are many other things. However, the key to a successful business from home is having the right working area. The ideal work space should be organized and designed for maximum productivity and prosperous goals. You should love the furniture that you have. The chair you sit in should be comfortable, the shelves should be with in easy reach and the desk should fit you perfectly. If you want to get some more ideas on what to get then you should take a look at a site like furniture in fashion’s computer desks to give you some inspiration on what would be best for your home office.

The shift from working for someone else to working for one’s self can be dramatic for the unorganized or uninitiated. And when it comes to creating the idea work-at-home workspace, a lot of people head over to an office supply store to purchase all manner of stuff they may think they need to prosper. While it’s fun to shop for purple post-its, pen caddies, and paper-clip cups, before you fill your space with gadgets and gewgaws, consider these Top Ten Tips to organize your home office or work space.

Circle of Work: Set up shop at home in a area where you can access printer, a couple of shelves, desk space or table top, and a container or drawer for office supplies [but only what you currently need!]. The “circle of work” is about positioning your supplies so that everything you need is within reach and for which you don’t have to leave your chair.

Zone the Work Space: Within the circle of work are the work zones: flat space for writing, place for computer/printer, area for action or client files, etc. Group office activities together.

File or Pile?: If you are a visual person consider stacking your “papers in progress” in table-top trays or buckets. If you can file a paper into a folder and retrieve it later on you may want to create a more traditional file system. Either way have this handy paper retention guide to help determine which papers to keep and for home long.

Office Furniture: Choose home/workspace furniture that can perform multiple functions. Here are some fun ideas.

Drawers or Desktop?: The circle of work area will need to include pens, paper clips, writing pads, white out, scissors, etc. which tend to overflow from cups and bowls and inside desk drawers. Suggestions to keep under control: 1) designate a storage area in home or garage for office supplies. Your desk should only contain about a month’s worth of supplies; the rest should be stored away; 2) keep office supplies either on top of your desk or in a drawer; 3) separate supplies into trays or desk organizers; 4) label the inside of the organizer for where you want things returned.

The Spiral Notebook: I’m a visual person and still use a 6×9 spiral for all meeting notes, creative ideas, newsletter suggestions, and the like. Instead of grabbing for scraps of paper and post-its to jot an important thought, keep a spiral on the desk for all manner of things – from note-taking to to-do lists. For those more interested in virtual note-taking, here is a side-by-side of some of the best note taking apps.

Bookcases and shelves: Ideally, the home work space does not cross too much into the living space. As much as you can, separate family photo albums, children’s books and cook books from your workspace shelves. Instead, use the space for reference and resource materials, stationary, and office supplies if that is a designated storage area. In the circle of work these resources should be within reach of your desk.

Electronics and Electric Cords : If you don’t have enough outlets seriously consider hiring someone to add a couple. It’s really worth it and your space will look better without power strips all over the place. Consider wrapping cables and cords and tuck them out of the way. Charging stations are another solution for eliminating power cord clutter.

Label Maker: Do not underestimate the power of a good label maker. If you are a visual person use the labels as reminders to return items back to their original home.

If you haven’t faced it yet, chances are good that at some point in your life cycle you will have to deal with a medical crisis of one sort or another. An aging parent may take a fall, or your spouse may require emergency surgery. These are not things we want to think about but having an organized system – a go to spot – for all of your medical information (prescriptions, co-pay amounts, insurance forms, lab results, etc). can make all the difference in the world should calamity strike.

If you are a somewhat organized person, use the tips below by creating a file system for easy access to all of your records. Creative right-brained people may want to organize the information in a box, or, hole-punch all the paperwork to fit inside a 3″, 3-ring binder. Regardless of how you process information, you want to create a space for a variety of information that falls under the category of “Medical.”

A special note for same-sex couples (residing in states where our marriages are still illegal). I cannot emphasize enough the importance of creating a clear path toward your right to speak on behalf of your partner. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA) has strict privacy and security rules to ensure patients’ rights and include legal definitions for who is/isn’t a family member, who can/cannot speak on your behalf. Once you meet the person of your dreams and decide to set-up house, your next action should be a visit to your family attorney to create the paper trail to ensure your access your loved one.

1. Gather together all your medical information into one organized and labeled binder or filing system. Some useful information to file is:

• Health insurance cards, Medicare cards
• A list of medications (including dosage, frequency, date started/stopped)
• Medical history
• All of your emergency contacts (their relationship to you, address, phone number, workplace, etc.)
• Immunizations
• Allergies and blood type
• A sheet to record the date of doctor/dental visits and any tests performed
• A sheet of diagnosis’ and the dates (blood pressure readings, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, symptoms)
• A copy of a health care proxy, advanced directives or living will
• If one is used, a power-of-attorney

2. Regularly update emergency contacts. Also ensure your power-of-attorney, health care proxy, advanced directives, or living will is up to date. Clearly label this information.

3. Create a section for medical bills from providers, labs, and hospitals.

4. Keep a log of Insurance claims you file with the insurance company and insurance claims that have been paid by your insurance company.

5. Create a separate section for financial paperwork, including medical bills you have paid. Include a section for out-of-pocket expenses.

6. Keep prescription drug information – past and current in one section.

7. Keep records of all medical testing such as lab, x-ray, and scan results.

8. Have a section for hospital discharge orders/documents.

9. Keep a calendar in one section of the binder to record all appointments.

10. Clearly label all information, files, and folders. The goal: To find what you need, when you need it. There’s nothing like being organized in the event of a medical emergency.