Filed under: Disaster Preparedness
Today’s featured product is our Auto Document Organizer. We all know we need to keep insurance and registration records in our vehicle, and too often we stash them in the glove compartment or a console, and then can’t find them when we need them! I love this organizer because it keeps everything together in one secure place, and you can easily find what you need when you need it!
Organized A to Z is celebrating our birthday in July, but we’re giving you the presents! Each day, we are offering our favorite products at 25% off. The discount is good today only, so get it now!
July 24, 2009
The Pet.doc is Organized A to Z’s featured birthday special for today! I recommend it because it’s a great way to organize all of your pet’s information so you always have it handy. From vaccination records to feeding scedules and special diets, this valuable record-keeper makes it much easier to entrust your special friend to others when you have to be away from home.
Organized A to Z is celebrating our birthday in July, but we’re giving you the presents! Each day, we are offering our favorite products at 25% off. The discount is good today only, so get it now!
July 21, 2009
Today’s Birthday Special is the Collision.kit. I especially recommend this for teen drivers, just in case they ever get in a fender bender. It will help them know what information they need to get from the others involved, making it easier for them to document the incident.
Organized A to Z is celebrating our birthday in July, but we’re giving you the presents! Each day, we are offering our favorite products at 25% off. The discount is good today only, so get it now!
July 16, 2009
Pets are important parts of our family, so when you create your own family disaster plan, don’t forget to include them, too. You can organize your pet’s information and supplies beforehand so you are prepared to take care of them if something unexpected happens.
Your pet should always where a collar with identification information and rabies tag. If you would ever get separated during a disaster, this is the best way to ensure that you will find your way back to each other. Consider microchipping or enrolling your pet in a pet recovery database.
You can prepare a pet emergency supply kit similar to the one you have for your family. Here’s what to include, according to a pamphlet from www.ready.gov.:
- A 3-day supply of food
- A 3-day supply of water
- An extra supply of medications, stored in a waterproof container
- Medical records
- A harness or leash
- A crate or pet carrier
- A first aid kit for animals, including cotton bandage rolls, bandage tape and scissors, antibiotic ointment, flea and tick prevention, latex gloves, isopropyl alcohol, saline solution, and a pet first aid reference book.
- Sanitation supplies, such as a litter box and litter. Also include paper towels, plastic trash bags, and chlorine bleach.
- A picture of you and your pet together, as well as a detailed description of your pet (species, breed, age, sex, color, etc.)
- Familiar items, such as treats, toys, or blankets.
Keep these things together in a waterproof tote or container and have them easy accessible.
As you plan ahead for your own safety, make sure you include provisions for your pet. If you have to evacuate and can’t take your pet with you, know who can provide care for you. Stay informed of the situation around you to protect your pets’ safety as well as your own.
Kathy Jenkins is a Professional Organizer based in Richmond, VA. Through her business, Come To Order, she offers residential professional organizing services tailored to meet the specific needs of her clients, and operates a retail site for organizing products, OrganizedAtoZ.com. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD), Faithful Organizers, and Women Entrepreneurs of Virginia, and serves as marketing director of NAPO Richmond. You may contact her through her website at www.cometoorderva.com.
September 29, 2008
Being prepared for emergencies not only affects your family, but your business as well. If you own a business, you need to know how to keep your business going despite being dislocated, losing inventory, or important files and paperwork. Your employees and your livelihood depend on it!
To protect your investment, you need to create a plan BEFORE disaster strikes. How? I suggest you create a binder with copies of some important information. Here are some things to consider:
Start the planning process by contacting your insurance agent. Make sure your policy is up-to-date and includes coverage for any possible catastrophe that would put you at risk. Know how to contact your insurance agent and the steps you should take to protect your claims should something bad happen. In your binder, store copies of your business inventory and equipment lists, as well as you policy information.
Next, decide where your business would go if your current building is unusable. How would you relocate and what equipment would you need? While you’re probably not going to lease something for those “just in case” moments, having possible locations written down along with a list of supplies, equipment, and services you would need immediately is essential. If need be, you can easily assign these tasks to others so you can tend to other issues.
Third, create a contact list of critical vendors and service providers. Have the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses all in one place so you can easily find the information when the pressure it on. You may need to stop or redirect shipments, have utitilies shut off or discontinued, or ask for their help in other ways.
Fourth, have your employee contact information handy – including all of their emergency contacts. This will make it easier for you or someone else to contact the correct family and friends should a co-worker or employee be unable to do so for themselves.
Finally, make sure your employees know what your disaster plan is, where to find it, and how to activiate communication. Keep an updated list of assignments so people know what their responsibilities would be and how to carry them out. You want your employees to act quickly and with confidence.
Even small, sole proprietors without employees should have this information stored somewhere safe and easily accessible. You will still need the ability to contact clients, customers, vendors, and service providers, and find a place to operate until your original building is safe again.
It may seem time consuming to plan for something that might never happen, but being organized for these situations pays dividends. Just in through this organizing process, you may find weaknesses in your business processes or insurance policies that you can work to improve.
September 27, 2008
As the recovery and clean-up process begins in Louisiana after Hurricane Gustav, I find myself wondering how prepared I would be if I had to quickly evacuate my home or warehouse, or how easily I could recover from a destructive natural disaster or fire. Watching the news of the hurricane, and knowing that more are on the way, definitely emphasizes the importance being prepared!
September is National Preparedness Month, which is sponsored by the U.S. Homeland Security Department. Officials want citizens to take action now to develop an emergency plan for your family and business. You can visit http://www.ready.gov/ for more information and helpful downloads.
When it comes to organizing for disaster, it helps to know what records you need to have safely stored away. Here are a few suggestions:
- Copies of insurance policies
- Identification information, such as birth certificates, social security cards, and even copies of your driver’s license
- Bank account records
- Prescriptions for all medicines taken on a regular basis
- Prescriptions for eyeglass or contact lenses
- Immunization records for your children
- Health records, especially if you have a chronic illness or disability
- Immunization records for your pets
Consider putting the individual papers in plastic zipper bags, and then storing these in a durable waterproof tote or fireproof safe. You should also keep copies stored off-site – bank safety deposit box is a good choice.
This month, Organized A to Z is featuring products that can help ensure your family and health information is easily accessible in the event of an emergency. Visit www.organizedatoz.com to view them. For a guide to get started, you might consider our book, Organize for Disaster.
September 2, 2008
A statistic from The Domestic Travel Market Report states that weekend travel is more popular than ever, with half of all U.S. adults–nearly 103 million–taking at least one weekend trip per year and 35% of all weekend travelers taking their children with them. Whether it is a long weekend or a week or more of fun in the sun, there are still some things that you need to plan for while you are away.
- Stop your mail and paper or ask a trusted neighbor or friend to collect it while you are away. Nothing shouts “no one is home” louder than a pile of newspapers or an overflowing mailbox.
- Invest in timers for lights and the stereo so there is the appearance that someone is at home.
- Consider having a neighbor park his car in your driveway occasionally while you are away.
- Make sure your inventory of household items and electronics is up-to-date in case you have to report a loss to the police or insurance company.
- Store important papers and jewelry in a fire safe.
- Lock your doors and windows, and consider putting padlocks on gates if you have them.
- Don’t announce your absence on your answering machine, and try to check it while you are away to prevent a full mailbox.
- Consider contacting your police department to let them know of your absence, especially if you will be gone more than 1 week.
- Make sure that someone knows how to reach you in the event of an emergency.
June 29, 2008
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