This is about how a broke, single mom can improve her life thru new organization ideas.
1. Start a secret stash. Think of what you have run out of in the last month causing you to run to the store at 10 pm. This could include diapers, something to eat, toilet paper, hand soap. So you find a place like a closet where you can stash a few of these items. Then when you run out some night, you do not have to make that trip. Build it up with some soup and cracker, soda and peanut butter. Thus, you always have a meal of sorts ready.
2. Organize your keys. Nothing empowers you like having spare keys. Find a locksmith shop, not a Home Depot, and begin stopping by every few days, copying keys. Buy a large and an medium sized key ring and use the smaller one for your common keys and the larger one for infrequently use keys. Having done this, make a master key ring with every key that you own on it, in case you lose your keys.
Hide a house key outside somewhere. Make sure you can find it in the dark. Consider giving a key to a neighbor or family member that you trust.
Put an extra ignition key and door key in your trunk under the mat in the trunk. Then wire a trunk key on the undercarriage of your car, like on a tie rod. It will soon become grimy and blend in. Worse case scenario, you can get under there and get into your trunk and get home. Also carry copies in your wallet.
Having become good friends with the locksmith by now, see if you can have him come to your house and give you a free evaluation of where they are most likely to break in, and then the next most likely. Try to tighten up your security.
3. Carry extra money. It is hard if you are running had to mouth, but if there is any way, try to stash a $20 in your trunk. It's also a good idea to have a few dollars worth of quarters on you for vending machines.
4. Switch to all LED lights throwing away the incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. An LED is 23 times cheaper than even a fluorescent bulb. You literally cannot afford anything besides LED bulbs.
5. Set up a receiving area by the entry door. A table where you can sit all of your stuff when you come in from the store. This includes the mail.
6. Set up a desk. I paid $50 for the best desk I ever owned. When people move, they often give away desks. I like big wooden ones where the drawers work. Buy a swivel chair. Occasionally you can find a used one that had some life in it, but usually they are pretty well shot. Go to Goodwill or a garage sale and get a table lamp or two for your desk. Add a fan and space heater and you are in business.
You will need some sort of a filing system. The best is a two drawer lateral file. But you can buy a file box with a handle on it for about $20. I buy a new one for each year. Put a radio in your office, calendar, thermometer, plants and pictures. Make it as comfortable as possible. This is your command center. Its helps immensely in getting organized.
