Tag Archives: minimize

Where Are the Batteries? (Stuff that Works)

29 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in Cheapskate, Minimalist, Stuff that Works

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I’ve had a battery storage rack and tester on the wall in my back hall for about 10 years.  A few months ago the tester part stopped working and I just ordered another rack (old one is going to the garage).  Hands down, this is something everyone needs.  No, really – this is an extremely useful organizer gadget and the most you will need to spend on it is about $15 (probably less).

My new unit is the Range Kleen 66 Battery Organizer with a removable tester (though I can’t imagine why you would really need to remove it).  It stores more batteries than my old unit which was a Battery Rack 40 Battery Organizer with tester and it also has a cool little drawer for flat batteries (watches and such) that the old one didn’t have (and I really wanted).  That said, it’s a bit cheaper looking and stores the batteries in slots instead of a top to bottom “rolling stock” manner, so you don’t have the “older batteries are used first” advantage.  I prefer the old rack’s tester as easier to use.  Either needs to be hung with a bit of a bottom out angle or you can have batteries slip out – easy enough, just shim the bottom before you screw it to the wall.  The Range Kleen layout can also be used flat in a drawer, but I find that encourages drawer clutter.

Either way you go (and it’s pretty much just a preference thing – both get great reviews) you will love having a battery organizer – no more running out of batteries (particularly if it is on the wall so you see those empty slots), no more wondering if that stray battery is good or not since it’s quick to test, no more grabbing a dead battery and no more digging around in drawers looking for the right size.

I consider this one to be a gotta have purchase – it does what it says it is going to do, makes life easier and keeps your batteries handy, usable and out of the way.

2012 – It’s February Already??!!!

05 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by in Changes & Progress, Cheapskate, Health, Minimalist, Paperless

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Wow.  January went fast.  And it was productive – I’ve posted on completion of two of the goals (one was modified – I put off full paperless bill pay for a bit, even though I got quite a lot of that done, my attention was directed at refinancing) and will get the other two up this week (I’ve not taken the “after” pictures yet).  To summarize January:

  • Finances – Set autopays, text/e-mail notifications, review 2011 and pick a location to start putting the “important information” as I come across it.  (Especially that which is needed for taxes.) – Substitution Goal
  • Paperless – eliminate one entire bookcase by sales, donations, trades or recycling.  Remove the bookcase from the house. – Complete
  • House – clean out the “Christmas clutter”, organize and pack up only what will be a pleasure to unpack next year. – Complete
  • Health & Sanity – time for the 2012 reading challenge and registering for my next 5K. – Complete

On to February:

  • Finances – 2011 taxes complete and filed.  This will be the earliest ever, but I have kept up with my filing and have all the information on hand, so we’re going for the record (and the early refund).  This will, however, finish up the “location for important information” and review 2011 part of January’s original goal.
  • Paperless – Set up auto-pays, paperless billing, equal payment plans and get finances into an electronic format to make life easier next tax season.  (Part II of January’s Finances goal)
  • House – Electronics clutter.  In January I moved the “family computer” to the upstairs spare room.  Time to redo the wiring, get rid of out of date hardware and electronics, sift through those chargers, cables and whatsits.
  • Health & Sanity – Certification updates since I’ve been a bit of a slacker.  And the traditional professional credentials and resume refresh – while I don’t plan to change jobs, this is something that is easier to keep updated “as you go” than to try and remember after a few years.

I should mention, that for all the flurry of activity this is spawning, I have to admit that the moments of panic and stress are decreasing and the feeling of positive forward movement is increasing.  Now if I could just get into the habit of posting regularly instead of in spurts. 😉

The Launch Valet

04 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Changes & Progress, Minimalist, Travel

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This isn’t anything new, but it’s probably one of the most useful areas in my house and heck, might give someone an idea.  I have one of those old school wooden valet stands like every house had back in the day when men wore suits, ties and cufflinks to work.  Since you can’t really see the actual stand in the picture, you can search eBay for “Valet Stand” and see a variety of designs.  Mine is pretty simple and there are usually valet stands available locally secondhand and relatively inexpensive.   No, I don’t wear suits to work (far from it if you can’t tell from the picture) nor cufflinks, but I do have “stuff I need to find and remember in the morning” so that I get out of the house smoothly and with everything I need.

Year round I keep my keys, purse, employee badge, transit pass, lunch bag, tote (with charged ebook reader and phone) and the clothes I’m planning to wear on it.  In the winter, I add my coat, gloves, hat and scarf.  Shoes (with socks inside) on the bottom rack.  Fall and spring add cape or sweater and umbrella.  From there, I get up in the morning, shower, dress, grab and go – no wandering, wondering or panic.  It’s like a locker, but convenient and not ugly.  The key thing to making this work is single use – don’t let this become a dumping ground for stuff you don’t want to put away.  This is where you store the critical stuff you need for your day to go smoothly – so make sure you put it back there when you get home.  (Scribbles a note to pull out the leather reconditioner this weekend and get to work on the purse and tote – yoiks!)