Search

21 more organising tips you'll wish you knew all along

Give in to the piles “For people who chronically pile papers instead of filing them, ditch your filing cabinet. Instead, keep your piles but make them a little more structured by putting them into clear bins and then labelling them by category. It’s best if bins are transparent—either wire or acrylic—because if you’re a piler then you also probably have a visual memory. Labelling helps other people interact with your piling system.” —Kelly McMenamin and Katie McMenamin, co-authors of Organise Your Way: Simple Strategies for Every Personality Hang everything “Consider hanging almost all of your clothes. (You can use a double hanger to increase hanging space.) This helps you see everything you have so you know exactly what’s there and what you need. Drawers should be reserved for socks and underwear only.” —Kelly McMenamin and Katie McMenamin Don’t underestimate how draining clutter can be “Being surrounded by a lot of stuff can wear you down, physically and emotionally. Your home should be a reflection of items that truly hold meaning for you – either because you really like them or because there’s a special memory attached to them. Don’t hang onto unused picture frames, knick-knacks, plates, bowls, vases and other items you don’t have out on display or use. And remember, just because it’s hidden in a closet doesn’t mean it won’t add to that overwhelmed feeling you have as you still have to take care of it.” —Jeffrey Welder Note how your taste changes “Just because you loved something once doesn’t mean you still have to love it ten years later. Times change, people change, and trends change, and there’s nothing wrong with letting things go that no longer make you happy.” —Jeffrey Welder Over-the-door shoe organisers aren’t just for shoes “Hanging shoe organisers are a handy tool to keep clutter off floors and shelves, with uses for every room of your house. Try hanging one in your laundry room to organise all of your cleaning supplies. Or put one on your pantry door as the pouches are the perfect size to organise small boxes and gravy packets. Hang one in your bathroom to organise makeup and other toiletries. Use one in the playroom to keep Legos, matchbox cars, stuffed animals, and other small toys off the floor and in plain sight. Or try one in your workroom to keep all of your craft and wrapping supplies together.” —Jeffrey Welder Use the empty spaces above too “Under cabinets often end up packed to the gills (and hard to use) or half full of dead space. A simple solution is to use half shelves or stackable containers to use as much of the vertical area as you can.” —Schae Lewis and Bahar Partow Make it a game “Our clients love the ‘12-12-12 challenge.’ Each week, set a time to find 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to be returned to their proper home. It takes just a few minutes and is a fun, easy way to quickly organise 36 things in your house.” —Alison Bradley of the London Cleaning Team Throw a swap party “If you want to declutter without being wasteful, throw a party and invite friends to bring unused or unwanted items to swap. Everyone gets to go home with something new, and if you end up with leftovers, donate them to a local charity.” —Alison Bradley Shop your wardrobe “An easy way to declutter your wardrobe is to hold up each item and ask yourself, ‘Would I buy this again right now?’ If the answer is no, no matter what the reason is, out it goes.” —Hazel Thornton, professional organiser and author of Go with the Flow! The Clutter-Clearing Tool Kit for an Organised Life Question your stuff “For each item you consider bringing into the house, ask yourself three questions: Where is this going to live? Who will take care of it? Can I afford the money, time and energy it will require? If you don’t have a ready answer for any of these, then put it back.” —Hazel Thornton Start at the bottom of the pile and work up “For overwhelming paper piles, take a sheet from the bottom of the pile. The paper at the bottom is likely to be outdated, unneeded, even forgotten about, and no longer useful. That makes it easy to get rid of.” —Claire Tompkins, clutter coach and author of Five Minutes to a Relaxing Bedroom Can you handle the truth? "It’s hard to figure out what’s clutter in your own space because you’re so used to it. You take it for granted. Sometimes you can’t even see it. So pretend you’re showing a nosy visitor around. When she picks up that decorative box and asks you why you have it and if you like it, you may find yourself answering that it was left over from a white elephant sale and actually, no, you don’t even want it. The results can be surprising and liberating.” —Claire Tompkins Keep things where you actually need them “Put garbage or recycling bins where they’ll be used. If rubbish or recycling collect in the bedroom or living room, save yourself a trip and put the bins there, so you don’t have to go searching for them when you need them. Keep your shredder and recycling bin near where you process incoming mail. This allows you to take care of the paper right away rather than letting it pile up.” —Sarah Krivel, owner of Simpler Surroundings, a professional organising and productivity consulting company Cherish the memory with a photo “If you’re keeping something purely for sentimental reasons, take a picture and then give the item away. Recognise it’s the memory you cherish, not the actual item.” —Sarah Krivel Set a limit for decluttering “To avoid getting overwhelmed, I suggest to my clients to set the timer on their phones for a half hour. When the buzzer goes off they can stop! This can also be done by saying you’ll fill one bag to give away and then take a break. Often, just seeing their progress is motivation enough to keep going.” —Felice Cohen, professional organiser Get creative with repurposing old items “Sometimes something doesn’t need to be thrown out; sometimes it just needs to be used in a different way. For instance, use an empty tissue box to hold extra plastic grocery bags inside a kitchen pantry, cabinet, or closet. Or repurpose a bathroom towel rod by placing it on a garage wall to hold skateboards or longboards.” —Nancy Haworth, professional organiser, On Task Organising If you don’t love it or use it, lose it “This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s amazing what we can talk ourselves into keeping. For instance, gifts that we received and now feel obligated to keep forever, clothing that collects dust in our wardrobe but was too expensive to just get rid of, or childhood mementos that are taking over your storage space even though you’ve never taken the time to actually look back on them. If there is something that you are holding on to, be honest with yourself. Do you love it? Do you use it? Your home is a representation of yourself, and it should only be filled with items that you enjoy and use.” —Rachel Rosenthal, professional organiser and owner of Rachel and Company Don’t forget why libraries exist “If you have a large book collection, gather all your books from around the house so you can sort through them all together. Keep the ones you will still read, still reference, or have a particular love of. The rest can be donated. Remember, you can download many books now, and libraries still exist. Once you’ve whittled down your collection, decide how you would like to display your books: by topic, by author, by size, or by colour. Shelve the keepers accordingly. Create sections like a library or bookstore would have (thriller, reference, biography, comedy) or alphabetical by author.” —Amy Trager, certified professional organiser. Organise spices alphabetically “This allows you to quickly find what your recipe calls for, as well as figure out which spices your cabinet is missing. Whether in a drawer, laying flat, or in a cabinet on tiered shelves, alphabetizing will make grabbing spices quick and putting them away just as fast. If you enjoy cooking a lot and a variety of cuisines, you can also organise spices by cuisine type: Indian, Asian, Mediterranean, baking, etc.” —Amy Trager The bye-bye box “Take all supplies off of the top of your desk – pens, sticky notes, paper clips, etc – and put them in a box to the side. As you work, take out only the things you need to use. After two weeks, you’ll know what you actually use, and whatever hasn’t been taken out of the box can be discarded or donated.” —Sara Skillen Save the instructions “It makes sense that the manual for something like a printer, television, or computer should be kept next to or under the item it goes with. Sure, you could file them away, but chances are when you need the manual you will be standing next to the malfunctioning item. So simply slip the instructions underneath, taped to the back, or next to the equipment.” —Lee Silber, author of Organising from the Right Side of the Brain Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/42-organising-tips-youll-wish-you-knew-all-along" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

21 organising tips you’ll wish you knew all along

The best organising ideas For many, organising is something that gets put off for months, but if you stay organised from the start and follow these tips, home organisation might not be such a daunting task. Learning how to organise from the start might be a lifestyle change, but in the end, it’s worth it. Read on to learn the best organising tips from the pros. Before you can get clutter out, you have stop it from coming in “The first step to winning the battle against clutter is to control what comes into your home. Unsubscribe from junk mail and catalogues you do not read. Stop shopping in bulk and buying non-necessities. Once the incoming flow of stuff and papers slows down or stops, you can focus on decluttering and organising what you have.” —Joanna Monahan, chief of external communications for Major Organisers. Channel Alice in Wonderland with an “Eat Me First!” fridge bin “Most households generate a lot of food waste, but you can cut it down just by having a dedicated – and labelled! – place in the fridge for leftovers and food that needs to be eaten quickly. This way the food actually gets eaten and you will be aware of what you have to buy soon.” —Lauren Haynes, expert in home organising and maintenance at Star Domestic Cleaners. Keep your “ice” on ice “Ice cube trays placed inside a drawer can really help you store and organise all kinds of little things that can easily get lost. They’re perfect for small pieces of jewellery, paper clips, or craft supplies.” —Lauren Haynes Kid’s clock and schedule, all in one “To structure your kid’s daily routine, get a simple white-faced clock and use different markers to colour the time segments for each activity like sleeping, bath time, or doing homework. Attach an activity list under the clock and you can keep your kid on schedule and on time.” —Lauren Haynes See shapes, not things “If you have groups of items that are shaped similarly (ie shoes in the bedroom or martini glasses in the kitchen), look at how to fit the shapes together instead of fitting the items. For example, if you are using shoe cubbies, put the shoes toe to heel instead of side by side. This way you can fit a pair of high heels in one cubby instead of two. You’ll be surprised how much more you can fit in a space when you look at shapes.” —Schae Lewis and Bahar Partow, co-founders of Mission 2 Organise LLC Forget the Pinterest projects “Being organised doesn’t have to be about being super creative or crafty like you often see online. For instance, you have probably seen the ‘trick’ to get 20 mason jars and glue the tops to the underside of a shelf, making cute storage for small items. But that’s a lot of work! And for what? Is that really making your life easier? I always tell my clients to look for the easiest solution to your organising problems, not the most creative.” —Alissa Dorfman, personal organiser and owner of Alissa Dorfman Home Organising Hook a kid up "When you have kids, always use hooks for their daily use items like coats and backpacks, rather than using hangers. Many kids lack the motor skills to get a coat on a hanger. Make sure the hooks are low to the ground so that the kids can reach them.” —Stacy Erickson Edwards, professional organiser with Home Key Organisation Ditch dressers “Instead of a traditional dresser, try a shelf with bins on it instead. This way, clothes don’t always have to be perfectly folded to close a drawer. Bonus: It will be easier for kids to put away their own clothes.” —Stacy Erickson Edwards Skip the shoe rack “Shoe racks are flimsy and rarely have enough space for all the shoes in a home, so use a bookcase instead.” —Stacy Erickson Edwards Don’t forget to clear out digital clutter “Digital clutter can be just as burdensome as physical clutter. To cut down on this, shut off automatic download of messages and start fetching emails only when you’re ready to deal with them. Also, set up a secondary email account for things like newsletters and promotional mail. Use an e-mail sorting system. Take five minutes every so often to clear out your pictures, text messages, music and other electronic files on a regular basis. Set up a recurring appointment on your phone calendar to remind you.” —Maura Thomas, founder of regainyourtime.com and author of Personal Productivity Secrets Have an electronics hub in every room "Have a place for all your mobile electronics, like iPads and phones, in every room you spend time in, not just in the kitchen or office. Since electronic items tend to move from room to room, having just one place in the home to store them doesn’t really work. Make the storage method fit each room. For instance, round baskets or an ottoman with storage can sit on the floor next to couches; decorative bowls or boxes function well on table tops; and magazine holders work in a tight space. Keep each station stocked with the necessities like different chargers, remotes and earphones.” —Jeffrey Welder of Vänt Wall Panels" Play the matching game “Start small, with one room or even just one drawer. Then empty everything out of the space and sort it into categories, grouping like items together. Once you see how much of each type of thing that you have, it will be easier to get rid of duplicates.” —Joanna Monahan Use a zone defence against clutter “Designate one place in your home, called a zone, for each category of items. For instance, have only one place for office supplies, one place for sports equipment, one place for shoes, and so forth. Clearly label each zone to help you and your family know where to look for [items] and to return items to their proper homes.” —Joanna Monahan Pick one of four destinations “It isn’t enough to pull out all the stuff you just don’t need. Purge it from your home by either trashing it, recycling it, thrifting it, or consigning it. This will help you become more mindful about what you really need.” —Evan Zislis, professional organiser and author of ClutterFree Revolution: Simplify Your Stuff, Organise Your Life & Save the World Your stuff should support your life goals, not the other way around “You need to clarify what is really important to you. Then organise the stuff that supports who you want to be and what you want to do before you’re dead and gone.” —Evan Zislis Freebies aren’t free “Just say no to free pads of paper, branded items, and other things you pick up at conferences, schools, or store events. Those items usually result in unused clutter around your house. Also say no to buy-one-get-one-free deals and bargains at the store too. Really, when are you ever going to use up six boxes of staples? And storing them isn’t free.” —Sara Skillen, Certified Professional Organiser Your refrigerator is your biggest cupboard “The refrigerator is one of the most frequently used ‘cupboards’ in the home, yet it is often forgotten when it comes to getting organised. Eliminate ‘lost’ food in the back by placing a lazy Susan at the rear of shelves to make rear spaces more functional and the items stored there, such as condiments, more accessible and usable. In addition, store food in clear glass standardised storage containers. When you can see the food, you are more likely to eat it.” —Debra Baida, owner of Liberated Spaces Make storage fun “For long-term results, design spaces with style and vibrancy, flexibility and function. This will give you the inspiration you’ll need to maintain your newly organised systems. In other words, make it fun and pretty!” —Evan Zislis Start organising your kitchen with the pantry “How many times have you gone to the store and wondered if you had pasta at home in your pantry? You’re not sure, so you buy another box, only to get home and find you have 20 already. To avoid this dilemma, pull everything out of your pantry and trash it if it’s expired. Donate unopened items you don’t like to a food bank. Then put your stuff back in but label your shelves with a name under each item. Only put foods on their designated shelf and you will never have to wonder how much pasta you really have.” —Alissa Dorfman Start organising your bedroom with the dresser “If you have an overflowing drawer, consider expanding it to two drawers, until every drawer can close. Next, narrow down how many types of things are in the same drawer. Only bras and underwear should have to share space. Lastly, move out-of-season or excess items into under-bed storage. —Alissa Dorfman Organise toys by age “How old are your kids? Do their toys reflect that? As kids grow, their toys change shape. In the beginning, everything is big and chunky with fewer pieces. A few years down the road, everything is teeny and collectible and kills if you step on it. Your playroom should reflect the ages of your kids and have different ways of organising the distinctly different toys. Use bins and Ziplock bags for all the little pieces, labelled so kids know which is for which. Communal areas, like dress-up and kitchen, should have big bins so clean-up is easier. Puzzles and board games should have a shelf, but make sure they too are separated by age, so each kid knows which area has their age-appropriate toys. Encourage taking out one thing at a time and remind them ten minutes before a playtime ends to clean up. You may have to help at first, but once your children know where every toy belongs, they are more than capable of cleaning up on their own.” —Alissa Dorfman Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/42-organising-tips-youll-wish-you-knew-all-along" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

Kitchen organisation ideas you’ll wish you knew sooner

<h2>The benefits of keeping your kitchen neat</h2> They say everything has its place and this was never more true than in the kitchen. An organised kitchen can save time, prevent food waste, and let’s face it, it’s a lot more attractive and cheaper than renovating. With the help of a few experts, we put together kitchen organisation ideas and helpful tips to organise your kitchen cupboards, clean up your kitchen counters, pantry organisation ideas, and more. The best part? Most of these kitchen organisation tips are fast, easy, and free or inexpensive, to implement. <h2>Purge your drawers and cabinets</h2> Maybe you loved the idea of a juicer but only ever eat toast for breakfast. Or you used to be into baking but now you’ve put your focus into healthy meals. The top kitchen organisation idea is to stop thinking about the stuff, and start thinking about your life and how you want to live, says Laura Cattano, professional organiser and founder of Organisational Design. “If it’s not adding to your life, it’s directly taking away from it because it’s taking space away from something else.” <h2>Group by need, not by item</h2> You might keep your masher and microplane grater by the stove with other long-handled items like cooking spatulas, but that’s not the most convenient setup. “There are three things that happen in the kitchen: prep, cook, and serve,” says Cattano. “The best thing is to zone out your kitchen by those categories.” You might keep your spatulas by the stove, but your potato masher belongs near your countertop and big bowls. Take it a step further by asking exactly when you use each item. For instance, there’s no reason your mugs need to be by your water glasses, but putting them next to the coffee maker will save you from running all over your kitchen in the morning, says Cattano. <h2>Set up a drop zone by the door</h2> “The kitchen is still one of the first places we go when we enter a home,” says Maeve Richmond, founder and coach of organising company Maeve’s Method. “All the stuff of life that comes in the door accumulates in the kitchen.” To keep your meal space from becoming a catchall for your handbag, wallet, and gym bag, Richmond recommends setting up a “drop zone” by your door to set those things as you’re walking in. You might make it a permanent home for your wallet and keys, and a temporary place to drop your workout gear while you’re putting away groceries. <h2>Make a place for mail</h2> Taking just five minutes to go through your mail daily or every other day will keep that pile of papers under control so you don’t lose documents in the shuffle when you actually do need them. “The mail just keeps coming,” says Jodie Watson, founder and president of Supreme Organisation. “Keep trimming it down so you’re not losing items in the mix.” Instead of leaving it by your eating space, designate an area that has a basket for papers, and hang a bulletin board to write messages and reminders, she says. <h2>Adjust the height of your shelves</h2> Don’t let your shelf height define how you use your space. People tend to put cereal on a top shelf because that’s the one with the most space, but it’d be easier to reach on a lower shelf, says Watson. On the other hand, too much space for canned goods and you’ll probably start stacking items into an ugly, unstable pile. If your shelves aren’t already adjustable, buy shelf dividers to split one shelf into two, says Richmond. “Re-spacing the shelves takes away the messiness because things aren’t stacked,” says Richmond. <h2>Store small appliances you don’t use on a daily basis</h2> Feel free to leave appliances you use daily, like a coffee maker or toaster, on the counter. But anything you aren’t using every day should be stored in a cabinet to make more room on the counter. “Nobody likes to have to put the appliance away, but balance that against the precious countertop space,” says Richmond. “There’s the convenience of having it out, but it’s more convenient to be able to chop more vegetables or have a cleaner space.” <h2>Keep your cooking utensils within reach</h2> Store your spatulas, servings spoons, etc next to the stove in an attractive ceramic container or jar. But don’t overstuff it, cautions Cattano. “Not every single cooking utensil needs to be right by the stove,” says Cattano. Leave out the ones you use most often, but hide the rest in a drawer. <h2>Buy only what you need</h2> If you find yourself leaving food out simply because you don’t have room in a cupboard, it might be time to start cutting down. “We want to save money, and it’s good to buy in bulk, but if you don’t have space for it, changing the way you shop might be more helpful,” says Watson. She recommends first going through your pantry to take stock of what you already have. Then head to the supermarket less often so you have a chance to use up what you have before refilling your cabinet. <h2>Organise your oils</h2> Exposure to light can make cooking oils go rancid. If you like having them on the counter, put them in opaque containers and stylise them so they don’t just look like clutter. “Put a tray under them so it looks intentional,” says Cattano. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/kitchen-organisation-ideas-youll-wish-you-knew-sooner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. Images: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

7 deadly sins that lead to hoarding

If you’ve watched Enough Already! on Oprah with equal parts sympathy and fear, thinking to yourself “That better not be me one day”, then you’ll want to read on. Non-hoarders tend to picture hoarders as people who have rooms brimming with old newspapers piled to the roof and hallway cupboards that they can not open for fear of the contents swallowing them up. The word hoarder just sounds dirty. While researchers are still trying to understand the disorder, here are some clues that could signal you need to enlist some help. Every room has a “storage area” – If your dedicated storage area is so full that you need to keep the extra microwave in the living room, you may have a problem. When your storage overflows into the rest of the home and continues to grow – check yourself.  Keeping old magazines and newspapers – Do you hold on magazines and newspapers thinking, “I might like to reread that one day…” Stop it! Just get rid of them. Apart from coffee table-worthy magazines, everything should be thrown out. Besides a lot of stuff is now online.  Storing clothes you don’t wear – While it’s ok to hold onto your favourite band T-shirt from your younger years, holding onto old clothes – especially those that don’t fit or have holes in them – it just plain silly. Donate all items that fall into this category to charity immediately! Stowing away broken electronics and appliances – Don’t kid yourself, you’re never go to get around to fixing that printer or TV! Recycle or donate used electronic items that you no longer use. Storing free loot (aka junk) – Yes, yes we’ve all fallen victim to being giddy with excitement over a free key ring or pen we pocketed at a show or the RTA. But just because you got a free mug doesn’t mean it should be stashed in your drawer or kitchen never to see the light of day again. Chuck it! Your car becomes “extra” storage – If you keep more than just spare tire and pair of shoes in your car boot, then you are hoarder territory. If you need to keep DVDs and camping gear in the car because they wont fit in the house, it’s time for drop-off to the Salvos. Daily life becomes musical chairs – If there is no where to sit and eat dinner because every chair is piled high with papers and you can’t sleep comfortably because the bed is covered in clothes, seek help immediately! Image credits: Shutterstock

Home Hints & Tips

Home hacks: 8 ridiculously simple ways to better your abode

Make your abode much prettier - and more organised and efficient - with these easy-peasy home hacks. Say goodbye to expensive decorating ideas and timely DIY projects, these handy hints are so simple that you may just want to try every single one. Revive scratched furniture Rub a walnut on damaged furniture to cover up dings and scratches. With a little rubbing you will be amazed as the marks begin to darken and disappear Silence the squeak Say goodbye to squeaky floors with a sprinkle of talcum powder between your floorboards, then sweep over to ensure powder falls between the floorboards. Embellish curtains To add just the right dash of colour to any room and to turn simple curtains into a statement feature in your home, add fringing from the craft store (pompom fringing) either along the bottom of your curtains or in stripes across the curtains from top to bottom. Strawberry straw tool Use a straw to hull strawberries – it’s quick and you don’t need to buy another tool for the kitchen. Ice, ice baby Ice cubes can take indentation out of carpets. Simply place cubes a centimetre or so apart to cover the indentation. As the ice melts the indents begin to fluff back. Cereal box chic Never throw away an empty cereal box again. Cut them, make them pretty by covering them in lovely mix and matching paper or contact and use them to organise your drawers. Wire basket light shade Scour your local bargain shop or vintage markets for a wire basket of your liking. Cut a whole in the bottom in the shape of your ceiling light/fixture and attach. Remember, it doesn't have to be in perfect condition—rustic charm is in. Voila, you have a lovely bespoke basket pendant light. A fresh as a lemon Rid bad smells from your microwave with a squeeze of lemon. It’s the easiest way to deodorise and clean it at the same time. Simply cut half a lemon, sprinkle some salt on the lemon and then use it to scrub the microwave. Image: Getty Images

Home Hints & Tips

WHO reveals new “imminent threat in every region of the world”

<div> <div> <div> <div> <div> Two major public health bodies have now declared measles as an “imminent threat” to the global community. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) feared that a record decline of measles vaccination rates and persistent outbreaks mean that the respiratory virus is an “imminent threat in every region of the world”. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was “absolutely critical” that immunisation programs were bought back on track to avoid what he said is a “preventable disease”. “The paradox of the pandemic is that while vaccines against Covid-19 were developed in record time and deployed in the largest vaccination campaign in history, routine immunisation programs were badly disrupted, and millions of kids missed out on lifesaving vaccinations against deadly diseases like measles,” said Dr Ghebreyesus. Measles is one of the most contagious viruses, being transmitted through water droplets released in sneezes and coughs coming from infected people. In fact, the CDC states that nine out of 10 people who are not vaccinated against the disease will become infected in the advent of exposure. Common symptoms include fever, cold-symptoms, conjunctivitis and red and blotchy rashes that first appear around the face and hairline before spreading around the body. The measles, mumps and rubella-containing vaccines administered through childhood are considered the best defence against the disease and significantly reduce outbreaks. According to the WHO, India, Somalia and Yemen are the three countries with the largest measles outbreak. As always, consult your doctor if you’re concerned about measles or vaccination updates. Image: Getty </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Body

"If we stop communicating, Putin wins. Propaganda wins": how a Norwegian organisation is supporting Russian protest art

As an international student at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow in 2012, I remember studying Rekviem (requiem) by Russian poet <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anna-akhmatova">Anna Ahkmatova</a>, an elegy she penned in secret as a tribute to the countless victims of Stalin’s murderous purges. Akhmatova’s writing revived the atrocities, delivering their darkness into the light. Her words spoke of constant fear permeating lives; of distrust, anxiety and betrayal; of the secret police arriving to drag you or your family away. To avoid detection and retribution, Ahkmatova whispered the poem to her friends who committed it to memory. She burned the incriminating scraps of paper. In the first four-and-a-half months following Putin’s attack against Ukraine, over 13,000 anti-war protesters <a href="https://ovdinfo.org/articles/2022/03/07/cracked-heads-and-tasers-results-march-6th-anti-war-protests">were detained</a> in Russia. Some estimates are that <a href="https://meduza.io/feature/2022/05/07/skolko-lyudey-uehalo-iz-rossii-iz-za-voyny-oni-uzhe-nikogda-ne-vernutsya-mozhno-li-eto-schitat-ocherednoy-volnoy-emigratsii">hundreds of thousands</a> fled Russia in early 2022, among them thousands of artists who no longer felt safe in the climate of increasing censorship. Some of these artists have found themselves in Kirkenes, a small Norwegian town 15 kilometres from the Russian border. <h2>Russia’s protest art</h2> Russian and Soviet artists have a long history of art as protest. The poem <a href="https://poets.org/poem/stalin-epigram">Stalin’s Epigram</a> (1933) authored by <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/osip-mandelstam">Osip Mandelstam</a> depicted Stalin as a gleeful killer. Authorities imprisoned and tortured Mandelstam, then deported the poet to a remote village near the Ural Mountains. After returning from exile, he persisted writing about Stalin until he was sent to a labour camp in Siberia, where he died in 1938 at the age of 47. Under the comparatively liberal rule of Stalin’s successor <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/131346?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents">Nikita Khrushchev</a> from 1953, the Soviet Union began to enjoy previously unimagined freedoms. Protest art reflected these newfound liberties, becoming increasingly provocative and experimental. Many famous art movements surfaced during this period, including <a href="https://www.moscowart.net/art.html?id=SotsArt">Sots Art</a> — a fusion between Soviet and Pop Art — as Russian artists tested the boundaries, exposing the grim realities and unhappiness of life under Stalin’s regime. In 1962, the legendary composer Shostakovich set his <a href="https://theconversation.com/decoding-the-music-masterpieces-shostakovichs-babi-yar-82819">13th symphony</a> to a series of poems by his contemporary, Yevgeny Yevtushenko. One of these poems was Babi Yar, which criticised the Soviet government for concealing the <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/babi-yar-ukraine-massacre-holocaust-180979687/">massacre of 33,371 Jews</a> in a mass grave outside Kyiv. In contemporary Russia, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/10/world/europe/pussy-riot-russia-escape.html">Pussy Riot</a> came to the attention of the world in 2012 when members stepped behind the altar in Moscow’s golden-domed Christ the Saviour Cathedral wearing neon-coloured balaclavas to deliver a “punk rock prayer”. Their voices echoed off the cavernous, hand-painted ceilings, raging against Putin’s affiliation with the Orthodox church and the homophobic, anti-feminist policies that followed. They were sentenced to two years imprisonment. Today, <a href="https://artreview.com/amidst-a-crackdown-russia-anti-war-artists-and-activists-try-to-reclaim-the-streets/">pictures from Russia</a> reveal anonymous anti-war graffiti on the sides of buildings, “no war” chiselled into a frozen river, and yellow and blue chrysanthemums and tulips left at the feet of Soviet war memorials. <h2>Cross-border collaborations</h2> <a href="https://www.pikene.no/">Pikene på Broen</a> (girls on the bridge) is an arts collective based in Kirkenes. They have spent the past 25 years curating art projects to promote cross-cultural collaboration and tackle political problems in the borderland region. Pikene på Broen is host to the the annual art festival <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barents_Sea">Barents</a> Spektakel (spectacle), an international artist residency including Russian, Norwegian and Finnish creatives, the gallery and project space Terminal B in Kirkenes town, and the debate series Transborder Café. The venue has become a hub for open discussions relating to current political and cultural issues, drawing contributions from artists, musicians, writers, politicians and researchers. Evgeny Goman, an independent theatre director from Murmansk, Russia – about 200 kilometres from Kirkenes – has been collaborating with Pikene på Broen for over 10 years. After moving to Norway in early 2022, Pikene på Broen worked with Goman to organise Kvartirnik (from the word kvartira, meaning apartment), an online talk group for Russian and Norwegian artists to exchange ideas. Following Putin’s attack on Ukraine, Kvartirnik shifted to an underground movement for dissident artists. Ironically, the name Kvartirnik derives from the clandestine concerts arranged <a href="https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/college-study-abroad/blog/ciee-kvartirnik-understanding-through-music">in people’s apartments</a> during the Soviet Era when musicians were banned from performing in public. <a href="http://deadrevolution.tilda.ws/?fbclid=IwAR2PcaqY7VdLtS1zYUu4JCbD6F36KZ8JKv_FEIYsNeSTE4aKokhV7YpITas">Party of the Dead</a> is one of several Russian protest art groups who participated in Kvartirnik. Pictures from the snow-decked Piskaryovskoye Cemetery in Saint Petersburg reveal members dressed as skeletons, holding placards reading: “are there not enough corpses?”. I spoke with Goman about the art coming out of Kvartirnik today. “In peaceful times, art is more about entertaining,” he says. "But in war and conflict, art is more important because it’s the language we use to express our pain. And through metaphors and symbolism, it allows us to speak about things that are censored." <h2>Countering propaganda</h2> Kvartirnik collaborators in Murmansk have also produced and distributed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samizdat">Samizdat</a> (self-publishing), an anonymous newsletter containing art suppressed by the state. “We have to be really smart now about how we do things in Russia,” Goman says. “Subtle.” Goman is pessimistic about Russia’s future. But he believes the key to moving forward is keeping communication open. He tells me the West’s decision to <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/right-way-cancel-russia/627115/">ban Russian culture</a> has backfired on their plan to pressure Putin into ending the war against Ukraine. Instead, he says, the divide is steadily increasing, leaving dissident artists isolated inside a country operating on fear and propaganda, furthering Putin’s agenda. “Putin wants us to not affect Russian minds. And that’s why we have to keep the dialogue going,” he says of the importance of cross-border collaborations like those he has undertaken in Kirkenes. "If we stop communicating, Putin wins. Propaganda wins." Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-we-stop-communicating-putin-wins-propaganda-wins-how-a-norwegian-organisation-is-supporting-russian-protest-art-186911" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Art

Poxy McPoxface, TRUMP-22, Mpox: Public called on to rename monkeypox virus

The World Health Organisation has called on the expertise of the public to help them rename the monkeypox virus after claiming the name is "misleading". Names for viruses are usually chosen by a committee behind closed doors, but the WHO has decided to open up the process to allow submissions from all over the world. Names such as Poxy McPoxface, TRUMP-22 or Mpox have been put forward so far, prompting the WHO to say they will choosing a serious name. WHO spokesperson Fadela Chaib said, "I am sure we will not come up with a ridiculous name." Dozens of submissions have now been made from a range of contributors including academics, doctors, and a gay community activist. One more technical submission came from Harvard Medical School emergency physician Jeremy Faust, who said the virus should simply be called OPOXID-22. Another proposal, TRUMP-22, appeared to be refer to former US President Donald Trump who used the controversial term "Chinese virus" for the new coronavirus, although its author said it stood for "Toxic Rash of Unrecognized Mysterious Provenance of 2022". Pressure is growing for a new name for the disease, largely because critics say it is misleading, since the virus did not originate in monkeys. A group of leading scientists wrote a position paper in June calling for a name that was "neutral, non-discriminatory and non-stigmatizing" amid fears the name can be used in a racist way. "It's very important we find a new name for monkeypox because this is best practice not to create any offence to an ethical group, a region, a country, an animal etc," Miss Chaib said. "The WHO is very concerned by this issue and we want to find a name that is not stigmatising," she added without giving a timeline of when the new name may be decided. Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 and named after the first animal to show symptoms. The WHO declared the current outbreak a public health emergency in July having reported more than 32,000 cases from over 80 countries. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

How to organise kitchen cabinets, according to the pros

Learning how to organise kitchen cabinets is an essential kitchen skill, and these organisation tips from the pros ensure you’re getting the most out of your space. When you start practising smart ways to clean and organise your cupboards, you’ll be amazed at how much space is created in the process. From pots and pans organisation to kitchen storage ideas for all home sizes, you’ll wish you knew these priceless organising tricks sooner! How to organise kitchen cabinets “One of the easiest ways to organise kitchen cabinets is to edit them often,” suggests home organiser, Britnee Tanner, who suggests pulling everything out and starting fresh. “Nothing helps eliminate clutter quite like going through every nook and cranny to expose the food, appliances and random kitchen gadgets that you never use or forgot you had.” Tanner also tells her clients to create organisational zones that make finding tools and ingredients quick and easy. It’s one of her favourite pantry organisation ideas too. “It’s ideal to create zones for each kitchen cabinet so you can easily find what you’re looking for when you need it. This means having a cabinet or specific shelf in a cabinet dedicated to one type of category such as snacks, baking supplies and dinnerware.” Julie Harris, organisation expert, emphasises keeping cabinet zones practical. “Use cabinets under the kitchen sink for cleaning products, dishwasher detergent, extra dish towels and sponges. Large, heavy appliances like standing mixers, slow cookers and air fryers belong in a lower cabinet. If it’s only used occasionally, put it in the back of the cabinet.” Cabinet organisation tools These genius kitchen organisers make cabinet organisation easier than ever. Swedish dishcloths: you’ll want a high-quality, reusable cloth to wipe down your cabinets before putting items back in. These dishcloths can be used, washed and reused hundreds of times. Lazy Susan: invest in a few affordable turntables to keep spices, condiments and other musts-haves within reach. Lady Susans are easy to clean and keeps food and cleaning supplies within sight. They are inexpensive, so grabbing a few of these turntables won’t break the bank. Under the sink organiser: keeping cleaning supplies tidy beneath your sink is a must. An expandable organiser fits most lower cabinets, and it even stretches around pesky pipes. Adjustable drawer dividers: keep cutlery and cooking utensils clutter-free with adjustable dividers. Kitchen drawer organisers are some of the most important clutter-killers out there, and they’re especially important for busy households. Pots and pans organiser: finding a home for your best cookware is a feat of its own, especially if you’re short on cabinet space or have awkwardly-shaped cabinets. A pots and pan organising rack keeps cookware clutter-free. Take inventory Pull everything out of your cabinets and take inventory of what’s in-stock, expired or broken. Throw out expired and broken goods and consider donating excess items. Wipe down cabinet doors, shelves and back walls. Optional: consider adjusting your shelf heights to accommodate large kitchen appliances. Organise lower cupboards and shelves Arrange cleaning supplies in the cupboard below your sink with an under the sink organiser or turntable. Place cleaning supplies like sponges, dishcloths and extra dish soaps on the turntable or organiser of your choice. Dedicate a second lower cupboard for most-used benchtop appliances. “Air fryers belong in a lower cabinet,” says Harris. She advises that seldom-used appliances should be stored towards the back while frequently-used appliances deserve front row access. Reserve a third lower cupboard for infrequently-used cookware. “Store pots and pans in a cabinet next to the stove,” adds Harris. “Stack pots and pans to save space or lay them on their side using a pots and pans organiser. Store lids together.” Dedicate space for spices Take stock of spices and seasonings and see what blends can be combined. Chances are you have a few garlic powders that could be consolidated in one spice container. Find a spice organiser solution and assemble spices accordingly. We recommend dedicating a drawer or cabinet (doesn’t need to big) for spices and adding a multi-tiered drawer or cabinet insert. If you’re working with less space, a turntable is also a quick (and affordable) fix. Organise drawers Use adjustable drawer dividers to create space for everyday cutlery like forks, knives and spoons. Reserve a separate drawer for serve ware, cooking utensils and handheld kitchen gadgets. These shouldn’t co-mingle with everyday cutlery – it’s clutter waiting to happen. Clean out the junk drawer. (We know you have one.) Organise what’s in the junk drawer into categories and determine if there’s a better place for some of the items. One junk drawer is OK, but it shouldn’t be so cluttered that you can’t find anything in it. Pro tip: if you’re short on drawer space, cooking utensils and serve ware can live on the countertop in a ceramic or metal container. Arrange upper cabinets The upper cabinets are your final frontier. These are the cabinets that are used the most, so it’s important to put extra love and care into them. “Place all coffee items (mugs, coffee containers and pods) in a cabinet near the coffee maker,” adds Harris. “Keeping these items in one location facilitates a smooth morning routine.” If you have extra space in that cabinet, you can add teas, sweeteners and flavoured syrups. Dedicate a cabinet to plates and bowls and a separate cabinet for drinkware. “I recommend nesting plates and bowls to save space wherever possible,” says Tanner. “I also recommend utilising upper cabinet shelves or deep pull-out drawers for items like plates, cups and bowls. If you have tall cabinets with more vertical space, consider adding a compact kitchen organiser that adds shelf space as it maximises the vertical area and creates the perfect spot for storing plates below and things like bowls or cups on top of it.” How do you decide where to put things in kitchen cabinets? Tanner and Harris agree that creating workstations or zones is the best way to organise kitchen cabinets. Coffee products should be in an upper cabinet near the coffee maker; sponges and cleaning supplies belong under the kitchen sink; and your most-used pots and pans deserve a spot near the stove, preferably in a lower cabinet. How do you organise corner cabinets? Corner cabinets are a prime opportunity to use turntables. They’re ideal for storing smaller items like spices, oils and vinegars. Look into kitchen organisation tools that are designed for tricky spaces to make the most of awkward spaces. How do you organise deep kitchen cabinets? Harris suggests placing infrequently-used and large, heavy items toward the back of deep cabinets. For example, if you only use your panini press a few times a year, it should be stored in the back. This system works for even the most unique kitchen cabinets. Conclusion Learning how to organise kitchen cabinets is daunting, but it’s a life-changing task that’s guaranteed to clear clutter and lighten the load. Just remember to edit out expired or unused pantry and kitchen items every few months. You’ll be a kitchen cabinet organising pro in no time! Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/how-to-organise-kitchen-cabinets-according-to-the-pros?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

The downside of digital transformation: why organisations must allow for those who can’t or won’t move online

We hear the phrase “digital transformation” a lot these days. It’s often used to describe the process of replacing functions and services that were once done face-to-face by human beings with online interactions that are faster, more convenient and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/%7E/media/mckinsey/industries/public%20and%20social%20sector/our%20insights/transforming%20government%20through%20digitization/digital-by-default-a-guide-to-transforming-government-final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“empower” the user</a>. But does digital transformation really deliver on those promises? Or does the seemingly relentless digitalisation of life actually reinforce existing social divides and inequities? Take banking, for example. Where customers once made transactions with tellers at local branches, now they’re encouraged to do it all online. As branches close it leaves many, <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/123302983/asb-set-to-close-another-23-branches-as-customers-move-online" target="_blank" rel="noopener">especially older people</a>, struggling with what was once an easy, everyday task. Or consider the now common call centre experience involving an electronic voice, menu options, <a href="https://theconversation.com/sorry-i-dont-understand-that-the-trouble-with-chatbots-and-how-to-use-them-better-171665" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chatbots</a> and a “user journey” aimed at pushing customers online. As organisations and government agencies in Aotearoa New Zealand and elsewhere grapple with the call to become more “digital”, we have been examining the consequences for those who find the process difficult or marginalising. Since 2021 we’ve been working with the <a href="https://www.cab.org.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citizens Advice Bureau</a> (CAB) and talking with public and private sector organisations that use digital channels to deliver services. Our findings suggest there is much still to be done to find the right balance between the digital and non-digital. The ‘problematic’ non-user The dominant view now suggests the pursuit of a digitally enabled society will allow everyone to lead a “frictionless” life. As the government’s own policy document, <a href="https://www.digital.govt.nz/dmsdocument/193%7Etowards-a-digital-strategy-for-aotearoa/html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Towards a Digital Strategy for Aotearoa</a>, states: <blockquote> Digital tools and services can enable us to learn new skills, transact with ease, and to receive health and well-being support at a time that suits us and without the need to travel from our homes. </blockquote> Of course, we’re already experiencing this new world. Many public and private services increasingly are available digitally <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2014/jan/07/new-zealand-uk-digital-revolution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by default</a>. Non-digital alternatives are becoming restricted or even disappearing. There are two underlying assumptions to the view that everyone can or should interact digitally. First, it implies that those who can’t access digital services (or prefer non-digital options) are problematic or deficient in some way – and that this can be overcome simply through greater provision of technology, training or “nudging” non-users to get on board. Second, it assumes digital inclusion – through increasing the provision of digital services – will automatically increase social inclusion. Neither assumption is necessarily true. ‘Digital enforcement’ The CAB (which has mainly face-to-face branches throughout New Zealand) has documented a significant increase in the number of people who struggle to access government services because the digital channel was the default or only option. The bureau argues that <a href="https://inclusioncampaign.cab.org.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">access to public services is a human right</a> and, by implication, the move to digital public services that aren’t universally accessible deprives some people of that right. In earlier research, we refer to this form of deprivation as “<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/isj.12306" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digital enforcement</a>” – defined as a process of dispossession that reduces choices for individuals. Through our current research we find the reality of a digitally enabled society is, in fact, far from perfect and frictionless. Our preliminary findings point to the need to better understand the outcomes of digital transformation at a more nuanced, individual level. Reasons vary as to why a significant number of people find accessing and navigating online services difficult. And it’s often an intersection of multiple causes related to finance, education, culture, language, trust or well-being. Even when given access to digital technology and skills, the complexity of many online requirements and the chaotic life situations some people experience limit their ability to engage with digital services in a productive and meaningful way. The human factor The resulting sense of disenfranchisement and loss of control is regrettable, but it isn’t inevitable. Some organisations are now looking for alternatives to a single-minded focus on transferring services online. They’re not completely removing call centre or client support staff, but instead using digital technology to improve <a href="https://deloitte.wsj.com/articles/at-contact-energy-digital-powers-human-centric-cx-01643821371" target="_blank" rel="noopener">human-centred service delivery</a>. Other organisations are considering partnerships with intermediaries who can work with individuals who find engaging with digital services difficult. The Ministry of Health, for example, is supporting a community-based Māori health and social services provider to establish a <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/digital-health/digital-enablement/digital-enablement-stories/digital-health-hub-supports-taranaki-whanau-access-services-closer-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digital health hub</a> to improve local access to health care. Our research is continuing, but we can already see evidence – from the CAB itself and other large organisations – of the benefits of moving away from an uncritical focus on digital transformation. By doing so, the goal is to move beyond a divide between those who are digitally included and excluded, and instead to encourage social inclusion in the digital age. That way, organisations can still move forward technologically – but not at the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/23/the-guardian-view-on-digital-exclusion-online-must-not-be-the-only-option">expense of the humans</a> they serve.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186905/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/angsana-a-techatassanasoontorn-1292067" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Angsana A. Techatassanasoontorn</a>, Associate Professor of Information Systems, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Auckland University of Technology</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/antonio-diaz-andrade-1361842" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Antonio Diaz Andrade</a>, Professor of Business Information Systems, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Auckland University of Technology</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bill-doolin-1361879" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Doolin</a>, Professor of Technology and Organisation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Auckland University of Technology</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/harminder-singh-1361833" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harminder Singh</a>, Associate Professor of Business Information Systems, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Auckland University of Technology</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-downside-of-digital-transformation-why-organisations-must-allow-for-those-who-cant-or-wont-move-online-186905" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

Rental properties dip below “safe” temperatures

If you have ever felt freezing cold in your rental apartment, even when you have a blanket wrapped around you and the heater on, you’re not alone. According to a new study, conducted by tenants’ advocacy group Better Renting, rental homes in both New South Wales and Victoria are below the World Health Organisation’s recommended “safe and well-balanced” 18ºC a full 70 per cent of winter months. On top of this, the lowest house temperature recorded so far was a toe-numbingly low 6ºC. While the study is still ongoing, these figures are enough to raise concern. The group’s founder and executive director, Joel Dignam, said that even beyond these 18ºC, there were very low temperatures seen in even relatively warm parts of the two states. “Even in some relatively warmer parts of Australia, the average temperatures are still really low. So in New South Wales and Victoria, the average temperature in the rental properties we’re tracking is still below 18ºC,” he told the ABC. The study involved the group using around-the-clock temperature trackers inside 70 rental homes over seven weeks during winter. On top of these alarming temperatures, Sydney’s wild weather and unrelenting rain since March has meant many homes, specifically rentals, are filled with damp and mould, which thrive in a colder environment. In response to this, landlords have been telling renters it’s not only their responsibility to fix it, but that the solution was to leave windows open for ventilation, bringing in the freezing temperatures. All these elements considered, it seems renters can’t win. While the conclusion of the report has not yet been finalised, hopefully there is some resolution for tenants to be able to live in a warm, and habitable environment. Image credits: Getty Images

Real Estate

20 things professional organisers would never do in their own homes

Never doing these things means less mess Clutter-busting habits make all the difference between a messy home and a tidy one. So the first thing a professional organiser does is find a place for every single thing – then keep it there. This doesn’t mean purchasing sets of matching bins or decanting all your pantry foods into clear glass containers with hand-printed labels. Rule of thumb, if an organisational system (like decanting) actually increases the time and effort you’ll have to spend keeping things tidy, ditch it. They don’t always alphabetise Instead of assuming you must always alphabetise for easy access, try storing things by frequency of use. For example, those nesting mixing bowls that you frequently reach for should be kept on a low shelf and that crystal vase that you break out every Valentine’s Day should go higher up. This goes for smaller things like spices, too. “I never alphabetise my spices, because I don’t use allspice as often as I use thyme,” explains workplace productivity expert Susie Hayman. They don’t mix dissimilar things Speaking of spices, Vicki Norris, organising expert and “life reclaimist” of Restoring Order tells us she never co-mingles sweet and savoury spices on the same shelf. Why? Because “on a bleary-eyed morning, no one wants to accidentally put chilli powder in their oatmeal instead of cinnamon!” They don’t hang onto donations To avoid letting unused things pile up, Tamah Vega of Tamah Vega Design has a rule we can all get on board with, “Never go without a donation bag in the house ready for items you no longer need.” This way the minute you decide you’re ready to donate the item, you can have it ready to go. They don’t leave computer files unnamed After downloading a file, Andrew Mellen, author of Unstuff Your Life! immediately renames it and saves it in the appropriate folder. This way you avoid wasting time trying to remember its name or where to look for it next time you need it. <div class="slide-image" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> They don’t let the mail pile up “I deal with it all as soon as I get it,” explains Jessica Dolan, owner of Room to Breathe. She sorts, tosses and shreds junk mail, then immediately deals with whatever remains. Better yet, eliminate junk mail before it even gets to you. They don't forget to run errands Move items – like those books to return to the library or returns you are taking back to the store – from house to your car trunk immediately, shares Amy Trager, certified professional organiser. “If they’re already in my car, I’m more likely to get them taken care of,” she says. Keep car clutter to a minimum too and you’ll always have room to store. They don't keep the old version Once you have made a decision to replace an item, let the original go, suggests Birdie with Birdie Brennan Custom Closets & Organising. Her rule, “never keep something that you have replaced.” That’s especially true for tech items you’ve upgraded – learn how to recycle or donate your outdated devices. They don't bunch up bags Instead of storing reusable bags in the house, Sheryl Hadley, president of Organisation & Relocation, puts them right back in her car after every use. This way you won’t forget them when you go to the store and you won’t have a messy pile of bags cluttering up your house. Win win. They don't unload handbags halfway When you switch handbags, empty the current one out completely, Vega advises. Otherwise, you might lose track of your favourite lipstick – or that licence or credit card that never made it back into your wallet. They don't use their chair as a closet “I never leave clothes lying or draped on the floor, chair, bed or treadmill,” says Betsy Fein, president of Clutterbusters. They can get wrinkled, coated in pet hair, or simply forgotten about when not stored properly. If you need space to hang gently used clothes for another wearing, try installing a few hooks on the back of your closet door. They don't clutter the bedside table Keep your bedroom clutter-free for a good night’s sleep. “I never clutter a nightstand because it’s next to where I sleep, and I need peaceful surroundings to get the best night’s rest,” says Ellen Delap, a certified professional organiser. They don't shop for organising products first When you’re preparing to organise an area of your home, don’t make buying organising products the first thing you do, says professional organiser Jodi Granok. Shop for an organising solution only after you’ve edited down and know how many and what size containers you need – or whether you already have one you can re-use. They don't just buy more containers “Never purchase a new organising bin just because the current one is full,” says Colleen Ashe, certified professional organiser. Make space in the current container by paring down what’s inside. They don't overcrowd One thing most of us don’t need help with is acquiring more stuff, so leave room for that eventuality. “Leave some room to grow in your cabinets, bins, drawers and shelves,” suggests Granok. Otherwise, you’ll outgrow your storage containers, find yourself storing stuff in random spots, and you’ll never be able to find things when you need them. They don't forget to plan for storage “I never buy anything unless I know where it’s going to live in my home,” says Standolyn Robertson, certified professional organiser and owner of Things in Place. This goes for everything from that new juicer you want to that item of clothing you’ve been eyeing. This rule of thumb will help you “buy one, let go of one” and avoid the problem of having something new and nowhere to store it. They don't forget to label “Never put unlabelled cables in a drawer or box,” says Sharon Lowenheim, a certified professional organiser. You’ll have no idea what devices they belong to when you come across them later. They don't make a mess in the pantry If you buy in bulk, take the individual items out of the giant bag. “Never leave bulk items, such as protein bars and snack foods, in large packages,” advises Laura Leist, author of Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organise Your Home & Life. She places often-used items into bins in the pantry for easy access. They don't let the dishes linger One sure way to get your day off to a bad start is to wake up to a pile of dirty dishes in the morning, says Gayle Goddard, certified professional organiser. Deal with the dishes before you go to bed, because “a spotless sink sets the tone for your house – and your day,” she says. They don't keep out of date things Don’t keep things that are past their prime; it could be unsafe to use them. This includes expired food, expired home goods, like batteries, and expired personal care items, says John Trosko, founder of OrganizingLA. This goes for expired medications, too. They don't skip the dividers Never toss things in a drawer without dividers. “By using dividers you’ll know what and how many you have,” says Kathi Burns, certified professional organiser of Add Space To Your Life. “This also saves you from going overboard buying excess items you already own but cannot find.” The dividers don’t have to be fancy – upcycled shoe boxes will do the trick. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/20-things-professional-organisers-would-never-do-in-their-own-homes?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </div>

Home & Garden

Phenomenal winners in Sony World Photography Awards 2022

The World Photography Organisation has announced the winners in the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2022. Acclaimed photographer Adam Ferguson from Australia won the Photographer of the Year title along with $25,000 (USD) cash prize and a range of Sony digital imaging kit. His series titled Migrantes is a series of black and white portraits of migrants in Mexico, as they wait to cross the border into the United States. "By giving his subjects the shutter release, Adam hands a certain power to the sitter to make that decision on how to be perceived. These photographs are beautiful, meaningful and kind," said Mike Trow, chairman of the Professional competition. Winners were revealed in a celebratory announcement video featuring interviews and reactions from the winning photographers. Winners will also go on to see their work exhibited at Somerset House, London, from April 13 to May 2, 2022, displayed alongside other winning and shortlisted photographers. Images: World Photography Organisation

International Travel

Perfect packing pouches for those constantly on the go

They are a small part of packing you’ve probably gone years without thinking about. How many times have you neatly folded your clothes - only to stuff them back in for the return journey? Now in the era of Marie Kondo, we’re all searching for that level of organisation in our lives – and packing for travel no longer needs to be a nightmare of a mess. The rise of packing pouches essentially helps travellers group certain items into soft pods so your suitcase remains organised. While some of these pouch packs can be expensive, Aldi has dropped a cheap alternative that’ll cost you less than your average meal at Macca’s. The ALDI 6-pack packing pouches come in an array of colours and sizes, with blue, pink, grey and white all options on sale. Each set of six comes with every bag you will need for a fully organised suitcase. There’s a large 45cm bag for your denim, a medium 35cm bag for your shirts and shirts, a smaller bag for underwear, a shoe bag, a carry bag for toiletries and even a pouch for any electrical leads or chargers. For $99, the premium two-part set comes in either black or grey. The large case measures 70cm and weighs just 3.75kg, while the small case is slightly tidier at 58cm and weighing in at just 2.7kg. There is no better time for this deal to drop than now - with domestic and international travel resuming for the first time in almost two years! Pop in to your local ALDI and get packing. Images: News.com.au

Travel Tips

Marie Kondo folding guide: The ultimate guide to how to fold clothes and save space

Decluttering queen Marie Kondo revolutionised the way we approach organisation. Her best-selling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up introduced her minimalist methods to the masses. She demystified how to organise your closets and inspired millions of people to tackle tidying. Thanks to the runaway success of her Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo; and her second book Spark Joy, her advice continues to motivate dramatic wardrobe makeovers. Starting a closet cleanout may seem daunting, but Kondo offers an easy-to-follow guide that anyone can use to completely overhaul your home. The KonMari formula is essentially a two-step system to get rid of excess stuff. First, you have to touch everything you own and ask the fundamental question – does this spark joy? Once you have only happiness-inducing belongings left, create categories and find a place to store each item that’s visible and easily accessible. The goal is to arrange the contents so that you can see every item at a glance, just as you can see the spines of books on a bookshelf. That’s where the famous Marie Kondo folding routine comes in. The neatness guru advocates approaching it like origami, folding garments into neat bundles that can stand up on their own (think of them like file folders in a row). Her space-saving techniques are so popular because they simply work. By the time you finish, you’ll see something you adore everywhere you look. A functional space makes life easier, and when you surround yourself with the things you love, Kondo promises your house becomes your own personal paradise. Here we break down Kondo’s top tips and tricks to mastering an orderly wardrobe. How to fold T-shirts If you have a graphic or logo tee, you’ll want the front to be on the outside so you can identify it at a glance, which means you should lay your shirt face down. Your gut may be to fold it in half lengthwise, but doing so creates a crease down the middle. Instead, take one side and fold it in toward the centre, then fold the sleeve back in the other direction. Repeat on the other side. Once you have a long rectangle shape, fold the top of the shirt down toward the hem, leaving a little space on the bottom. Fold the shirt in half again (you might need to fold it into thirds depending on how long it is) to reinforce its shape. The result should be a neat little packet. If it collapses or falls over, it needs readjusting (the rectangle might be too wide, or the height of the folds too low or high). Experiment until your top can stand upright by itself, an accomplishment Kondo calls the “golden point of folding.” Another Marie Kondo folding commandment: After each fold, smooth your hand over the entire garment before moving to the next step. It helps the item, no matter the style, to keep its shape long term. It also reinforces the idea behind her strategy: Folding properly deflates clothes and maximises the amount you can store. <img style="width: 216.40624999999997px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847075/2-fold-tshirt_edit-scaled-770.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/13a4034fafda4b8980710972ff31ab64" /> How to fold a long sleeve shirt This KonMari folding method starts with laying your shirt on a flat surface with the sleeves spread out to the sides. Follow the basic procedure of how you folded a T-shirt, bringing the edges toward the centre to make a rectangle. The trick is to fold the sleeve back away from the centre of the shirt (roughly around the underarm area), and then fold it again toward the bottom, following the line of the garment (it should look like an upside-down L shape). Repeat with the opposite side, but not quite to the edge. The aim is to avoid having the sleeves overlapping each other, which would add bulk. When you run your hand over the final product, you’ll see there is almost no perceptible bump where the sleeve is, which helps the garment stay put without collapsing. Once you have your rectangle, fold it in half from the top down, leaving a slight gap between the neckline and the bottom. Fold again into thirds, stand it up, and you’re done! How to fold a sweater When it comes to winter weather knits, the KonMari method doesn’t offer a one size fits all formula. Kondo says if you try to fold thick sweaters or fleece into compact bundles, they will always expand with air, so her trick is to fold them relatively loosely to begin with. If they won’t stand up in your drawer, it’s fine to lay them down instead. It’s the only time Kondo suggests a storing method that stacks items on top of each other. To start, lay your sweater flat on a surface facing up. Imagine a line going down the centre, then fold both sides of the sweater in to meet that middle line. Fold the sleeves in the same way you would for a long sleeve shirt (over and down so it creates a triangle). The two sides of the sweater should meet in the middle, and the cuffs of the sleeves should be touching the sweater’s hem. Start from the top and fold down into thirds. If it’s very bulky, you may only have to fold it in half. Pro tip: When storing multiple knits, try folding the sides in so all your sweaters have the same width – they’ll stack more easily that way. <img style="width: 228.90625px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847073/4-fold-sweater-1-scaled-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b92d96df847541e8bbd42652b80b600b" /> How to fold a hoodie Kondo’s technique for folding clothes isn’t an exact science, so you may have to experiment to get the best fit for a hoodie. Lay it flat facing up and turn both sides toward the centre to make a rectangle. The trick here, because it’s most likely a thick fabric, is to not meet all the way at the middle line. Instead, fold the sides in just shy of the centre. Continue by folding the sleeves the same way as a sweater. Spread out the hood so it’s flat, making sure to tuck any strings inside the hood, then fold it over so it fits into the rectangle. This simplifies the shape, and from there you just need to fold the garment (in half or thirds): The number of folds should be adjusted so that the folded garment, when standing on edge, fits the height of your drawer. <img style="width: 270.31249999999994px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847072/5-fold-hoodie-copy-1-scaled-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e7db9d574c724f9eb421f5b5c03a6173" /> How to fold pants The Marie Kondo folding rule of thumb is to fold any bottoms that are made of cotton (like jeans), but to hang anything more formal, such as suit pants or styles with a centre crease. The first step is to place the pants flat, face up. Fold in half lengthwise, putting one pant leg on top of the other (the zipper should be on the inside). If the seat of the pants sticks out, you can fold the protruding piece (yes, right where the crotch is) back against the pants so you now have a straight line. Next, fold the legs up toward the waistband, but not quite touching it, leave about a 2cm gap. Then fold this in thirds again until you have a neat little package. With the waistband facing down, line them up like soldiers in a drawer for easy access. <img style="width: 205.85937499999997px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847071/6-fold-pants-1-scaled-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8898d9fc5337465c9e063c5e5be131a7" /> How to fold shorts Similar to how you handled pants, except much simpler, shorts only need to be folded once lengthwise, and then once in half. Put one leg on top of the other, and don’t forget to fold over the point that sticks out. Then fold them in half, bringing the hem up to the waistband. For styles that have more volume, such as wide-leg culottes or wool shorts, it’s often best if you begin by folding them in thirds. After that, fold them in half. <img style="width: 335.7421875px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847070/7-fold-shorts-1-scaled-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e18b865c3b8c40acb9f3554425313271" /> How to fold underwear When folding your undies, which are often made of light and flimsy material, the Marie Kondo method is to focus on making them as small as possible. The bottom is the most delicate part and should be folded inside, while decorations like bows in the centre of the waistband should be folded to show on the outside. Begin by spreading out a pair with the back facing upward. Fold in half lengthwise, bringing the crotch up to just under the waistband. Next, fold both sides over so that the crotch is wrapped inside (this should create a square shape), then roll up from the bottom. When you turn the undies over, they should be shaped like a spring roll with only the front waistband showing. For boxers and briefs, fold both edges toward the middle to make a rectangle, then fold in half, and then in thirds. <img style="width: 283.984375px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847069/8-fold-underwear-1-scaled-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/7fa0c9c2e63149adab1e2da761137fd0" /> How to fold socks Kondo’s feet accessory decree: Never, ever ball up your socks. If they are balled or tied up, they are always “in a state of tension,” their fabric stretched and elastic pulled. Getting your sock drawer in order is actually pretty simple. Start by placing one sock on top of the other, and laying both flat. For low-cut “no-show” socks that just cover the feet, folding in half once is enough. For ankle socks, fold the toes inward about an inch from the top. Fold over again toward the centre, and once more in half so it stands upright. Knee socks and over-the-knee styles will get the same treatment, folding them four to six times, depending on their length. You can adjust the number of folds to achieve the height that best suits the drawer. Just remember, with the Marie Kondo folding system, your aim is to always make a simple rectangle. Store the socks on their edge and you’ll be amazed at how little space you need compared to your “potato ball” days. <img style="width: 283.20312500000006px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847068/9-fold-socks-1-scaled-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/05d1a9ab2cc042bbb333c4f377b7a29b" /> Written by Rachel Weingarten. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/marie-kondo-folding-guide-the-ultimate-guide-to-how-to-fold-clothes-and-save-space" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Images: Reader's Digest <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Home & Garden

How to organise your digital clutter

Getting your digital clutter under control The days of bursting file cabinets and desks buried under paper may be behind us, but that doesn’t mean our 21st-century lives are any more organised. With wireless technology integrated into our daily routines, many of us have simply traded paper clutter for digital disarray. You might take it for granted, but it’s there: Your overflowing inbox, that mess of files on your desktop screen, and those alerts that your phone’s storage is at capacity. The shift from working in the office to remotely from home during the pandemic has blurred the division of personal and business files even further, making organisation that much more of a challenge. “When one of the digital areas of our life is getting full, it can feel overwhelming,” says productivity coach Clare Kumar. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting that digital clutter under control. Set aside time for a digital clean-up Don’t expect to clean up your digital clutter at the end of a workday when you’re already feeling fatigued. It’s best to schedule this task for a day that you’ll have the time and energy to complete it, just as you might set aside a day for spring-cleaning your house. “As with any organising project, it takes some mental energy, strategic thinking and planning,” says Kumar. It’s also important to tune into how satisfied you feel after doing a bit organising – that will motivate you to keep going. If you find that a periodic mass clean-up of your devices is way too overwhelming, figure out what frequency works for you. Like putting your clothes away at the end of the day, it might feel easier to delete unwanted photos right after you take them. Expert tip: Think about organising your digital clutter from a legacy point of view. Your next of kin needs to be aware of what you own – passwords, finances, legal documents – and where these files are located in case of an emergency. Establish priorities for what you want to keep - or delete According to Kumar, the first thing to do when you’re setting out to organise all your files, whether they’re online banking statements or videos from your last holiday, is to think about what’s important to you. In the same way that you would sort through physical clutter in a room – think junk drawers, old magazines, day-old dishes – imagine it’s your spam emails and outdated documents that are taking up precious space in your digital environment. “You do want to be intentional about this because it’s quite abstract,” she says. The key questions to ask yourself are: What files do you want to keep and how do you want to use them? For example, if your passion is photography, you’ll want to make sure that you have enough room on your devices to store photos, and an organisational strategy to find them again. Expert tip: Start by dividing all the files across your devices that you want to organise into broad categories like photos, work and taxes. Choose the right storage option Chances are, you’ve received a warning from at least one of your smart devices that you’re dangerously close to reaching your storage limit. Luckily, there are a number of different digital storage options you can tap to transfer those files from your device. These options can be divided into two broad categories: physical storage devices (like USB flash drives or external hard drives) that plug into your device, and cloud-based storage (like Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive) that are accessed online and store your files on a remote server. When might you choose one over the other? Well, it depends on what types of files you’re storing, how large they are and how you want to access them in the future. For example, if you’re storing digital photo files you’d like to share with family members, a cloud-based storage would be better because it allows multiple users shared access to the same documents. While it might be tempting to save all your files into a single location, Kumar notes that there’s nothing wrong with using several options – provided they make not only storage but also retrieval as effortless as possible. “My iPhone is backed up to iCloud because that’s natural in that environment, and I use Google Drive because my Gmail’s backed up within that,” she says. Expert tip: Don’t forget to factor in legal requirements for work-related files that might need to be held in more secure storage. Create an organising system that makes sense to you It’s certainly easier in the moment to leave digital files with their automatically-generated file names, but being more deliberate with your labelling pays off in the long run. If you’re looking for a cherished family photo from a few holidays back, you’ll have an easier time finding it under the file name “family-holiday-fiji-july-2019.jpg” versus “10077892.jpg.” “The sole purpose of organisation is to help you find it later,” says Kumar. “You’re paying yourself forward whenever you create a file name that is going to be easy to find.” There are two aspects to this – how you find things and the way that you name things. File hierarchies can become complex and maze-like the more levels you add, so it’s best to keep things as simple as possible. For example, nesting your photo in the folders “Photos – > 2021 – > March” will make them a breeze to track down later. If you’re a more visual person, apply that to your organising strategy. Love downloading apps on your phone but not how they clutter the home screen? Group them together by colour. “Put only as much structure as you need, and not more,” advises Kumar. The same rule applies to naming files – make it as easy as possible for your brain. Expert tip: When naming files, start with the date and then topic like “yyyy-mm-dd-taxes.” That will allow you to sort files chronologically so you can always see the oldest or the most recent. Take advantage of organising apps There are plenty of different apps on the market that are designed to help with digital decluttering. For those who want to get their inbox and email subscriptions under control, Kumar recommends Unroll.Me for your smartphone. The tool allows you to easily unsubscribe from unwanted emails or combine your favourite subscriptions into a single email. If you find yourself keeping multiple tabs open day after day, the browser extension OneTab consolidates them into a single list to save your device’s memory (and your time). To scrub your social media accounts of old – and possibly embarrassing – posts, you can often delete or archive within the app. Expert tip: If you’ve hit an all-time high number of emails in your inbox, it might be time for a clean sweep. “I highly recommend saving emails that really matter from a sentimental or a business documentation point of view, and then you can do mass delete by time,” says Kumar. Schedule regular decluttering in your routine Kumar recommends checking in on all your devices and files on a quarterly basis. At the minimum, do a yearly audit of the storage you’re using. You could be missing out on a new app that’s more efficient or realise that your storage solution is outdated (or even full). If you still have some old documents on outdated technology like floppy disks, it might be time to think about transferring them to a more reliable supported location before they’re permanently lost. You can still copy data over to a modern computer using an external or internal floppy drive, but technology may have evolved to a point where certain old file formats can no longer be read. “There’s a window when the services are fairly affordable to convert those things and it’s worthwhile jumping on before it becomes a really exclusive and expensive service,” says Kumar. Expert tip: Kumar recommends reading The Organised Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload by Daniel J. Levitin for a neuroscientist’s take on how to navigate all the data we consume. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/science-technology/how-to-organise-your-digital-clutter">Reader's Digest</a>.

Technology

Instantly organise your medicine cabinet in a few simple steps

Bathroom organisation hacks Closets, drawers, kitchen cabinets: your home organisation project might focus on these big basics – but, especially considering the times we’re in, your medicine cabinet is a smaller nook-and-cranny that deserves to be meticulously on-point these days. With advice from an infectious disease doctor and a professional organiser, we’ve got your step-by-step medicine cabinet makeover. This organisation process will empower you with streamlined mornings, immune support, and Covid-preventive essentials – and for those unpleasant occasions that creep up, like the common sniffles or sleepless nights. Reset your bathroom game by following this plan that’s loaded with pro tips. Clean and sanitise A good wipedown with warm water and a rag will get off visible goo… but it’s important to follow it up by sanitising every surface, inside and out, advises Dr Margaret Khoury, an infectious disease specialist. Keep in mind that the warm, moist environment of the bathroom is germ heaven, and pathogens can even grow on soap and other hygiene products. Yeah, ew. Pick a product that kills viruses, bacteria and fungi, and follow the directions on the label. Antibacterial products don’t work against viruses, and even cleaners that claim to kill most germs can miss COVID-19. So when choosing cleaning products, like wipes or sprays, go with a <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/disinfectants-use-against-covid-19-artg-legal-supply-australia">TGA-registered disinfectant</a>. Be sure to take out everything (yes, every single thing – bottles, makeup containers and the shelves they sat on) and wipe all of it down. Don’t forget to clean the knob or handle! Think of every surface fingers touch, and go there with that cleaner. Toss like a boss An easy next step is to throw away any expired over-the-counter meds and dried-out makeup. (That beloved eye shadow compact you’ve used since university? Zero judgment – but it’s time to throw it out, stat.) Toss used-up, broken, or non-functional items. It’s OK to purge ruthlessly – you have limited space there, so only necessary items can stay. “If you don’t love it or use it, lose it,” says Rachel Rosenthal, a professional organiser. Supplies to fight COVID-19 Got a supply of at-home rapid Covid test kits? Bonus points for being proactive! Don’t store them in your medicine cabinet, nor in your bathroom at all. The CDC recommends storing self-administered Covid tests in their unopened box in a cool, dry place. Improper storage or exposure to heat or moisture can make the test malfunction. Help prevent Covid-19 by stocking up on alcohol prep pads or a fresh bottle of rubbing alcohol and cotton pads. Then, keep the whole house healthier by using these regularly to clean high-touch surfaces like kitchen cabinet knobs, your microwave’s buttons, door knobs around the house, your phone and keyboard, keys and more. Prioritise your shelves Ready to sort out what goes where? Rosenthal says you should start by assigning each category its own shelf and try to keep all the items in that group together within that designated space. You may want to label each shelf with a piece of tape or a sticky note to help you and your family put things away properly going forward. Keep the items you use every day in easy reach on one of the lowermost shelves. If you’re not using an item at least once a week, move it to a longer-term storage space. Have kiddos? Rosenthal suggests: “If you have little ones, dedicate the bottom shelf to keep their items where they can easily reach them and grab what they need.” Safety first The medicine cabinet is a common place to put medications, sharp objects like razors and needles and toxic cleaners, so safety should be a top consideration in your organisation, says Dr Khoury. If you have children that use the medicine cabinet, this is the perfect time to take inventory and remove all unsafe items and put them well out of their reach. (Don’t forget: Kids will climb onto benchtops!) Put sharp objects in closed containers so you don’t accidentally hurt yourself. Toxic cleaners should be stored in tightly sealed unbreakable containers, so even if they fall, they won’t break open and spill. Move your meds to a smarter spot Oh, the irony: Turns out, the medicine cabinet is actually one of the worst places to store prescription and over-the-counter drugs, says Gina Harper, PharmD, BCPS. “Moisture, temperature, oxygen and light – all things found in bathrooms – can degrade medications faster than normal,” this pharmacist explains. Unless the packaging indicates otherwise, most medicine should be stored at cool room temperature, in a dry, dark place, and in the original package… so, not in your bathroom. This is true for many skin care products, vitamins and supplements as well. Note: If you really want to keep your meds in your bathroom, consider buying a small medicine fridge for your counter. This allows you to control the temperature, humidity and exposure to light and air. Do not toss expired prescription drugs Throwing prescribed medications in the garbage can help someone searching for narcotics get their hands on them. Flushing them down the toilet? Also not a wise option – this can pollute the water supply. Your best bet is to take them to your local community pharmacy participating in the Return Unwanted Medicines (RUM) scheme. If for any reason you have to throw medicine away, it’s suggested you should “ruin” the drugs by mixing them with coffee grounds or kitty litter in a sealed plastic bag. Store big items first Ideally, your cabinet has adjustable shelves to allow your tallest or bulkiest essentials to fit within easy reach, like toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, or large ointment bottles. Then you can see just how much space you have to work with for the rest of your stuff. If something takes up too much room and it’s not an item you access daily, it might be better stored in a cupboard elsewhere. Next, insert your lesser-used items Prioritise by setting the things you use the most toward the front of your medicine cabinet, on the shelves that are the easiest to see and access, says Rosenthal. Place lesser-used items in the back or corners. If you’re not using an item at least once a week, move it to a longer-term storage space, like a cupboard or a box under your sink. Employ this system for the remainder of your items, discerning how prominently and accessibly each one should be placed based on how often you use it. Rosenthal says just remember: Your goal is to keep it safe, clean, and functional. Don't lose loose items Stray cotton buds or lip balm tubes adding to the clutter? Put them in a clear glass container. They’ll fit the vertical space better, and you’ll be able to see exactly what’s inside. Try magnetic strips for metal trinkets What do nail clippers, tweezers and hair clips have in common? They all stick to magnets! Put a magnetic strip on the back of the cabinet door or behind the shelves, and never think twice about where those small tools might be hiding. Don't ignore the door Your cabinet door is prime storage real estate that often goes untouched, but there are a number of ways you can customise it for your storage needs. Stick on hooks to hold small scissors or plastic pockets to hold makeup supplies, for example. There also are a number of DIY storage solutions that help you use hidden nooks around your shower, sink, and cabinets too. Watch what rolls Nothing sticks a landing squarely on the foot like a runaway rolling object the second the cabinet door opens. Invest in some mini shelves (also called vertical risers) to keep objects in place and maximise your storage space. Label, label, label Small bins are perfect for makeup and toiletries, but not all of them are see-through. Create your own colourful labels to stay organised in style. These easy tricks will also instantly organise other small areas of your home. One tip? Forget Instagram – make a real-life plan. “Getting organised does not mean that you have to invent a complex colour-coded system or invest in a million matching bins,” Rosenthal says. “The goal is to create a place for everything in a way that complements how your life operates.” For instance, if you normally toss your toothbrush in the bottom of the medicine cabinet, add a small open box there to keep it contained with the toothpaste and floss. You’re not going to magically transform your movements throughout the day – so plan for what you actually do, not what you wish you’d do (or what someone on social media claims to do), she says. Gotta love real talk. Written by Claire Nowak and Charlotte Hilton Anderson. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/instantly-organise-your-medicine-cabinet-in-a-few-simple-steps" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Getty Images <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Home & Garden

Top Covid expert sees an end to pandemic within two months

A top health official in Denmark has predicted that the Covid pandemic could end within two months in some countries, thanks to the Omicron variant. Tyra Grove Krause, the chief epidemiologist at Denmark’s State Serum Institute, told <a rel="noopener" href="https://nyheder.tv2.dk/2022-01-03-ssi-vi-kan-have-vores-normale-liv-tilbage-om-to-maaneder" target="_blank">Danish TV 2</a> that a recent study conducted by the institute has found that Covid hospitalisations have halved with Omicron, as opposed to the previous Delta variant. When questioned about how long the virus will affect daily life in Denmark, she said, “I think it will have that in the next two months, and then I hope the infection will start to subside and we get our normal lives back”. Dr Grove Krause’s research also stated that “Omicron is here to stay”. “It will provide some massive spread of infection in the coming month. When it’s over, we’re in a better place than we were before,” the paper said. Dr Grove Krause claims that daily life may return to normal within a few months as more people are likely to become infected, raising the level of natural immunity for the majority of the population. “Omicron will peak at the end of January, and in February we will see declining infection pressure and a decreasing pressure on the health care system,” she said. “But we have to make an effort in January, because it will be hard to get through”. “In the long run, we are in a place where coronavirus is here, but where we have restrained it, and only the particularly vulnerable need to be vaccinated up to the next winter season,” she said. The optimistic news out of Denmark comes just days after the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.who.int" target="_blank">World Health Organisation</a> made a similarly positive statement about Omicron. “If we put an end to inequality, we will put an end to the pandemic and the global nightmare that we have all gone through,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a speech on New Year’s Eve. Top US pandemic Adviser Anthony Fauci also said that the experience in South Africa, where the new variant quickly peaked before subsiding, offered some hope to other countries. “When one looked at the relationship and the ratio between hospitalisations and cases (in South Africa), it was lower, the duration of hospital stay was lower, the requirements for oxygen was lower,” he said. “We’re seeing a bit of that, not as pronounced, in the UK, but certainly that trend. And if you look here at the United States, we don’t want to get complacent at all, and you don’t want to jump to a positive conclusion, because it’s still early," he said. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Why Omicron could be our "get out of pandemic" card

A leading epidemiologist has discussed how the new Covid-19 Omicron variant could be the "blessing" experts have been waiting for. Appearing on <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/sunrise/on-the-show/leading-epidemiologist-claims-omicron-could-be-our-way-out-of-pandemic-c-4782308" target="_blank">Sunrise</a>, Professor Tony Blakely said Omicron could be the pathway out of the pandemic if it proves to be more infectious but less severe, as experts have predicted. “A year ago we were hoping that a more infectious, but less virulent variant comes along, which is what Omicron might be,” he said on Thursday. The variant was first reported after cases emerged in South Africa, and initial reports indicate that the new strain of the virus is more transmissible but causes less severe illness than Delta. The <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/sunrise/on-the-show/leading-epidemiologist-claims-omicron-could-be-our-way-out-of-pandemic-c-4782308" target="_blank">World Health Organisation</a> expected to be able to provide clearer information on the Omicron variant "within days". The University of Melbourne virus expert has said there are early signs that Omicron could "displace" the dominant Delta strain, while also stressing that it is too early to make an official statement. “This one should be more mild, but we don’t know exactly how much more mild it is, so that means that the hospitalisation rate should be less severe,” he explained.” “It might become our get out of the pandemic card.” Despite this seemingly good news, Professor Blakely also warned that although Omicron appears to be less dangerous than Delta, the next strain may not be. “There will be more variants, and it is not guaranteed that the variant after Omicron and the next one will each be milder, it could become more severe.” “So it’s a really interesting time to be an epidemiologist.” Image credits: Getty Images / Sunrise

Caring

Meet the DIY blogger who thrives on aesthetically-pleasing organisation

When it comes to home organisation, Adelaide blogger Iryna Federico has taken it to the next level. The blogger has become known for her pastel aesthetics after her dreamy, candy-shop inspired pantry went viral online. The pantry took her two years to finish, and she even began designing the space “before the builder even broke ground” on the house. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845538/diy-blog1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/082be73b36934ad1b0ed316145c36db2" /> Image: @fromgreatbeginnings / Instagram “I had our builder remove any shelving and ended up with a blank room. I then found a local cabinet maker here in Adelaide who brought my design to life,” she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bhg.com.au/this-bloggers-pantry-is-next-level-amazing?category=news" target="_blank">Better Homes and Gardens</a>. She then filled the space with various containers and baskets that hold everything from baking ingredients to packets of food. “I am a firm believer in using big baskets to organise my space,” she said. “They’re nice and deep which means I can hide all the ugly and messy packaging of items like chips and biscuits, and the space always looks tidy.” <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845539/diy-blog2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fb88810b7a4c40c1a1303b163262bd97" /> Inside Iryna’s garage. Image: @fromgreatbeginnings / Instagram Since then, Iryna has given her followers a look inside her incredibly organised freezer, her two children’s wardrobes, laundry, and her garage. Though her spaces appear luxe and incredibly stylish, Iryna picks up most of her storage gear from Kmart, Target and Ikea. “I love Kmart for all their little organisation tools that make a nice addition to any space, in particular their three-tier shelves. They lift items from the back and make them easily reachable,” she said. In her pantry, Iryna’s one pricey indulgence has been on Oxo containers. “I love them because they are BPA free and completely clear - they seal really well and are very easy to clean,” she said. “Being fairly pricey individually, I bought mine in bulk sets from Costco and did a bunch of 50 cent surveys to be able to justify the cost to myself.” But so far, her best purchase has been on Ikea’s $5 spice racks. “I painted those pink and added my cook books and cooking utensils and it really brought the whole space together,” she added. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845540/diy-blog3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b9b826d22cbe4301b0a7de70901775fd" /> Image: @fromgreatbeginnings / Instagram Since starting her Instagram account in June 2016, Iryna has amassed a following of more than 140,000 people. Unlike other bloggers who have pursued social media as a career, Iryna also has a day job as a business development manager. “I’m a business development coordinator at an aerospace engineering company - nothing at allllll to do with organisation,” she wrote on Instagram. “It’s purely just a side hobby :)”. Image: @fromgreatbeginnings / Instagram

Home & Garden

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

21 more organising tips you'll wish you knew all along

21 organising tips you’ll wish you knew all along