Have you ever really had to use the restroom and there was no good place in sight? You don’t want to go to a gross gas station or McDonalds. Now that is just nasty and nobody wants to have to do that. I was in this awful situation the other day and I can tell you it wasn’t fun.

There are a few easy fixes for this. Some are easier than others. The easiest and, let’s face it, a classic, is to just go in an empty bottle of some sort. Water, Coke, Gatorade. Anything will do in this situation. Another thing you can do is look around for a nice grocery store. In my experience, nice grocery stores have very nice restrooms. I understand that there may not be a nice grocery near by but even a sub-par grocery is better than a convenience store.

So over all there are some good choices out there. And when disaster strikes let’s just hope you have one of these choices available to you. If not, you may have to use the bottle method. But that’s better than nothing.

Now that Thanksgiving is here, there are a few things you need to remember that can help you preserve your leftovers so they can be enjoyed for days to come. One of the things people used to do a lot is leave food out on the table for the entire afternoon so company can “graze” all day into the evening. Everything was pout up later that evening and most of it was thrown out because it was dry and crusty and just didn’t look appetizing anymore. No one ever talked about food poisoning either!

With microwave and convection ovens, food of all kinds can be easily heated up after the first sitting. With this in mind it is wise to put food in tightly fitted containers and place them as immediately as possible in the refrigerator. Having containers that stack can also help with organizing your leftovers as well. Breads should be placed in a paper or plastic bag and pies should be covered tightly and either stored in a cool place or the refrigerator, If you are saving the bones and giblets of the turkey but are not going to cook them down immediately, they also need to be put in a tight container or plastic bag and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them, which should be within a couple of days.

I have read many books that tell you to find the balance in life everyday and you will find peace. I have come to the conclusion that this is bologna! There is no way I can cut every one of my days up and dedicate an equal slice to family, work, spiritual, physical, etc. Life does not unfold this way; at least in my world.

That’s not to say that when you get to the end you can’t look back and see a well balanced life. It’s just impossible to do on a daily basis. I now look at my life holistically, from beginning to end. It makes since that there are times and seasons for everything and if you force one season into another, nothing grows and blooms. The balancing act we do in life is more about flow. The Universe moves and you can either move with it or fight against it. If things are moving in your career, go with it until that season is over and look to see where the next one is; a marriage, a birth, a death. Find your balance in the whole of life, not forced in the day to day struggle of life.

The holiday season is not only the time for parties and entertainment it is a great time to get organized.  After all, you have to move those decorations in and out of your storage units anyway, whether that be a shed, a basement or just closets throughout your home.  Anytime you are forced to go and get anything out of your storage area and it takes you more than a few minutes to find it and remove it, you have an organization issue.

There are plenty of shelves, bins and organizational systems that you can buy but the main question is; do you have space to store those items or are you just stuffing more and more into less and less available space?  Before you invest in the organizational systems, you may want to invest in getting some additional space either through off property solutions like a secured storage space or an on site solution with a utility shed of the appropriate size.  The bottom line is do it now while you’re having to go through your holiday decorations and save yourself time later.

Today’s garage is no longer just a home for the family car and a couple of bikes. With the availability of many different styles of shelving units, wall and ceiling hooks, cabinets and containers, your garage can move into the area of totally organized storage space. Things can be kept under wraps or suspended from ceiling or walls, with most items right at your fingertips for ease of use.

If you have items that need to be stored and you don’t mind them gathering a little dust or winding up being home for some dead bugs, then store them as is. However, if you want a bit more protection, plastic storage containers may be the answer. Lightweight, fairly inexpensive, and available in various sizes and shapes with lids that snap on and off, these containers can be purchased at any home improvement store and hauled home in even a small car.

Just make sure you build your storage around the space for your beloved car.  You want to have ample room to get in and out of your vehicle.  You don’t have to delay any longer; get to work and organize your garage today!

For many people, the most difficult part of building a storage shed is not the actual construction but the organization of the shed itself. Many people are at a loss when it comes to figuring out the best way to put their tools and equipment in the space. Thankfully, you can organize your storage space inexpensively instead of having to buy expensive storage items.

For those looking to organize your tools, building a tool storage area instead of buying a tool chest can save you tons of money. This can be accomplished through the creation of a hand-built workbench with storage or a custom built rack and drawer system. Constructing these items with supplies from a local warehouse store can be cheap and makes a perfect weekend project.

For the other major organizational issue with a shed – random storage clutter that overflows from the house – one of the best ways to clean up this storage space is through the building of wall mounted shelving. Cheap and effective, thee shelves can be placed out of the way of your storage space for other items and can utilize the overhead and higher space that is typically wasted within a shed.

You’ve heard the stories about successful business owners that started their companies in their basement, extra room, garage or shed out back.  From Walt Disney to Steve Jobs of Apple and many in-between, where there was space there was a way.

I have heard of people converting half baths, laundry rooms and closets into home offices.  However, one of my favorites is the storage shed conversion.  Yes, it takes some additional planning as far as electric and insulation goes but it solves some very common problems.

• You only have the shed to keep clean when clients visit
• It’s out of the house and you know the old saying, “out of sight, out of mind”
• It’s quite when you’re on the phone (I have never figured out why my kids scream every time I’m on the phone and the dogs bark… )
• You can still go to the office when you have company (your office is not the spare guest room)
• You have a separate entrance with a door you can lock
• It’s your space to organize and do with what you please

If you have room in your house and you don’t have any of the problems above, that’s great; forge ahead and remake that spare space into an organized, home office machine.  If, on the other hand, you don’t have the needed space in your home or you need the quite and privacy to be successful in your home office, think about a shed conversion.  It just may be what the boss has in mind.