RESOURCES | zen-organizer

RESOURCES

The Zen Organizers Personal Favorites!

Clothing and Household Items

Access Books: (provides books to schools, classrooms, and community libraries in Southern California)

Big Brother Big Sister Foundation: (accepts donated clothing in good condition)

Career Gear: (provides professional attire for job interviews to disadvantaged men)

Cinderella Project: (gives donated formal dresses to teenage girls who can’t afford to buy a prom dress)

Dress for Success: (provides professional attire to disadvantaged women for job interviews)

Give the Gift of Sight: (provides free prescription eyewear to individuals in North America and developing countries around the world)

Goodwill Industries International: (sells clothing and household goods)

Half: (helps you sell your stuff)

Hungry for Music: (distributes used musical instruments to underprivileged children)

One Warm Coat: (collects and distributes coats for free to those in need)

Operation Paperback: (sends gently used books to American troops overseas and to veterans and military families at home)

PaperBackSwap: (provides an online service for swapping books with others)

Planet Aid: (recycles used clothing and shoes and promotes environmental protection and sustainable development)

Reader to Reader: (accepts books for children and teens and distributes to school libraries nationwide)

Salvation Army: (sells donated clothing and household goods)

Suitcases for Kids: (provides luggage for foster children who move from home to home)

ThreadFlip: (connects buyers with sellers, offering women a simple way to convert their closets into boutiques)

ThredUp: (provides an online thrift shop for buying and selling quality used clothes)

Vietnam Veterans of America: (accepts clothing, shoes, and accessories in good condition for children and adults)

Yerdle: (connects donors with grateful receivers)

Computer Technology

Computers 4 Kids: (provides caring mentorship, structured computer training, a vibrant learning environment, and access to a computer at home for low-income youth)

National Cristina Foundation: (helps donors of used computers and other electronic hardware to select a local charity or school in their area to receive their equipment)

Techlicious: (discusses the latest trends, apps, and products in the tech world)

World Computer Exchange: (provides tested used computers to schools and community organizations in developing countries)

Financial

Finding a Financial Professional

Certified Financial Planning Board of Standards: (grants CFP certification, the recognized standard of excellence for competent and ethical personal financial planning)

CFA Institute: (promotes the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence)

Financial Planning Association: (advocates for transparency, clear information, and high standards of conduct among financial planners)

Finances & Emotions:

National Association of Personal Financial Advisors: (provides a database of financial planners with a proven a level of competency)

The Simple Dollar (lots of information on how to educate children about finances:
https://www.thesimpledollar.com/how-to-teach-kids-about-money-from-toddlers-to-teens/

Managing Your Money Day to Day

Children's Financial Learning: https://www.interest.com/savings/kids-guide-to-saving-workbook/

Dinkytown: (provides free financial calculators)

Expensr: (provides a free online personal finance application)

Mint: (allows users to track bank, credit card, investment, and loan transactions and balances, make budgets, and set goals)

Moneychimp: (provides articles and interactive features that explain finance and investments in Roth IRAs, stocks, and bonds; provides calculators and definitions of investing terms)

Quicken: (provides budget and money management software)

Obtaining Credit Reports and Reporting Identity Theft

Equifax: ; 1-877-576-5734 (provides credit reports)

Experian: ; 1-888-397-3742 (provides credit reports)

Free Annual Credit Report: ; 1-877-322-8228 (provides credit reports)

Identity theft: (provides detailed information about reporting identity theft)

TransUnion: ; 1-800-680-7289 (provides information about obtaining or disputing your credit report)

Inspiration and Instruction

DNA test kits information:

eHow: (offers instruction for all aspects of life, including how to pack a box)

Houzz: (provides design ideas and how-to instruction from organizers, designers, contractors, architects, and so forth)

Instagram: (lets you check out photos from your favorite designers, organizers, and architects to see what’s trending).

MapQuest: (offers maps and point-to-point directions)

Pinterest: (lets you make online pin boards to collect ideas for all types of projects, including images from fellow pinners or anywhere on the Internet)

YouTube: (provides how-to videos about all aspects of life, including the art of moving and organizing)

Mind, Body, and Spirit

Alcohol Effects, Addiction Treatment, and Resources https://www.addictiongroup.org/rehab/

Alcohol Rehab Help: alcoholrehabhelp.org/treatment/prevention/

Drug Rehab:
Recovery.org and Rehabs.com https://www.recovery.org/browse/los-angeles-ca/ and https://www.rehabs.com/local/los-angeles-ca/

Health Journeys, from the Belleruth Naparstek Guided Imagery Center: (offers guided imagery, hypnosis, and other mind-body products, research, and information)

Mysteries: (provides information about meditation and yoga)

Self-Realization Fellowship: (provides information about meditation and yoga)

Transcendental Meditation: (provides information about meditation and yoga)

Memorabilia & Photograph Supplies

Exposures: (offers albums and scrapbooks)

Michael’s: (provides arts-and-crafts supplies)

Movers and Moving

ApartmentGuide: (provides apartment rental listings nationwide)

Cheat Sheet:

Delancy Street Movers: (trains ex-convicts and recovering addicts as teachers, general contractors, truck drivers, and movers)

Moving: (provides easy-to-use resources and tools to help with local, long-distance, and international moves)

MovingScam: (provides assistance finding a reputable mover)

MyMove: (provides moving tips, checklists, and deals)

Packing Guide:

PadMapper: (helps with home and apartment research)

ProtectYourMove: (provides a user-friendly database of interstate moving companies searchable by state or name, as well as consumer complaint histories and on-road safety performance records)

Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) System: (offers company safety data and related services)

Self-storage in Los Angeles:

Self-storage around the U.S.:

Trulia: (helps with home and apartment research)

Zillow: (helps with home and apartment research)

Office and Filing Supplies

Day Runner: (provides a calendar system)

Exposures: (offers binders, magazine holders, and so forth)

FitterFirst: (offers ergonomically correct products)

Google Docs: docs.google.com (lets you create and share your work online and access your documents from anywhere)

Levenger: (offers binders, calendars, magazine holders, and more)

Office Depot: (provides office supplies and furniture)

Office Max: (provides office supplies and furniture)

Relax the Back: (offers ergonomically correct office furniture)

Staples: (provides office supplies and furniture)

Online Assistants

Online Auction and Sales Sites

Cash for CDs: (lets you sell your CDs, DVDs, vinyl LPs, and games)

Craig’s List: (provides free classified ads with sections devoted to jobs, housing, items wanted and for sale, and so forth)

eBay: (offers items for auction online)

Online Photo Management and Sharing

Flickr:

Picasa (from Google): picasa.google.com

Picasa Web:

Shutterfly:

Snapfish:

Organizational Apps

AboutOne: (provides a space for managing memories and household information)

CareZone: (helps keep everyone coordinated)

Cozi: (lets multiple family members manage appointments and schedules)

Evernote: (provides a workspace for collecting lists, webpages, documents, and so forth)

Genius Scan: (puts a scanner on your cell phone)

Google Calendar: (allows users to create multiple online calendars)

Pet Master Pro: (provides an organizer for pet health and details)

Red Cross’s free Pet First Aid: (puts veterinary advice for everyday emergencies in the palm of your hand)

Two Happy Homes: (provides an organization tool for parents living in separate households)

Professional Associations

Clutterers Anonymous: (provides assistance with weeding out your clutter based on the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Codependents Anonymous: (provides assistance with anxiety based on the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Messies Anonymous: (provides assistance with organizing your life based on the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous)

National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO): (provides a database of local professional organizers)

Recycling and Green Saving

1-800-GOT-JUNK?: ; 1-800-468-5865 (removes just about anything—furniture, appliances, electronics, yard waste, and renovation debris—and makes every effort to recycle or donate items) Here are links for Los Angeles and New York City:

https://www.1800gotjunk.com/us_en/locations/junk-removal-los-angeles

https://www.1800gotjunk.com/us_en/locations/junk-removal-new-york

Battery Solutions: (recycles all battery types nationwide)

Environmental Defense Fund: (provides an online quiz to calculate your personal energy impact )

Environmental Protection Agency: (provides information about energy-saving upgrades that might earn you a refund at tax time)

Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC): ; 1-877-273-2925 (recycles used rechargeable batteries and old cell phones)

ReuseIt: (provides expertise in sourcing merchandise from communities to benefit local nonprofit organizations while responsibly recycling to help the environment)

Freeycle: (helps users give and receive items for free to keep these items out of landfills)

Worldwatch Institute: worldwatch.org (provides globally focused environmental research)

Reducing and Stopping Unwanted Mail

Direct Marking Association (DMA): (reduces the total volume of mail for individuals who register for its Mail Preference Service)

Smart Saving and Spending

Auto Club: (provides multiple benefits, such as trip planning and low-cost insurance, with a paid membership)

Suddenly Frugal: (shares ideas for selling castoffs to make money, offers coupons, and more)

Union Plus: (offers discounts and advice to union members)

Shopping

Tax Forms and Tax Help

1040 or 1040EZ forms:

IRS guide to keeping records:

A harmonized mind produces harmony in this world of seeming discord.

Paramahansa Yogananda

REGINA LEEDS