Digital dilemmas ~ pulling the plug on cord clutter

Digital age dilemmas First world problems are the cause of much angst in this house .

So if you're anything like my family , you'll have a multitude of electronic devices requiring USB cables and AC chargers - for phones, iPod, kids game consoles and camera battery chargers. 

That is not to mention the fact that you too, have also amassed quite a collection of miscellaneous cords that you either aren’t using anymore or saving because you might need later on (or just you are Hoarders like me)

My husband refuses to be held responsible for my lost cords/cables and misplaced chargers.He rolls his eyes  shrugs his shoulders and asks me what I want him do ? when in a panic I rush around looking for a particular item.


Our problem is also complicated because we travel to the farm and home again. Often the cords get packed in unusual places (stop pointing the finger at me !)


Many times a day I am ringing him to ask him where 'X' cord is ?

Frustrating him no end and leaving me cursing , profanities under my breath in no particular order at him and the 'stupid' cord  in a dither.


Kate - also reminded me yesterday in her post on faking it (...not what you think) - where you remove everything off benches and out of sight when you have unexpected guests arriving. In our case house it's house inspections.


My problem is then remembering where I stashed all the cords... (I don't know how I put in the pot drawer or there ! )

Then this brings me to my biggest issue with the storage of electrical cords and chargers - what  do I do with all these odd shaped plugs & wires ?

How do I stop the cord clutter ending up in a tangled mess in half a dozen drawers or cupboards throughout the house, in a box, or dangling off counters for kids to swing off ?

The next hardest part - figuring out which cord goes with what gadget ?
  
I saw this idea ?

removing the shoes of course ?  $20.95

Just not sure - would it be too fiddly ? Easy to add labels or write on each pocket.

So how do you manage the physical storage ? (I know you can't tell me how not to lose my stuff)

Do you have any other DIY cords & cables storage and organising methods or tips you’d like to share?

 What did you say? You need to charge your i Phone  ? well I've got a couple ' i' chargers but can't damn well find them and my hubby lost the car charger 12v adapter thingy.

Yes, I know you can buy expensive gadgets that act like a charging station ... and others with interchangeable tips to suit most devices ..just saying we don;t need any more devices.

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Giveaway ~ Everyone needs a little Fairy in the kitchen

Remember back in MAY when I posted about PG house , well the dirty secret is out...

While Peter was cooking lunch we learnt all about secret cleaning business which we couldn't discuss till now.

I wouldn't mind a Peter in my kitchen either.

There were prawns in there somewhere.

We received a swag basket of samples to take home and I was very impressed. 

I freely admit I am not a domestic goddess. No white gloves allowed here.

I encourage the children to help :) as much as I can ...

It's been interfering with my social media life   a challenge having to keep the house clean every day and rush around every morning being an uber domestic goddess because the house is on the market (still).

Just don't lick the bubbles !

I doubt my readers are very much interested in hearing about cleaning ...since most of us do anything we can to avoid it.  Though we all love to make it easier.

I have been using  FAIRY for everything ...as well as cleaning dirty dishes, FAIRY cleans shower screens, sliding doors and anything really.

Excellent for wand polishing.

I still have my green Fairy - a little goes a long way (I believe the claim- lasts up to an incredible 50% longer than the next best selling brand!). I recently purchased Blue too (it's my favourite colour you know if you want to send me anything...just saying). 

Thanks to Fairy I’d love to offer you an Ultimate Dishwashing Pack that includes the following ...

1 x Fairy Dish Liquid – RRP $3.99

1 x Fairy Platinum dishwashing tablets – RRP $20.99 (these help clean dishwasher with each wash)

1 x Fairy All in One dishwashing tablets – RRP $20.99

1 x Tupperware lunch container – RRP $24.99 * (no picture yet sorry)

- Total Value: approx: $70.96

PS * Tupperware endorses Fairy as it's recommended cleaning product. Fairy even cleans oily, tomato stains with cold water ... they put it to the test right before our eyes. It rinsed clean in cold water with just a , squirt of Fairy - squish and shake.


That being said ... I still say one of my new blogging goals is to be able to afford a cleaner :) .
In the mean time I highly recommend visiting Katrina @ Organised housewife - she has all the tips and tricks for busy mums to get organised and whip up your cleaning regime.

To enter tell me your what is your least favourite cleaning job to tackle or a handy tip if you are a speed cleaning demon ?

Australian residents only.
Closes 18th August
Two Extra Entries for sharing this giveaway via FB or twitter, leave a comment .

Disclosure: Prior to this review I received a package of Fairy dish washing products in May which I have loved using.

No financial payment was offered nor accepted for this post.All opinions expressed are my own...

PPS :  It actually cost me a Freddo or two.

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Eating Safe

I found about this website today Eating Safe (via Simple savings).

It is a new website called Eating Safe designed to reduce stress, save time and money. I know a lot of friends allergic to egg, milk and peanuts. They seem to spend a lot of time looking at the back of products for the list of ingredients and more time shopping (yes that's bad - dangerous for your sanity [especially with kids in tow] and the hip pocket or purse!

Eating Safe allows you to search their website lists by allergen and food type - and you can specify this down to quite a specific and detailed level.I have only scratched the surface of what it can do.

It analyses your inputs and you get a summary of products available, the pack size,whether they are red (presence indicated), amber (presence possible)or green (presence not indicated) for the allergen(s).

Then you can check individual labels and if necessary ask for more clarification through a forum.Eating safe site staff can contact the manufacturers for their advice.

Flickr-Maiylah

It's also very useful for searching additives and nutrients. Search up to four allergens / additives / nutrients at a time , select suitable products and add them to your custom shopping list (as a member).

It is free to join and as a member you will be notified of any product updates that are relevant to your health concern. The database is growing currently it has 13,829 food labels listed.

It will make everyone in the family and especially kids happier munchers!

Welcome NCLM visitors - please read my welcome post HERE

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Saving money ...Thursday Thirteen

Since S & J our twins were born we have pretty much gone back to a single income. It is our own business but we can hardly afford to pay me much when we have to pay other people do half the jobs I used to do.Not counting playing Solitaire before I discovered online forums.I made sure there is no internet there now

Over the past few months, I noticed that there are many blogs with money saving ideas included in daily tidbits.My new aim is to spend some time each day engaged in some sort of activity intended to cut costs.

I am fortunate we can hang clothes out on the line to dry, I use modern cloth nappies, cloth wipes, read store junk mail and so forth to find weekly specials. I haven't done a good analysis yet on the latter.

Starting next month, at the end of the month I hope to see the results of that effort when I add up my savings and see a reduction in our grocery bill...

I realise the concept of frugality is not for everyone because it can be time-consuming... to some people their time is worth more.

I believe it could take as little as 15-20 minutes a day to start seeing some serious benefits from tracking your spending and being more careful . In time they should be big enough benefits that they start making a real impact on your yearly budget.

So what can I possibly do in 15 minutes that could save me money? Here are 13 simple tasks anyone can do in 15-20 minutes. The savings add up over time. If you have suggestions of your own? Please add them ... Grocery spending is my biggest cost I can change

1. Buy in bulk, prepare a few meals in advance and keep in freezer for easy cooking, later on those nights you might be temped to buy takeaway. Planning a weekly menu (really only takes 20-30 minutes max and then less as you can have week 1,2,3 set up ) .It can really cut down on the grocery bill. Cooking in larger batches uses same energy. Freezing in smaller portions, means you only take out what you need.

Plan around the weekly specials .Knowing what you are going to make in advance makes it a lot harder to skip cooking for a night out because you "don't know what to make". Keep a record of leftovers in the fridge, My DH takes them for lunch or freeze as single portion meals - then when you have enough - the family can choose their favourite TV dinner - saves having food that never gets eaten because it was forgotten in the bottom of fridge and goes bad before you use it.

2. Write a grocery list (and stick to it when you shop) especially from the advertised weekly specials. Stock up on non perishables when they are on special and items like toothpaste/razors/toilet paper etc.

3. Go shopping in the evening (leave the kids at home- there is no temptation to buy treats to keep them quiet) and often bakery items like bread/rolls and meat are reduced. Buy them in bulk and freeze.

4. Check the air pressure in your car tyres including the spare, and maintain them appropriately. This will save you money on fuel, tyre tread and keep you safer.

5. Hang clothes up to dry on the line instead of using the tumble dryer. Use racks to air clothes first then finish I dryer when you have to.

6. Check through all the electrical devices you're not using in the house - turn them off when not in use.(the toddlers haz this one *rolls eyes*)

7. Instead of takeaway night make your own meal 'takeaway' at home - especially if your kids like this meal style - your own burgers and pizza are likely to be healthier as well. Get kids to participate in the preparation as a fun learning activity. $20 a week saved is over $1000 in a year.

8. Use 1/2 dishwasher tablet instead of a full tablet. I tried this Tuesday on a heavy duty load and it still washed up clean.

9. Use 1/2 normal washing powder scoop -Wash clothes in cold or lukewarm water. Only run the machine will full loads I have been doing this for months and it still washes all my boys nappies clean. The sun helps to bleach stains too. If you have a baby or toddler consider modern cloth nappies. (MCN) Mel @ In a Nutshell has some great information on MCN -see some of mine here. The initial setup seems expensive but in the long run I have saved a lot of money

10. Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights - in NSW most energy providers are doing this for free.We did this a few months ago

11. Plant seeds/seedlings to grow a small vegetable garden. Recycle all waste for the compost. We just started our vegie patch.

12. Go through your excess stuff, sell off clutter you don't need or don't use anymore on eBay or trading post.

13. Swap soft drinks /juices instead drink lots of water or make your own iced tea/coffee, flavoured milks.

Last but not the least ... (because I hate leaving it at 13)

14. Buy a cupboard put a catch and a combination lock, to lock all the chocolates and treats away from a teen who inhales them in the blink of eye - and then leaves none for me. This is going to save a lot of yelling too. That has to be good for everyone's stress levels and save me money not having to shop to replace what the greedy pig he has unlawfully stolen devoured.