Labels for LifeLabels for Life will give tips for organizing your life, home and office.

I’m about to admit a real confession here: I have a serious addiction. Are you ready to hear about it?

I’m addicted to To Do lists!

To Do lists work. When you create a To Do list, somehow you just DO IT. There is no greater bliss than going about your day checking things off your To Do list. It gets to the point where checking things off your To Do list is just plain fun.

So how can you put all of this To Do magic to work in your life? Start by creating a To Do list the day or evening before your next day — to plan for the day’s events. This is probably one of the most classic To Do lists. Once you start creating this To Do list, you just won’t want to stop.

Write down everything you have to do on your To Do list, don’t edit yourself as you are writing. Once you’ve got everything down on paper – then go back through your list and start to prune.
Does everything truly need to be accomplished tomorrow? Is tomorrow the ideal day to listen to War and Peace on tape? Is that the best day to start your diet or look into the raw food movement? Only you will know the answers to these questions.

Begin to place items in order of importance, the order you want to get them done. So #1 will be done first and #2 will be done second. Continue through your list until you have gotten through your entire day.

The best To Do list adds in breaks for lunch and other practical breaks that you may take during the day for meetings, errands or other necessities. The best To DO lists are made with personalized labels to keep things organized.

Sometimes creating your To Do lists can teach you a great deal about your time management skills. You may discover you are trying to cram way, way too much into your day. Or that you are trying to do too much right after work or in the mornings. Making these To Do lists can help you understand how to be the most effective.

Photo by Mr. Jayel Aheram.

It is hard to buy a computer that does not have a CD/DVD drive capable of burning new disks and the cost of buying the kit to do this has dropped tremendously over the last couple of years. It is common for CD’s and DVD’s to be burned or ripped so the copy can be used to protect the original which makes sense, especially if you are using the disk on the move such as in the car and the normal wear and tear results in scratches and loss of quality.

One issue is having a stack of clunky looking home made disks; you never know which is which because you cannot readily distinguish one from the other. CD and DVD self-labeling kits are a quick, cheap and easy solution to labeling your copies and bringing a sense of individuality and style to your copied collection.

You can create labels which simply provide name and basic disk information or with very little effort, create your own disk designs including using your own photographs and images to create a highly personalized set of disk designs.

Labeling kits start from a few dollars through to the early hundred mark depending on exactly what you are looking for but for everyday personal use you should be looking at spending no more than $20 which will give you an imaging and label design software as well as a large number of templates and image management options. The labels themselves stick on the disk and better quality kits will have the same dimension, circular prepared labels included as well. When you are selecting your kit, be on the lookout for the cost of refills as some manufacturers provide a really cheap deal for the software but are very expensive on the labels themselves.

Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone and while loved ones and intended amours are busy looking at the labels of the goodies they have been bought, one thing they are not going to see is, “Made in Prison.”

Yet that is precisely the spot where many Valentine’s Day gifts are made and the honor roll of companies will make you blink more than once: Starbucks, Victoria’s Secret, Nintendo, Shelby Sports and the list goes on and on.

For decades prison labor has been exploited by large corporations and major name brands precisely because the labor is as cheap as any sweat shop operation in a Third World country but at the same time, the manufacturer gets to put “Made in America” on it. Prison reform and fair trade groups are banding together to get a law passed to make it compulsory that where prison labor is used, then the label will reflect that fact. The argument goes that big corporations are making high margins on these products precisely because of the low labor overhead, no unions and lack of any benefits such as medical or a 401(k) and so consumers should not be ripped off by being overcharged and it is still wrong to exploit labor no matter what the circumstances. Another compelling point in today’s economically constrained times is that jobs are being taken from the mainstream labor market because of the cheap prison labor.

The manufacturers disagree; this is job skills training that a prisoner is otherwise not going to be able to get and leading to jobs on the outside, frequently with the manufacturer who employed their skills in prison and no matter what the financial implication, the prisoners are rewarded financially for their work as well as with privileges not otherwise available. More than this, many of the jobs would otherwise be done overseas using cheaper labor than the mainstream so the impact overall on the US economy is still positive no matter what the cost of labor.

Nevertheless, are consumers going to buy a high class garment with “Made in Prison” stamped on the label? Do folks even care if barcode labels are literally made behind bars?

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Good organization not only keeps a playroom neat, it is an opportunity to teach your children about their letters and spelling words. Many schools now adapt the organization habit of labeling storage boxes in nursery school classrooms with a label that has a picture and the word for what is inside. So a container with crayons would have a picture of crayons and the word “Crayons.”

Adapting this labeling technique for your young child’s playroom at home not only gives you a very well organized playroom, it also encourages a child to stretch their word and lettering skills. The more exposed they are to words and letters, the more they will start to use them!

Labels are easy to make and to find. The very best labels for your nursery child’s playroom at home are ones that are both colorful and durable.

Use words that are simple and very commonly found. As your child sees the word over and over, they will begin to acclimate the word with the toy or other plaything.

Labels and international political incidents do not normally go together but a controversy is brewing regarding food labeling and imported food is causing a few late nights for the President and his new administration.

The so-called COOL rule (Country Of Origin Labeling) is causing consternation amongst Canadian food producers and politicians on the eve of President Obama’s first trip to our northern neighbor. The USDA has called for increased regulation and control over food origin and labeling including being able to determine where the source animal came from and how it was reared and slaughtered – this is strongly opposed by Canadian producers and the consternation created is going to be very high on the agenda for the President and the Canadians.

President Obama has indicated that any final decision will be made by the White House and not the USDA in a conciliatory move designed to cool some tempers in Toronto. This conflicts with the message coming out of the USDA but the new Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack has been quick to alleviate concerns with both the Canadian trading partners and the American Meat Institute.

At the moment the rules are transitional and do not become mandatory and final until March 19th of this year; the issue is going to be whether President Obama and his team can sway our food importing partners to play ball with the new labeling regime or sacrifice US consumer interests and food safety to the demands of foreign politicians and producers.

In either case, President Obama probably thought he would have far meatier issues to deal with than a spat over food labeling. However, this may also be just the kind of minor crisis that is needed to help the new administration get itself bedded down and explore its own capabilities, and explore them they shall.

What’s Your Labeling Personality? Take Our Quiz!

When you want to get organized, labels are one of the top ways you can stay on top of things. You’ll find things quickly and know exactly what the contents are when things have a custom label.

But everyone has a labeling personality. Do you know what yours is? Take our labeling quiz to discover exactly what type of labeler you are!

1. Your son or daughter is going off to summer camp. You are a little teary eyed, knowing you’ll miss them. To get them organized you start by…..

1. Labeling their trunk, inside of their clothing, snacks, emergency contact information – even their Game Boy!
2. Labeling the inside of their clothes – then asking them to finish their labeling.
3. Looking at what they have packed and labeling some of the items on top of the suitcase. They’ll always know what they have….won’t they?

2. Your family is throwing a tag sale to raise money for charity. You’ve cleaned and organized items and now it comes time to price and label them. You……

1. Organize them into categories by what type of item they are (toys, clothing, books, etc). Then start to price and label them.
2. Ask your children to label their toys and clothing and work on labeling and pricing the higher marked items.
3. Put labels on everything but leave the prices blank. This will mean that everyone can negotiate for a price – tag salers love haggling for a great deal!

3. Your family is going on vacation for two weeks to Bermuda. Sunny skies and sandy beaches call you. But your family is from Minnesota – so this trip has taken lots of extra shopping and now you’ve got to organize all of your packing. You…..

1. Pack everyone’s suitcases and carry-on bags and label each item. Adding clothing labels that include your name and address so they could be mailed back to you.
2. Help your younger children to pack and remind your older teens and husband to pack and show them how to label their clothing and items.
3. Add a label to the inside of your suitcase and to each family members’ suitcase. If any clothing gets lost…it was just meant to be!

Okay….time to tally up!

If your answers were mostly A then you are a Constant Cathy. Your labeling personality is well-organized, methodical and stays on top of every crisis. The only challenge? Sometimes you can go a bit overboard and wind up labeling the dog’s fleas!

If your answers were mostly B then you are a Middle of the Road Melody. Your labeling personality is relaxed and balanced. You see labeling as a way to stay organized, but you aren’t going to label like a chipmunk full of caffeine. The best way you can label is to make a list before you start a project and look at the priority places labels could go.

If your answers are mostly C then no one has to tell you that you are a Free Spirited Felicity. You stick labels wherever you are inspired to. Sometimes this means you have creative and inspired results and other times this means you are missing labels where it could be a great idea to have them. Make friends with Cathy and Melody for some great labeling tips – you can certainly teach them to be more creative!

It won’t be long before March 21st is here. This means it is the perfect time to get a jump on your Spring cleaning duties. Labels help organize Spring cleaning easily and effortlessly. Try these 10 Uses for Labels for Spring cleaning, you’ll likely discover you’ve got plenty of time left over to loaf and relax and think about what you’d like to plant in your garden!

1. Winter clothes. Label all of your winter clothing boxes so you can easily pull them from your attic or storage for next year. While children will likely grow out of many of their clothing, adults know they can wear the same sweaters and coats again and again. Labeling means you save time and effort crawling around in your attic figuring out exactly which box does have your winter coat!

2. Donations for charity. Your Spring cleaning time is the ideal time to donate winter clothing and used toys to charity. Why not label your boxes and bags of donations so they are easier for the charity to sort through? You’ll save them some time and also make your own charity donation list easier to make.

3. The garage. ‘Nough said. The garage gets a real workout in the Spring thaw. Label the spaces where your tools go and even the spaces where the kids’ bikes are stored. Everything can be easily organized and there will be no more tripping over things in the garage. Using asset tags can also help.

4. Canning fruit. Just like Grandma or your favorite aunt, many families can fruit or even make their own jam in the spring. It is very important to label each of these jars so you know exactly what is in them! Your pretty label also helps you give this jar as a great gift to friends and family.

5. Kid’s room. Somehow it seems like your kid’s possessions seem to morph and mushroom all on their very own — without you doing or buying anything else! Spring cleaning is the perfect time to organize and label exactly where things go. This will help teach your kid where to put toys and clothing away. If you have a young kid it also encourages new reading and spelling skills.

6. Coat closet. “But we don’t wear coats in Spring!” you may protest. Well, you may be known to grab your rain slicker or a business dress coat before heading out to work. A well-organized coat closet means everyone finds their coats (and puts them back) so much easier.

7. The video cabinet. Every family has a video cabinet, filled with DVDs and video games everyone enjoys playing. Labeling everything can help you find this quickly. Creating sections such as “video games” or “comedies” can also mean DVDs and other vids are put back in a much more organized fashion.

8. The medicine cabinet. When you are Spring cleaning, this is the ideal time to get rid of old and expired medicine as it is unsafe to have in any home. This is also the perfect time to label what you do have, so your family can reach for what you do need. Labels placed in the medicine cabinet can remind family of basic care tips such as first aid or emergency numbers.

9. Spices and kitchenware. Every family has one of “those” kitchen cupboards that is like a junk drawer, with too many things in it and you can never find what you need. Spring cleaning is the ideal time to organize it. Use Spring cleaning as the perfect time to relabel all of your spices, as many of the labels fall off as you cook.

10. Under the kitchen sink. This is one of the best places to label while you are Spring cleaning, as most families keep their cleaning supplies here. You can label where your sponges and mop go and also where your different types of cleaning supplies go. Labels can also give family cleaning tips for different parts of the home.

All sorts of bar code labels can be customized for various ways in which you might use them.  From small sizes with just the bar codes to barcodes with images for your bottles or cans or various sized packages.

You can have labels for CDs you have for sale and for various products with your company name on them.  Such as:

For outdoor use waterproof labels can be customized in sizes required.

You may want to post hazard warning labels.

Or maybe you need promotion, business signs or custom bumper stickers.  These signs are now available in vinyl.  They are durable enough to endure outdoor conditions.  They are hardy and scuff and UV resistant.  Made as they are with flexible material, they work well even on curved surfaces.  The pressure sensitive adhesive used, make them durable with a minimum outdoor life of 3 to 5 years.  They can withstand a temperature range of -40º F to 176º F.  They are available in rugged white vinyl or transparent polyester with UV inks.  They can be used indoors or out on windows, signs, vehicles or your products.

Maverick Label can help with your barcode labels and all printing needs stated in this article.

We have all dreamed of that paperless office. However, unless we capture all our receipts, every bill and invoice, in fact each piece of paper  floating around your office or home office digitally are dream of a paperless office will remain just that…a dream! We need o make a deliberate effort to decide what we need to digitally capture or not and then go ahead and save it electronically or not. In such an endeavor there are a host of gadgets that have cropped up.

Receipt Scanner

There are the neat receipts and neat scan which help you scan and record in software of your choice. These are very handy for the neatnik travelers among us. Other handy organizers that make business and personal travel a breeze are the well organized wheeled tote. It has a detachable cosmetic bag and separate compartments and pockets galore to enable the well seasoned traveler to neatly stash everything s/he would like to carry.

Jetway Travel Organizer

For that fast sailing through security is the handy jetway organizer. One can stash IDs, passports and cards and safely wear on ones person so they’re easy to produce when required, difficult to misplace or leave behind.

Richard Solo Charger

Then for all those ipods, PDA, cell phone or hair dryer is the universal charger which is the answer to all our charging problems. Richard Solo Charger pictured.

Reviews and information provided by MaverickLabel.com, your source for all your labeling needs from inkjet labels to barcode labels.

New Years Day has come and gone. Are your resolutions intact? Did you resolve to straighten out that garage? Never fear! Here are some handy organizers for that unruly garage.

Unless you’re having Closets Unlimited to the entire job, you can get great use out of the deep shelves available these days for your garage. They are available in two depths. There are even corner shelves to make the most use of those corners. The heavy duty castors are available separately.

Another handy organizer, especially for those who have a lot of small items rather that large bulky stuff to store are  filebox systems. An entire garage with assorted paraphernalia can be stored and labeled and handily accessed as the need arises. Be sure to buy labels for your boxes. These systems are very easy to put together as well.

Bike Rack

For special stuff such as golf and other sports other organizers are also available. For bikes, of course there are various systems of storage to keep them readily available and off the floor.  Handy racks are available to store a couple of huge water bottles and for the uber-organized gift-wrap organizers.

Golf club Organizer

With all such storage readily available your garage should be spruced up in no time flat!