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By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist
Guest Blogger

As a consumer journalist and blogger, I’ve written about how to organize clutter a number of times.

Why?

As an avid researcher, I save more articles than I enjoy filing. As a result, the articles stack up.

However, over the years, I’ve made progress. Every time I write about clutter, I learn new tips.

Recently I met Rita Rosenkranz, one of the authors of the book “Put Your House on a Diet: Declutter Your Home and Reclaim Your Life,” at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association conference. I decided to write about what Rosenkranz and her co-authors Ed Morrow and Sheree Bykofsky had to say to help boomers with their cultter. See my post, “Is Your Household Too Fat and Bursting at the Seams With Clutter? These Clutter Tips Help Put Your House On a Diet,” on my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.

Here are the best ideas I’ve learned from writing about clutter over the years:

My friend, the planner. My daughter suggested I use a planner because I was having problems keeping track information from phone calls. It works. With the details of your life written in a planner, you’re better organized.

Instant sorting. When the mail comes, I decide right away what to do with it. If it’s a meeting, I write the date, time, and phone number in my planner. I recycle the meeting notice. Then I don’t have to worry about getting it filed. Bills to be paid go in a special file. Junk mail and most catalogs are immediately recycled. The few catalogs I keep go in a file.

Nix on garage sales. I seldom buy anything at garage sales these days. More stuff makes the clutter problem worse.

Photo opportunities. I’ve purchased archival sleeves of various sizes for my photos and have assembled more than four-dozen photo notebooks. With supplies on hand, I’m able to organize photos as I get them.

Kitchen fun. My kitchen now gets prompt attention. I work on it throughout the day, putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher as I go along.

Less helps. I subscribe to fewer magazines and keep the remaining ones a shorter period of time. I keep fewer manila envelopes and cardboard boxes for items I’ll be mailing.

Knickknacks absent. When I moved into my new home, I didn’t unpack my knickknacks. I don’t miss them. Dusting is much easier now.

Clothes therapy. I’m sorting my clothes and giving away those I don’t wear anymore.

Books, books, books. I’ve cleared out a space for new books in my bookshelf. That way new books don’t stack up on my dining room table, on my desk, and in the living room, waiting to be read.

My biggest breakthrough with clutter is realizing that I must work on it often, at least several times a week. It takes constant vigil to keep things organized.

Clutter is a hot topic these days. Clutter adds to stress to people’s lives, the experts say. They’ve got books for you.

Check local bookstores and libraries for topics such as:

• “Clutter’s Last Stand: It’s Time to De-junk Your Life” by Don Aslett.

• “Organizing From the Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Organizing Your Home, Your Office, and Your Life” by Julie Morgenstern.

• “1001 Timely Tips for Clutter Control: Knowing What to Keep, When to Toss, and How to Store Your Stuff” by Frank W. Cawood.

You can also hire a professional organizer to come to your home and help you. The National Association of Professional Organizers offers listings of professional organizers throughout the United States.

Or check the yellow pages of phone books under Organizing. Hourly rates range from $35 to $80 for help in the home. Some firms charge an initial assessment fee.

People who have chronic problems with clutter can contact Messies Anonymous for ideas and resources.

For more information for boomer consumers, see my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.

My friend Raj Setty recently posted this on his blog. (Note: Raj is a co-founder of Boomer411). Raj brings forth the value of Boomer411 beautifully in this post. Let’s be clear. Indexing a trillion baby boomer related pages is no small feat. It’s HUGE. However, the question to ask is how is it helping Baby Boomers? or is it helpful to them or not?

As much as the web is overloaded with information, one must ask what tools/sites can help me make sense of this vast, wide world of web? If there is some way, that helps Baby Boomers to sort through this vast pile of information and pick out only those pages that help them solve a problem at hand, that address their present, specific need, then that would be most valuable, it seems.

This is exactly the genesis of Boomer411. Boomer411 is a new type of search engine, focused on helping to make the searches more effective in the following few ways:

• The Value of Expert Recommendations: Boomer411 only indexes articles/pages recommended by experts in the field (we call them Boomer411 Trustees). This should be of some help to already busy Baby Boomers, with one very important task. That of weeding through the clutter/noise to pick out the useful ones.
• It’s unique way of searching: As a user searches for something on Boomer411, the keywords on the left column dynamically change; presenting the user with multiple options to refine their search results and make them more relevant, more useful. By clicking on a keyword on the left column, a user can further refine his or her search result and repeat this process many times, until articles matching their interest show up at the top of the search results
• Watch your favorite experts recommendations: Users can add their favorite trustees to their watchlist, gaining instant access to all the pages recommended by those trustees
• Can’t find it? Ask our experts: If there is something a user cannot find answer to, they could post it as a question in our Q & A section. These questions are reviewed and answered by our same trusted panel of expert trustees

Also, Raj is correct in that I am learning a lot in this process. And yes, my biggest satisfaction is in hearing about/knowing how it is HELPING YOU in your lives. So do shoot me an e-mail with your stories or post your thoughts as comments to this blog post.

A big thanks to Raj for his belief and support. Also a big thanks to all the trustees, users and other partners, without whose hard work and dedication, this site would never be useful. Your continued thoughts and ideas are helping us refine this service to make it more useful. So do send us your feedback/thoughts/comments.

I came across this article recently, on the subject of debt in retirement. In this article, Dave Ramsey of “The Dave Ramsey Show” fame discusses whether it is good for someone to enter into their retirement while carrying debt. I was very thrilled to read Dave’s advise on this subject. Because, usually we see people talking about debt as it is an unavoidable part of our lives and that it’s okay to take on debt and so on. Dave takes a very fundamental approach to debt and explains how you just cannot even begin to build wealth as long as you have debt. So how can we even dare to dream of a good, happy retirement if we are so comfortable with debt. There are always exceptions to any rule and there will be cases such as buying a home or in some cases car, that you have to take the help of a loan.

But racking up credit card debt or taking upon any loan that’s offered to you in the name of enjoying life (living in the moment) can only mean one thing. If you yourself don’t care about being able to afford your lifestyle in the future, then why do you think someone else would and some how magically help you. It only means that there would be suffering down the road. 

Debt is bad for even younger folks. So how can one think it’s okay for someone in their 60’s and entering into retirement. It can rob one of their peace of mind, their quality of life.

My favorite point in Dave’s article was the question about good debt and especially Dave’s answer to the question.

Read this article to learn or refresh your memory on what is the impact of running a lifestyle with borrowed money. So take action today to insure a better tomorrow.

Today in our series on interviews, we present you our interview with Mr.Stanley Tomkiel III. Stanley Tomkiel is the author of two books on Social Security, namely Social Security Benefits Handbook and The Social Security Answer Book. Both the books are packed with lots of useful information in simple English.  This is the type of information that every retiree should be aware of, but sadly there are a lot of misconceptions still prevalent among many. So we wanted to showcase Mr.Stanley’s work for our readers and hopefully it will help some people. So without further ado, we present you our interview with Mr.Stanley Tomkiel…

Boomer411: Mr.Stanley, can you please tell our readers about yourself? And what motivated you to write the book ‘The Social Security Answerbook’?

ST: I’m a lawyer in New York City.  I was born and raised in Westchester and educated in Catholic schools all the way through College.  I went to law school at Western New England College School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts.  I’m married with two grown children and I’m the proud grandfather of two grandchildren. 

After college I worked for the Social Security Administration as a claims representative in field offices in New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts.  My job was to interview people applying for SS benefits, gather the necessary information and documents then to make decisions by applying the SS regulations. 

I realized how many people had misconceptions about Social Security, and also that there was a lot of erroneous information being spread in the media.  It seemed most people were confused by the SS rules. After I left the Social Security Administration, I went into private law practice. And again I encountered the same situation: confusion and misunderstanding, misconceptions and bad information.

So in 1984 I published the first edition of the Social Security Benefits Handbook.  The Handbook has been updated throughout the years and it is now published by Sphinx Publishing, a division of Sourcebooks.  The publisher suggested that I also write The Social Security Answer Book because I receive so many questions from people.  The Social Security answer book is a compilation of typical questions that I have received over the years.  I have organized the questions and answers into topical chapters.  I tried to distill down these questions to the most common and important ones, so my answers will have the most practical and widespread relevance.   Because Social Security information changes, even from year to year, I put up a website to keep the information in my books up-to-date.  This is the Social Security Benefits Handbook Online Edition at www.SocialSecurityBenefitsHandbook.com.

Boomer411: Please tell our readers about your blog, ‘Simple Social Security’ and how it might be useful to Baby Boomers?

ST: I receive questions about SS from people all over the country, so I post these questions with my answers on my blog, Simple Social Security at SimpleSocialSecurity.blogspot.com

Boomer411: Tell us about your law practice?

ST: First let me say that although I am a Boomer, I have no plans on retiring!  I practice personal injury law as a partner in Tomkiel & Tomkiel with offices in Manhattan and Yonkers, NY.  I began practicing law with my father in 1979, and now my son is a lawyer and my partner, the third generation.   I used to handle Social Security cases myself, but because I am so busy with personal injury cases, I now make referrals for people who need lawyers for their Social Security claims. 

Boomer411: In your opinion, do people in their 30’s and 40’s have any hope of taking advantage of the Social Security benefits in its current form when they retire? Also, what can a person in this age group do to better prepare themselves for a good retirement?

ST: I am as sure as someone can be about the future, that people now in their 30’s and 40’s will receive Social Security benefits, but I would be very surprised if the system is the same as it exists now.  Since it was founded in 1937 Social Security has seen many, many changes.  Most of these changes in the first decades expanded the program and increased benefits that are payable.  In the last few decades, that direction has changed, with one important exception (the elimination of the “retirement test”). 

The most recent significant change is the gradual   increase in full retirement age from age 65 to age 67 (it is currently age 66).  I expect that in the future that will rise even higher because current monthly benefits are paid from current workers’ payroll taxes.  The Baby Boom generation was not exactly prolific, so the number of workers as a ratio to the number of beneficiaries is declining and will continue to decline.  It is now about 3.3 to 1, i.e., about three workers pay the taxes that fund the benefits of one worker.  And as people live longer, with fewer young people paying taxes, that ratio is expected to drop to 2.1 to 1 by 2034.

So I would say that in the future, unless people immediately start having very large families it will be absolutely necessary to cut back the amount of benefits being paid from the system.  And there may be a switch at some point to a private Social Security account system perhaps integrated with the government-run programs. 

The best thing that young people should do about retirement planning  is to realize that the government’s role in providing their retirement income is going to decrease significantly, so they must be prepared to rely on their own resources. 

And that means to save and invest, whether it be in stocks, bonds, real estate, or babies!  Hey, if you have five or six children who can help fund your retirement, that’s a lot cheaper than the expected 2.1 ratio.  Now maybe we need a tax credit for people who support their parents in their old age, instead of having the government take the workers’ money in taxes and then giving it to their parents in benefits.  Why not cut out the middleman?  Just a thought.

This concludes Part 1 of the interview. Stay tuned for the second part of this interview in which Mr.Stanley shares valuable information on situations when people usually leave money on the table and how one can make sure to get all the money he or she is entitled to from uncle Sam and more.

By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Guest Blogger

Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Mehmet Oz, professor of surgery at Columbia University, teamed up yesterday to present a great show, “Dr. Oz on Aging: How to Turn Back Time.”

One hundred audience members were preselected to take an aging test. They filled out a quiz at home and had a physical exam, which included push-ups and sit-ups.

The results weren’t good. The 100 people were ranked as follows:

• 1 – outstanding

• 0 – aging well

• 18 – average

• 81 – not aging well

The woman with the outstanding score said she runs, lifts weights, swims, cooks most of what she eats, and has a happy home life. The woman with the lowest score said she smokes, drinks, eats poorly, and doesn’t exercise.

People in America are making subtle mistakes in lifestyle choices, Oz told Winfrey’s audience.

Oz said his book, “You: Staying Young: The Owner’s Manual for Extending Your Warranty (You),” with co-author Michael F. Roizen, offers information on how to make changes that will give you vitality as you age.

The brain begins to shift and think about the world differently in 14 days, he said.

In three months, people can start to affect their life expectancy. In three years, nearly any negative past behavior can be reversed, Oz added. “Remember you can’t get rid of your bad habits. You’ve got to replace them with good ones.”

The No. 1 major ager is stress, he said.

Ways to reduce stress include:

• Breathing deeply and practicing meditation, yoga, and chi-gong, which is a method of working with energy within the body.

• Licking the lips then sucking in air with the lips slightly open.

• Placing a cork vertically between your teeth.

Other major agers are a diet high in fat and sugar, not getting enough exercise, lack of sleep, and too much exposure to sun.

On what to eat, Oz said whole grains, beets, and raisins contain magnesium and are major antioxidants that help to reduce stress. Oranges, grapefruit, bananas, avocados, and yogurt help lower blood pressure. Tomatoes, blueberries, carrots, and broccoli can boost your immune system.

Click on Major Agers on Oz’s Web page “Health: You Staying Young” for details on what ages you.

Oz and Winfrey discussed telomeres, which I’d never heard of before. They’re like shoelaces at the tip of the chromosomes, Oz said. When the caps of telomeres begin to wear off, due to stress and other factors, the telomeres become frayed and cells can’t be replaced.

The telomeres in people who are old and frail have worn off, he said, adding all organs can be replaced if telomeres aren’t damaged.

“Aging is about replacing what’s broken,” Oz told Winfrey’s audience.

If you can’t walk a quarter of a mile in six minutes, it’s an indication you’re not aging well, he said.

A cutting-edge blood test – the Biophysical250 – also gives a health assessment on how you’re aging. It costs $1,500 to $3,400.

Other options, Oz said, are to use the 14-day plan in his book and ask your doctor for certain tests. The tests are blood pressure, blood sugar, thyroid, and red blood cell count.

Good sex – meaning in a loving, committed relationship – helps keep you young, and it adds three years to your life, he said.

On brain health, Oz offered a Brain Test worksheet to the audience. If you can cross out the Hs in 40 seconds, you have good brain agility.

However, he told the audience they didn’t need to worry if they missed too many Hs. The aging process can be turned around.

See Oz’s 15 Ways to Maintain Your Memory slide show.

Winfrey offers a series of 16 short Web pages on the show on her Web site. It’s worth looking through if you’re a boomer consumer interested in living a vital life for years to come.

For more information for boomer consumers, see my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.