May 27, 2009
In this day of almost anything goes in the media, there is little that we hear and see that shocks us. But in our day to day lives we can be shocked when we learn something about a friend or family member.
It’s usually about the “unmentionables”. And I don’t mean sexy lingerie. We are talking about things people feel a deep need to keep to themselves. Things we want to keep secret: diaries, love letters, secret bank accounts, fetishes, compulsions, habits, addictions, costumes, certain phobias, etc.
For example, a senior very dear to me never told her family that she had a full set of false teeth. When she was in for life threatening surgery a nurse told us that they needed to take the teeth home for safe keeping! In disbelief, we said, “No! You are mistaken! She does NOT have false teeth! No way!” She didn’t want anyone to know that she had all her teeth removed and replaced with dentures over 30 years ago. How could you go through something that severe and painful and not tell anyone? Looking back, it is something that we could laugh at! But some “unmentionables” may not cause laughter.
If someone helps us to move or declutter, we handle the unmentionables personally, packing them privately so we don’t have to explain the possible idiosyncrasy in our life.
However, when we die, the “unmentionables” become someone else’s discovery to handle. In a previous blog we wrote, “Do your givin’ while you’re livin’“, maybe we need to call this blog: “Do your ditchin’ while your livin’!”
Think about what “unmentionables” you have and how your loved ones will react when they find something you have kept hidden. Some things are best kept hidden, in which case you need to get rid of them before you no longer have the option.
Rest assured, our Seniors Move Organizers are 100% discreet and professional as we tend to the details of life-changes.
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April 15, 2009
“THEN YOU’LL BE KNOWIN’, WHERE IT’S GOIN’.”
That’s what an old friend recently said to me, and it brought back a childhood memory. My grandmother put little labels under things such as tea cups, figurines and pieces of furniture. who is domain The label had the name of the person who was to receive the item after her death.
It is an unfortunate reality that people are often stricken by illness, or death, when they least expect it. That is why we encourage clients to sort through their belongings while they are still healthy. . It may seem premature, but planning ahead has the benefit of peace of mind – knowing that your most treasured items will be left to those who you want to have them. The added benefit is that it might prevent family squabbles in the future.
You don’t necessarily have to give it all away now. You should enjoy your treasures as long as you can. Just follow in my grandmother’s footsteps and tag what is going to whom.
And I’m betting that in the process you also find many items that you no longer use or need, and have no sentimental value. You could donate these items to a worthy charity now. In these tough economic times whatever we can do for the needy is sincerely appreciated.
If you need help with the process, just give us a call.
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April 8, 2009
This blog was written by our guest blogger, Bev Evans.
Statistics show that only 50% of Canadians have a Will, yet this is a responsibility each one of us should take seriously. Here are some reasons why.
A Will allows you to:
◊ Appoint an Executor to have authority over your affairs on your behalf when you are gone
◊ Appoint a Guardian who will be able to care for your underage children
◊ Have control over who receives property and heirlooms from your Estate
◊ Have control over who does NOT receive your property (sometimes, this is an even bigger motivator!)
◊ Avoid leaving your loved ones with costly issues and complications at a time when they will already be experiencing difficulty and distress
◊ Avoid having your Estate pay unnecessary fees or taxes that could reduce the amount that goes to people you care about.
Professional Advice
A Will is a legal document, and should be prepared with the assistance of a lawyer. You may be tempted to write one yourself, but it is important to realize that what you think will be clear may not be interpreted that way by those you leave behind, or by the Courts. Your ‘home-made’ Will may be deemed invalid if it has not been properly prepared, signed and witnessed. When this happens, your Estate will be treated as if you never wrote a Will, and your wishes may not be carried out.
Storing and Maintaining Your Will
Keep your original Will in a safe place like a safe deposit box, and leave a copy with your lawyer and your Executor. Review your Will every five years to see if it should be updated to reflect changes in your family status, net worth or circumstances.
A Will allows you peace if mind knowing your wishes are in place. And remember, the question is not IF you will be remembered …
Bev Evans is an Investment Advisor & Financial Planner with Richardson Partners Financial Limited. She can be reached at (905) 615-5671, or via e-mail. seo information . .
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April 1, 2009
In a previous post we talked about the types of documents we generally have:
1. Identity
2. Financial
3. Historical
One method of keeping documents safe is to store them in a safety deposit box. These can be either the original – Last Will and Testament, deed, bonds – or a copy of an original you use, but want to ensure you have a backup if needed. Don’t misplace the key, and you might consider having the duplicate key held by your lawyer, or Power of Attorney.
If you’d like to keep your documents at home, consider purchasing a home safe. There are many models available – look in the yellow pages for a security or safe company. Ensure the safe is waterproof, fireproof and cannot be easily opened.
There are some digital methods of keeping your documents safe, also. Make copies of your documents by scanning them into your computer.
Make a movie of your home and all you have in it. You can keep this in digital format on a CD and store that it in your safety deposit box. Store an accompanying written list of the items shown on the movie – this will help with an insurance claim.
Another method of keeping either the original or copy of an important document is to store it offsite – consider storing the item with a friend or relative in another city. Some people keep photocopies or CD’s of scanned images of important papers in their office drawer.
If a document is important to you, then finding and implementing a method of keeping it safe from any disaster – natural or man-made – should be on your to-do list.
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March 25, 2009
Sometimes when we help our clients we do a kind of forensic decluttering. We can tell what there favourite reading materials are, what they like to collect, and what they have a hard time getting rid of. We help manage when there’s too much in any of these categories.
Often when we help our clients declutter it’s because things have gotten out of hand – too much stuff in too little space. Sometimes we’re helping cull their possessions because they’re downsizing and don’t have as much room in their new home. Another good reason to declutter, especially for those who find it hard to get around, is to make your home safer – less stuff to trip over so you can avoid falling and hurting yourself.
Here are five more items that don’t need to be saved
1. Christmas decorations – one of our clients had enough to decorate three homes as they kept replacing and updating, but never threw out the old, the unused, or the broken items.
2. Make-up – if you’ve come to the end of the tube of lipstick, discard it. Don’t put it back in the drawer as you won’t use it again. Use the same logic for any make-up – don’t keep the empty or near-empty container as it’s taking up space.
3. Tax returns – in Canada we need to keep the documentation that goes into preparing your taxes for the previous seven years only. Anything older should be safely discarded; consider shredding anything containing SIN, or bank account number information, rather than just throwing it in the recycle bin.
4. Plastic food containers/glass jars – Think of how many you use during the week – to store leftovers, or to help in household chores – and recycle the rest. Each grocery trip will bring more containers home, so you can replenish your stock if needed.
5. Newspapers – once read they can be recycled. Even if you use newspapers to help clean windows or to keep the floor splatter-free when painting, you don’t need to keep large piles of them. If you need to refer to an article in a previous edition, it can be easily found online.
Our clients often tell us that decluttering makes them feel better about their homes, and the extra space comes in handy!
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