Orange County Blog

Easy Steps To Finding More Time - Using A Concierge Service

In today’s fast paced world, the dream of rest and relaxation stays just that, a dream. You want to be in control of your life, but how?  Work, family, friends, volunteer work, there just isn’t enough time in the day.   With all the choices available you today, there is one choice that will help you carve out time in your day.  A personal concierge service is just what the doctor ordered. Learn about the many services a concierge offers on www.WelcomeToOC.com

Orange County weekend events sometimes need to start at home. It’s time to get organized!  The piles of Christmas decorations yet to be put away and future garage sale items still sitting on the garage floor are getting harder and harder to ignore. It is easy to turn the other cheek to the whole idea of cleaning out and organizing your garage when there is ANYTHING better and more fun to do! After all, when you live in Southern California, you don’t have the cold and snow to force you to face the “inside” chores that simply must get done.  Eventually, something usually inspires us to want to organize and clean! Be inspired by our blog at www.WelcomeToOc.com

Have you traveled down that well-worn path of good intentions? Hmmm, how many of these resolutions have you actually kept longer than a few weeks?  So how can this year be different?  How can you make a resolution, keep it, and be a better person for it?  Get off to a successful start with these tips on www.WelcomeToOC.com

To regift or not to regift, this is becoming an increasingly popular question especially at this time of year.  For many regifting (to give a gift to someone after it has already been given to you) comes into play when you have received a gift for which you have absolutely no use.  So what are the rules for regifting?  Can regifting be avoided?  Check out this article on www.WelcomeToOC.com.

Before settling down for football, family, and feasting, start your day with an invigorating run. Dana Point offers the opportunity to tour its beautiful beach, majestic cliffs and coves on Thanksgiving Day with its annual Turkey Trot - a 5K, 10K, and/or Kids’ Race. Enjoy pounding surf, rugged cliffs, and cool ocean breezes as you sail through the Dana Point Marina, Doheny State Park and pass the Historic Tallship Pilgrim moored in Dana Point Harbor. Hosted by the Dana Point Chamber of Congress, the Dana Point Turkey Trot is considered one of America’s most scenic coastal runs, and draws as many as 10,000 participants.  From beginners to elite runners, this event is for everyone!

This year on Thanksgiving Day, you can run so others can eat by Partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank. When you register to run the race, please join the Pledge Drive and ask 10 people to donate $20 each or just make a donation. The 2008 Turkey Trot raised over $40,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank and this year the need is greater than ever. Second Harvest is working to eliminate hunger in Orange County. They provide over 1 million pounds of food each month for over 220,000 people in need. The Food Bank currently serves more than 397 member charitable organizations that reach the hungry, including church pantries, shelters, senior centers, rehabilitation centers, homes for abused children and many other emergency assistance organizations. Your donation can make a difference!

For information on registering for this fabulous, not-to-missed event, go to: http://bit.ly/1KKaQG and click on Dana Point Chamber of Commerce.

OC residents know that reducing their carbon footprint is paramount to the future of their world and are actively researching solar energy businesses. Our environment’s resources are not limitless and we should always be looking for ways to be good caretakers of Mother Earth.  Using the sun to turn your roof into a miniature electrical power plant for your home makes sense on two fronts.  One, solar electricity is a clean power source.  It generates electricity that is free of harmful CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases.  Two, many state and local government programs offer incentives and rebates to subsidize the cost of equipment and installation so it makes good financial sense to go solar.  Solar electricity converts sunlight directly into electricity, which can help reduce your electricity bills by as much as 60 percent. What a great savings!

Don’t delay.  Make a difference today.  Visit www.welcometooc.com to help you plan your conversion to solar energy.

Storage, admit it, we all need it with some of us needing it more than others.  Sometimes we are self-proclaimed pack rats.  Other times we find that when moving, storage is something that we need whether for the short term or long.   So when the time comes to look for an off site self storage location, there are several things to consider.  Some are the more obvious concerns are of safety, security, and quality of management, but consideration should also be given to the hours of access and how access is regulated especially if 24 hour access is an option.  Indoor/outdoor temperature should also be considered as well as insurability and other risk factors.  Read what Don Willis of Storage West suggests when considering self-storage at www.welcometooc.com

In a disaster, quick action is the key.  But quick action is accomplished most effectively when planning is already in place. 

“PrepareOC is the County of Orange’s comprehensive incident preparedness, response and recovery program. The PrepareOC website makes critical information available to authorized users on an anytime, anywhere basis. Site users can develop, post and share the information needed to plan for, respond to and recover from emergencies, disasters and business disruptions. The site features four main sub-sites: PlanOC, ReadyOC, RespondOC and RecoverOC. Each sub-site houses content specific to that phase of disaster preparedness.”

Each sub site provides valuable information to help, you, the Orange County resident.  Visit www.welcometooc.com to learn more.

Yes, it’s that time of year when kids are squeezing in that last bit of recreation before settling down to hit the books.  It feels just yesterday when they were counting down how many more days until summer vacation.   But a new school year is looming in and now is the best time to get organized so you don’t find yourself scrambling on the first day of school.  Here are some tips to make the start of school smooth and panic free.

♦ Start moving bedtime back so it’s not such a shock to the system when the alarm clock rings when it is still dark outside
♦ Shop for a backpack.  Rolling backpacks work great for elementary school kids while middle and high school students prefer the traditional style.
♦ Go back to school shopping.  But first, be sure to assess what they actually need and make a list.  Check the ads and be a savvy shopper.
♦ Designate a place in the house for schoolwork.  Nothing is more frustrating than completing homework and then not being able to find it.
♦ Discuss lunch options.  Kids appreciate being a part of the decision making process and if they have a choice about what goes in their lunch, it’s not as likely to be thrown or traded away.
♦ Choose a central place for the family calendar.  Some families find it helpful to use a different color marker for each family member’s activities.  

A new school year brings excitement, activities, friends, and opportunities.  Be sure to make the most of it!

For parents interested in learning more about the schools in their area, an informative website is http://www.schoolfinder.ca.gov/  Learn about test scores, course offerings, and more.