AZ, I understand what you are saying, but Emma makes a lot of sense. If users are not prepared for progress we would all still be using Commodores or in the least Win3.1. We have a whole bunch of Dell XP SP2 systems in our building. Six in our office alone. Ours are going to be replaced by a governmental entity due to security, non-MS software demand, and future anticipated expansion. You can bet many of the other offices will have to replace their systems via their budget as their offices have systems integrated for use with our data. And, we did survive without a burp when we switched from Win98 and Win2000 to WinXP. Bobbie, Hope you are sitting down. You know how I was dragged kicking and screaming into the post Win98 era as I loved my Win98 system. And, yes you know I love my Vista system even more and have defended it for all the bad publicity it received. My plans right now is to buy a entry to mid-level laptop with W8 just so I can play. See why I said I hope you were sitting down. Even though I think there is way too much going on now with the Internet, and can only guess as to what the future will bring we users have a choice. Be part of it or allow it to pass us by. Do I think everyone with a W7 should race out and purchase a W8? Of course not. However, two generations of O/S behind could become the future limit. DA

This page talks about the "links" I'm referring to. It does not say how to automatically re-arrange items. When my computer went into my computer guy they were listed in the order in which I put them on the list, date order. When I got my computer back all of a sudden they are in alpha order. Somehow he clicked something that put them in alpha order. I know I could call and ask him and maybe that's the best idea. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/about/customizelinks.mspx Thanks, Ginny

I have a pretty small house overall myself. And being built in 1931 back when people seemed to own one change of clothes and one coat, there are no closets and what few closets I do have, are tiny!! I have to keep my clothes in another room because my master bedroom closet is tinier than tiny! Keep the ideas coming! There's no worries about anyone "stealing" my thread! Storage ideas for one person can be adapted by everyone, so all discussions are welcome! I'm getting some great ideas I never would have thought of. I think I'm going to use the back of the kitchen door leading to the basement for storage as well. And I have to organize that "landing". I have a big box of cat food and litter, all the paper bags for recycling and plastic grocery bags as well, all the mops and coats ontop of the rest of the mess. You can barely get by to get up and down the stairs. I wish I had a place to keep my recycling bin in the kitchen. We have it out on our 3-season porch right off the kitchen so it's not bad, but I'd rather keep the porch less cluttered and not have to go out there when it's freezing winter to toss things. Recycling tends to collect on the one tiny piece of counter I have next to my stove as it's closest to the back door until it's falling all over the place before anyone will walk the 4 feet to the door to put it in the bin!! I did take some time this weekend to pull some things out of the backs of the cabinets and rearrange now that I freed up all the space by hanging all the pots and pans and lids. I now have easy access to all my French White casserole dishes in one place, on one shelf. Then I have all my 13 x 9 pans and cake/tart pans together. Right next to the stove I put all my old casserole dishes - the pyrex & Fire King stuff. That freed up space to have all my small serving dishes and trays/platters on another shelf, then I have all the bowls I use for dips and things when I have company and the bowls for the popcorn on another. I will still have to crawl in back of the cabinets for a few things, but those are things I only use a few times per year like my crockpot or the hand crank pasta machine. I do need to figure out what to do with my "machinery". The KA mixer, blender, espresso machine, pasta maker, etc. I just spent a small fortune because I'm cleaning and painting my son's room and I had to get him new furniture and a computer desk and I'm about to start a bathroom remodel as well, but I really could use a new cabinet for under the window in the kitchen that overlooks the back porch. I have one of those build it yourself partical board bookcases there now, but something nicer and with doors so the mess isn't open to the public would be better. I need to take some pictures and load them up so I can post them as well. I'm very visual - I learn by seeing way better than reading descriptions, so pics are great! Lisa

Hi, Frankie! I'm new here. :) Your strategy sounds great. I had not heard of it. I have heard the mantra (can't clean clutter) from FlyLady, but not the box idea. I absolutely think clutter is delayed decision-making. Sometimes with paperwork it is related to a task I need to do . . .like figuring out why my ins. is denying a claim or something, but most of the time it's true. One thing that stumps me . . .I tend to change things around in my house a lot, and do not know when something will come in handy deco-wise. For example, I had some lamps I bought 10 yrs ago and used them only 1 or 2 yrs. I stored them all this time, and was going to give them away several times. I didn't, and now I am using them again. Are they my FAVORITE lamps in the world? No, but I like them, and am glad not to have to spend money on new ones. The other obstacle for me is my kids' artwork. I don't want to keep everything-- do not want to saddle them with it when I am gone-- but I have a hard time picking what to keep. I have 5 kids (4 of them who currently "create," since one is too young) so you can imagine we get a lot. I have started getting rid of their work right away to make it easier, but I'm always sort of sad about it.