Changing Seasons Means Porch Sitting

As the weather begins to warm up, my excitement starts to grow. I wouldn’t exactly say it’s summer I’m looking forward to, as I prefer the weather of late spring and early fall far more, but who can honestly expect more than 20 or so temperate days in the year anymore? It always seems like it’s an extreme on one end of the spectrum or the other, but hardly ever in between.

Anyway, I’m stoked for nicer weather to be able to sit out on my back porch. Now, you may have in mind that I have a secluded backyard and my own house for back porch sitting in solitude, but it’s actually quite the opposite. I live in a townhouse near a busy area of my city. But the coolest thing is I have a trail going along my backyard, meaning I can sit out on the patio and people watch in the nice weather while also catching some rays, if I prefer.

It’s a fantastic set up for a smaller apartment. So fantastic that it makes the apartment seem more like a house than not. I’ve even got a basement and second story, which isn’t very common for apartments at all.

But back to the porch: it’s even gated so that no one comes up on my porch from the trail when I’m not out there. This also allows my dog to sit and watch other dogs as they walk by on the trail with their owners. It’s really quite the apartment set up, I’m proud to say.

Not only do I sit outside just to hang out, I have a grill on the patio too. This is absolutely perfect for summer so that I can cook outside and enjoy my time doing it all while being out instead of cooped up in my small kitchen cooking.

It’s pretty fun to add stuff to my patio, too. Recently we’ve taken on the task of raising some succulents, and I actually want to get a few more that require direct sunlight so that I can put them outside in a few small cardboard boxes. I don’t quite think spending money on nicer pots for them is the best idea considering I don’t know how they’ll end up growing out there on their own, but putting the few I do end up getting in some cardboard boxes will help them to stay upright and not tip over in the plastic pots that they come in at the store.

Overall, my back patio is awesome for only living in an apartment. It probably comes as no surprise that I’m quite stoked to get out there and hang out this spring and summer.

How To Deal With Supply Chain Issues

In my area of business, I have seen a lot of companies fall short of their shipping and supplying goals and needs on a regular basis. This is something that is extremely important to me as the manager of a manufacturing plant. I have been in this industry for a long time and have just about seen it all. I hope to provide you with a few tips that can help your supply chain issues that you or your company are dealing with. Remember, it may take a bit of trial and error to figure out what kinds of things work for your business and what does not, but it’s important to remember that things will get better with time. I remember back to when I was first starting one of my business ventures at a very young age. I was fresh out of college and found myself responsible for a lot of people and a lot of moving parts. It was hard to keep track of so many different business components, but I now know what it takes to have a successful supply chain and shipping management in all my businesses.

As you have probably heard many people before you say, the best offense is a really good defense. What I mean by this is that there are a multitude of ways in which you can prepare for different types of supply shocks or external factors that can affect your business. Some examples of these might be illustrated best with the recent COVID19 pandemic; many businesses were hit square in the face with supply issues and not having enough raw materials, labor shortages, and just general problems that arise from normal routine business operations being upended at every level. There were also transportation issues related to COVID19 due to so many different countries shutting down and committing to several months of hard lockdown. This made it hard for businesses to ship their products in a timely and consistent manner. 

One way in which you can prepare for supply chain disruptions is to create a supply chain emergency plan. This can be done in a lot of different ways that might include stocking up on supplies, creating an emergency supply chain budget, or even doing an audit of your business’ supply chain to identify its most vulnerable components. I know that, for many businesses over the course of the pandemic, raw materials and shipping materials were very hard to come by. Cardboard boxes were in great demand by many companies who were needing to ship much more product than they normally would. Stocking up on things like cardboard boxes and other packing supplies is also a great idea; you never know when disaster will strike or when your routine manufacturing and shipping procedures will be thrown out of whack. 

Another tip is to identify alternative suppliers for when things go wrong. Even in normal economic times, it is always good to have a backup plan. This translates to supply chain management as well. If you rely strictly on one or two suppliers to get youtube stuff you need for your business, you are at risk of supply chain disruptions and a shortage of materials you need. Diversification of your suppliers is also important to make sure that you have other places to get your goods in the case of emergencies.

How To Prepare For an International Move

You're finally doing it. You're taking that risk, you're taking that chance, and you're moving outside of the country. And whether you're flying overseas or just driving across the border, there are several things that you'll need to do to prepare for your big move. In this article, we’ll help break down for you the important things to keep in mind as you start to prepare and pack, to move out of the country.

The first thing you need to do is decide on what to pack for your international move. Normally, when you're making a move it is best to take as many items with you as you can. However, when you're moving overseas condensing your belongings to the bare minimum is not just recommended, it's an absolute must. The fewer items you choose to relocate, the less you'll have to pay in storage and shipping costs. Plus, it'll reduce the chance of you running into trouble and your items getting lost forever. So, when you start to pack for your move, take a few of these factors into consideration.

1.      Your new lifestyle. Depending on why you are relocating will depend on the certain items you'll need to take. For instance, if you're moving there for school you will need your books and study materials. If you are moving for work, you'll want anything associated with your business. If you're moving to retire, you'll probably bring all of your high-tech gadgets and favorite entertainment items. And so on and so forth.

2.      Your new home. Depending on the type of home you are going to live in, will determine the type of household items you need to take with you. For instance, more than likely you'll be moving into a smaller home, and it won't be able to accommodate all of your items. So, you'll have to narrow down and take things of only high-value or sentimental value. Also, if you have an apartment you'll probably have no outdoor space, so you won't need any gardening equipment or other related items. If you're renting a home or your business is putting you up in a home, more than likely it will already be furnished. Just make sure that you do your research and figure out your housing options and what will be waiting for you when you get there.

3.      What will make you feel at home. Moving across the world, or even across the border can be a big adjustment. So, take items that you'll need to feel safe, comfortable, relaxed, and happy in your new home. These things could be anything from heirlooms to framed photos, pieces of art, keepsakes, etc.

4.      The climate in your new country. Depending on your country's climate, will determine if you need certain items. For instance, if you're moving to a place where it is hot year-round. You’ll no longer need your long winter coates or fur-lined boots. Also, you have to keep in mind that very dry climates are bad for furniture, while high humidity climates can ruin artwork or antiques.

5.      Non-allowables. Often times many countries will have restrictions on what you can or can't bring into their borders. For instance, live animals, plants, weapons, drugs, and other things may not be acceptable. So, do your research and know what it is you can and can't take and avoid having to pay penalties, fees, or losing your materials altogether.

6.      Decide how you want to ship your items. Depending on how far away you're moving, will depend on how you pack and ship your items. For instance, if you're having to fly to your new location because it's overseas, you'll want to make sure that in your carry-on you’re taking all of your important documents, passports, valuables, laptops, medications, etc. with you. In your checked bags, you'll want to make sure that you have at least a few weeks worth of clothes and toiletries in order to help get you through until your other items arrive. The next thing you'll have to decide is how many of your items you'll need to airship versus freight ship. Only airship the items that will be absolutely necessary within the first few days you get there. For instance, cookware, bedding, additional toiletries, curtains, etc. Anything that you can live without freight ship, as to save yourself money in your move. Another thing to keep in mind is shipping supplies. Make sure that when you pack up your items, you have the proper shipping supplies, as so your valuables won’t be lost or damaged during the move.

Moving overseas can be exciting, scary, and overwhelming all at once. So, help yourself by being prepared and thinking ahead about the different aspects of your move. If you do, you'll be able to better transition with ease and set yourself up for an amazing and grand adventure.

Documents that Need To Be Kept In Archival Storage

In this electronic age, one may wonder about the necessity of storing paper documents. The fact is that hard copies are reliable and they do not vanish when hard drives crash. Furthermore, federal and state laws instruct us to keep the business documents safe for a specific time. Nevertheless, the problem persists as paper documents can pile up and keep asking for the space even after you fill cabinets and closets. In that case, it’s quite suitable to rent a self-storage unit.

What is the suitable option for storing documents?

While renting the self-storage unit for documents, make sure that you are going only for climate controlled storage. This storage option provides extra protection to the important business documents that you don’t want to get ruined. One thing worth mentioning is that you may need extra security like video surveillance, computerized gates and secure business access facility if you are going to store the sensitive business documents. To further secure the documents, you can get sturdy cardboard boxes from shipping companies. Remember, packing supplies are always required no matter how secure self-storage option you are availing. If space in the box is not fully utilized, fill it with the packing material but don’t let the room created in the box. You can also add filing cabinets and shelving units in the storage if you are going to store the documents for a longer period of time.

The types of papers that you need to keep

Although, it’s entirely up to you what documents you want to store but for smart utilization of space, it would be worth mentioning the type of documents that are generally considered as important. These are the documents that companies should preserve whether on-site or off-site.

• Records related to accounting: cash slips, payroll tax returns, financial statements, bank deposits, documents related to income tax, and accounts payable and receivable records.
• Corporate records: property appraisals and internal audit records, Fixed Asset Reports and plans and blueprints.
• Documents related to human resource: Worker’s Compensation benefits, Employee W-2 Forms, medical benefits, attendance records, payroll records, personnel records and payroll checks.

Time limit until the documents should be preserved

The documents mentioned above should be stored securely by every business but one may wonder about the time limit until these documents should be kept. According to laws by federal and state governments, there are some documents that need to be stored on permanent basis. Losing such documents means you should now be ready to receive a major blow. However, there are some documents that need to be safely kept no more than 2 years. The fixed asset and corporate records should be stored and protected permanently. Some accounting records such as check registers, financial statements and general ledgers are also needed to be stored on permanent basis. Some documents such as cash slips, bank statements, expense reports and accounts payable or receivables can be discarded after seven years.