Spring Cleaning
A customer of ours is in “spring cleaning” mode as she prepares to get married in a couple of months and merge two households together. She is quite organized, so I asked her about a couple of ways to be efficient in going about it…
It’s overwhelming sometimes if you look at the vast amount of sorting and organizing there is to do in all the nooks and crannies of a home. Take small steps, and be realistic about time. Plan to work no more than two hours at a time, and then take a break and come back to it later.
1.) Remove all the trash. Comb through rooms, closets, drawers and just start picking up and removing all 
trash, broken items, broken toys, etc. that are easy to spot and can quickly be picked up.
2.) Start in one area or room. If a room is large, start with a closet or a cabinet. Begin sorting like items into piles. If it’s a linen closet, sort all of the sheet sets in one pile, pillows in another, etc. If it is a toy closet, then sort toys used regularly, toys outgrown, and toys that are broken or missing pieces.
3.) Decide in those piles which stays, which can be donated and which need to be discarded. The empty area can then be cleaned i.e. vacuumed, wiped down, or dusted. Items that are staying can go back or be placed in a new “home” location. You will need to set aside an area in your home or garage to bag or box items to be donated. What needs to be discarded will go out with the trash. Some items may need to be taken to a local recycle center to be disposed of properly. For a list of the Recycling Drop-off Supercenters in Knox County click here .
4.) Continue this pattern. As areas are sorted and purged, you will discover you may need a new way of organizing that space, so head to Target or Lowe’s for lots of great organizational ideas. Pinterest is a great online site to learn new ways to use your small or tall spaces more efficiently. We often think we need more space, but what we really need to do, is maximize the space we have.
5.) If you are feeling really ambitious and have a lot of stuff, then it may be worth it to plan a yard sale; however, it can be a lot of work to prep, price and promote. If that is the route you decide to take, then here are a few other tips:
- Social media is your friend. Post on your social profiles, and ask your friends to spread the word.
- Post on eBay’s local classifieds, and get a flier created in a PDF document to print and distribute and share directly from there on Facebook and Twitter.
- Craig’s List is another great site to promote your sale. Make a post on the Monday prior to sale and the night before the sale.
- For the most traffic, stick to Saturday sales and go early (i.e. 7a-Noon).
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the very thought of this project, consider hiring a local professional organizer, such as JK Organizers . They can walk you through some initial steps of what to expect, how to purge and re-organize your stuff and keep you motivated and engaged since they are right there with you.
Carbonless Forms, or “NCR” forms, are an efficient, cost-effective way to produce copies of commonly used handwritten or impact printer forms. PostNet Knoxville offers 2, 3, 4 and 5-part forms and can customize them with your logo or design in full color, 2-color, or black and white. We can print from your artwork, or we can create a custom look for you.
We offer a variety of printing options:
2-part, 3-part, 4-part, and 5-part forms available
Half page, Full page, or Legal,
Full color or black and white
Sequential numbering (colors available)
Back side printing for warranty or legal documentation
Glued edge
Padded
Call or stop by today!
The month of February is when PostNet takes time to say, “We Love Our Customers.” This year is no exception, and we want to show our love by giving something back to you. Take a moment to subscribe to our email list by clicking here or filling in your information in the box in the sidebar to the right, and enter to win dinner and a movie for two (a $50 value in gift certificates).
As a female-owned local franchise, I value each and every customer that we engage with. Whether you need to mail a letter or print ten thousand presentations for a conference, we want to be YOUR neighborhood business center. We want to take the stress off of you to get your next project done.
One way we feel we can be of value to our customers is by providing relevant information about industry changes, tips to make your next printing or shipping order easier, and by our involvement in the local community. We email this information to you once or twice a month. This month, as we show our love, you can enter to win dinner and a movie for two!
This promotion expires February 26, 2012, and then the winners will be notified by February 29, 2012. To enter to win, you must complete the promotional online form. Winners will receive a $25 cinema gift card and a $25 gift card of their choice to a local restaurant.
Shipping Carrier Rate Changes for 2012
At PostNet Knoxville, your neighborhood business center, shipping is our business. We stay in the know about changing rates and regulations so you are informed as well. We want you to have all the knowledge before making a shipping decision, and we are here to help.
The U.S Postal Service will raise rates by about 4.6% this year while FedEx and UPS are looking to institute 4.9% increases on small package rates. We will communicate these changes to you as they take effect.
WHO: U.S. Postal Service
WHEN: Changes effective January 22, 2012
WHAT: Postal Service Mailing Services prices will increase by 2.1 percent, on average, across each class of mail. New prices are included for:
- First-Class Mail®
- Standard Mail®
- Periodicals
- Package Services (Single-Piece Parcel Post, Bound Printed Matter, and Media Mail/Library Mail)
- First-Class Mail International
- Extra Services — a broad category including many products such as Money Orders and Return Receipt and services such as insurance and Collect on Delivery (COD).
When you need to ship your next package, just come into PostNet, and as shipping experts, we can help you determine your best option using key factors such as how quickly does it need to arrive, how much the total cost is, and do you need delivery confirmation or insurance on the contents.
Our site has been upgraded recently to help improve your navigation and add more relevant content as well as easy links including:
- Social profile links
- Map with easy turn by turn directions
- Easy sign-up for our monthly news & we never share your information
- Print Online Center where you can access quotes, place orders and track your status
- Read unedited testimonials from customer’s recent experiences with our services
Look around, tell us what you think and what we can provide that is of value to you.
In honor of January being National Mentoring Month we thought we would share some ideas about how you can get involved as a volunteer in East Tennessee. Whether you choose to commit to being a permanent foster parent or just give an hour a month to an area school, your time and attention towards encouraging another life is invaluable.
Jean E. Rhodes writes from her “Youth Mentoring in Perspective” article…
Supportive relationships with non-parent adults can powerfully influence the course and quality of adolescents’ lives. Indeed, researchers at the Search Institute identified “adult role models,” “supportive relationship with three or more other adults,” and “adults in community valuing youth” as essential to youth’s health and well-being.
Unfortunately, many adolescents never manage to form connections with caring adults. This is not surprising, given that traditional sources of intergenerational contact—extended families, schools, and neighborhoods—have changed in ways that have dramatically reduced the availability of caring adults (Scales & Leffert, 1999). Nearly a quarter of all American children are born into single-parent homes, and half of the current generation of children will live in a single-parent household during some part of their childhood (Dryfoos, 1998). Cuts in school budgets have resulted in even fewer adults per child, and declining neighborhood safety has led to social isolation and restricted opportunities for intergenerational contact (Lerner, et al., 2000). At the same time, changing economic, social, and cultural conditions have sharply increased adolescents’ vulnerability to negative life outcomes (Dryfoos, 1998).
Becky, a local mentoring volunteer, states, “I have volunteered in various capacities in regards to my own time and energies towards a diverse range of kids including culture and age. Whether it was seeing a child once in children’s ministry at church or meeting weekly to engage a child through Big Brothers Big Sisters or eventually to become a full-time foster parent, the challenges can be great and often the rewards come much much later. But I don’t regret a single commitment towards helping a child grow and gain self-esteem. It has been so rewarding! I was so blessed with a stable family environment growing up and realize how so many kids are at a disadvantage to ever overcome all the hurdles that lay before them.”
Here are just a few suggestions to get started:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters offers one-on-one mentoring programs with a child you are matched with based on criteria you select that is flexible around your schedule.
- Amachi (the word is Nigerian meaning “Who knows but what God has brought us through this child?”) is a unique mentoring program for children with one or both parents in prison. There are over 800 children in Knox County that fall into this category. Statistically, without intervention these children of promise have a 70% chance of becoming incarcerated as adults. The local Amachi chapter is run by Knoxville Leadership Foundation.
Mentoring doesn’t always mean working with youth…
- Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) has numerous ways to impact adults that are a hand up to help better themselves. There are opportunities to meet with their clients individually to assist them with schoolwork, career assessment, job interviewing, etc.
- At the YWCA you can engage with women by teaching a computer or craft class, practicing job interview skills, and writing a resume, just to name a few.
We encourage you to get involved, ask questions about needs at a local school or community college. Seek out a charity you are already involved in and ask how you can get more engaged to mentor someone.
Note: Rhodes, J. (2001) citation reference.
Know your shipping guidelines & deadlines
The stress of finding the perfect Holiday gifts for all your loved ones doesn’t have to be compounded by long lines at the post office or even worse, a lost package. To help you avoid any unnecessary shipping nightmares, we at PostNet, the shipping experts, would like to offer the following tips:
1. Pack Properly. Let the packaging experts at PostNet Knox help you make sure your gift arrives in one piece. However, if you are packing a gift yourself, make sure it is in a sturdy box. Cross out any old labels and adequately protect the contents inside. A good rule is to make sure packages could be dropped a few feet without breaking.
2. Plan ahead. You can always overnight, but be prepared to pay the price. Ground shipping is typically the least expensive option, and to ensure your gift arrives on time refer to your shipping deadline calendar.
3. Fruits and veggies – know before you buy. States such as Arizona, California, Florida and Hawaii have more restrictions than others. Information on what kind of produce can be shipped and where it can be shipped is available on the Department of Agriculture’s website. When in doubt, ask an expert at PostNet.
4. Send to workplaces. If packages are delivered to a home, and the delivery is repeatedly missed, the recipients may end up going out of their way to pick up the package at the shipping company’s nearest hub. In addition to the convenience factor, shipping to an office can also prevent theft of a package sitting on a porch.
5. Tracking numbers. Always keep your tracking number so packages can be located at any given time. A tracking number will also provide anticipated delivery dates.
6. Save money. Click here for special December saving from PostNet.
To make sure your gifts arrive to their destination on time, here is a quick view of important shipping dates:
Dec. 16 UPS Ground FedEx Ground
Dec. 20 UPS 3 Day FedEx Express USPS First Class Mail
Dec. 21 UPS 2 Day FedEx 2 Day USPS Priority Mail
Dec. 22 UPS Next Day FedEx Next Day USPS Express Mail
with Sat. delivery UPS 2 Day FedEx 2 Day
Dec. 23 UPS Next Day FedEx Next Day
with Sat. delivery
For a complete calendar of shipping deadlines, click here.
Call or stop by PostNet Knox in Tate’s Gallery on the corner of Cedar Bluff & Middlebrook Pike. We can compare all your shipping options and determine which one meets your delivery and budget needs.
WBIR Channel 10 came out to interview Joani Leeds on her expertise of the USPS shipping service changes coming in 2012. After business has plummeted and facing potential bankruptcy, the US Postal Service is cutting back so severely that it is dropping the promise of overnight delivery.
Most will see changes only when mailing first class. However, the postal service said eliminating the overnight guarantee will trim two billion dollars from operating costs. Changes also include closing half of the nearly 500 mail processing centers and eliminating 28,000 jobs nation-wide. The operations center in Johnson City could be affected by services being re-routed to Knoxville’s processing facility.
To view a complete transcript of the article on WBIR.com click here.
Make a print into a customized piece of art!
Looking for a customized gift for that special someone or maybe for someone who has it all? Stretched canvas is a great choice to turn any photograph into a piece of art with the stunning detail of a painting.
PostNet Knoxville is now offering Canvas Prints to showcase your most vibrant family photos or business images and graphic designs. Bring in a high-quality, digital photograph or image, or upload one to our site, and we’ll print it on high-quality canvas, stretch and mount it so the image is wrapped at the edge of the frame.
Create memorable gifts for family members, or use them to finish out your interior décor. This beautiful artwork is designed to standalone and doesn’t require the use of a picture frame. Use a favorite photograph from a trip taken, a scenic area visited, a family gathering, or a wedding party to create long-lasting wall art for any room in the home. Canvas Prints are available in full-color or black and white and in a variety of sizes and depths as well as being less expensive than framing.
A Gallery in Your Office
Canvas Prints are a great way to feature your work! Black and white photographs, line drawings, or artistic photographs all have potential of becoming cost-effective artwork for your office. Use them for galleries, trade shows, open houses, or to add a splash of color to your work space! Call, or stop by today to see your photo or image transformed.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Most people would not expect to open their front door and find a Tennessee men’s basketball player standing there with season tickets in their hand. But that is exactly what happened to a couple of lucky UT basketball fans on Tuesday.
Junior forward Dwight Miller surprised a pair of fans by hand delivering their season tickets. The first stop was to a home in West Knoxville where, fittingly, they have a dog named Tee Martin.
The second trip took Miller to PostNet in Cedar Bluff where he made Gary and Joani Leeds very happy. “That was just absolutely incredible. Our blood just runs so orange. And here a player comes in to hand deliver our tickets. What better way to start the season,” said an excited Joani.
Miller was pleased he could bring smiles to some fans. And you can expect it to happen again in the future says Miller, “I don’t think they were expecting it, which made it a lot better. Hey we look forward to doing it again. It could be you next time so be, be ready.”
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