Apple apps

Apple's App Store recently announced it had its 25 billionth app download.  According to Apple, there are over 500,000 apps in the App Store. Besides the obvious apps that help iPhone and iPad users use frequently accessed sites like Facebook, Netflix and Pandora, how does one figure out which of those 500,000 apps are going to be useful and worth the time to learn them or the money to download them?

No person can be an total app expert, so I try to get recommendations from trusted associates when I'm looking for an app to meet a specific need. When that fails, I do a search for recommendations, and can usually narrow down the field by looking at a couple of review posts on reputable blogs like CNET or Lifehacker.

Evernote's app.

So...in that vein, here are a few apps that I can recommend from personal experience using them on my iPad:

• Evernote: This is probably an obvious choice, but the iPad interface works great, and I use it every day for all my lists.
• Yelp: I like this app because it uses your location to give you reviews and information for businesses of all types that are in the area where you are, and it even tells you if they are currently open or closed.
• TurboScan: A simple, inexpensive scanning app that actually works. Don't expect the scan quality to be as high as if you were using your ScanSnap, but it's good for scanning on the fly.
• LA Times: The Los Angeles Times has just started a membership program where they are charging for online access to the paper. However, for the time being, mobile devices will still be able to access the site for free. So, if you don't want to pay for a membership, grab the app and read it on your iPad. The usability is great, too.

Going local

Today I want to talk about the many benefits of shopping and keeping your business local. I live in Glendale, California, a city of over 200,000 nestled right up against Los Angeles, a city of 4 million. I'm spoiled for choice when it comes to huge shopping centers, cute boutiques, grocery stores, even farmer's markets. There are thousands of doctors, lawyers and banks in the area. Tell me, then, why have I gone to a dentist 75 miles away for the past six years?

We tend to stick with the things we know. Once we find a dentist, or therapist, or even a dry cleaner we trust, it's hard to leave, even if we move away. However, by being willing to accept a change, we can take advantage of the benefits of having our service providers local, including:

For instance, I always go to my closest In N Out!

• Saving time. You save on driving time, but also it's easier to make return trips if necessary.
• Saving money. In gas alone, you'll save big, but often business will offer discounts to locals, or if you are in their area you'll receive coupons in the mail.
• Less stress. If you don't have to plan a trip to them far in advance, it makes it less of an ordeal to gather your dry cleaning when you have a spare minute and take it down the street. Also, you are less likely to end up sitting in traffic (especially in LA).
• More exercise. If you live close enough to walk to businesses, leave the car at home once in a while.
• Safer. If you have an accident or get ill, it takes some of the guesswork out of the equation when you know you have a doctor nearby.
• Improved sense of community. By actually living your life in your community you make it stronger both economically and by getting to know the people and places that surround you every day.

How to find local business? The Yellow Pages are still being printed, though many of us feel they are obsolete in the wake of the Internet. Yelp is a fantastic free resource for local business, while Angie's List is a great paid one. Ask your friends and neighbors. Word of mouth will never go out of style.

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com

Moving, stage six

Well, the move happened. The movers came, were awesome (here they are on Yelp, if you need a recommendation in the LA area), and in eight short hours all of our stuff was moved from one place to another. We turned in the keys to our old apartment yesterday. I feel a sense of achievement that all the preparation paid off, as the move itself was pretty stress free. Unfortunately, I didn't really anticipate how much work there would be to do once we were in the new space.

My husband and I are calling this apartment our "house with training wheels" because it's on the older side and our landlord isn't that hands on. He doesn't mind if we make improvements or changes, but if we want something done, we have to do it ourselves.

A sampling of the things we have done or would like to do to get our living space the way we want it:

• We had all the locks changed, and a single key fits them all. My key ring is very minimalist now, yay!
• We bought a lightly used washer and dryer. We hired someone to install them, but with a couple of Internet searches we could have probably done it ourselves. Next time, we'll know.
• We've blown a fuse a few times already by using too many appliances at once. Not sure how to address that issue, but for now, we're trying to use things one at a time.
• Right now we have vertical blinds, and we'd like to make (or convince my sister-in-law to "help" us make) curtains for our many lovely windows.
• We have hardwood floors for the first time, and we're going to apply felt pads to the bottoms of our furniture to avoid scrapes.
• We have lots of wonderful storage spaces, but deciding where to store what things is harder than I thought. I'm reminding myself that we have to live in the space for a while before we'll know what makes the most sense.

I could go on, but that would just be a to do list for me and you probably aren't very interested in that. Suffice to say, even though the moving part is over, the work of setting up house is definitely not. And for better or worse, there's no deadline (yet! I'm considering scheduling a housewarming party to create one.) and we can take our time setting things up the way we want them.

Thanks for listening throughout this process. If you're contemplating a move, getting a professional organizer in to help you shed things before you pack stuff you don't need, use or like is a great first step!

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com

Social networking frenzy

Having worked in the Internet industry and as a side effect being somewhat web-savvy, I find it helpful to stay current with trends, especially as an entrepreneur with a marketing budget of roughly $0. You may or may not find uses for the following sites and services, but here's how to find me on them in case you'd like to connect. Connecting, after all, is the point of social networking, to find a commonality with someone else through a shared niche love of a random Mexican restaurant in Hollywood or Julia Quinn novels. Sometimes these connections result in more than a passing bit of information on a news or RSS feed and can lead to business referrals, opportunities for new experiences and sometimes even friendships.

So, here's me as seen through various portals - connect me up!

The usual suspects:
Twitter: @lelahwithanh
Facebook: Lelah Baker-Rabe, Professional Organizer
LinkedIn: Lelah Baker-Rabe
Yelp: Lelah Baker-Rabe, Professional Organizer
YouTube: My channel
Google: My profile
Google Reader: My shared items

Business networking:
MeetUp
Biznik

For fun:
Goodreads
Flickr
Yelp: My personal profile
NaNoWriMo

Creative Commons image posted to Flickr by SocialGrow
Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com