Unclutterer

1. Posted by L - 11/12/2008

   I’m not sure whether you’d count these as appointments, but I use Google calendar for everything. Example: December 1 has a recurring “re-register car with the DOT” reminder including Web address and the relevant insurance information so I won’t have to look it up. Twice a year there’s a reminder to buy new heartworm meds for my dogs and once a month there’s a reminder to administer the meds. Without Google calendar life would be chaos.

2. Posted by Harmony - 11/12/2008

   Oh my goodness Erin, you have no idea how timely this post is… I too avoided the dentist (although for a tad longer, 18 years to be precise) then last week decided it was probably high time for a checkup (funny that) and found I needed 5 serious fillings and one wisdom tooth extracted.

   2 very unpleasant days, and $800 later, I have well and truly learned my lesson, the same lesson you advocate here.

   The weird thing is I’m usually very organised otherwise, I use 1st Clock (http://www.1stclock.com/) to schedule my life down to the minute details, but this one thing kept slipping through the to-do net… and slipping, and slipping… and eventually I paid the price in time, cash and pain.

   I will now visit my dentist every 6 months like I’m supposed to, and a beneficial side effect has been a reinforcement of this very valuable lesson for all other areas of my life. Do it now, even if it’s not fun, or it *will* come back to bite you on the bum

   Harmony

3. Posted by Rue - 11/12/2008

   I too avoided the dentist for far too long (thanks to my dad dying and my mom not taking up the slack in scheduling appointments – and no 14-year-old is going to say “Hey Mom, I need to go to the dentist!”). I had to have some serious cleanings and all four wisdom teeth extracted. NOT FUN!

   Anyway, I get most of my bill payments sent to my email (though I do get my paper bills too – I prefer to pay via check so there’s a longer float time involved!). When I get them, I make note of the due date and put a reminder in my Google calendar a few days to a week before the bill is actually due. (A day or two for the bills I pay online since they go through immediately, and a week for the bills I pay by check.) Other than that, I just put things in my calendar as soon as I find out about them, and if I need to take action on them at a later point I have a reminder emailed to me (like for a concert, I’ll send myself a reminder 30 days in advance so I remember to buy tickets ).

4. Posted by Melinda - 11/12/2008

   i’ve had similar experience with the dentist, it cost me hundreds of dollars for root canal, if i’d gone earlier i could have had a regular filling done for much much less.

   but to answer your question, i preschedule car servicing. One less thing to think about!

5. Posted by Kelly - 11/12/2008

   I take some comfort in knowing that I’m not alone in my dentist phobia. I’m on top of the the other responsibilities you listed but am having a hard time making that first appointment (in 5 years too). It does take a lot of maturity/courage to make an appointment for something you know is going to hurt and cost a lot of money! It’s an all too easy thing to put off! Thanks for your timely post!

6. Posted by Megan - 11/12/2008

   I definitely schedule my dentist appointments, but like a lot of people, I use my calendar to mark about 2 months before I need to schedule those annual appointments for me and my pet. For years, I used to have to schedule my annual OBGYN appointment, but when I moved and had to find a new doctor, they laughed at me when I asked to schedule a year in advance. I got so used to having that on the calendar that I get a little twitchy not having it written down.

7. Posted by martha in mobile - 11/12/2008

   annual appointments scheduled: termite inspection; obgyn, mammogram, and oncologist appointment.

   semi-annual: since my pets visit the vet twice each year, I space out their bloodwork and their shots (to cushion the budget shock) so I have to keep track of which occurs when.

   monthly reminders: check that mortage got paid (my bank merged and still has a few kinks)

8. Posted by Jude - 11/12/2008

   This is not the way I live my life, for which I’m rather glad.

9. Posted by Melissa A. - 11/12/2008

   I don’t really schedule anything in advance, but it’s a good idea. Some things I have to put off because I don’t have the money, like a haircut. But with going to the dentist, I have no excuse because it’s covered by my health benefits. I still avoid it though

   I hadn’t been to the dentist in 12 years and when I finally went I had no cavities. I did end up getting my wisdom teeth out though.

10. Posted by Mer - 11/12/2008

    My dentist always books our next cleaning while we’re still in the chair for six months into the future. I do the heating and air service by signing up for the preventative maintenance plan, so they call me when it’s time to set up the appointment. I got out of the habit of scheduling regular hair appointments last year, so I’m just now getting back to that. But when it comes to car maintenance, I’m more dilligent. The sticker on my windshield helps remind me when it’s time for an oil change. I usually sit at my desk and review my calendar once a week to make sure I’m on top of things.

11. Posted by Kris - 11/12/2008

    I used to schedule the dentist in advance, but my dentist dropped our insurance, so finding a new one threw me off.

    Two years later, I needed three root canals and crowns, plus assorted other fillings. It’ll be something around $2,800 out of pocket after insurance. I will never put it off like that again.

    I have a reminder every two weeks to remind my boss to change the backup drive in our office. Why not just give him the reminder? Because he’s so paranoid he won’t let anyone touch his computer, much less his iPhone.

12. Posted by Tabitha (From Single to Married) - 11/12/2008

    Funny – I was just telling my husband that I need to go to the dentist. Unfortunately, I too, have put off my regular appointments and when I called to schedule a follow-up, they said I would need new x-rays because it has been so long. I just hope I don’t find any problems waiting for me when I do get in…

13. Posted by fuz - 11/12/2008

    I would be lost without my smartphone (more specifically, a Treo 650 that is soon to be upgraded to an iPhone). I schedule EVERYTHING. And since I take my phone with me everywhere, it’s very easy to do. I even schedule things after they have happened! For example, if I end up hanging out with a friend at our favorite coffee place for an hour or so, I will add that to my calendar later. This may seem like a lot work for nothing, but it has come in handy several times when I’ve needed to refer back to what I was doing on a certain day or when helping me to remember what day another small event happened.

    I believe almost ALL cell phones now have some type of calendar/schedule on them, and I highly suggest you take a look at it. Very comforting to know that you won’t forget to pick up that dry cleaning by throwing a little reminder alarm on your phone on the due date.

14. Posted by Kirstin - 11/12/2008

    Not exactly appointments, but I use my Yahoo calendar to remind myself to enter recurring automatic withdrawals from my checking account into the checkbook register. There was nothing more frustrating than having to move money in a panic because I’d forgotten about an automatic deduction. Now I make the note on the calendar for the day the money comes out, and have it send me an email 2-3 days in advance in case I need to move money.

15. Posted by Meghan - 11/12/2008

    I schedule my appointments this way too and it’s been great. No more desperate calls to get a haircut at the last minute! I haven’t used Google Calendar, but maybe I’ll give it a try.

    I used to have an iPhone, and put all my appointments into it, but once they all mysteriously disappeared. That worried me. My iPhone has since drowned (camping accident) and now I’m using a calendar I printed out from my computer that I keep in my wallet. I know – I’m regressing technologically.

16. Posted by adora - 11/12/2008

    I also make appointment with the optometrist a year in advance. “Just book me one year from now, on a Saturday.” Because I have only one good eye, it is important to have check up.
    From years of experience, there is a stupid-me and a smart-me. I try to make the smart-me schedule and plan everything as advance as possible, to prevent the stupid-me from sabotaging myself!
    I’m thinking about the idea of scheduling vacation. I haven’t have a vacation for 5 years, there is always some excuse to put off visiting my friends and family. If I just buy a ticket 6 months in advance, that should force me to make it work.

17. Posted by jellybeans - 11/12/2008

    I haven’t been to the dentist in five years either. The longer I put it off the more afraid I am of going!

18. Posted by Sharon - 11/12/2008

    I schedule my kids’ dental appointments and mine at the same time and, like you, six months in advance. It means we get time with the (gentle) hygenist we prefer. Although I might be tempted to reschedule an appointment for myself, when it’s three people, my incentive is to stay the course. This keeps us all on track and smiling!

19. Posted by allen - 11/12/2008

    Related:

    I have money auto-Magically taken from my paycheck and put into a seperate bank account, that then pays my bills, again, Auto-Magically.

    I haven’t had a late bill in a year and a half.
    I schedual my dentist’s appointment before i leave, as well.

20. Posted by LeAnn - 11/12/2008

    I use my electronic calendar and Palm for everything, but have just recently learned my lesson about scheduling next appointments: I called my internist in early October to schedule my annual exam, with the expectation that I could get it in sometime before January 1, when my insurance deductible resets. Surprise! Three months’ notice is no longer adequate – they’re scheduling out into February already, and I’m out of luck on the deductible.

    From now on, I make the appointment during my current one.

    Thanks for the valuable tips and advice.

21. Posted by Elena - 11/12/2008

    I do all the regular ones like dentist, lady doctor, dermatologist, etc, for all of my annual checkups. But then I also schedule my laser hair removal 3 months+ in advance b/c they get very busy and that way I get the appointment I want. For haircuts, I just schedule when I’m there for the next time…except my Christmas appointment, which I make 6 months ahead.

22. Posted by infmom - 11/12/2008

    Our dentist schedules us for a cleaning six months from the current appointment and sends us a postcard as a reminder. This does not necessarily mean I actually go in for that cleaning on schedule.

    As a diabetic, I don’t have much choice about ignoring or postponing doctors’ appointments. Kaiser makes that easy too, you just tell the receptionist on the way out that you need another appointment in X amount of time and they’ll either schedule it right then if they have that month’s schedule available, or put you on the waiting list to be called when the calendar is available.

23. Posted by janet - 11/12/2008

    Every 4 months, I check my credit report from one of the credit bureaus. Right after I finish that, I add an entry to my calendar for the same date the following year to check my credit report again from that same credit bureau. (You can only obtain one free credit report from a given credit bureau each year.)

24. Posted by Bex! - 11/12/2008

    I like to put magazine expiration dates on my calendar whenver I renew. Keeps me from guessing and having to call when I get a renew notice that doesn’t show the expiration date of my subscription on it.

25. Posted by Michele - 11/12/2008

    @Bex, most of my magazines show the expiration date on the edge of the square where they print your address. Just a hint in case you forget; I know I do.

    More of a transaction than an appointment: I note in my calendar when to order more contacts. I’d hate to tear a lens and then wait a week for delivery. (I don’t mind the dentist, but I’m petrified of the eye doctor.)

26. Posted by Ricky - 11/12/2008

    Such a great post – and I just had my 6 month dentist visit today too. I could not agree more about scheduling the next visit at the conclusion of the current visit – that way it’s out of mind until 6 months later.

    @jellybeans – the sooner you make an appointment the sooner your fear of going will be done…your teeth won’t get any better if you don’t go! Then once you do go, it’s one less worry cluttering up your thoughts

    @Melissa A – my significant other puts off dentist/doctor appointments as well even though they’re covered under insurance. I don’t understand that at all because I see it as part of your total pay package – if you don’t use them, you’re essentially giving up part of your pay! I wouldn’t forfeit part of my salary, so for the same reason I wouldn’t leave preventative care coverage unused either.

27. Posted by Another Deb - 11/13/2008

    I am going to start using Google calendar for some of this stuff. I also like the suggestion from fuz about noting events that have already happened.

    You could also schedule your decluttering to-do lists.
    It’s a maintenence issue, that stuff isn’t going to stay de-cluttered!

    Birthday card list. Recieve a baby announcement, set the calendar for next years’ birthday card.

    Shipping deadlines for holidays.

    Taller Half and I are music festival fans. Usually they are on the same weekends each year. Tickets go on sale much earlier. Same with camping permits in certain state parks and wilderness areas.

28. Posted by Dental Student - 11/13/2008

    Awww. I’m a dental student. SO I’m going to comment on the whole putting off going to the dentist because of fear. I have patients come to the school who come in for the 1st time in like 20 years and expect me to fix all thier problems in a mouth. Right now. THey were either too lazy, busy, scared, or a combination to come in earlier. But then something bad happens like some of their front teeth are loose because of periodontal disease and they need it fixed NOW!

    I’ve noticed that once I get patients in the chair, things go smoothly. Afterwards I ask, “was it as bad as you thought it would be.” I have never gotten a yes. Human beings are very good about anticipating pain, it’s a protective mechanism. However, overall dental appointments should be painless. They may be a little uncomfortable or boring. That’s what anesthesia is for! And it will save you lots of money in the long run if you go regularly.

29. Posted by Red - 11/14/2008

    I’m there with @AnotherDeb… I honestly schedule everything. My Blackberry looks a bit odd with things like “Monthly Desk Cleaning” and “Annual Shelf-Paper Change”. Things that I plan to do on a recurring basis, from doctor’s appointments to cleaning to shopping, are on my calendar. A former co-worker used to laugh when she saw my calendar with all the reminders though it forces me to stay on track with the important things in life when everything else gets chaotic and busy.

30. Posted by Susan - 11/15/2008

    My parents are still living with home water damage that (for wont of an occasional check-up and a $500 re-prioritizing of funds for a proper plumber) has turned into a tragic whole-family “My God, when/where can we get the $30,000 to fix this???” situation.
    Mom and I both suffer long-term health damage from exposure to the mold before it was detected.
    When I was asking a contractor friend of ours how my husband and I could avoid such horrors when we own a home (soon, we hope!) he strongly recommended a yearly termite inspection first, and a then a yearly home inspection on top of that, if you can afford it. He says that the termite guy sees everything and can tell you if something needs further checking. Since we live in a temperate climate, I’m planning everything to happen in January, New year and all.

31. Posted by sd - 11/16/2008

    i put off the dentist for 4 years and am in the middle of having $1600 worth of work done. luckily since i’ve been seeing him for so long and he knows i havent been working the past year, he gave me a major discount. i learned this lesson the hard way.

32. Posted by Cathy - 11/19/2008

    I put off the dentist for 5 years because I didn’t have dental insurance. When I went, I had to have 4 different hygenists scrap off my teeth because it was too tiring for just one to handle! Fortunately it wasn’t as bad as it could have been – a couple of fillings had come lose and if they hadn’t replaced it, they could have required root canals – yuck. I’ve been going every 6 months now, and every time I go, the hygenists comment on how awful my teeth were last time, and they look much better now. But how they say it makes me think they have me down as some kind of textbook case they warn their other patients about! Embarrassing!

33. Posted by Mr Clean - 04/11/2009

    It’s also more then DENTIST and other things. Being an adult requires you to do the hard things in life that you don’t want to. Ask yourself why your here on earth if you plan on just doing the least amount possible. When was the last time you washed and waxed your car? When was the last time you went through your (old) clothes and pulled out the stuff you don’t wear any longer. The only excuse we have is life gets in the way, but I am no longer buying that excuse. When you want something in life you go after it! Always!! I am getting stuff done.

34. Posted by Kathryn Fenner - 11/15/2009

    My mammogram would be scheduled, but there’s some deal about how I can’t get the Rx for it so far in advance. Stupid.

    I have missed dentist appointments for even two years when I shifted dentists, and I am lucky in that my teeth don’t go haywire–no particular problems. My poor mom, on the other hand has to go every three months for cleanings!

    Google calendar is marvelous! Recurring appointments are a breeze to scehdule!

    BTW, a heating and air tech who is very honest tells us that with newer systems, you don’t need those six month appointments if you change your own filters–which you should be doing far more frequently anyway.

35. Posted by Laetitia in Australia - 11/15/2009

    We have an ordinary, hang-on-a-nail calendar in our toilet room, along with a pen on a string. Yes, we do wash our hands before writing on it.

    We’re going to be sitting there at least once a day staring at it so it’s a good way to make sure we don’t miss anything important. Everything connected with times of friends’ parties, gym review appointments and bill due dates get written up.

    Basically, anything not on the calendar doesn’t happen for us.

    We have most of our bills paid by direct debit (set and forget, except to make sure there’s enough in the account, particularly in September when life insurances are paid). For the ones where we have to remember to pay it, we write the due date up on the calendar and pay electronically on the day (or the BD before if on a weekend / public holiday). That way the money stays in our account for longer, so we get more interest.

    Reading this post has been a timely reminder though to organise the end of services, such as electricity, in preparation for moving next month.

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