Rick's Daily Tips

A simple family system for storing seasonal stuff

Posted on February 5, 2026

Seasonal stuff seems to accumulate more quickly than families anticipate. Coats and sports gear, decorations and school gear come and go through the year, while the places where these items are supposed to go seldom adjust accordingly.

Gradually closets and garage collect the overflow until daily life feels too crowded. The problem is not disposal but creating a system that works through the changing seasons and the rush of life.

In this post, I discuss how families can manage seasonal things without continual clean outs or prescriptive rules. You’ll learn to decide what must stay at home, how rotation supports storage, and how to include everyone so the system actually functions. The aim is less clutter, more free time, and a home that flows year after year.

[Read more…]

Q&A: How do I prevent a folder from freezing up while I’m trying to open it?

Posted on February 3, 2026

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Question from Paula: My computer is a Dell desktop running Windows 11 (which was recently upgraded from Windows 10) and I’m having an irritating problem with it.

I have a folder that I’ve been using for months and after I updated to Windows 11 it started getting stuck when I try to open it. It just freezes up for a while.

If I wait long enough the folder will eventually open and I can use it like I always have, but it seems to take longer and longer every day. It took well over a minute to open a little while ago.

How can I stop this folder from freezing up on me? All the other folders on my computer open just fine. [Read more…]

Q&A: Why aren’t the keys on computer keyboards in alphabetical order?

Posted on February 2, 2026

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Question from Tina: I was typing up a paper for school the other day when I started wondering why the letters on computer keyboards aren’t in alphabetical order.

I had never really thought about it before, but now I’m curious. Are all computer keyboards laid out this way? And if they are, why?

Surely it would be easier to learn to type if the keys were laid out in alphabetical order, right? [Read more…]

Q&A: Are regular hand-held cameras becoming obsolete?

Posted on February 1, 2026

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Question from Barbara: Hi, Rick. I love your site and all the great info you provide. I have a quick question for you.

I recently started shopping for a new camera and I’ve noticed how few there are in the stores these days. Places like Walmart and Best Buy used to have dozens of them to choose from but now they only have three or four.

It seems like actual cameras are on the verge of becoming obsolete. Am I right? [Read more…]