How to Get the Answers to All Your Questions

Last year a new little grocery store chain came to town. There was buzz in my circle of friends because one of them knew this chain from overseas. I was excited to check it out one day, "I'm looking forward to going to Lydl this week."

Now, how did you just pronounce "Lydl" in your mind? Did you say "lie-dl" or "lee-dl"? When something is just in print and not spoken we use our own grammar rules to come up with how we think words and names are pronounced. Well, our English paradigm is incorrect as this business is pronounced "lee-dl". How did I know? Well, yes, my friend knew but ultimately, I just called the new grocery store and listened to them say "lee-dl" and then my dad and I continued to go back and forth making puns until it stuck.

We have turned into such a crowd source group of people (I am one for sure!) that we forget that we can actually go straight to the source to find out the answers to a lot of our questions. Is that store open and what are the hours? How do you pronounce that business name? How do I care for this product? How do I get rid of this product? Most of the time we forget that we should go directly to the source to answer our questions.

Want to know what your friend's favorite meal is? Ask her. Want to know how to make your mother's famous apple pie? Ask her. Want to know how to say someone's name? Ask them. Want to know how to care for or dispose of a product? Ask it. Wait, you can't. So instead, ask the person that made it. Still not quite right. Ask the business that made it.

My clients do a lot of work deciding what they want to keep around their homes which then leaves the things they want to leave their homes. Whether an item stays or goes, there are items that need care or disposal. A stained precious pillow, a broken but probably fixable appliance, unwanted cleaners, and too old paint. While you may be tempted to ask your friends how care for or dispose of these items, it might be more efficient to go to the source.

Purchase of Items

Ever wonder where to buy things and if they are in stock at your favorite stores? You can check with the producer and the store. This allows you to get the exact product you are looking for while still supporting your favorite stores.

Care for Items

A quick internet search will yield many different results on how to clean specialty fabrics, repairs of appliances, and care those plants that you think are dead in the winter. The best way to find the best answer is to do a specific search. Search the product down to the product number if possible.

Disposal of Items

Chemicals, paints, batteries, small appliances, the list could go on. These are the kinds of items that people generally want to know how to properly dispose of. Hint, it's not throwing them in the trash. And, depending on where you live, each geographical area has different policies. The best way to find the best answer is to check with the producer of your item or the store that sells it and your local authorities.

Here's another post on where you can dispose of some other common items.