I love this board! I learn so many new things. I never thought about dating things before. Especially when I last painted my rooms. When was that? See, I don't know. I will use the light plate trick for now on. Thanks.

I do this with light bulbs too. The five year bulbs last about 8 - 10 months. LOL. I emailed my complaints to all the bulb companies asking why didn't the five year bulbs last at least a year. The responses were the bulbs were made to burn constantly. If turned off and on it shortens the life considerably. So the little money saved on power I was spending buying the expensive save power bulbs. I went back to regular bulbs for the lights I turn off and on.

Every so often, when I'm re-arranging the kitchen pantry, I'll check the expiration dates on the canned/packaged goods and write the month and year on the top of the can or front of the package with a black marker. Soon-to-be expired items go in an easy access cupboard or on the countertop. Never thought of doing that for my rotary blades! Thanks for the tip =)

Great tip!!! I just have a hard time FINDING the sharpie in my room.... It is soooo far past time to organize my room

My SO has done this dating thing to every major purchase we have ever made, and also the price we paid for it. I've allways had a package of those round sticker dots that I use to label allmost all the food items in the kitchen when I open them.

This is a great idea. The older I get I find I cannot rely on "committing to memory" much anymore. Sure saves confusion and aggravation.

Bella Boo, I can't believe you have that problem with the long lasting bulbs. Are you talking about the curly ones? I have them in most of my light fixtures now and the one on the front porch and the ones in the dining room fan were put in in the summer of 2007. The only bulb I have to change is the one on my range hood. I never buy light bulbs anymore.

The curly ones! I have tried all brands but they are the newer bulbs. Seems the first ones were made to last much longer. I have two older bulbs that are still burning from several years ago. The new ones light up faster then the older ones and are brighter but are made not to be turned off and on. I write the date on the bulb every time I change it. We put in new light fixtures and new breaker box in our house redo so I know our electrical system is not defective.

Those curly bulbs really are meant to be turned on and left on. If you leave the room but are coming back 'soon', leave them on. It's the turning off and back on within a few minutes that kills them. They need time to completely cool down and stop their 'activity' within the bulb before turning them on again. This is why they aren't the best in appliances, closets, or motion-sensitive security lights. I've replaced maybe 4 in five/six years.

Jan in VA