give your home some fresh air

For the past few days, west Michigan has experienced a huge drop in temperature and humidity. (I'm wearing jeans and a light-weight sweater on July 1...glorious!) I actually love mid-60's weather (as long as it's sunny). I also love opening the windows to let the fresh air in. I start to feel couped up with the air conditioning on...but Michigan humidity is not something to mess around with.

If you are craving fresh air in your home, opening the windows not the only way to achieve it. If your home is starting to feel stale or stagnate, another way freshening things up is by doing some light decluttering.

To start, simply set your timer for 15-20 minutes and walk through your home with a box, bag, or laundry basket. Look for items in your home that have gone stale, and place them into your container. Recycle old magazines, toss tired floral arrangements, and pull a few faded sweaters or t-shirts out of your closet. When the timer rings, step back and feel the difference just a little bit of breathing room can create in your home.

Happy decluttering!

keepsakes and family heirlooms

I recently worked with an elderly client who had enough “stuff” in her basement to furnish a second home or cottage. She was very depressed that her basement was basically unusable and was frustrated that some of the things had been ruined due to water damage and mold. When I asked her why she was keeping it she said, “I’m saving it for my kids”.

This might sound like a loving gesture…but her children are now all 40’s or older; and they have their own homes, families…and stuff! Most of them live over an hour away, and none of them have appropriate vehicles to cart the stuff back to their homes.

I have seen this situation several times before… and in most cases, the kids don’t want any of their parents “stuff”. They may want one or two keepsake items, but that is it. Unfortunately, my client felt that her adult children should be delighted to have these treasures.

As I sat there thinking of what I could say to help her “get a grip”, I reminded myself that I am one of the most unemotional people I know, and that many people have strong emotional ties to their stuff. If you can relate to my client, here are a few things to think about:

1. Remember that it is just stuff, and it is not the physical objects that you are attached to, it is the memory associated with the objects. There are many ways to preserve those memories even after you get rid of the stuff. You might try taking pictures of it all and creating a scrap book, or you can take scraps of old clothes and make a small quilt.

2. Respect and accept your children’s wishes. Your children are more important than your stuff and you don’t want to strain your relationships over a basement of stuff. Accept that they might not want to keep anything at all.

3. Offer the items to extended family or friends. If your immediate family doesn’t want it, there might be others who will. However, make it casual and don’t pressure them!

4. Sell the items via Craig’s List or Ebay. If you feel your items have real value, you could try selling them and donating your profits to a worthy cause; or split the money with your children. They certainly will appreciate that.

5. Donate the rest of your items to your favorite charity and take your tax deduction. Think of all the people who will benefit from your treasures and create new homes for them.

Handling family heirlooms and keepsakes can be an emotional project, but it is important move the stuff out of your home before your children have to do it for you. I have seen too many situations where the kids just come in with a dumpster and trash everything because any other option is too much work. You certainly don’t want to leave your children with the burden of cleaning out all your stuff.

an organized garage

The "unofficial" start of summer is "officially" here! Memorial Day has come and gone, which means it's a great time to get your garage a little more organized for the summer.

I have organized many garages over the past few years and it is always because my clients feel completely overwhelmed by the thought of trying to organize such a large space all at one time. One tip that seems to help most of my clients is to break the large area into smaller "zones". For example, you might have one zone for tools, one zone for toys/yard games, and another zone for trash & recycling.

My dream has always been to have nothing except the cars in our garage. But since that is not very practical or realistic, I simply try to keep as little as possible in our garage. Last Fall, my dad built us a big shed in our backyard; which meant that we could move nearly everything in our garage into our shed! So, this is what our garage looks like now:

It looks pretty good and I am happy with the amount of "stuff" we need to keep in our garage.

As I organized our garage, I took my own advice and created 3 main zones to break up the larger space:

ZONE #1: Car & Bike Supplies
I found this locker unit on the side of the road (free) and it fits perfectly between our service door and our garage door. We keep bike supplies (pump, helmets, tools, etc.) in one locker and car supplies (buckets, rags, wax, oil, filters, etc.) in the other. It's out of the way and kind of cute!

ZONE #2: Trash & Recycling Center

I put 2 floating shelves up on the wall outside the door to our house. They serve as our extremely simple trash & recycling center. We use one trash can for trash and the other for plastic, tin & glass. The red crates are used for pop cans and extra trash bags, supplies, etc. The brown bag is for paper.

ZONE #3: Coats, Shoes, & Misc.

I found this cute coat hook/shelving unit at Ikea and thought it would be perfect for our garage. It has plenty of hooks for coats, hats, umbrellas, etc. We use the cubbies for smaller items, and on top, I have a basket of basic tools...and a few decorations (who says I can't decorate my garage!) The 3 ladder-back chairs are from a garage sale and are a great spot for guests to sit and take off their shoes.

That's it, everything else in our shed. We have a pretty small two-stall garage so it's important to keep it clean and organized, otherwise our cars will hardly fit!

If you are thinking about tackling your garage this summer, just take a moment and think about what zones you might like to have, and then work at creating them. Take one zone at a time, and it will seem so much less overwhelming than worrying about the entire garage all at once.

square foot gardening

Over the weekend, I was able to squeeze in a few hours of time to prepare and plant my vegetable garden. Since we are currently in the process of redesigning and re-landscaping our backyard, my vegetable garden had to be smaller than what it was in previous years. Because of this, I was forced to get a little more creative with the way I planted and what I planted.

I did a little research and found a bunch of information on Square Foot Gardening.
The common practice in Square Foot Gardening is to first make a 4'x4' raised bed of soil (usually about 6" deep) and then divide this raised bed into 16 1' x 1' areas using twine or some sticks. This enables you to divide your crops and physically reach all portions of a particular raised bed without stepping on the soil or affecting the other plants.

If you have a small garden area, you might only be able to accommodate 1 or 2 raised beds. However, if you have lots of space, you could create several raised beds separated by 3' aisles.

Once you have created your raised bed and filled it with good soil and organic matter, you can begin planning!
You should plant a variety of plants in your raised bed, and the number of plants you plant in each square depends on the size of the plant. For instance, if your plant is large (broccoli, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, peppers) you should only grow 1 plant per square food. If your plants are medium sized (onions, head lettuce, chard) you can grow 3 or 4 per square. And if your plants are small (radishes, carrots, herbs, beans) you can grow 8-16 per square.

Here's a great graphic to give you an idea of how to plant your vegetables.
So, the idea is to plant some of the small plants next to the larger plants so they can all "get along" and maximize your gardening space (and effort).

Here is a GREAT website if you want to learn more.

It's a pretty good method and I know others who currently use it. I think I'm going to give it a try this year!

Let me know if you have other ideas for gardening in smaller spaces or if you have tried square food gardening!

15 new uses for odds and ends

Have you ever lost one earring and weren't sure what to do with the other one? How about all your old coffee cans or salt and pepper shakers? It's easy enough just to throw them away...but what if there was a fun and creative way to re-purpose these odds and ends?

This thought got my creative juices flowing and I searched around until I found this great link from REAL SIMPLE magazine...I love that magazine!

The article: 15 New Uses for Your Odds and Ends has lots of creative ways to re-purpose some of the little treasures that might be lying around your house right now.

Check it out and let me know what you think...or if you have other similar ideas!

lighten your load in 7 simple steps

Do you crave the peace, calm, and beauty that greater organization would offer you? And yet, at the same time, dread the process of getting there? Here’s the good news: you’re not alone! For many, the mere thought of letting go creates an almost insurmountable obstacle for getting more organized. And yet … letting go of excess possessions—like supplies, shoes, unused gifts, clothing with the price tags still attached, and incomplete projects, along with letting go of old habits and beliefs about organizing—is key to creating a future filled with greater calm, control, and organizational bliss.

So how do you do it? There is no one-size-fits-all solution. The trick is to figure out what works for you. What will motivate you to overcome “letting go” and move forward to the peace, calm, and beauty you crave? The answer may not be has horrible as you might think!

#1: Visualize the finished result:
The more clearly you can describe to yourself the benefits of letting go, the easier it will be to make any tough decisions that come up during the process.

Why do you want to change or get more organized?

What are you making space for?

How will your space look, feel, and function when you’re finished?

What benefits will you realize when you are more organized?

#2: Remind yourself of past successes:
Do you remember the last time you really dug deep, and let go of unwanted and unneeded things? How did it feel afterward? Did you feel lighter? Did you feel more positive? Were you more able to relax? Did you feel more motivated to do things you really love to do?

#3: Prioritize:
Ask yourself: Which belongings in your home are most important to you?

#4: Decide how much is enough:
We all have things we love to have plenty of. For some it’s tea. For others it’s t-shirts. For me it’s kitchen gadgets! When you have too much of a good thing you may start to feel bad about the excess, or you may even forget what you have. How much is enough and how much is too much?

#5: Anticipate and remove your obstacles:

Obstacle 1: I might need it someday”
Solution: Decide when “someday” is. If you can’t come up with a definite answer, then assign an arbitrary date up to six months out in the future. Put the item in a box, write the date on the outside of the box, and move on. If the “someday” (the date on the box) comes and goes and you haven’t needed the item … you are now free to send it off to a happier place.

Obstacle 2: I paid good money for this”
Solution: Accept that the money is spent, and no amount of hanging-on to an item can bring your money back.

Obstacle 3: I could sell this at a garage sale or on Craig’s List:
Solution: Decide if you will actually put the time and effort into selling your items. If not, find a charity you’ll feel good about donating your items to and schedule a day for them to pick up your items. You will still get a tax deduction and you can save all that effort.

Obstacle 4: I received it as a gift
Solution: Realized that gifts don’t (or at least shouldn’t) come with strings attached. I know this one can be hard to swallow… but it’s true.

#6: Create quick results:
If you’re faced with a mound of things to go through, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Look for ways to create visual results quickly. One way to do this is by grabbing a large box or laundry bin and clear off all your flat surfaces. Now, everything “looks” so much better and you only have to work with the stuff in the box…not the entire room.

#7: Keep building on your successes:
Keep moving in the direction of your goals. Set aside 15-30 minutes a day for tackling a corner, drawer, or shelf. Or block out a couple of hours each Saturday to go through a small space in your home. Little by little you’ll lighten your load and create peace, calm, and beauty in your home and life!

organized office

When we first moved into our home 4 years ago, I set up one of the bedrooms as our home office. We had a spot for our computer and miscellaneous office supplies, but what we really needed was a "multi-purpose room". For example, I wanted a craft area, a sewing area, a gift wrapping area, a project area with tools, etc. etc. My husband wanted an area for his school paper, books, and bags; and an area to watch TV, read, grade papers, etc.

So I had the challenge of turning a TINY 9'x10' area into a room for all our needs...and here is what a little creativity, $27.00 worth of yard sale furniture, and LOTS of paint can do!

A computer desk was a must, and I found this one for $5.00 and painted it black. The drawers house our office supplies (envelopes, stamps, pens, paper, blank CD's etc.) To the right of the desk is a large basket for Dave's school bags and books.

The frame above the desk was purchased for $3.00 from Hobby Lobby (95% clearance b/c it had no glass!). I painted it and put chicken wire in it...and now it has multiple uses. During the holidays, we display all our cards, pictures, and letters. During the school year, we use it to hang schedules, notes, pictures, cards that we need to send, etc.


The next part was a bit trickier because I needed a spot for craft and sewing supplies. I don't do a ton of either activity, but I do enough that I want the basic supplies on hand and easily accessible.

A few more yard sale finds solved my problems.






The yellow armoire ($7.00 + paint) hides all my sewing supplies and the larger craft supplies. I store fabric scraps in the large black box, cards and other craft papers in the 2 blue boxes and all my sewing supplies are front and center for easy access.

The armoire also provides a nice place to "hide" our printer, paper shredder, and the TV (per my husband's request).


The small white cabinet ($10.00+paint) holds smaller craft supplies in the drawer and the the wood crate below.
We also use the lower part of this cabinet to store binders with information for the many committees we are part of.






Now, for the closet!
We have a very small closet in our office but I've managed to create 3 distinct zones in this one closet. You can click on the above link to see how I created a gift wrapping zone, a paper filing zone, and a tool zone to round out our "multi-purpose" room. (oh, and the filing cabinet was FREE on the side of the road!)




All we needed was a big comfy chair for reading and watching TV. I found this one on Craig's List...and while it is not part of my $27.00 office make-over, I did get it for only $40.00 and it's a Rowe brand from Klingman's ...so I think I did a pretty good job!







So there it is, 90 sq. feet of space, $27.00 of furniture, a $40.00 chair, lots of paint, and we have a room that fits all our needs.

Monster Cookies

I love cookies...especially if there is any amount of chocolate in the cookie. So when I came across this recipe from ladies at church, and saw that it had 2 pounds of chocolate in it, I knew I would love these cookies.

I have made Monster Cookies in the past, but this is my favorite recipe (so far) and this is the recipe I will continue to use until someone can convince me of a better one.

This recipe is for a full batch of Monster Cookies which makes about 24 DOZEN cookies!

I ALWAYS make a half batch...mainly because I shouldn't even think about making 288 cookies for just me and my husband, but also because I rarely have 18 cups of oats sitting around, and that amount of dough won't even fit in my Kitchen Aid mixer!

You may thanks me later because I wrote out the recipe so you can easily "halve it" or even "quarter it" depending on what ingredients you have and the amount of time you have. However, if you feel so ambitious...go ahead and make a full batch! I dare ya!

I bake all the cookies at once and then freeze them...but you could also just freeze the dough and make the cookie fresh each time.

INGREDIENTS:

12 eggs

4 c. brown sugar

4 c. white sugar

4 sticks of butter (1 lb…you can substitute half for margarine if you want)

2 T. vanilla extract

2 T. corn syrup (white)

8 t. baking soda

3 c. peanut butter (2 16 oz. containers)

18 c. quick oaks (don’t use old fashion oats)

16 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

16 oz. M&M’s

2 c. nuts (optional…and I don’t add them)

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a VERY large bowl, cream the butter & sugars until well blended.
  
• Add eggs and mix well.
• Mix in the vanilla, corn syrup, baking soda, and peanut butter and stir until well blended.
• Add in the oatmeal (one or two cups at a time). Finally, stir in the chocolate chips, M&M’s, and nuts by hand.

*I have a Kitchen Aid mixer and when I make a half batch, it is full to the brim!*

• Cover your cookie sheets with parchment paper (the parchment paper is essential to thick, chewy cookies)
• Place large scoops of dough on the cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
  
• Bake for 12-14 minutes or until set and edges are slightly brown.

Now, it's time to get out your cooling racks...and you'll need all of them!

I usually let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and then gently move them to cooling racks. Make sure they are completely cooled before you store and/or freeze them.

Then, you can eat all the broken ones, all the crumbs, and (if you still haven't had enough) just go ahead and eat several whole cookies...yes they are really that good!

1 small closet...3 uses

Our home office is one room in our house that we could not do without. The room is just a small extra bedroom; and the closet is even smaller so I knew it would require lots of organization to function at maximum capacity.

We needed the closet to do 3 very specific things:

1. House all our gift wrapping supplies
2. House all our paperwork
3. House basic tools and craft supplies
   

Since the closet is SO small I decided to removed the door to give us easier access to our "stuff". Here it is...all 3 feet of it!

ZONE 1: Gift Wrapping
LOCATION: Top Shelf



I have 4 large white bags that contain all my wrapping supplies:
1. large bags
2. large boxes
3. small bags
4. ribbons & bows.

To the left is a birds-eye view of my "bag filled with small bags!"




Then I have 2 boxes; one that contains a variety of small boxes, and one that contains tissue paper. (Yes, I save tissue paper!)

Then I labeled each bag and box with cute tags that I made from construction paper.



ZONE 2: Paperwork
LOCATION: Filing cabinet and fire-proof safe

In the center of my closet is a large 4-drawer filing cabinet. And if we need to find piece of paper, we know just which drawer to look in!

Drawer #1: Personal paperwork
Drawer #2: My business paperwork
Drawer #3: Hubby's school paperwork
Drawer #4: Craft paper, cards, envelopes, etc.

I use the tabs down the center for our main categories, and the tabs on the left for subcategories.

For example: the main category might be "utilities" and then the subcategories would be each of the different utility companies we work with (DTE, AT&T, Consumers Electric, Allied Waste, etc.)
This system works wonderfully for us.

We also keep a small fire-proof safe on top of the filing cabinet for important documents and information.

ZONE 3: Tools & Craft Supplies
LOCATION: Peg Board

Inside our closet, on the right side, I installed a small section of peg board to house some of our smaller tools and craft supplies.

Our larger tools are either in the shed outside or down in the basement but these are the ones we need to keep on hand for more regular use.

This section of the closet would otherwise just be a bunch of wasted space.

-----------------------------------------------------------
So there you have it... 1 small closet transformed with virtually no out-of-pocket costs to fit 3 distinct needs in our home office.


Next week I'll post more pictures of our office along with more organizing tips so make sure to check back!

before and after...my chair project

It rained all weekend and I couldn't do any yard work...it was horrible! So instead, I decided to work on a project that had been on my to-do list for a couple of weeks now (yes I procrastinate too!)

I got this chair for FREE; however it needed lots of work. It's actually a Lazy Boy recliner; it works great and the structure is solid.

I cleaned it up as good as I could, and then reupholstered it with a heavy white canvas fabric that actually used to be a couch slip cover. It was the only fabric I had on hand that was enough to cover this chair. I disassembled the couch slip cover and re-used it for the chair.

Here I am about half way finished.

The whole project took me about 3 hours to complete and I only stapled my finger once! The best part was...it only cost me $5.00 for this new-to-us chair that looks great in our living room!

Ahhh...I love a good deal!

something is better than nothing

When it comes to getting organized and clearing out clutter, remember that some progress is better than no progress. In short: some is better than none.

The beginning of any big project can be hard. That end point can seem so far away that it’s sometimes difficult to muster up the energy to even get started. You think I couldn’t possibly get it all done today, so you don’t begin today…or tomorrow…or the day after that.

This form of “all or nothing” thinking—I can’t clean out the entire garage today so I’ll wait to begin—can keep you indefinitely stuck in inaction. Keep this in mind: you can’t finish something until you start it. So just focus on getting started; the finishing will fall into place.

Whenever you find yourself avoiding the start of a big project—organizing or otherwise—remember the catchy little phrase “some is better than none.” You don’t have to finish the entire project today, but you could get started today. After all, any progress you make today is a step in the right direction—a step closer to done!

Here’s to beginnings!

new projects to welcome spring

Spring is in the air, and I couldn’t be happier! Here are some fun, quick and clutter-free things to do to welcome spring into your home. Even choosing one or two of these projects will make a difference—so don’t feel like you have to do them all. Remember, every step forward counts!

• Store out-of-season clothing. Now is a great time to wash or dry clean seasonal items like hats, scarves, and heavy coats. Do a sanity check before storing, and donate anything that is worn, torn, or no longer fits.

• Freshen up your home with seasonal colors. Consider getting some low-cost throw pillows or a new area rug for an inexpensive pick-me-up inside your home. (Just remember to donate the old pillows or rug, to keep clutter at bay!)

• Plant flowers, vegetables or herbs in colorful pots on your patio, deck, or kitchen window sill.

• Check expiration dates on sunscreen. If necessary, stock up on fresh supplies of sunscreen, lip balm, and bug spray.

• Declutter your freezer. If you cook seasonally—for example, if you prepare more roasts and soups in the winter, and depend more frequently on salads or grilling in the summer—now is a great time to clean out your freezer. Use up the frozen roasts, stew meat, soup vegetables and anything else you’re unlikely to use in the upcoming warmer months.

What do you like to do to welcome spring?

set some mini goals

Ah, Spring is here! I love living in Michigan, and I love all 4 seasons; but I am ALWAYS ready for Spring to make it's first appearance. This year, the warm weather came a bit early and I am thankful for that. I have already completed several yard projects over the past few weeks and am in the middle of re-landscaping our back yard (it needs it!) I'll post pictures once I am further along.

The only problem with this warm weather is it makes it much more difficult to sit inside cleaning and organizing; I'm sure you can you relate! However, since my job is to motivate my clients and readers to get more organized, I feel that I have to "practice what I preach" and keep my house clean and organized...while still enjoying the warm weather.

One thing that really helps me stay focused is to set mini goals with specific time frames. Some examples are:

• clean out the dishwasher and clear the counter tops each night before I go to bed
• wipe down the bathroom counter each day after I finish getting ready
• de-clutter one area of my closet when I put the laundry away
• clean out the refrigerator when I put this week's groceries away
• never walk out of a room without picking one thing up

Each of these small tasks can be completed in just a few minutes...and if I consistently follow through with my "mini goals" my house will consistently stay organized and clutter free. I will also eliminate time-consuming organizing projects later on when I would rather be enjoying the summer months.

Take a few moments today and set several mini goals for you and your family. Your home won't become magically organized over night, but you will make consistent progress and you'll still be able to enjoy your life!

organized your greeting cards

Do you buy greeting cards with intentions of sending them out, but lose track of them? Well, here is a simple tip from my Grandma to help you get them better organized.

Buy a calendar with a pocket for each month. Note which days you need to send a card, and who it needs to go to. Then, put all the cards for that month into the pocket. At the beginning of each month, take an hour or so to write in all the cards for that month and address each envelope. Put the date you need to mail the card where the stamp will go.

Each week, make sure you check your calendar and mail the appropriate cards.

get your dvd's organized

Do you spend such a long time searching through your DVD's for something to watch that you give up and watch something else? Take a bit of time and sort your DVD's. There are a few ways you can sort them. You can put all of your boxed sets together, this would include boxed sets of television shows, along with boxed sets of movies and sequels. You can then sort the rest of your DVD's by genre. For example: sci-fi, action/adventure, comedy, drama, family and musical.

do you have intense clutter?

Do you have intense clutter? You are not alone. Whether it's an emotional attachment to family heirlooms or a fear of needing it someday; it is a common problem among nearly all of my clients (and lots of other people too). We get frustrated by the magnitude of our problem and are paralyzed to the point of not being able to know where to start. Here are some solutions to help you deal with your clutter and prevent future accumulation.

1. Get Help! Let's face it; we are all attached to our stuff. As a result, we find it difficult to make the decision to let go. For totally objective help, call a professional organizer. Not only are they able to help you to purge the clutter, they can help you to set up a workable solution for organizing what remains, and help you to avoid future problems.

2. Pack up and leave: No, we aren't advising just walking away from it all permanently. But, if you are paralyzed and just can't do it, pack up a weekend bag, or a week's worth, leave and let someone else come in and clear out the clutter. This can be frightening because you have no say in what stays and what goes. But, it may be just what you need to do to finally get rid of the clutter.

3. Do a little imagining: Imagine you only have three hours to gather what is important to you and evacuate your home. When you're faced with the need to make that decision, it becomes much clearer to you what you can and can't live without. When you realize this, you also realize how little of the rest you really need.

4. Make a comparison: Take a visit to a women's shelter, or an organization that has transitional housing. Once you see how great their need is for goods, and how little they have, you may find it easier to let go of your excess.

5. Live out of the box: Choose a room and pack it up--just as if you were moving. As you need things, remove them from the boxes. Whatever hasn't been removed in a month's worth of time gets donated. Drastic? Yes. Effective? Yes.

These ideas may sound ridiculous to you right now, but if you are serious about clearing a huge amount of clutter from your home, you may have to take drastic measures! From my experience (which is a lot!) I witness the stress melting off my client’s shoulders after the clutter has been cleared from a room in their home. It’s overwhelming but it’s worth it.

my organized closet

In my March newsletter, I mentioned that my "project" for the month of March would be to organize my closet. After the newsletter went out, I received countless e-mails from clients and readers, asking to see pictures of my closet. So, since I have nothing to hide, here it is! Pretty great huh?


OK...so that's not really my closet; I think it might be bigger than my living room! But wouldn't it be amazing to have a closet like that??

On a more realistic note, I am lucky that our master bedroom has 2 separate closets so my husband and I don't have to share...which is definitely a perk. Our closets are nothing special, just small, double-door closets.

However, even the smallest closets can be organized; they might just require a bit more creativity.

Here are a few pictures of my actual closet...
My dad built custom closet systems in our closets when we moved in 4 years ago...which really helps to maximize the space.

Shirts and skirts on the left side. Jeans and t-shirts are folded on the middle shelves...and no, I don't color code my closet!


Dress pants, belts, and dresses on the right side.

Sweaters and sweatshirts are organized by weight on top two shelves.



All my purses and bags on the top shelf as well. I have a basket for the smaller bags.

(Notice that I use all the same hangers...which really helps to save space!)

So that's it. Nothing special but it's organized!

I am pretty intentional about constantly getting rid of things, especially if I purchase something new. I also try not to buy anything unless I know I have a place for it in my closet...and am willing to part with something else! (this is also a great way to save money!)

So, for all of you who were so eager to see my closet, I hope I didn't let you down.

66 all-natural cleaning solutions

Are you looking for all-natural ways to clean and disinfect your house this spring?

Real Simple Magazine has 66 fresh ideas to help you do just that! Click here for more info.

spring cleaning...in 15 mintues

My daffodils are already blooming (see picture!) which means it is time for some spring cleaning. I don't know about you, but every time I hear "spring cleaning" I think of longs days scrubbing away at windows, floors, and other time-consuming projects. But this really doesn't have to be the case. There are a lot of cleaning and organizing "mini-projects" you can do to freshen up your home in just 15 minutes! Yes you heard me right!

Here are a few spring cleaning suggestions for the next time you have a few minutes to spare:

• Clean and disinfect your counters and sinks
• Wipe down the fronts of your cabinets and appliances
• Sweep one room
• Vacuum one room
  
• Dust a room at eye level (after all...that is the part people see first!)
• Fold throw blankets and fluff your pillows
• Clear the clutter from one room or area in your home
• Change the sheets on your bed...and remove some of the heavier blankets
• Clean the toilets in your bathroom(s)
• Quickly dust the tops of your door frames and window frames
• Wipe the hand smudges off light switch plates and door knobs
• Wash your picture window or sliding glass door
• Sweep out your garage and/or front porch
  
• Shake out the rugs at each entry door
• Clear any expired food from your fridge
• Empty your trash and put new liners in each can
• Throw out any old/empty bottles of cleaning solutions and take note of any products you need to stock up on
• Purchase a big bunch of spring flowers to display on your (newly clean and organized) counter!

I could go on and on (believe me I could!)...but I think you get the idea. There are lots of ways you can get started on your spring cleaning with out spending all day. So set your timer for 15 minutes and do one of the items on the list above.

love it...or lose it!

When your closets become difficult to close, your cupboards are overflowing with dishes, and your storage area has reached capacity, it's clearly time for an organization intervention!

It is a challenging task, however, to make your mind up to eliminate the unnecessary and useless items and bring more order and organization to your home. By taking a logical “love it” or “lose it” approach to organizing your home, you will easily clear your cherished storage spaces of superfluous clutter and perhaps even clear your mind in the process!

KITCHEN:

Love it: Plates, bowls, cups, and glasses that coordinate and easily nest into other pieces.
Lose it: Storage containers that are missing their tops or bottoms, dishes that do not nest into other pieces, chipped or broken glassware, and your massive collection of water bottles and coffee cups.

MEDIA:

Love it: Any movie that you watch repeatedly and classic books you enjoy revisiting.
Lose it: 8 tracks, books you never intend to read, your entire collection of CD's (after you transfer them onto a computer or MP3 player).

KNICKKNACKS: (I personally would say to lose all of them…but I’ll be nice!)

Love it: Memorabilia from special events, souvenirs from vacations, and small collections…as long as they can be beautifully displayed with adequate shelf space.
Lose it: Everything else!

CLOTHING

Love it: Your favorite sweatshirt and pair of jeans, an appropriate mixture of business and casual clothing, and at least one of each basic clothing item.
Lose it: Those clothes you `hope to fit into one day,' clothing that is stained, damaged, or waiting more than 6 months for repair, outdated and out of style clothes.

Taking a `Love It or Lose It' approach to getting organized will simplify decisions made in the process of your next organization intervention. The predetermined deciding factors will serve as guidelines as you easily choose which items will stay and which will soon find another home.