Organizing For the Holidays

Tis the season to be jolly so they say. In a few short weeks another holiday will have come and gone. There is so much to do in so little time. It can leave you stressed and strapped for cash. Here are some time management tips to help you keep your sanity so the joy can be kept in your world.

1. Start early. Why wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday? You can catch great deals and have a better chance of getting the gift of the century while the inventory is high.

2. Keep to the budget. Set a budget that won't strap you for cash. Mint.com has an app that helps you to track your expenditures. The app will also alert you to spending and advise you about where your money is going.

3. Let people make their own shopping lists. Many online retailers have a wish list your loved one can complete and share taking the guess work out of it. You can get a text sent directly to your mobile device and never have to search for a list again.

3. Eat a full meal prior to shopping. Bad choices are usually made when you are hungry. We have a tendency to rush and wind up malnourished. This usually leaves us eating take out or fast food which may cause us to make poor nutritional judgements. We need a clear head while out there with the multitudes.

4. Get up early to shop or go later when there are no crowds. Most stores have early or extended hours to fit any schedule. Avoid rush hour to reduce road rage and stressed out shoppers.

5. Keep boot, coat boxes, or large containers to store giftwrap and presents.

6. Get the whole family in on it. Split the shopping list designating an item to each person. Make it fun by playing Amazing Race, the first to come back at the central meeting place with the item wins a special treat.

Remember that this time is supposed to be happy. If you find yourself moody or miserable it's time to reassess your priorities. Take the time to stand under the mistletoe, smell the pine trees, or have a cup of hot cocoa. Remembering the reason for the season will give you the greatest joy there is. Relax, it will be over before you know it.

DIY Perfumed Sachet

Scented Sachet Recycle DIY

Most perfumes have a short shelf life about 2-3 years. Instead of tossing and wasting it.  I thought of reusing it in a sachet for my newly organized sock drawer. You will need; left over perfume, mesh used to package flowers, small hair elastics, cork pieces or wood shavings, scissors, and decorative ribbon.



sachet do it yourself kit

First lay out some newspaper to cover your work surface.  It can get very messy and you don't want to stain the area with perfume.  Next cut open the cork or wood shavings.  Spray generously with perfume.  Cut the mesh into  two 5x5 inch squares.  Put the mesh squares together and fill it with the sprayed pieces in the center. 

finished sachet

Gather the mesh and tie it securely with a hair elastic.  Then tie over it with a small piece of decorative ribbon.  Trim the mesh and ribbon to a desired length.  Place the finished sachet in the drawer of your choice separated from the clothing.  It will give off a nice scent when you open and close the drawer.

Disclaimer:  This project is not for everyone.  Safeguard against allergies or perfume sensitivities.

organized sock drawer

Gift box Repurpose

Recylced Chic

Cutting back on gift giving and don't know what to do with the boxes?  Here is one idea.  I took my signature chic boxes from Nordstroms and used them to organize my night stand. 



cut a slit in the top of the box



department store gift boxes

The smaller box was reinvented to make a tissue box.  To do this take the band off of the boxes saving the ribbon for crafts.  Take a handful of tissues and fold it into the smaller box folded side up.

Cut a 2 inch slit in the top of the box with a utility knife. Pull the starter tissue through the slit and close the box.  Refill as needed.



finished tissue box

organized night stand

Open the large box and store items from the nightstand on two opposite sides.  Everything is neat and recycled chic.




The Last Days of Summer Before School

Get the Kids in on it - Last Days Planning Activity

The thought of summer ending makes some kids downright unhappy and irritable. Most camps end in early August so there is little for kids to do prior to going back or starting school. To help with the transition have kids make up their own "Last Days" vacation activity list.  Call a family meeting and have the children make up a list of all the things they want to do prior to starting school.

Assist the children by pulling out the Calendar/Entertainment section in the newspaper. There are many family papers that contain events and activities especially for children published for different cities and towns. They can be found in the public library, doctors offices, or in areas around the city. Have younger children circle the events they want to attend in the paper. This helps foster critical thinking, planning, and enforces reading and writing skills. Don't forget to contact your church and school district to see if there are some back to school events to get kids motivated. Once the list is finished negotiate the chosen activities and require your older children to give a reason in writing why the choices are valid. The purpose is two fold, you are preparing the children for school work, (persuasive writing) and making them accountable for their own choices.  Plan in advance so that the activities can be done reasonably within the family budget and before school is in full swing. The goal is to make their last days the best so they can be ready to start the school year.

How to make a backing on a hanging Shadowbox

My summer of 'no cost decorating' continues with my latest dilemma, the open shadow box.  When I was purging my storage closet I came across some shadow boxes I was meaning to hang quite some time ago.  This is an easy one to cross off my list I thought to myself and rushed to hang them up.  They were perfect to accent an area over my desk.  I was quite proud until the things I put inside kept falling out because of the opening in the back.  While watching one of my favorite show 'Deals' on the live well network I saw a segment on entertaining children by making books out of recycled paper.  Which gave me a great idea to make a backing for the shadowbox out of craft and drawer liner paper.  My first impulse was to run to the store but I remembered my pledge to cut the spending.  I had some craft paper left over that was used during the big move. It comes in giant rolls and I got it for about $10 at the storage facility 3 years ago.  It's great because it's heavy duty and will not tear easily.  This  project was easy and inexpensive to do.

You will need:  shadow boxes, (you can get them at any discount or department store),  craft paper, drawer liner or scrapbook paper, scissors, glue gun, pencil, and glue stick. 

Step One:  With a pencil trace the shadow box on the craft and drawer liner paper.  Cut the squares out.  Glue the craft paper square to the back of the liner paper.  Be careful not to glue over the design. 

Step Two:  Use a glue gun and trace a thin line around the shadow box to attach the paper to the shadow box back.  You may want to do this in sections starting at the bottom of the box.  Be careful not to burn yourself!

 

Hanging Bracket

Step Three:  Cut down the side of the hanging bracket and fold over.  Glue this section last.  You may have to trim it to make it even.


Shadow Box Back

Here is the finished product.  The total time spent on it was probably about 30 minutes.  It's looks fairly decent enough to hang and the total cost was $0.



Finished Shadow Box Front

Billy Bookshelf Repurpose

Once again I wanted to conserve $cash$ and brainstormed a repurpose with things around the house. 
The problem:  Tiny bathroom sink counter, no linen closet, and a boat load of cosmetics, (2 woman household).  We tried putting things in an over the door shoe holder but it became unmanagable.  
My Solution:  Old Billy Bookshelf from Ikea loaded up with cosmetics in some inexpensive cardboard desk organizers on glass shelves.  You can get these at Big Lots or HomeGoods for a few dollars.  I used a medicine organizer for my nailpolish.


Ikea Billy glass bookshelf repurposed

 

 

 

Here Comes the Merge....

So you have tied the knot and are officially honeymooners.   You are moving towards happy wedded bliss.   Did you know that hoarding unecessary possessions is a step in the wrong direction to divorce court?  Both of you will have to negotiate what you'll keep and what you'll ditch.  When what you'll keep gets in the way of your relationship seek help.  Here is a free checklist to help you out.

Freezer Organizing Made Easy

My trip to Florida was cancelled so in my boredom I decided to organize my freezer.  That is after a solid block of chicken fell on the ground and scared the devil out of me.  Well two hours later here is the finished product.

Tah dah!


 

small apartment freezer





Allergy Almanac

Spring is in full swing and for many of us so are allergies. We sneeze, sniffle, cough, and wheeze through our day so much that we don't dare to stop and smell the roses. How do we manage the meds? Keep an almanac or a list of medications over the counter and prescription sorted by purpose.

Spring Fling

Flinging out your old, tired, dusty, and worn wooden furniture?  Why not just spruce it up with a good cleaning using a natural solution of vinegar, water, add lemon for a fresh scent.  Then dry thoroughly and spray paint with a bright color or a coat of white.  Be sure to follow the directions on the can and make sure you use proper precautions and work in a well ventilated area.  When it's dry top it with a vase of  dried flowers.  You'll save money in the long run and make an old look new again.

When in doubt hire an organizer.  Visit me on the web at www.clearuptheclutter.com.

Organizer or Tutor

Q:  My child is not doing well in school.  The teacher says she is disorganized.  Should I hire an organizer or a tutor?
A:  Ask specifically what areas the teacher feels your child needs improvement in.  Then see if there are consistencies with your child's experiences at home and in school.   Even though a tutor can help with organzing and academic issues an organizer can assist with executive functioning disorders which is common with student learning problems.

Household Task Chart

Organizing schedules at home can be difficult.  This is a chart I created that you can download.  Please email me with feedback and suggestions.  Go to my TPT site for the digital version where you can add items and times for your schedule.

Winter Storm Cleanup

Just when you thought it was over a nasty winter storm comes along and sets you back a couple of weeks.  Here are a few suggestions to ease your burden.

• Hire a professional for yard cleanup.  There may be dangerous power lines in your yard.
• Take this time to assess leaks and weak spots in your home's structure.  You may find serious problems that you would not have otherwise.
• Revamp your insurance coverage.  Check to see if your policy helped cover loss or damage.  Do you need to make adjustments?  Is the policy working for you?  If not it may be time to make a change.
• Don't do it alone.  Get all the help you can from your community as well as professionals.

Home Office Quandry

Everyone needs an office.  An office is a place where you can conduct the business of living.  You can pay bills, schedule appointments, make phone calls, and deal with the day to day management of your livng space.   Home offices can fit in almost any area of your living space.  A small closet, in a cozy nook, or corner of a room.  Use your imagination and you can create a functional yet dynamic space to conduct your living.  Always consult your tax advisor regarding space for use of your home for business deductions.

Spring Cleaning Declutter Worries?

Sprng is a good time to reassess your living space.  The weather is warming up and our need to get out and have new experiences increases.  You know what that means, company.  In this economy money is tight and home entertaining is on the increase.  Don't panic you can get your home ready in time.  Here is a sample spring cleaning time table for download.