Why Worry? Wednesday - Packing Up Your Holiday Decor

Recyled post from December 2009:
AFTER Holiday but BEFORE New Years, TIPS
Now that the holidays are over, don't just stuff your trimmings in a box or take your trash to the dump - THINK about how you can re-think the way you end this holiday season and how it carries over to next year. When you only have a couple of days off - it's easy to throw it all back in the box but DON'T! Read through the following tips to tweak your routine in order to start the year off right - and get yourself better prepare for next Christmas!
Use these simple steps as a starting point to a great new way of Simpler Living...
As you starting pulling down your tree and gathering your other holiday decor, designate one area to collect and put everything there. I use the dining room table. I pull all my empty storage bins, tissue paper for wrapping delicate ornaments and my camera to the room. I go from room to room, gathering all the things to store and take them to the table. I try to separate the items into "piles" that will be stored together or stored by what room they go in. Example: All Christmas balls go in one storage bin so they are placed together. Everything that I use in the kitchen (cookie cutters, hand towels, etc) goes in one bin, so next year, when I start my holiday cooking , I can pull this one bin out to use if I haven't put up my other decor yet.
After I have been to each room and EVERYTHING is on the table (or surrounding floor!), I begin to pack. Each item is checked for damage and put in the "donate" pile if damaged or unwanted. Sometimes I go several years without using an item - when this happens I may keep it separate for a few years to see if I still want it. After a few years of not using it , I will offer it to my brother or it goes in the "donate" box. Last year my friends and I had a "Unloved Holiday Ornament Swap" where we exchanged good decorations with each other. I also make a list of what I may need for next year (lights, etc).

By carefully packing UP your items this year, it will make Unpacking them next year a breeze. I photo the inside of each bin and place the photo on the outside with a label. This helps me find items later.

TAKE STOCK NOW - not next December! Take a minute to make a mental list of what you need to restock for next year. Holiday wrapping supplies can be found at drastically reduced prices in January. Place gift wrap in tall kitchen trash cans that can be easily stored. Keep all your holiday wrapping supplies separated and stored with your holiday decorations. This keeps it from combining with your everyday wrap and handy when the holiday comes back around.

ORGANIZE your WRAP - Take loose rolls or scraps of ribbons and roll them around an empty paper towel cardboard roll. Use a paper towel stand to stack rolls of ribbons that have their own holders.
Use a clean small trash can to stack the long rolls of wrapping paper up. To keep rolls from unrolling and getting crushed, roll a rubber band around each roll, instead of taping the ends. This makes it easy to pull out what you need. Take a sturdy shoe box and fill it with everything you need to wrap - extra Scissors, multiple tape rolls, gifts tags, pens, etc. Any torn or unusable ribbon, save for kid's crafts in a clear tub. They can be used for homemade cards and crafts next year.

SORT your DECOR, as you put it away - Go through an examine each item before you store it. If it's broke, get rid of it. If it still holds sentimental value - then store it with other valuable items, NOT with your usable ornaments. Do you have tons of things you keep but don't use? Don't put it back in the closet. Collect these unwanted treasures in one box and donate them to a children's shelter for their use next year.
ORGANIZE your DECOR - Use everyday household items to retire your decor for the year. Egg crates can hold delicate ornaments. Tissue paper and gift bags from this year's gifts can be packed with holiday tins, towels, stuffed decor. Put all kitchen holiday utensils such as cookie cutters, snowman salt and pepper shakers and holiday paper plates all together and store OUT OF THE KITCHEN and with your decorations. You only use them once a year, keep them with the other holiday items. Keep all the same holiday items in clean, matching, PLASTIC tubs. Label the outside with a picture of the contents.
DONATE unwanted gifts - It's sounds terrible to "re-gift" but if you don't love it and it's only going to end up in the closet - move it out. Take it to the women's shelter. Donate to the military overseas. Give it to your mother - just move it from your house! This is YOUR year to de-clutter, don't start by keeping unwanted gifts.

Why Worry? Wednesday - Is My House Clean? Part 2 in the Series

Part 2:  "Why Worry? Wednesday-Holiday Party Planning Series". Please be sure to check out the Introduction and previous posts if you are new to my blog.

What to do before, during and after your event to get guests to crown you

“Hostess of the Year”

To continue with "Things Women Worry About When Planning A Party," let's discuss...

How clean is my house?

Quick tips for getting your house ready

The LEAST of your worries.

To simplify cleaning follow these basic steps:
 Front Door and Entry

-Front walk, porch and door should be swept clear, brightly lit and simply decorated

-Make it warm and welcoming. Turn on all the outside lights or use luminaries.

-Use a simple wreath on the door.

-Make sure your entryway is clear of clutter. Remove everything possible and replace with 
  simple décor such as a bowl of unshelled nuts, a fresh poinsettia or a guest sign in book.

Guest Bathroom

This is the only time your guest will be alone and have time to look around. Be sure the guest bath is extra clean, fully stocked with paper (you don’t want guests looking through your cabinet while searching for more paper), simply decorated (use a scented candle) and has hand soap and a guest towel out. Yes, people WILL look behind the shower curtain and inside the closet – remove bath toys and straighten the linen closet.

The Entertaining area

No need to deep clean your party area. The room will be filled with guests. They will concentrate on the food table and talk with other guests instead of studying the dusty baseboards. Lightly dust and sweep or vacuum. The deep cleaning will be needed AFTER your guests leave!

The rest of the house:

There WILL be guests that have never been to your home and they will want to look around. Don’t panic – lightly clean the other rooms in your home and keep lights turned down (or use lamps and candles). This will hide any imperfections enough for a quick tour .


And a quick note on decorating....

 
Make it simple.
Use what you have. Wait to put out all your extravagant decorations until AFTER the party. What your family enjoys is not always what you what to accomplish when decorating for a party. A simple wreath on the door, a few pinecones and limbs on the table and a nicely scented candle in the guest bathroom goes much farther than 50 strand of lights and Christmas balls everywhere.

Next Wednesday......Simple Food to Serve.....

For more house keeping tips, visit The Kendal Companies

THINKING THURSDAY - It goes on where?!

Why do we do the things we do? We cover our legs with sheer nylons. We stumble around in heels that make us bleed. We wear earrings that make our lobes droop. Why? In the name of our cavemen who barely have to get out of bed to look stunningly handsome.


Today's Thinking Thursday touches upon the wonderful world of cosmetics. Specifically the order in which you are supposed to apply your creams and colors. And you thought you just had to run a little liner across those baby blues! Fact is, if you actually put your make-up in the correct order, it enhances its effectiveness.


Gather all your jars, compacts, tubes and sprays and let's go!

Morning:
Eye Cream goes on first to allow it time to dry before adding on. If you don't let it dry it will just smear your cosmetics.

Antioxidant Serum - This helps prevent environmental skin damage and should be worn closest to the skin.


Moisturizer with Sunscreen - Locks in moisture and adds the SPF protection we all need.


Eye makeup - Real Simple Magazine recommend eye makeup before other cosmetics to prevent color speckles from falling on concealer for foundation. Shadow first, the liner, then mascara - SEE, you learned something new didn't ya!


Under Eye Concealer - then dab blemishes


Foundation


Powder - Gives foundation it’s "staying” power


Blush


Lips

Brows - Don't really know why this matters but it has something to do with using how heavy your other makeup is to determine the heaviness of brow liner is needed.


Evening:

Cleanser

Treatments - Acne, pigmentation

Moisturizer

Begin again.... :)

THINKING THURSDAY - Clamshell, you say?

No! Not THAT kind of clamshell...

You know, those @#$! things that toys and stuff are packaged in to keep people from stealing them, but also keeps US out?

Our Thinking Thursday tip gives you a little help breaking into those suckers.

Use a hand-turned manual can opener. Instead of scissors, a knife or  your teeth (!) align the edge of the package with a manual can openr and crank away!

You're welcome.

THINKING THURSDAY - What are those thingies anyhow?

Ever wonder if you are supposed to load glasses in the dishwasher beside the thingies that stickup or on top of them? No? Well, I didn’t either until I was reading Martha Stewart’s Housekeeping handbook and found out exactly the correct proper her way to load a dishwasher.

According to Martha:

Glasses should go on the top ring between the tines (the proper name for those things that stickup) and not over them so that they don’t rattle.

Plates get the cleanest when they face the center rather than all in one direction.

Bowls go on the top rack, facing the center.
Butter knives, blade down please.
Spoons and Forks – Alternate up and down to keep them from nesting (or spooning, hehe)
Interested in HOW your dishwasher works? I was. From Real Simple.com:
When you turn the dishwasher, the bottom basin fills up with water. Heating elements heat the water. The detergent dispenser opens and mixes the soap with the water. A pump sends the water through the spray arm, making it spin. The soapy water sloshes around for awhile hopefully getting all the taco sauce off the plates. The pump then drains the water through the pipes under the sink. Fresh water fills the basin and the pump sprays the dishes to rinse. Heating element then dries the dishes. Done.

Martha's book really is full of great info - it's also a great gift a any bride-to-be.

THINKING THURSDAY - Okay, I cheated

This Thinking Thursday tip is actually from Real Simple Magazine. I ran across an article from last year that I had planned on posting but never did. So I am cheating and posting it now - hey, it's still good info, just not mine!  Shhhhhhh....


New Uses for an Old CD Case:


1. Use as a candle holder - keep it under the candle to collect wax. Pretty cool idea!
2. Cookbook Dividers - Cover with pretty contact paper, label the outer edges with section (apps, deserts) and use them to section off the cookbooks.
3. Ice Scrapper - Use the jewel case to scrape your windshield when it's iced over
4. Invitation - Use a sharpie to write out the details and mail off!
5. Drink Coaster - Line the bottom with felt first.

THINKING THURSDAY - How to Hang a Picture Correctly

Thursdays are for "thinking" around here and today I am thinkin' about hanging some new framed pictures. One of my life's little irritants is when I bang the nail in the wall and well, it's wrong and I end up with 5 holes.
So I hit the research wagon once again and found out how to properly figure out where to put the hole in the wall - and only have to do it once! Been there have ya? Read on:

First off, if you need help deciding where to place your frames on the wall, trace the frames on kraft paper and cut them out. Then use removable painters tape to tape the shapes onto the wall, moving them around and spacing them as you like. (You can also practice arrangeing the frames on the floor before taping the kraft paper to the wall.) Remove each individual kraft sheet and hang the actual frame using the directions below.

1. Hold your frame at the level you want to hang it. Mark the top of the frame on the wall by aligning a post-it-note across the top of the frame itself.QUICK TIP: Most people hang their art or photos too high. You should hang the piece where the average person can see it at eye level. It may seem too low when you are hanging it, but it will dramatically change the way the art is viewed once hung.

2. Hold the wire up tight and use a tape measure to measure the distance between the wire to the top of the frame.
 3. Take the measurement and measure down from the bottom of the sticky note. Mark the spot - this is where you will pound in the nail.

4. Hang your frame and wha-la! No problems!

THINKING THURSDAY - Poor Homeless Items Evicted

Thinking Thursday is here and boy it's a sad one. Today, all those homeless items in my kitchen junk drawer are being evicted. They either get where they belong or they go in the trash!


But let's face the bigger problem at hand here: the reason most of these items party together in the junk drawer is because they don't really have a HOME. All those twisty ties. Pennies. Safety pins. Box Tops for Education. Some things in that drawer DO have homes. I am just too lazy to return them and it's easier to stuff them in "the drawer."
First step is to return those items to their rightful places, then decide what to do with the rest. Finding homes should be easy. Put them where they are used the most. Twisty ties? How about in a small Tupperware container mounted to the wall where the trash can is located? Pennies - ummmm, piggy bank anyone? Safety pins? In the sewing kit? It doesn't take genius, just a little time.


I think it's time you served your junk drawer an eviction notice too.

THINKING THURSDAY - The Transfer Basket Saved My Life

Such a simple idea that has really made a difference in my daily life-struggle of picking up the dreaded "odds and ends" our house multiplies. My facebook friend, Laura, says she keeps a "transfer basket" at the top of her stairs by the front door. Everything that needs to go out the door the next day goes in the basket....DVD rentals, library books, letters to be mailed.....all in one spot!

Thinking Thursdays are a weekly posting of great ideas my friends have shared with me. Have a great idea? Post it here!

THINKING THURSDAY - Each Drop of Water Counts

Today's Thinking Thursday is short, simple and...shocking. Read on to learn just how each drop of wasted water adds up then take a look around your house to see where you can save a few million drops.

FACT: A faucet that drips once per second wastes up to 3000 gallons of water per year.

FACT: Faucets installed before 1994 flow at the rate of 7 gallons per minute compared to the new high efficiency ones - they can reduce the flow by 30%.
FACT: Before 1994, toilets used as much as 7 gallons per flush. Current toilets can use as little as .9 gallon.
FACT: Current showerheads can be set to flow at a rate of less than 2 gallons per minute without affecting the pressure.

THINKING THURSDAY - How Long Should It Last?

Get your mind out of the gutter - this Thinking Thursday is another random thought about how long your APPLICANCES should last.

Buying appliances is tough. Do you go with the cheapest one to just get you by or do you invest in the high-end model and hope it lasts you forever? Here is a breakdown of the average life span of your family friends:
Refrigerator/Freezer – 13 years
Cook tops – 13-15 years depending on gas or electric
Washer – 10 years
Dryer - 13 years
Dishwasher – 9 years
Water Heater 0 Electric – 11 years, Gas 10 years; tankless 20+
Heating and air Systems – 15 years average on all models
Before you head out shopping , be sure to find out how to properly dispose of your broken ones. Many places such as Lowe's will pick up your old ones and recycle them for you. Visit earth911.org for more info.

THINKING THURSDAY - Now That THAT'S Over - what to do with that paperwork!

Tax day is here and hopefully your return is halfway on its way to the IRS's door. Now, what do you do with all that paperwork? What do you keep? What do you Toss? Around here, my regular readers know I like to TOSS as much as possible - well, at least what can't be recycled or repurposed. It’s important to not have extra papers hanging around your home.

Here is this week's Thinking Thursday's research on this very topic so YOU don't have to think about it anymore....

If you don’t already have a fireproof box in your home, now is the time to get one while you have everything at hand. Inside you should keep all difficult-to-replace documents such as:
Birth Certificates
Marriage/Divorce Certificates
Passports
Social Security Cards
Wills
A List of bank accounts, including investments
A list of emergency contacts
An Inventory of household items (in case, Lord forbid, your house burns down)
KEEP:
Tax returns and Schedule A receipts for 6 years. This is how long the IRS can audit you once a return is filed. I suggest a plastic bin – never know when the roof is going to leak or the basement is going to flood. Be prepared!
A list of family medical history. If something happens to you or a family member, it’s a good idea to have this on-hand and easy to find.
What you don’t need to keep after one year–
Credit Card and Bank Statements - now is a great time to sign up for online statements and stop that paper trail
Utility Bills – Once your check clears, you are in the good
Pay Stubs – Your W-2 works just fine after taxes are filed


QUICK TIP: The best thing you can do to prevent Identity Theft is to shred your papers. Buy a crosscut shredder. Shred your papers and use the shreds instead of packing peanuts when you mail gifts. Identity safe and Gifts shipped safely – I like it!


Prepare for next year. Go ahead and prepare your files for this year. A locking filing cabinet is a good place to start. 40% of Identity theft victims know the person who steals their ID. It’s harder to pry open a locking file cabinet than to glance around someone’s desk.

THINKING THURSDAY - What's in that Cannister!?

Ever grabbed the flour cannister only to discover it is Bisquick too late? Counting nutritional info and you've already thrown the pasta package away when you transferred it to the stay-fresh cannister? Here's a great organizational tip for today's Thinking Thursday from bhg.com:

Attach clear adhesive pockets to the outside of your container. After you fill the cannister, cut out the ingredients/nutirtional info off the package and slip it into the pocket. Pockets can be purchased at Staples or Hobby Lobby or make your own by purchasing baseball card sleeves and cutting them out. Add adhesive to the back and there you have it!

Why Worry Wednesday - Pitiful Plants

Small steps make big impacts.

By working through small steps you build a strong foundation for the

larger areas in your cluttered space

MISSION TEN:

House Plants - Real and Plastic

Plastic = dust=allergies. Plastic also equals cheesy, lazy and, well, senior citizen. Real plants that are dying, trailing across the floor and wilted brown are worse - they can change the entire look and feel of a room! I am a true believer in live houseplants, if you can keep them alive. They make a room brighten up, help clean the air and can be very enjoyable.
Assignment, Phase One: Go through and collect EVERY SINGLE plastic, fake or dried arrangement and BAG it! Even those fake trees in the corner with spider webs all over them! OUT! OUT! OUT! Please Note: Yes, this does include those dried out roses your prom date gave you back in 1990. Take the bag to the Assisted Living Center in your town. The senior citizens will be thrilled to have these (they make arrangements with them to resell). Okay, you are done - wasn't that easy?
TIP: You may think you have a brown thumb instead of a green one, but plastic arrangements are not the answer. They fade, gather dust (and spiders) and just take the life out of your home decor. Put a large, empty, pottery vase in the fake plant's place - it will up-grade your decor AND it's easier to dust!

No, no, no, no! Pleeesssaae!

Assignment, Phase Two: Now, gather all the live plants you have into one spot, preferably in your garage or back porch. TOSS the completely dead ones into your compost bin , garden or trash. TIP: Shake as much dirt off the roots of the dead plant and re-use it to top off the good plants. If the plant has signs of life, prune it back the best you can, give it a little fresh dirt, and set it aside. Next, see which plants have outgrown their current pots. TIP: If the dirt is compacted around the base of the plant or you see roots growing from the top or underneath the pot - it's root-bound and needs a larger pot. Make note which ones need new pots and add that to your notepad. Instead of buying new plants, take cuttings from the ones you have and make multiple smaller versions. To your note pad also add one bag of potting mix, a household fertilizer, a spray bottle and a household watering pitcher (with a long spout.)


TIP: PLAN what type, size, color and material the new planters should be before you leave the house. When purchasing new planters, try to stream line all your plants. Instead of terra cotta or plastic planters, be creative and try other items such as pottery vases or clear glass planters. You want them to be subtle and fade into the decor, not be the decor - that's the plant's job.

Once you get the new planters, carefully cut back your plants and repot. The little trick of keeping just a FEW plants in subtle containers will make your area seem cleaned and less cluttered. Don't crowd your home with too many plants. It's your home, not a jungle.

REASON THIS HELPS YOU CONTROL YOUR CLUTTER: Faded, dusty plastic plants and dying real plants scream "clutter!" If you can't keep it alive, don't have ANY plants in your home. The dead leaves drop all over the floor, the spiders love to hang from plastic tree limbs and your mis-matched planters call attention to the already dreadful looking plants. Streamlining your planters and keeping live plants ALIVE will reduce the area's smothered feeling.

Wednesdays in the Simple Life Series are for YOUR CLUTTER (and yes, it multiplies in my home too). I will let you know what I am doing to make simple changes in my own home to clear out my clutter. I hope you follow along and try some of these steps yourself. Please let me know how you are coming along by leaving comments at the bottom of each post. Tell me what works, what doesn’t, if you are bored – whatever – we are learning and growing together.

Why Worry Wednesday - Home Office Horrors Part 1 - The Little Things

Clearing your clutter helps clear your mind. If your work and leisure spaces are cluttered, then you can't concentrate because you constantly worry about "when will I have time to clear this stuff up?" Keeping your work and relax spaces organized where you can find what you need easily will help reduce this stress

Mission Nine:

Office Supplies

This mission is designed for your home office, but the principles can be carried over to your work office.

Is your desk a pile of folders, un-read magazines (it shouldn't be if you completed Mission 6!), and junk mail? Do you have to search for a pen that works and do you pull out a wad of rubber bands when you need just one? How many coffee cups or Coke cans are there?

Take heart, I will not ask you to completely clear your desk. Some people work better "in stacks" and know where every paper they need can be found. Some people let their stacks get out of control before they know it and can't find anything! Either way, there are some common ground rules that will apply to most everyone.

Your Assignment: Below is a list of common items found in a home office. Complete each item before moving on to the next. TIP: You may want to set up a table in an a-joining area to help make room for the things you will work with here. You may also want to gather a few empty baskets (or shoe boxes) to temporarily help with the clutter-clearing.

Let's get started: If you completed Mission 5-7, then you can skip over the first three steps here, if not, then shame on you and read on.....

 - Books, magazines and catalogs - I know there are a few of you who have skipped to this assignment and did not complete Missions 5-7 - shame on you! What I need you to do now, for this assignment, is remove EVERY book, magazine and catalog off your desk and onto a working table. This includes software instructions, notebooks, reference guides - anything that is bound! You will sort through these later, but for now, remove them from this area completely.
 - CDs, DVDs, Software Disks, other multi-media - Again, if you did not do this in Missions 5-7 you need to remove EVERY type of Multi Media to your work table. Take the cases too. Don't organize them yet - we'll do that later.
 - Electronics, power cords, wires, earphones, etc - Your extra credit in Missions 5-7 was to do this, but if you didn't you should collect them now. Make two piles - one of things you use everyday such as your phone charger - the other of things like your old mouse, extra computer cords laying under your desk and the 15 extra ear buds that are tangled together in your top drawer. Put all these on the table.

MAIL - You probably have your own way of sorting your mail but here is a 'MUST" tip for your desk. Designate ONE place to put your mail and keep it all there. Whether you open it right away or not, put all mail together. Once it hits your desktop, it is more likely to get mixed in with other pages.
Un-filed Folders and Papers - Any file, folder or stack of papers on your desk can be gently straightened and set on the floor until you have time to organize them. That step is up to you - you know better than I where they need to go. Don't stress about that now - just move them out of the way or straighten them to make a clear work space for now.

Okay, what is left? A cup holder full of pens? A drawer full of paper clips and tape? Those coffee cups still there? Take a survey and clean up. Anything that belongs in another room other than your office space, put in a box or basket to return LATER. Remove any cups, plates, and other half eaten snacks (yes it is okay to finish up that Twinkie!). Throw out any trash that is in on your desk or around on the floor.

TIP: Start at the far left side of your work space and work clock-wise until you are done. DO NOT SKIP AROUND! This is the biggest mistake people make when clearing ANY space. Stay in one area until it is done. take each step as a single project, then begin again in your left hand corner until each step is complete. Don't try to do it all in one sweep.

GENERAL OFFICE SUPPLIES - In a shoe box, collect every single paper clip, rubber band, binder clip, staples, etc. In a second box collect every single pen, pencil, and marker. In a third, collect items such as the stapler, tape, scissors, and calculator. In a final box, put stray items such as photos and scraps of notes. Take the empty pen holders and organizational trays and wash them out. (Now would be a good time to note if you need new ones.)

TIP: Buying matching, FUNCTIONAL pen holders and supply trays will help you keep you desk looking nice and neat. Walmart and Staples offer inexpensive sets. Buy only what you need - not the entire set - especially if you have limited space. Buying holders that fit inside your desk drawers are even better - they hide your supplies and keep your desk clear of clutter.

Sort through the box of writing items first. PENS: You only need a dozen or so. Make sure the pens you keep WORK or even better, throw them ALL out and buy one dozen pens in the same brand. (Currently, pens cannot be recycled, visit Earth911.org for more info.) Either way, don't keep the extras in the bottom desk drawer. If you keep them, you will eventually start digging through them looking for one that might work - which is counter-productive! PENCILS: Keep half a dozen in easy reach. Extra pencils can be kept because they don't dry up but keep them together with a rubber band and in the bulk supply area. MARKERS: Pull two highlighters and two dry erase markers out . If you use more than one color, pull one of each color. Same with your makers. It is probably easier to buy a new set than figure out which ones work, but if you are game, test each one until you have a full set.

TIP: You may be tempted to pass your old markers onto you kids for crafts and that's great, but if they don't work then they will just make clutter in your child's space too and they may end up back on your desk. An easy solution is to make a game of it for your child. Give them the box and tell them every one that works, they get to keep. For every one they find that doesn't work, you will give them a prize such as a dime for each. Immediatley throw away the ones that don't work.

Put the one dozen pens, six pencils, highlighters, dry erase markers and color markers in your desk or in your cup holder. Whether you bought all new ones or kept old ones, once they run out of ink, IMMEDIATELY trash it. Don't put it back in the stack. The ink won't magically reappear and you WILL reach for the dried out one every time. When you get down to three pens, make a note to pick up a new box.
PAPER CLIPS, RUBBER BANDS AND THE LIKE: In your box of these supplies - use your kids again to sort them into piles. If you don't have children, then it's up to you! You can 1) donate the entire box or 2) Sit down and sort it all out. If you don't have a drawer tray, use small Tupperware containers to keep them separate. From now on, every paper clip and rubber band you use will immediately go into its space, not in a pile on your desk or cast off to the floor. Don't throw them away! Re-use them!

OTHER ITEMS: "NEWSFLASH" You only need ONE stapler, one tape dispenser, one calculator, one letter opener and ...well, you get the picture. If you have more than one of each, put it in the donate pile. Chose the one you like the best (be sure it works properly). Keep one box of staples in the drawer and one extra tape roll. It seems like such simple things to do but you'd be surprised to know how many people have 5 staplers on their desk!

BULK SUPPLIES: Designate one area for all extra supplies such as ink cartridges, boxes of fresh pens, and packs of printer paper. If you have multiple boxes of something, mark "LAST ONE" on one box so you know when you need to buy more. By designating one area instead of throwing them into your desk drawer, you will always know where to look when you need something and when to buy when your supplies are running low.

TIP: Staples has clearance sales after the kids go back to school that are great for stocking up - just don't buy 50 rolls of tape if you never use tape!

REASON THIS HELPS YOU WITH YOUR CLUTTER: By now, your desk, if not free of the un-ending paper trail, at least should be workable. By sorting all the little things that you need to work with, it makes working easier. No more frustration of grabbing three pens in a row that don't work. No more odd paper clips under your keyboard. No more rummaging through the bottom drawer looking to see if you have another box of staples. A little less stress - a little more time to work. We will tackle your office in more detail later but that's it for now - unless you still have all that stuff on your table! Go back to Mission 5-7 to work through these items. DO IT NOW - don't put it off - or you've just created a new place of clutter!

EXTRA GREEN CREDIT: Place a small shredder and two recycle boxes by your desk. Immediately shred your papers instead of collecting them for later. This reduces the piles (and chore) and the appearance of clutter. Place all magazines, catalogs, and newspapers in one of the recycle boxes. When it is full, sort and transfer the items to your regular home recycle center (if you don't have one, click here to an easy way to set one up.)

In the 2nd box, place all paper that you can re-use on the back. When you need scrap paper, need to print out something or your child needs coloring paper, pull from this box. It reduces your waste and your paper consumption.

Also, keep a shoe box (or basket) to place used ink cartridges, batteries and other recyclable items. I use the styro containers that fruits come in for these bins. This will make it easier to find them all later when it's time to go to the recycle center.

Next Wednesday - MISSION TEN: Plants - you know, those brown things in the corner.....

Wednesdays in the Simple Life Series are for YOUR CLUTTER (and yes, it multiplies in my home too). I will let you know what I am doing to make simple changes in my own home to clear out my clutter. I hope you follow along and try some of these steps yourself. Please let me know how you are coming along by leaving comments at the bottom of each post. Tell me what works, what doesn’t, if you are bored – whatever – we are learning and growing together.

Why Worry Wednesday - Deconstructing Your Dinnerware

Simplicity is a proven clutter reducer.

By having basic everyday items your cabinets and closets will LOOK

organized even when they are not

MISSION EIGHT:

De-Constructing Your Dinnerware

While we aren't going to tackle the kitchen all at once, we are going to start the process. Just like with the towels in the linen closet, which eventually leads to the sheets, etc, starting with your daily dinnerware will eventually lead to the other cabinets in your kitchen.


Today's Assignment is to focus on your dinnerware only.
 Is it mis-matched? Is it 5 of one pattern and 5 of another? Is it plastic mixed with stoneware? Your goal here is to, as before, get rid of every single piece that is chipped, cracked, dingy. If it leaves you with one plate and one matching cup - then at least you have a starting point. Make a note of what you need to replace on your notepad.(Walmart and Target have complete dinnerware sets for under $30.)

TIP: If you have all your grandma's china in the attic - use it -she did! If it's too delicate for daily use, at least try to display it or pass it on to another family member.

By having matching dishes, you are streamlining 1) your kitchen cabinets 2) your dining room table 3) the overall appearance - which makes the clutter disappear. I recommend the all white route, or solid colors because you can mix and match brands. Patterns take away from the "solid" clean look we are working towards. Solid white, black, solid red - just solid!

I KNOW you have at least 1 plastic cup from QT you love in your cabinet. Let's move that out too. Glassware is VERY inexpensive. Buy heavy glass - it will stand up longer. Same with silverware. Walmart sells a simple pattern for 5 forks for $1 - and they last (I use them in my catering.)


Whatever you chose, just streamline everything. No more mixing and matching. It won't take very long to go though your cabinet, pull the odd ones out and make a note of your pad of what to replace. Pack everything you pull out and add it to you pail of towels, books and CDs for donating!



EXTRA CREDIT: Do the same with your bake ware and cookware. You don't need 12 cookie sheets or 6 iron skillets.

 MY STORY: In my kitchen, I have two sets of daily dinnerware. They are the same pattern only one set is plain white and one is has an added design (see below).

I keep the patterned set in my china cabinet and use as back up and for special occasions instead of my inherited china (which is irreplaceable, but it IS displayed for me to enjoy). By having the two sets coordinate, I can supplement them with each other. The set also is matches with my all-white baking dishes. Everything in my kitchen is either white or clear glass. It wasn't always this way and I have spent years weeding things out, but it's close to perfect now.


EXTRA POINTS - SOMETHING SIMPLE! Tired of "purging" yet? Here's a quick fix. Your kitchen counters should be clear of anything you don't use daily. The food processor, the can opener and the staples canisters should be hidden. Even if you have high-dollar fancy small appliances that all match, they still need to be hidden (all together, nice and neat of course.) Keeping the counter clear is a SHOW that you are "clutter-free" even if your cabinets are not! This goes double for the top of your fridge! Nothing should go up there.

My kitchen.... I leave out only the toaster and coffee maker, which we use every morning. Everything else goes out of sight!

....free of clutter! Except for the homegrown tomatoes ready to made into salsa!


TIP: Pick one cabinet or pantry shelf for ALL your small appliances. Don't put them too high and put the ones you use the most in the front. If you need to, the linen closet may be your best bet.


Next Wednesday - MISSION 9 - Your Home Office

 
Wednesdays in the Simple Life Series are for YOUR CLUTTER (and yes, it multiplies in my home too). I will let you know what I am doing to make simple changes in my own home to clear out my clutter. I hope you follow along and try some of these steps yourself. Please let me know how you are coming along by leaving comments at the bottom of each post. Tell me what works, what doesn’t, if you are bored – whatever – we are learning and growing together.

Why Worry Wednesday - Multi Media Mess

Mission Seven:

MULTI-MEDIA - CDs, VHS and DVDs 

 I love movies almost as much as I love books. I grew up without cable and all we had to do was rent and watch movies. They were too expensive to buy back then, so if we did buy one, it had to be one we all loved and could watch over and over. (I can recite every word to Animal House, Caddy Shack and Blue's Brothers!) These days, movies are easy to find and affordable but I still abide by the rule that if I don't love it, I don't buy it. I can rent the same movie about 5 or 6 times for the cost to buy it AND it's not taking up space in my house. I can Tivo movies or check them out from the library for free - all this in for the sake of keeping my home clutter-free.

I can relate to the benefit ownership too. My youngest daughter, now 6, has more than a few DVDS and, I have to admit, I still have close to 75 Disney/kids VHS movies from when my teenagers were kids. What I cannot relate to is those of you who buy every single movie as soon as it comes out so that you have wall-to-wall DVDs in your living room. You can't possibly watch the old ones as fast as you buy new ones. I suggest you pick a dozen of your favorites and eBay the others. Make a small fortune! You can rent the new ones or sign up for Netflix.


TIP: Send the CDs and DVDs to a Children's Shelter or Women's Shelter. They have very little to entertain themselves with and they would appreciate the movies more than you do viewing them on your shelf! Sell them back to Wal-mart! Wal-mart will buy them back AND pay for the shipping to them. Check out http://walmart.gazelle.com/?_gzl=1


GREEN TIP: Recycle the empty CD and DVD cases. Visit Earth911.org for more info.


EXTRA POINTS and $ TIP: Eliminating Electronics. As with outdated books and movies, you probably have a few walk-mans, pagers and bulky monitors taking up space somewhere. What about cords that you don't know what they power up? Gather them all together, pull the batteries out for separate recycling, and decide what is trash and what still works. Many businesses will give you a rebate for recycled electronics. As for the power cords, try the "single sock" trick from Mission Four. Put them all in one big box. When you need a power cord for something, see if it's there. After a while, you will have pulled the cords you need and can recycle what's left. Don't worry about throwing away a cord you need, most likely it isn't something you use anymore. NEW! Wal-mart has just started a new program that BUYS your used electronics. It's very simple and they pay for the shipping! Check out http://walmart.gazelle.com/?_gzl=1


Next Wednesday - MISSION EIGHT: Deconstructing Your DINNERWARE
 
Wednesdays in the Simple Life Series are for YOUR CLUTTER (and yes, it multiplies in my home too). I will let you know what I am doing to make simple changes in my own home to clear out my clutter. I hope you follow along and try some of these steps yourself. Please let me know how you are coming along by leaving comments at the bottom of each post. Tell me what works, what doesn’t, if you are bored – whatever – we are learning and growing together.

Why Worry Wednesday - Menacing Magazines

Mission Six:

MAGAZINES and CATALOGS

 I am a magazine junkie. One of the few bad habits I admit I possess is buying magazines. Over the years I have learned to cut back because 1) I just can't afford this bad habit 2) I can't actually read them ALL and 3) I have become more earth-friendly.


MY STORY: When my grandmother passed, I had to clean out her house. She had tons of magazines lying around. For every 50, I found one that she had marked with something interesting. It took days to go through them. Just when I thought I had sorted through them all, I opened the attic door to literally 100s of more! She kept every single magazine she ever bought! Magazines are RARELY valuable. If they are, it is because someone else is collecting them and need a particular issue. There is no reason to keep them for years at a time.



When I began to go through my own stacks magazines, I realized I was keeping tons of magazines for no reason. Since my business involves home decor, organizing and catering, I pulled out and few, mainly the holiday ones for reference, and everything else went to the gym or the women's shelter. Since then, every magazine I buy, I read as soon as possible so that it doesn't end up in an unread pile by my desk.


TIP: As you read a new magazine, skim the articles and mark the pages you want to go back and read. On the spot, tear out any article or photo you may want to try later. Go back and take the time to read the articles you marked, then immediately add the magazine to the recycle pile. Put the torn out pictures and pages in a file for later reference.

My own magazine "file" book

Assignment: If you haven't already, go through your house and gather every magazine (this includes catalogs) you own, read or unread. You can keep 12 for future reference. As you get the newest issues, pull the oldest out to recycle - even if you have not read it yet (after three months if you haven't read it, you probably aren't going to.) Don't renew your subscriptions if you find that all three issues are still un-read. Most magazines have on line versions. They cut down on tree harvesting, paper production energy and transport fuel. They also don't make piles in the floor that fall over every time the dog runs by!

Wednesdays in the Simple Life Series are for YOUR CLUTTER (and yes, it multiplies in my home too). I will let you know what I am doing to make simple changes in my own home to clear out my clutter. I hope you follow along and try some of these steps yourself. Please let me know how you are coming along by leaving comments at the bottom of each post. Tell me what works, what doesn’t, if you are bored – whatever – we are learning and growing together.

Why Worry Wednesday - Bagging Up Your Books

Reduce, Recycle and Repurpose. Reduce your stuff and commit to stop purchasing anything for your home that you don't need or love. If you love it on site, then know where you will keep it! One-time use items such as books and impulse buying results in junk drawers and shelves full of clutter. Don't buy it in the first place!

IF YOU DON' LOVE IT - LOSE IT.

Donate the extra things in your life and recycle what you can't give away.

MISSION FIVE, SIX and SEVEN:

Purging books, magazines, movies and other multi-media...

Even if you don't think you have many books lying around, just take a minute to try and collect them all, along with any magazines and catalogs. You may be surprised at the stacks!
BOOKS: Why do people hang on to books and magazines they have already read? Why do people buy more books when they have 20 at home unread?

MY STORY: I grew up with books everywhere in our house. My mother read, my grandparents read - I read. We had books everywhere! I kept all my books growing up and moved them every time I had to move. Boxes and boxes and more HEAVY boxes. Then a miracle happened. I read an article about the love of books and the people who love them. (Sounds cheesy right?) The article said that people who love books, just like me, tend to hoard their books, never to share with others. Why? Books are not irreplaceable. Even out of print books can be found through eBay and other Internet sources. Books are stories that are meant to be shared..why not pass the stories (books) onto to others? This hit me like a ton of books (sorry!) Why should I keep 500 paperback books that I will never to read again? This article gave me permission to release my books and, literally, the weight of the books was lifted off my mind (and my sagging bookshelves!) It took me a while to go through and pare down to the few I couldn't bare to part with, but now my books shelves contain books that are 1) My favorites 2) Non-fiction/reference 3) Biographies of people that inspire me or 4) valuable/rare.

Your assignment is to gather ALL your books. The paperbacks by the bed, the reference books in your office, even the hardback Stephen King's you've been collecting for years. Pull out the ones you read over and over and can't bare to part with, keep it under one shelf-full. Pull out any reference or guide book that you have read or used for reference MORE THAN ONCE. (That bird-watching book you bought four years ago can go if you aren't an avid bird-watcher by now!) Pull any sentimental books - such as the Book of Etiquette that belonged to your grandmother or that is valuable, like an original Gone With The Wind. If you have books you have not read yet, pull out the ones that still interest you and pass on the others.

TIP: Everything you keep should fit in ONE space, not in several all over the house. The only exception could be books you use in your office only and your children's books. Create a space dedicated to your children's books. Allow them the opportunity to learn to love books by having them sit in this designated area to read. It will keep the books from getting torn or colored in. Also, don't add do-dads to your book shelves. They just get in the way, collect dust and, well, get in the way. From now on, when you buy new books, pass them along or donate them as soon as you are finished. Share the stories, don't hoard them!

Paperbacks aren't valuable, will get musty and don't travel well. Hardback books, even best selling fictions are rarely valuable, heavy to move and take up alot of space. So what did I do with my books? Some went to eBay, others to the women's shelters, the best went to the library, a few (hundred) went in the yard sale. I tend not to buy hardbacks anymore. Instead I borrow from the library, buy the paperback version and have quarterly book swaps (click HERE for more info.) My book shelves are orderly, full of books that are often USED, and if I do buy a new book, I have plenty of space for it.

$ TIP - Cash4books.net is a fast, SUPER easy way to get money for your books. Just search their website to see if they have your book listed, print a pre-paid mailing label from your own printer, package them up and drop the box off at the post office- once they get and inspect your books, they mail you a check - easy as that! My first check was $41 for 6 books!


Wednesdays in the Simple Life Series are for YOUR CLUTTER (and yes, it multiplies in my home too). I will let you know what I am doing to make simple changes in my own home to clear out my clutter. I hope you follow along and try some of these steps yourself. Please let me know how you are coming along by leaving comments at the bottom of each post. Tell me what works, what doesn’t, if you are bored – whatever – we are learning and growing together.