The Pantry

Not everyone is fortunate to have a pantry. Sometimes all you get is a couple of cupboards in your kitchen to create a pantry with. Some pantries are huge. I had one where I used to live and it used to house the washer and dryer (which had been moved to another location in the house..) It was like another room! The one I have now is a very small closet, but it was set with California Closet shelving, so it really works well. So whatever space you have is what you have, but what you do with it makes the difference.

Like other areas, like the closet or garage, take everything out and clean up the space. I did this a year ago, and painted the pantry to match the same color as the kitchen. Now it is a nice sunny yellow which is so much more inviting than the drab ivory color it used to be. I cleaned all the shelves with cleanser to freshen it up, and always have a nice bright light--nothing worse than 40 watt lighting. Then decide how you want to arrange things and what will go in there.

Each area/shelf should always house the same things, i.e. if you have chips and crackers on a shelf, don't mix it up next week by putting olive oil and brownie mix and dried fruit there! I am a big believer that the pantry should house food and food stuffs. It is not a place for a hammer and screw driver--items like that need their own little bin and are really suited to a laundry room or a separate cabinet someplace. But things like napkins, paper towels, a mixer, straws, etc..work fine in there. I know what every shelf in my pantry holds and it does not switch around.

Also go through the items once in awhile and throw things out, like stale crackers and old chips. The pantry can also be a great place for a calendar, a To Do List, cook books, etc..Organizing your pantry is a quick fix in organizing your space!

Bookcases

Bookcases are often built into rooms. I recently realized I broke the rules of bookcase decorating! I have a 5 shelf bookcase built into my family room. It was stuffed with books, and then I put photos in frames in front of the books, and the top shelf had a few knick knacks. I don't know why, but after 3 years it occured to me to really look at that bookcase! I mean it was so unattractive, I cannot believe it slipped my view like that. Especially that type of bookcase and in that type of setting, it should be set up much more artistic, as it really is a focal point.

So I took everything out of it. Then I realized I should paint the inside the same yellow as the rest of the room, and with the white molding around each shelf, and now the yellow paint, it was instantly so much better! Then we went through all the books, and gave a couple of large bags to Goodwill, which was great! I then decided that I did not want the focus of the shelf to be books, but much more display items. So I only kept about one dozen books out, and put them on the bottom shelf with a wood tiger that made a great book end. The other shelves were decorated with cute objects, like a red lantern, a Genie looking red vase, a pea green decorator ball, black framed new updated photos, a vase.

Now the area has plenty of space to enjoy the objects on display, and it is a focal point and not an overstuffed bookcase. It is so easy to not think about certain areas of rooms, they just are not "seen" after so much time of being in the room. So take time when you have it to go around and really look at how your rooms are set up. Oh...all the other books ended up upstairs in my office, which I decided needed a "library" look with the bookcases there--so much better!

Clutter

The word "clutter" is a loaded gun. It brings up a visual of a mess, stuff everywhere, things being kept for no reason, or too many reasons. Things. Stuff. Junk. But it does seem to be a major issue in the country. There are great tv shows with a sole mission of getting rid of people's clutter. There is tons of information on line and in book stores on how to get rid of clutter (and here is another posting on just that, and I wrote an EBook too!)

If you are keeping things you don't have room for, or making room for it, too much for the space, or are renting storage units for the stuff!, have unfinished things lying around, cannot find a space to relax in your own home, don't want to have people over, etc..then you have a clutter problem! I remember years ago I heard about one of my neighbors--he had so much stuff all over his house, there was nowhere to sit down, and it was like pathways walking around in the house. It was something I had to see. I knew when he went to work, and I had the excuse of dropping of an invite to a holiday party...so I was able to peek in some windows...it was beyond my belief. Stuff was everywhere. It was something I had never seen in my life. There was NO way he was ever having people over, let alone I don't know how he lived or existed in that house. One thing that struck me, and I still remember so clearly, was he had Mr. Pib cans everywhere. And it looked like a little maze for a rat, there were all these pathways cleared with junk on both sides. He clearly needed help. And he was the nicest brightest computer guy, I really liked him. He was funny and very polite. His home certainly did not match the persona he had in his public life.

Getting rid of stuff is easy for me, because it is like a hobby for me. I know it can be a daunting task for many. But you will be amazed how much more you enjoy your home and feel better about something in your life being organized! It is hard to have everything in order, but there are things we CAN control, like what we keep in our 4 walls.

Like anything, it is best to plan ahead. i.e., "this Saturday, from 9-12 I am going through my stuff." And you may only be able to tackle one room, or maybe even just a section of a room at a time.

Whatever area you are cleaning up, place all the stuff in an area that you can easily view it, and then start to sort through it. We all have heard the categories, Keep, Trash, Give Away or Sell.

If you really love it, and there is some use for it, keep it. But this is not always easy. You cannot love and use everything if you have 100s of things staring you in the face. This may take awhile, you may really have to come to grips with getting rid of stuff. Give yourself time, but not enough to get totally sucked into a whole new drama. You are at this step because you want to get rid of the clutter in your home.

Trash is easy. If it is broken or falling apart, get rid of it. Goodwill does not take broken items and for the most part nobody wants something broken. Now it you happen to have, let's say, a broken lamp, and you know your neighbor loves to fix things and sell them, whatever, see if he wants it. But don't find a home for all of the trash, most of it is trash, but use your discretion.
In the world we live it, so overloaded with trash, recycling is a great way to go if at all possible.

Give away or sell. Clothes that don't fit, old furniture, kitchen stuff, baby clothes, toys, there are so many things just sitting in attics and garages and closets and STORAGE UNITS (I don't for the most part see the point of those things!) SO many people need help, please give this stuff to charity. Or go ahead and have a yard sale or post online and sell it, either way is a great way to go as you are getting your stuff into the hands of someone else (and hopefully not another person just accumulating too much stuff!)

If this is all too overwhelming, hire a Professional Organizer. For about $60 an hour, they will come to your home or office,etc.. and help YOU go through everything and come out on the other side clutter free. This is what I am meant to do. I could do this all over the place. It is so easy for me.

However you go about it, make it a priority to live clutter free. One easy thing to tackle is just getting rid of mail as soon as you receive it--so much is junk mail. Your counters will thank you when they are not covered with a week or more of mail. It is just one step, but will get you going.

Cleaning Closets

This morning I woke up bright and early, well before 6 am. Closets were on my mind. Not that mine need any cleaning, as I am always sorting through them. I think closets kind of represent our lives and what is going on. Having a super organized closet does not make a perfect life, but it is one less thing to stress about!

If your closet needs help, here are some simple steps..

-Take everything out, kind of a pain, but easier to work with an empty space.
-Think about what you want where--i.e. I share a walk-in closet with my husband, so he has his section and I have mine--they don't intermingle!
-I also have shelves for shoes, hat boxes, purses, old Vogue magazines, etc.
-It is a great time while everything is out to think about painting your closet--I need to do this!
Make it like a little show room in a store :)
Or even just wall paper or fabric on the wall can really transform the space.
-While you have everythng out, go through it all. Decide what you really want and still wear, try things on, and get rid of the rest. There are some things you won't wear often, like a formal dress, but if it still fits and you still really like it, keep it..otherwise think it over..some things just fade away in a closet never to be seen again. My main thing is always getting rid of things. It is the one way to not have a closet, let alone a house, filled with clutter.
Sell what you don't want, or give it away to charity--but make sure it does not now go into a box into the garage!
-Get small bins or other organizing elements for your closet if you need them. I have little fabric boxes to hold things like hats and scarfs, and also round hat boxes which I love.
-It really makes a difference to have consistent hangers--the same style and color. i.e. don't mix wire dry cleaner hangers, with wood, with black plastic, and some other colors in there. I used to break this rule, and now I cannot imagine such a closet. The other day my eye caught some black hangers in my closet--my husband had taken them from the entry way closet--where they are meant to be...so no no, those had to be put back.
Hang them all going the same WAY. It really makes a big visual difference.
-For shoes, there are many options, depending on your set up. Shoe boxes (clear are best I think) shoes shelves (I have this) over the door shoe racks, etc..please don't throw them in a pile on the floor, and have a consistent spot for each pair, like a little parking spot! One time someone I used to work with packed a black and a brown shoe when we went on a trip, that is beyond my comprehension!
-If you have a walk in, have a small chair, you will use it all the time.
-Mirrors are great--they fit great in a walk in, or can go on a door. Depending on your closet, have a mirror within close range.
-When arranging your clothes, do it with order. I arrange mine by type, long sleeves, short sleeves, tank tops, sweaters, button down sweaters, skirts, skirt suits, pants and jeans, dresses, coats, formal dresses--like my shoes, everything knows where it "parks." Keep it consistent, it will look far better, and you will always know where everything is.
-Have a few fun elements, like little photos, something that makes you smile. Our closet is a big part of the beginning of our day. It "houses" you in many ways, so treat it well!

Fall Leaves

Are you as overwhelmed as I am with the LEAVES. They almost seem to multiply everytime I turn around! I guess it is really hard to comprehend how many leaves are on a tree until they begin to all fall off. I have been raking and raking, I mean hours worth of time, and then there are more! But I have to remind myself, that every year, right around Christmas, that is it..they are gone, then the deciduous trees are all naked and Father Winter has set in.
My husband, who has no desire to do yard work, says, "oh just leave them, it doesn't matter!"
But ah ha, yes it does...

Leaves on the grass..these must be picked up. When you have many leaves on your grass, like I do, and they get wet, you are basically harming your lawn, as it turns into a slimy mess with the rain, and this wet mess has no oxygen, and it is like placing a black garbage bag on your lawn. The grass will die if you leave the leaves (no pun intended :) !)

Well chopped leaves are great compost, but use lightly, if you use too much it can cause decomposition problems. It is great to compost all your flower beds. Leaves on top of flower beds can be left alone if they are not covering the plants directly and are not too deep. So if you have plants covered in leaves, you need to remove--I did this for part of my morning today!

Leaves on sidewalks is a favorite for everyone--crunchy, colorful leaves to scuffle through..but when they get wet, be careful, because they are slippery and hazardous and need to be picked up.

Is your yard bin full? So is mine, don't despair! I have a HUGE pile waiting to go into the yard bin, and it is 10 days away until the next pickup..but there are bags that are decompostable--made out of recycled brown paper, that you can get at a hardware or garden store, but don't put them out in the rain, or they might fall apart!

Soon holiday cheer and fun will take center stage, and your yard will be all picked up and ready to embrace the winter months ahead.

Magic Erasers

I cannot believe it took 25 years of my adult life to discover the Magic Eraser! And it was my husband of all people who told me about it! And he is NOT neat ! These are like the greatest thing ever! You get about 2 or 3 for under $5. There are two sides, one that does the work, and one you can kind of wipe up with. As I always say, "wear your rubber gloves" as there is some sort of chemical or something to make them work, so you don't want that on your hands.
You just get the thing wet, squeeze it out, and go to work. It takes off virtually any mark. Now you only want to use on things like baseboards, spindles in the staircase, outside stuff--like seats in a boat, you get the picture--it is not suited to take a mark off a wall painted orange--the mark will come off, but so will some of the paint..and the finish. Marks on baseboards and doors makes a house look so uncared for. One day this past summer, I spent about one hour, and went through 3 Magic Erasers. I cleaned all my baseboards, white doors, staircase spindles, I mean I went to town. I could not believe the results. They should hire me for a commercial! If you want a quick pick me up to make your home sparkle, get a package of Magic Erasers and get to work!

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The Guest Bathroom


You will probably use this bathroom as well, but remember it is for your guests!

-This room should be a totally clutter free.
-This is not a room for a bunch of magazines, newspapers, etc.
-Have attractive CLEAN towels. Don’t put out some threadbare raggy towel.
-Make sure the towel ring or hook, if there is one, is attractive and matches.
-Matching! Big thing. Keep it all the same—i.e. chrome, or brass or black,
Whatever, but don’t start mixing everything! Matching really has a pulled together look!
My guest bath is all brass.
-The light fixture—have good lighting!! No one wants to use a bathroom and the light is a 40 watt bulb!! And make sure it is an attractive light fixture!
-Faucet and sink—CLEAN!
-Counters—make sure if you have over night guests, that they have counter space to set their things..
If there is a shower or tub, keep it squeaky scrubbed clean and shiny—how inviting is that?
-Soap—a dispenser is best. It never gets all soggy like soap does. Keep it filled!
Have you ever been a guest somewhere and there is no soap,let alone a towel?
I have !
-Have a garbage can—the ones with lids are best, under the sink if you have room or if in the corner, then a MUST with a lid—and make sure to empty once a week, and always after a party!
-Under the sink, keep a plunger and a toilet brush and toilet bowl cleaner! Did you see Along Came Polly—if you did, I need say no more. If you did not, there is a bathroom scene for poor Ben Stiller after a bad dinner…and there is no toilet paper and no plunger..
-Toilet paper, for darn sakes have a nice roll on there, and have an extra either in plain sight or under the sink (in my case I have a small linen closet) Do NOT leave your guest stranded without these things!!
-Make sure the toilet is totally spic and span. I know, NO ONE wants to clean toilets…but let’s face it, a toilet that is not totally clean is just gross! And it should smell fresh too~
-Cleaning the toilet, means the whole thing!! Not just a quick wipe down with the toilet brush! Get your rubber gloves on, ALWAYS please—make them a part of your cleaning regiment! I have not been without them for 25 years!! I remember how my mom showed me how to clean down around the bottom and around the area on the floor. C mon, keep it clean!
-TISSUE—have it! Who wants to blow their nose with TP? I had this conversation with my daughter and her boyfriend last year. A decorator style box at Target costs like $2? It is so worth it.
-Art—have something fun in there. I have these fantastic vintage Barbie sketch posters—3 of them. I mean I love them, I would have them all over my house if I could. But they sure found a home in the powder room, and they are perfect there.

Maybe put out a candle with a little box for a small match book if you have the room. Get something from Pier One or Cost Plus that has style and an understated aroma.

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Organizing Your Home - EBook !

Organizing Your Home--Free Yourself of Clutter and Love Your Home

37 packed pages of great tips, from how to get your bathroom organized, to cleaning up your garage, to making your dining room pretty! Fun and easy to read, written with a personal touch!
Cute images add fun to the pages.